Requiem for a Soldier (Requiem #1)

Chapter 23: New Friend

May 15

Ana

The sound of a helicopter hovering outside wakes me up again, though fortunately it doesn't send me into a panic this time. I rub my eyes and sit up. The morning sun shines through the drawn curtains, a strong departure from the dreary, rainy weather of the past week. As I stretch and yawn, I hear the sound of the helicopter's rotors speeding up as it begins to depart.

I wonder what's been delivered. Ryan hasn't ordered more groceries and supplies, that I know of. He said he'd consult me before he made his next order. I'd been hoping to get a few more books, including a cookbook with a wider selection of desserts. I climb out of bed. After getting dressed, I'm heading for the front door when Ryan walks in from the porch.

"What is it?" I ask.

He looks at me sideways, with the right side of his face inclined away from me, as he usually does. "It's a surprise," he says.

I raise my eyebrows. Is this another gift? The guitar was cool, but also really expensive. I get that he likes buying random expensive stuff to piss off his family, but this seems a little extravagant. If it were any other guy, it would be inappropriately expensive, but also probably make me suspect he liked me, and not just as a friend. Ryan doesn't seem like that, though. The fact that he's clearly still hung up on his ex with no obvious intentions of moving on makes this situation less suspect, in my mind. Maybe whatever he's gotten isn't really for me, but something of his that he thinks I'll enjoy.

"Turn around and close your eyes," Ryan says.

"This had better be the good kind of surprise," I say.

"It is. You'll like this," he says.

I acquiesce and turn around with a sigh, closing my eyes. I hear Ryan go back outside, then return a few moments later. He sets something on the ground. I hear a metallic jingling sound, followed by a scratching noise and a grunt from Ryan. I frown. What on earth is it? Ryan's footsteps approach from behind then stop.

"OK," he says, the tone of his voice sounding different from anything I've heard from him so far. "You can turn around now."

I turn slowly, prepared to fix Ryan with a questioning stare, but the pillow-sized white fluff under his left arm draws my attention. I gasp when I realize what he's holding. It's a puppy.

"Oh my gosh," I hear my voice say. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh," I keep saying, tearing my eyes away from the precious fuzzball for a brief moment to look at Ryan. He's got the largest smile I've ever seen on his face before. I look back at the dog to see its mouth fall open and the bright pink tongue loll out. It looks like the puppy is smiling at me too. "Oh my gosh," I say, unable to think of anything else as I step forward and reach for the fluffy puppy. Ryan hands the dog to me and I gently hold the warm, cuddly animal. The puppy licks my arm and I giggle. The dog looks like a miniature polar bear. I stroke his downy coat.

"Oh my gosh, he's so soft!"

Ryan chuckles quietly. "Do you like him?" he asks.

"I love him! What's his name? It is a him, right?"

"Yes, it's a him. What do you want to call him?"

"You're letting me name him?" I ask, not looking away from the furry white creature in my arms.

"Whatever you come up with is probably better than anything I could think of," he says.

I hold the puppy up to my face and laugh as the dog sniffs my face and gives the end of my nose a tiny lick. I sit on the floor and place the puppy on my lap, running my hands over his unbelievably soft coat.