The New Irwin {Adopted by Ashton Irwin}

Chapter 11

  We make it home and I immediately get out of the car and grab two bags in one hand, and the puppy in the other. I get to the door and impatiently wait for someone to unlock the door. Michael comes up first, unlocking the door and swinging it open. I walk in and wait for the door to close before putting the puppy down. I put down a bowl and pour some food in it. He immediately gulfs it down. I fill the big bowl with water and put it down next to him.

After a while of feeding him and letting him drink his water, I take him to the backyard and let him sniff around. After a while, he uses the bathroom, to which I make a big deal of praising him. I take him inside and grab the shampoo before taking him to the kitchen to wash him in the sink. I wash away all of the dirt, turning the water brown. I drain it and refill it when I see that most of the dirt is out, all the while, he's trying to escape. I shampoo him to get the rest of the dirt out and grab a towel to dry him off. I place him on the ground to dry him off better when he runs off, his towel hanging off his back and trailing behind him for a few feet before falling off.

"No, no, come back! Don't get the house wet!" I call out. I start running after him and eventually catch him. I groan when I see the ocean that has become our floor. "Dad!?" I yell. A minute later he walks down the stairs. "Can you please hold him while I clean up this mess?" I ask. He looks around at the floor before laughing.

"What happened?" He asks, taking him from my hands.

"He ran off before I could dry him." I say before going to the linen closet and pulling out a towel. I walk back downstairs and start drying the floor. I finish and take him back, Ashton walking back upstairs. I dry him off with no incidents and put the collar on him.

I walk to the living room and sit down on the couch, picking him up. I flip to a show called Good Girls and start watching it while he cuddles up to me. After two episodes, Luke walks down. He sits next to me and starts watching the show.

"You decide what his name is yet?" He asks. I think for a moment. There is one name that I've always wanted to give a dog.

"I'm thinking Milo." I state. (Pronounced Mee-Low)

"That's a cool name." He says. I nod.

"Ilomilo was my favorite video game as a kid, so I've always wanted to name a dog or cat Ilo or Milo." I explain. He nods and we continue watching the show. I end up leaning my head against his shoulder, his arm wrapped around me, and Milo cuddled up to my lap. We watch a few more episodes before I drift to sleep.

§

We run through the fields in the beating sun like we do every Saturday. Ryan chases me while my feet glide through the tall grass. The blue sky and fluffy white clouds dance above us. I squeal as Ryan picks me up and continues running to our designated willow tree.

He sits me on the ground, the grass coming up to my small, fragile ribs. My red dress catches the wind and I struggle to keep my skirt down.

Ryan stands in front of me. He smiles at me warmly, but soon, that smile falters. It falls to a frown before his throat is slit with no warning and no one behind him and no knife.

"This is all your fault." He tells me over and over again as I scream his name frantically, telling him to stop telling me that.

Ashton

I wake up to Milo barking and scratching at my door frantically. I groan and roll over but he won't stop. I get up and open the door, only for him to run back into Autumns open bedroom.

That's not like her. Her door is always closed.

I walk in the room to see Autumns crying and thrashing around in her bed, Milo just standing, waiting for me to do something. I rush over to her try to wake her up by shaking her. I yell her name a few times, but nothing works. I try a new tactic.

I lift her up and sit her on my lap, stroking her hair and cooing her until she stops squirming. Soon, her breathing returns to normal and Milo jumps up on the bed and lays down near her feet. I continue to stroke her hair until her eyes flutter open. She looks up at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"Shit." She mutters. "Was I screaming?" She asks in a small voice. I shake my head.

"You were crying and thrashing around. Milo was scratching at my door until I came out." I tell her. She smiles and looks around, spotting Milo at her feet. She looks back up at me before snuggling back into me.

"I love you, dad." She states before falling back into a peaceful sleep.

"I love you too, baby." I whisper, resting my head on the headboard and falling asleep.