Blind Date

Chapter 4 • More Than Just Coffee

"The time is 6:15AM on Monday, October third."

A loud, obnoxious beeping follows the robotic greeting and wakes me from my sleep. Groaning in disapproval, I roll onto my side and press the button on my phone to make it stop.

Repositioning my head on the pillow, I bring my arm back underneath the warm covers again and I feel her presence by the edge of the bed. A smile spreads across my face at the sound of her light panting and I reach out for her.

"Good morning, Maggie," I pet her head, giving her ears a few scratches and she licks my forearm. "Aw, thank you for all the love. I love you, too." I continue petting and scratching her while I enjoy the last few minutes in bed and a smile tugs at my lips. "I get to text JJ today. I'll wait a bit, though. I'd hate to wake her if she's still sleeping. That's a good idea, yeah?"

Maggie barks with a whimper and I feel her stand up.

"Okay, okay, let's go outside so you can do your business, then I can do my business." Once I get out of the bed, I pull the covers so it's made and I put on my robe. "The neighbors don't need to see my underwear. Right, Maggie?" Laughing at my joke, I slip on my house shoes and grab onto her harness, "Alright, Maggie, take me to the door, please."

She leads me the thirteen steps and I feel for the security chain lock with my hand. As soon as I open the door, Maggie leads me over to her favorite spot just a few steps away in front of the guest house. While she does her business, I enjoy the last of the warm Summer air and while I like the season, I'm looking forward to the holiday months since they're my favorite.

The sound of Maggie scratching her paws on the grass lets me know she's done and we make our way back inside. After I shut the door, we walk over to the kitchenette and I stop at the counter.

"Are you hungry?" I knowingly ask, taking the lid off the plastic container.

I reach inside for the measuring cup and with it filled with the food, I bring it down to her bowl that's directly beneath me and I pour it inside.

"There you go. How are you on water?" As she starts chomping away on the crunchy bits, I feel over to the bowl next to the food bowl and dip my finger inside. "You still have plenty. Now it's time for coffee."

After replacing the measuring cup and lid, I place my hand on the edge of the counter to feel my way over to the coffee pot. I put in a single serving coffee cup and place my mug under the drip. I press the Start button, smiling at the sound of Maggie lapping up some water.

"Now that your belly's full, let's get ready for the day, yeah? C'mere, Maggie," I call for her and I feel her nudge her wet nose on my hand. "Good girl," I praise her, petting her head and I grab the harness. "Take me to the loo, please."

It's after a steamy, refreshing shower that I'm at my closet to pick out what I'm going to wear for work. Thanks to Gemma's brilliant organization skills and the Braille label maker, I can feel through my closet hangers to distinguish the colors and styles of my clothes as described by my wonderful sister.

Since my job at the kennel allows me to dress casually, I decide on a pair of jeans, an under shirt with a floral print shirt. Finishing off my look with my comfortable boots, I run a comb through my damp hair and set it back in its place.

"How do I look, Maggie?" I ask, putting on my sunnies and she barks. "Aw, you're too kind. Alright, take me to the kitchen, please."

With her guiding me, we walk out of the loo and over to the kitchenette. The delicious aroma of the coffee wakes me up and I carefully take the mug from the holder and bring it up to my lips to blow on it. As I take a sip, two successive dings capture my attention and I set the mug on the counter.