LIFE Interrupted

“Stop right there. Both Alexander and Roman appear to be allergic to the puppy. They’ve both been sneezing and coughing their heads off. I tried Micki, she said no way. She has her hands full which I agree with. I tried Angel and Cara, their husbands said no. What do you want me to do?”

“Bring her here.” She knew that Josh was going to be upset with her, but she would have to keep them both.

“Are you sure, Josh isn’t going to have a fit?” Kai asked her.

“Just bring her here.”

He wouldn’t be crazy about it, but he wouldn’t say no either. Josh wouldn’t have told her no before the cancer diagnosis and he wouldn’t now, she knew.

Josh had always tried to give Sophie whatever she wanted within reason. Was this within reason though? Sophie knew she was expecting a lot from him by bringing two small puppies in the house.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes. My husband and son will be grateful for the relief.”

Kai came over with the puppy a few minutes later. She told Sophie that Roman had called the town and they were going to remove the mother from the drainage ditch. She hadn’t even thought of that. The poor Momma. She didn’t even know what had happened to her?

While they were talking Josh texted her asking what breed she thought the puppy was. He was with a sales associate at the pet store trying to decide what size bed to get.

Sophie picked up the puppy she had named Delilah and glanced at her face. “I have no clue what you are. Kai, any ideas?” She showed her friend the puppy’s face.

Kai shrugged her shoulders, looking at her blankly. “I know less about dogs than you do. At least you had Samson growing up. I had squat.”

Sophie: No clue.

Josh: Send me a picture of her. That will help the associate figure out what she is, so we know how big the bed and a crate should be.

Kai was watching while Sophie played with the puppies. She glanced at her friend. “Josh wants a picture of me with them?” Sophie asked. “I can tell him this way, that we now have two.”

“He is going to murder you, Soph.” Sophie sent the picture that Kai took on her phone to him and waited.

Josh: What have you done?

Sophie: Alexander and Roman are allergic to her. She needs to live here with her sister.

Sophie glanced at Kai. “He didn’t respond. That’s odd.”

Her friend had one eyebrow cocked.

“What?”

“Sophie, Josh has never told you no. You’ve just never brought home two dogs. He’s probably thinking this is the first time I need to put my foot down and tell her no and he’s arguing with himself how to do it.”

She chuckled as she snuggled the little girls close to her. Kai laid her hand on Sophie’s leg. They didn’t need to talk. Kai had been her friend since Kindergarten.

“Mass on Saturday again?” Kai asked.

Sophie nodded. “Did it make you feel better?”

She smiled at Sophie. “I don’t know. It was entertaining watching everyone note that we were back in church, especially your dad and Josh’s dad.”

Sophie had seen that reaction too. “I felt better.”

“That’s all that counts.” Kai got up from the sofa. “I have to go home. Roman was making dinner when I left.”

“Do you have to leave?” Sophie asked.

“I should.” Kai was reluctant if Sophie needed her.

“Go.”