“What the hell do you need your gun for?” Ellie asked me as she sat down.
As she held out her hands for little bear, I glanced down at Gus lying on the floor near Ellie’s feet.
Damn dog puts on a good show.
“I need it in case he hurts Alex. If he trie
s anything, I’m gonna shoot his ass,” I said, holding my baby girl in my arms as I looked down at her. I smiled at the sight of her sleeping so peacefully. God, I love her.
“Oh. My. God. You did not just say that about my dog!” Ellie stood up and put her hands on her hips.
Gus just stayed in his spot, his eyes moving from Ellie to me and back again.
“Look at him. He’s acting so calm now, but I know what he’ll do. He’s gonna think she’s a toy!” I turned to my mother with a pleading look. She’ll be on my side.
“Oh, for the love of all things good, Drew. Give Ellie the baby, so Gus can meet her already,” my mom said as she moved to sit down on the floor next to the dog.
My mouth was hanging open as I just stood there, staring at her, while she rubbed Gus’s ears. My own mother.
“Fine, but someone better be ready for when he makes his move,” I said, glancing down at Gus as I handed little bear to Ellie. Did that dog just smile at me? “He just smiled at me! Did y’all see that?”
Ellie let out a laugh as she kissed Alex on the cheek. When Gus slowly sat up, Ellie held Alex down near him. I sucked in a breath of air and just watched. Gus smelled, wagging his tail a little. After he smelled again, he looked up at Ellie.
“Hey, bubs, this is Alex, your baby sister,” Ellie said as she smiled at Gus.
Baby sister? What the hell?
“I need you to always watch over her and protect her, baby boy. She needs you. ”
I watched as Gus sat down, still wagging his tail. I was waiting for him to pick up his paw and slap it down on the baby, but he didn’t. He just sat there, staring at Alex. Then, he put his head on Ellie’s leg.
I looked over at my dad as he slowly let out the breath he’d been holding in. He glanced over at me and shrugged his shoulders. Son of a bitch was just as worried as I was.
Ellie looked up at me with that smile of hers. I smiled back before leaning down to kiss her.
“I told you he would be a good boy. He loves her already,” Ellie said, glancing down at Gus.
I walked over to the table by the front door and grabbed the PetSmart bag. As soon as I took out the rawhide bone, Gus got up and ran over to me. After I opened it and gave it to him, he ran through the dog door in the kitchen and headed outside.
“Easy-peasy!” my mother said as she began heading toward the kitchen. “Who wants lasagna?”
My dad walked up and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll make the salad. ”
As they both went into the kitchen, I could hear them laughing and talking about how scared I’d been about Gus attacking Alex. Some parents they are.
I turned to look at Ellie as she started to softly sing to Alex. My heart burst from chest with so much love that I had to sit down slowly. I watched the both of them until my mother called us for dinner.
I sat down on the bed and stared at the bassinet holding the love of my life. As I felt Ellie crawling into bed, I saw something that shocked the shit out of me.
“Holy shit, I can’t believe it!” I said.
Ellie sat up. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Ells, look at your dog. ” I pointed over to the bassinet.
Gus had walked up and peeked in at Alex before lying down near her.
“Aww…see, he loves her. I told him to protect her, and he’s taking his job seriously,” Ellie said, lying back down on the bed.