#Chapter 36 – A New Pup

“That’s your dog,” I say, my fingers pressed against my temple as the puppy whines in the back seat. The boys fuss over him, fighting over names.

“We are going to call him Lucky,” says Alvin.

“No. Slug!,” says Ian, laughing.

“You are not naming him Slug,” I say, angry, twisting to glare at the boys. “He has to live his whole life with that name.”

“If it’s my dog,” Victor says, smirking, “Then why do you care?”

I roll my eyes, murmuring “Fine, do whatever you want. But have fun explaining to your constituents why their First Dog’s name is Slug.”

Victor nods, considering. “True. Boys! Slug is off the table.” Alvin cheers and Ian moans.

“Seriously, Victor,” I say, turning to him. “I don’t have the time or the energy to take care of what is essentially a third child. The dog stays with you, in your house.”

He laughs softly and nods. “It’s fine, Evelyn – the dog stays with me. I have a full household staff – we can handle it. It’s just a puppy.”

“Just a puppy,” I say, mocking. “That’s what you thought when you brought these two home,” I gesture over my shoulder with my thumb, “and then called me in a panic saying they were wrecking your house.”

“Ah, that was just first-night jitters. We figured it out.”

With that, we pull into Victor’s driveway just as the sun is starting to set. “Mama, can we stay and have dinner with the doggie? I want to eat out of a bowl on the floor with him!” Victor says, clutching the poor creature to his chest as we walk up the driveway.

“Whatever you want, Ian,” I say, smiling graciously at him. “Stay with the dog in your dad’s house as long as you want.”

“I want to stay too! I want puppy chow!” Alvin says, trying to grab the dog from his brother. Poor pup!, I think as it looks at me with wide eyes. But also, not my problem.

When I come in the door, I see Victor standing by the kitchen island reading a note.

“What’d you get?” I ask, moving to the fridge to grab a cold bottle of water.

“Note from Amelia,” Victor says, looking off into the distance.

“Oh?” I say, studying his face. He’s suddenly glum after being so cheerful all day. “Is everything okay?”

“She’s off to Milan,” he says, shaking his head. “For a couple of days with her girlfriends. Says she needs to ‘get some space.’”

I grimace as I twist open my bottle’s cap. “Guess it’s a good thing she wasn’t here for the arrival of the puppy. Might have sent her overboard.”

“Okay,” I say, deciding to leave him to it. “I’m going to check on

smiling at them. “You’re going

distracted by the pup that sits on

a string in front

“No,” Alvin says, “Merlin.”

out. As I go, I feel my phone buzz in my

got a call from your client asking for an impromptu meeting. He says you didn’t

think, and

Yes, just give me a few minutes to set up. Tell him I’ll call

a thumbs-up emoji and I hurry into

Victor?” I ask, stowing my phone away

running a worried hand through his hair. “Are the boys

don’t let Ian name it

at me. “No promises,” he says. “It’s my dog,

and wave as I head

the numbers on the old rotary phone, dialing the line at the office that connects directly to Victor’s cell. It rings

His mechanized voice sounds a

your call earlier. Do you

this unscheduled appointment. I’m just…having a bit of an

on,” I murmur, settling in amongst the boots on my closet

taken an impromptu trip to Milan. She didn’t even tell me about it – just took off while I was out for the day

me in more detail about why this

getting away from the ‘chaos’ of our life as her reason for needing a break. I’m worried that if she can’t handle this chaos,” he hesitates, “that…well, that she’s

say, twirling the rotary phone’s chord around my fingers. “This sounds like you two have different priorities. She wants freedom and fun, whereas

after a moment

be

says, more

little, “that’s unfair, and

my answer, I assume because he’s used to everyone falling into step with his own

gently. “You are both whole people in this relationship, with different wants and needs. It sounds to me like every time she tries to express what she wants,

little unfair,” he growls, but I

“Or is it kind of ‘your way or the highway,’ as the saying goes? I wonder how your relationship

family. It seems like more and more, these past months, she’s been moving in

My advice would actually be to do

this just encourage her to

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