Thirteenth Lovely

Sinking into the couch, I opened up a book. It was a fantasy, some romance revolving around two dragons belonging to different clans. I had picked it up on the way home from the aquarium and had been invested since. It was interesting, I’ll give the author that. But I tended to get a bit lost here and there. That usually meant I was too exhausted to understand anything and just needed a nap. So I’d put a bookmark where I stopped and come back after a few days. 

Today was a quiet day. Couro had decided to spend the day playing with another girl from the neighborhood and Gora and I weren’t exactly on speaking terms. Sure, we haven’t really spoken since we moved into this house, but at least he’d give me more than monosyllabic answers. But considering what I caused, I really couldn’t blame him for shutting down.

So, I tended to my own business and dived back into my book. I’d left off at where the dragons were confessing to each other. It was overly mushy, and there were a few moments where the author had me squirming. Imagining two dragons cooing over one another wasn't the prettiest image in my head, so it was hard to maintain it. But I did. The whole thing felt like something Kutu would read and fawn over for about a week. She had read similar books, but this specific one didn't come out until just a few years ago. She really would've loved it.

Just as I move on to the dragons arranging how to meet up in secret, I heard a faint noise. It was high-pitched and throaty, and slowly getting louder. I put my book down and looked around, listening as the noise got closer. Then, the front door barged open and hit the wall with a bang. Jumping up, I ran into the hallway to see Couro and another little girl screaming their heads off. Between them, they balanced a large basket that looked to have a mop of white fur in it.

"Daddy!" Couro yelled as the other girl kept screaming. I blinked, confused, and watched as they waddled the basket over to me. "Daddy, look!"

Looking into the basket, I saw that the mop of white fur was stained with blood-red and little splinters all over. I paused, still confused, and looked at both girls. They were tear-stained, frantic, and one just wouldn't stop screaming. On top of it, I heard two large feet run down the stairs right next to me. I looked up and saw an irritated Gora leaning on the railing. He didn't say anything and only looked at me, begging me to quiet down Couro's friend.

Bending down, I looked at the little girl. Serena was her name, according to Couro. She was a drained pale and had wavy brown hair falling into her face. "Isn't it time you head home?" I asked. Her screams died a little bit as she nodded. I took over the basket from both her and Couro and shuffled her out of the house, locking the door behind her. With the basket in my hands, I could feel something breathing. The movement scared me into holding my own breath, listening for the basket's breathing. I heard it again and looked inside.

Couro walked up next to my leg and mumbled, "It's a puppy, Daddy."

Immediately, Gora shuffled down the rest of the stairs and retorted, "That is not a puppy."

I dove my hand into the basket until I touched what felt like a soft velvety nose. I lifted it up and saw a small dog's face. "It is a puppy."

"I found him outside inside the fallen tree," Couro explained. Nodding, I carried the basket upstairs and took it into the hallway bathroom. I washed my hands and fetched a pair of latex gloves. "Serena put him in her old Easter basket."

Gora looked at his sister. "He?"

"Serena said it's a he."

"How'd she know?"

Couro shrugged. "Serena said her mom taught her how to tell. Her mom's a vet so she must be right."

"If Serena's mother is a vet," I piped up, "why'd you bring the little guy here?" An honest question of mine. I stood there, wiping off as much dirt and picking out as many splinters as I could. But, I knew the puppy would need more, I just didn't know what.

"She's not home right now," Couro answered. She rested her chin on my elbow as I probed at the puppy. "Serena said she'll bring her mom over tomorrow."

"So who's with Serena?"

"No one."

I paused. "Isn't she eight?"

"Eleven, actually."

"Oh."

"And she was screaming like that?" Gora asked, mockery in his voice.

Couro pursed her lips, "Serena's very sensitive." Standing in the bathroom's doorway, Gora did a poor job of hiding his chuckles with the toaster tart he was eating. "Don't laugh at her!"

Loudly, I cleared my throat. It easily got both of their attention and threw off whatever argument they were starting. "He doesn't seem to have too many splinters," I said. "Just, he's gonna need to be cleaned up and bandaged. I'm just not sure how. We can drive him up to a vet."

Couro gasped, "But, Serena said that we shouldn't take him to a vet's office."

"This Serena sure does say a lot of things," Gora muttered, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know how else to help him," I shook my head. "I can't clean him myself, Couro."

"Why can't we wait until Serena and her mother get here?"

"He looks pretty beaten up," Gora spoke up before I could answer her. "He probably doesn't have that long."

"Gora's right." I slipped off a glove and ushered her for the door. "Go get changed and I'll find a veterinary."

"But--"

"Couro, please."

"Serena said that if we take him to a veterinary, they'll take him away." Pausing, I looked at her, desperate and worried for the poor animal. Finding a response was difficult, so I didn't. I just let us stand there until she added on, "I like him."

I sighed, hung my head, and mustered up all the sternness I had, "A puppy isn't in the budget right now."

"Please."

"It's a no."

"Please."

"I said no."

"Please."

"Get in the car, Couro."

"But Daddy--"

"Damn, you're annoying!" Gora snapped. "Get changed and get in the car, the puppy's a no!" After nearly a full minute of silence, Couro sobbed. She continued to sob and rushed out of the bathroom in tears. I tried to follow her, but Gora wouldn't move from the doorway. He only sneered, "No offense--or take offense, I don't care--but she's kinda spoiled."

"You're one to talk," I huffed. And, he laughed.

"I'm sixteen, too late to fix me now," he shrugged. "Couro, on the other hand, is actually a decent kid. Don't mess it up by babying her." Still not moving, he took a bite of his tart. With the part he bit off, another bit fell off and stuck to his shirt. "Shit, I need a job."