“Are you out of your mind giving the dogs mashed potatoes? Snowball has clumps of potato stuck to her fur! Now I’ll have to bathe her, and I’m exhausted from work. How could you be so irresponsible, Jack? And look at Marlon. He’s getting pieces of greasy hamburger all over my kitchen floor.”
“Shut up, Lizzie! Just shut the fuck up!” Jack had finally been feeling good about his life, and Lizzie had to go and spoil everything again with her big mouth.
Lizzie turned as white as a ghost, never having seen Jack that angry before.
Jack saw the look of disgust on Lizzie’s face. He had gotten food all over her immaculate porcelain tiled floor. “I intended to clean up the kitchen and both dogs before you came home. You were supposed to be working late. Remember? Is it my fault you left work early without even bothering to call and let me know? Lizzie, I cannot take your nagging anymore. You’re driving me crazy!” he screamed at her.
Jack rubbed his temples as another tension headache began building. Lizzie was standing there in shock, knowing she had gone too far this time. But there was no way she could take the words back. “I want my old Lizzie back. She wouldn’t have minded the mess. She would have joined in and eaten the burgers and not given a damn about the kitchen. Where did that Lizzie go?”
Getting a roll of paper toweling and a bottle of Windex, Lizzie started cleaning the floor as tears ran down her face. What Jack said was the truth. She used to be fun, but now, all she did was nag and yell at him, and he had every right to lose his temper. Lizzie could not bear to look at Jack. He would see the shame written on her face, so she continued wiping down the tiles. After the floor was clean, Lizzie lifted Snowball and carried the small terrier to the bathroom to bathe her. The Maltese struggled to get free, wanting to go back to the kitchen and eat more mashed potatoes.
“Come on, Marlon,” Jack told the Labrador. “We’re not wanted here.”
Jack grabbed his sheepskin jacket and retrieved Marlon’s coat and leash. He needed a long walk to clear his head and forget about Lizzie’s latest temper tantrum. Marlon tugged at the leash when they got to the dog park. He had made friends with both a tiny dappled-dachshund and a large Irish wolfhound that frequented the park. Jack thought it was the funniest thing watching the canine trio because the pack leader was the little wiener dog. Marlon and the wolfhound followed the dachshund around as it barked orders at the two larger dogs.
The park was one of the few places where Jack could relax. He threw a Frisbee, and the lab leaped high in the air to catch it. Jack threw it again, and Marlon barked as he chased after it. After countless tosses, Marlon began panting, and Jack didn’t want to overexert him. The dog kept jumping and begging for Jack to toss the Frisbee again.
“Later, boy. Let’s go find a bench and take a load off.”
Jack loved the lab more than he had thought possible. Sensing his sadness, Marlon smothered his face in wet kisses, and Jack hugged his best buddy, needing the love the dog provided.
The Dream Lover Series 