Thanks to everyone who reviewed for the nice stuff you said.
It's a shorter chapter, but you'll survive. :oP Hope you like it. Don't forget to review. ;o)
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Walking home with Skittery was more than a little awkward. He was really quiet and mostly stared at the sidewalk in front of him. Brutus bounced around between us.
Out of nowhere the newsboy asked, "Is there something wrong with your dog."
"No." I answered defensively. "Walking just... bores him. He'd much rather prance."
Skittery snorted and I couldn't help but laugh too. "Why do you have such a huge dog?"
"Small dogs are," I paused. "Small. I don't like small."
"You don't like small?" He asked, confused.
I thought it over in my head, searching for an explanation. "There's not enough time to concern yourself small things. In the end, it's the big stuff that matters." Was the answer I choose.
"I don't think so." Was all he said. We both remained silent for awhile.
Then, as if to mock him, the tabby cat Brutus had chased sat in the middle of the sidewalk staring at us. My dog saw it before I did and started pulling at his leash trying to chase it as it took off down the street.
"No! Brutus, no!" I cried out as he started to drag me again. Skittery immediately grabbed me around the waist and held me back. I quickly shoved the butterflies in my stomach from my thoughts and for a split second I was positive the dog could pull us both, but our combined strength stopped him in his tracks. Still desperate to catch his 'furry tormentor', Brutus was stretching out as far as he could and standing on his back legs only. He whined pitifully but stopped instantly when I said his name in a harsh tone.
"Told ya you needed an escort." Skittery said letting go and smirking at me.
"Well, I stand corrected." I sent my own smirk back. "Thanks." I said as an afterthought.
He shrugged his shoulders and we walked the last several feet to my uncle's small townhouse. At the door I let Brutus in and turned back to face Skittery who stood at eye level tome, only because at the moment the ten inch stoop added to my height. "Thanks again." I said.
"No problem. Just let me know the next time you need someone to save you from your own dog."
"I might." I said with a smile.
"I'll see you around, Elsie." He said and turned away.
I closed the door and cried silently. Sliding down the door I said to myself. "Don't do this to yourself. Don't to it to him." In my thoughts I reminded myself, "It isn't fair to anyone."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later I sat in my room at a desk my uncle had tried to pass off as a vanity by putting a mirror against the wall above it. I looked at my face and sighed. I did the best I could to cover the redness around my eyes and tear stains on my cheeks with make-up my mother had given me when I left. Uncle Bryan wanted to introduce me to his fiancée tonight at a nice dinner.
I finished getting ready to go out and walked downstairs from my room to see my uncle was waiting. He wore his silly looking bowler hat and tweed suit he loved so much.
"You look nice." He said looking at my pinstriped, pink skirt, magenta blouse and an over-sized white hat with my dark hair pinned up around it.
"Thank you. You look nice too." I said, hoping he would take his hat off later.
"Let's go." He led the way out of the house and into the street.
My mind was occupied with thoughts about what being here really meant as we walked when I stopped in my tracks. I bent over and started involuntarily coughing. Uncle Bryan stopped also, but didn't know what to do and looked slightly terrified. I searched frantically for a handkerchief in my purse, knowing what came next. I founded it and just barely managed to get it to my mouth in time before blood came out. It stopped quickly and I regained my composure.
"Are you alright?" He asked, truly worried.
I nodded quickly instead of speaking because my throat still hurt.
