Chapter 2

I never saw such beautiful brown eyes look so desolate and miserable. I knew from the moment that I saw how unhappy these two were that I had to do something to try and comfort them. Thankfully, I had a natural gift of finding the right animal for each family that visited the shelter.

"Will she communicate with me if I try talking to her?"

"Good luck, she hasn't talked in days."

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Lily."

I smiled. Lily was a very pretty name. I loved lilies. They were such delicate, innocent flowers. In fact, they were my absolute favorite flower ever.

I approached the little girl and crouched down to her level. "Hi, Lily. My name is Brittany. These animals are all my special friends. I know all their names and what each of them like and don't like. They talk to me, too. Can you speak animal language?"

Lily, stopped sucking her thumb, starred up at me, and shook her head, gently, no.

"Well, I think I will have to teach you, then, because being able to talk to your animal is an important part of taking care of them. Did you know that?"

Again, Lily shook her head, no.

"Hm, interesting." I looked towards the pretty brunette. "Is it okay if she comes with me to see how it's done?"

The brunette looked down at Lily. "Lily, do you want to go with this nice lady and see the animals again?"

Lily looked between us before shaking her head, yes.

"GREAT!" I said clapping my hands excitedly. "Come on, let's go sneak up on Lord Tubbington."

I stuck my hand out towards Lily. She contemplated what to do for a moment, before hesitantly placing her hand in mine.

I couldn't believe the affect this girl was having on Lily. She was actually answering her questions. She wasn't using words, but she was still communicating with her. I was dumbfounded.

When Lily took Brittany's hand, I was even more shocked. This was a girl who had a very difficult time trusting people she did not know. Hell, I still didn't know if she trusted me.

I followed Brittany and Lily into the area where the cats were located. I wasn't really a cat person, but I would put my dislike for them aside if Lily decided she wanted to adopt one.

"This is Lord Tubbington," I heard Brittany say. "He is a vegetarian. He loves running loose and chasing bubbles. He just had kittens with Lady Beth. We found them all in a house that was falling apart. It was very sad."

I walked over to the cage they were in front of and gasped. "Holy shit. That is the fattest cat I have ever seen."

Brittany and Lily both looked back at me. "What? He is!"

Brittany laughed. "He just likes to eat his vegetables."

"I bet that's not all he eats," I said.

Brittany gave me a sad smile. "He can't help it if eating makes him happy."

"I didn't mean….I…"

Shit. I had definitely upset Brittany with that comment. There I go again, not thinking about what I say before opening my mouth.

"You hurt his feelings."

"I…I'm...I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to him."

"Excuse me?"

"Lord Tubbington needs to hear it, not me."

"I am not talking to a cat," I said.

"Well, you're going to be on his list, then."

Ugh. Why was this girl so frustrating? I thought she was trying to help us.

"Fine. I'm sorry, Mr. Cat."

"His name is Lord Tubbington."

"I'm sorry, Lord Tubbington."

"Good. He accepts your apology."

GOD. Santana Lopez, what the hell are you doing? Where is your cold, hard attitude? Where is the bitch that resides inside of you?

My inner conscience was yelling at me for many different reasons. Yet, I couldn't find it within myself to be bitchy towards Brittany. She was, after all, trying to help Lily.

"So, Lily," I heard her ask, "do you think a cat is the right pet for you?"

Lily moved up closer to the cage and put her hand inside. Nothing happened. She frowned, removed her hand, and shook her head, no.

"Yeah, I didn't think you seemed like a cat person. Okay, onto the dogs, then," she said taking Lily's hand.

I waited while Lily and Brittany viewed the dogs in the room. Brittany told her witty comments about each one. It was kind of cute, in a way, how connected she was to each animal.

"Do any of these dogs seem like your new friend, Lily?" she asked.

Lily looked around before pointing over to a Golden Retriever.

"Vienna, huh?"

Lily nodded.

Brittany moved toward the kennel and let Vienna out of it. She ran around the room, sniffing Lily, Brittany, and myself.

Lily pet Vienna on her head and waited for some sort of reaction. However, all Vienna did was lie down on the floor.

I think Lily expected Vienna to have lots of energy and be playful. Right off the bat, I could tell she was not a very active dog. Brittany seemed to realize this, too.

"Hmm…not what you were expecting, huh?"

Lily shook her head, no.

I knew I had to intervene. "Lily, hunnie, do you want a puppy that will play with you?"

She nodded, yes.

It was quiet in the room for a minute before Brittany finally said, "I think I have just the puppy for you. Wait one second."

Brittany disappeared behind a door in the corner of the room. I took the distraction as a chance to talk to Lily.

"How are you doing? Are you tired?"

She shook her head, no.

I wish she would just talk to me already. She was stubborn, though, just like her father, my brother.

My brother was a soldier currently stationed over in Iraq. He had left his wife and daughter to fight for our country. After a year apart, his wife, Jamie, had an emotional breakdown.

Then, a few weeks ago, there was a knock on my door. It was Lily and Jamie. Jamie told me she couldn't take care of Lily anymore because it was too much for her. Then, with a quick kiss to Lily's forehead, and a muffled "sorry" she was gone.

Lily cried hysterically the whole night. It took me forever to calm her down.

That was the night my whole world was turned upside down. Yet, in some weird way, I actually enjoyed Lily's company. I was no longer alone in my apartment. I no longer went out partying with friends. Lily was my motivation. She was my reason for becoming more rounded and mature.

I knew what I was about to do was going to change many lives. Lily was going to get better. Yet, I was going to be heartbroken. Sometimes, though, that is the position I must put myself in to do this job to the best of my abilities.

"Hey, Aristotle. I have some people I want you to meet. You need to be on your best behavior, though. I think this is your chance. I think they are your "forever" family."

I unlatched his kennel door and was greeted by a quick lick to the face. "I know. I love you, too. I will never forget you buddy. Come on!"

I opened the door and let Aristotle run out ahead of me.

He ran right over to Lily and began circling her. He was panting heavily and sniffing her clothes.

Lily's eyes brightened the moment Aristotle entered the room. She leaned down and patted his head. Aristotle took that as a cue that Lily wanted him to get closer to her. So, he did the only thing that a puppy should do, he licked her face.

He licked and licked and licked until Lily fell backwards and Aristotle was hovering over her.

That's when I heard it, a high-pitched laugh. It had come from Lily. It made me smile.

I looked over at the woman Lily had come here with and saw that she was close to tears.

I walked over to her, "Are you okay?"

"That is the first laugh I have heard from her since she came to live with me," she said between tears.

"I'm sorry if this over steps any boundaries, but are you two related?"

"Lily is my niece. Her mother left her with me a few weeks ago. She couldn't handle being a single parent anymore. My brother, Mateo, is in Iraq."

"Oh, wow. I am so sorry. Well, not necessarily sorry. I mean…it's just…"

"It's okay. Really. I'm dealing with it better than she is."

"That's such a horrible situation for her. I can't imagine what she must be going through."

"She feels unwanted. She thinks her parents don't love her. No matter how much I try to reassure her, it doesn't work."

"She'll come around. She just needs to adjust to things at her own pace. It's almost the same situation many of these animals find themselves in. It takes time, but one day, they are all ready to trust again."

I smiled at her, a genuine, sincere smile. She looked at me, dried her eyes, and smiled back. Her brown eyes were shining bright, pushing through the dark clouds that haunted her life.

For the first time in weeks, my heart felt lighter. Lily was on the floor playing with her new friend. She was laughing and enjoying herself. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I had Brittany to thank.

I don't know what it was about this girl, but she seemed to understand exactly what I was going through. So, when I smiled at her, I was silently thanking her for what she had given me. Hope.

"Lily," I called out.

She looked up at me and tried to hide the fact that she had been smiling.

"Is he the dog you want to adopt?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Good, because I like him, too. What do you say to Brittany?"

She looked from Brittany to me and tried to put her thumb in her mouth.

"Lily, don't! You're hands are dirty from petting Aristotle."

She withdrew her hand away from her mouth and looked down at the floor.

"Hey," Brittany said, squatting down beside her and tilting her chin up, "It's okay, you don't have to say it."

Lily looked deep into Brittany's eyes. Then, in a quiet whisper I heard her say, "Thank you."

Brittany smiled. "You're welcome. You take good care of him, okay? He has a special place in my heart."

"I'll make sure she does."

Brittany attached a leash to Aristotle's collar and kissed him on the head. "You take care, mister."

She handed the leash to Lily. "If you take him out to Brad, he'll go over all the paper work with you."

"Thank you, Brittany. You have been a great help."

"You're quite welcome…uh…"

"Oh, sorry. I just realized I never introduced myself. My name is Santana."

"Well it was a pleasure doing business with you, Santana."

"Likewise," I said.

She opened the door for Lily, Aristotle, and me.

Fifteen minutes later, Lily, Aristotle, and I climbed into the car and headed home.

When we arrived at my apartment, I parked the car and turned towards Lily. "Are you ready to bring Aristotle home?"

She nodded her head, yes.

I was about to unbuckle my seat belt, when I felt Lily's hand reach out and graze mine. "Thank you, Tia."

I was shocked she had spoken to me. It warmed my heart.

"You're welcome, sweetie. Come on, let's go inside!"

We got out of the car and walked into our apartment complex with Aristotle in tow behind us on a leash. Once inside the apartment, we took off our shoes to get more comfortable.

"Are you hungry? What would you like for dinner?"

"Can we have pasta, please?"

I wasn't used to her talking. It was unusual, but greatly welcomed after days living with her being silent.

"Of course. Why don't we get changed and, then, I'll start cooking while you start your homework."

"Okay. What will Aristotle eat?" she asked, petting Aristotle's head.

Shit. I forgot about feeding the dog. I should have stopped at the pet store before coming home. I would have to put that on my to do list for tomorrow. I needed to think of a Plan B for the time being.

"I'm going to call my friend, Quinn. You remember her, right, from the upstairs apartment? She has a dog. I'll see if she can lend us some food for tonight. I'll go shopping tomorrow."

"Can I go, too?"

"Sure. We'll go after I pick you up from school."

"Okay, bueno."

It made me happy that she was brought up bilingual. Hearing her speak Spanish made me feel very proud.

We both changed into our pajamas and reentered the kitchen. I made a quick phone call to Quinn, who had promised to bring down some food for Aristotle.

While I was cooking, Lily conscientiously began her homework. Her first assignment was to make sentences with her spelling words. After that, she had an addition and subtraction worksheet. Her last assignment was to read for ten minutes from her daily reading book and write a summary paragraph.

By the time she was finished, the pasta was done. Lily cleared her spot at the counter and set the table for two. I made two plates of food and set them down on the place mats.

"I hope you like what I made," I said.

Lily looked down at the dish of bow-tie pasta and peas tossed in tomato sauce in front of her. "I'd eat anything you cook, it's always yummy."

I'm pretty sure my cheeks turned bright red. Her admission made me feel very confident in my cooking abilities. "Gracias, Lily."

"De nada."

We ate in comfortable silence, then, washed and dried the dishes together. As I was putting the leftovers away, there was a knock at the door.

"I bet that's Quinn."

Lily was in the living room with Aristotle. They looked adorable together.

I opened the door and let Quinn inside.

"Girl, you are in way over your head. A child and a dog all in the matter of weeks?"

"Nice to see you, too, Quinn."

"I brought you two different types. I have canned food and some that came in an I.A.M.S bag."

I took them from her hands. "Thank you so much, you are a lifesaver."

"Don't mention it," she replied. "So, how is she doing?"

"She's doing better. She's talking to me. I think the dog was a very good idea."

"Awesome. Will she talk to me?"

"I…I don't know."

I glanced over to where Lily was. She was lying on the couch with Aristotle, petting his ears and talking to him.

"Me and you are going to be best friends," I heard her say.

She was being so gentle with him. It was amazing to watch.

"You've taken to her quite well, Santana."

"She's my niece, Q. My brother always protected me when I was younger. So, now, I'm doing this for him. I'd do anything for her. I love her."

"I know you do. Have you heard from Mateo?"

"Not since last week. His unit was being moved. He didn't know when we'd talk again."

"I'm sorry. This must be so hard for you."

"It is, but, it's much worse for Lily."

It was so different going from living alone to living for someone. I had responsibilities now.

"Well, I have to head out. I have a date."

"Good luck with that."

"Gee, thanks."

I walked Quinn out and locked the door behind her. "Alright, peanut, it's bedtime."

"Can Aristotle sleep with me?"

"Yes, I'll bring him in after I feed him."

"Okay."

She gathered her school supplies and backpack and walked down the hallway. I took out the dog food, poured it in an old bowl, and set it on the floor.

Aristotle ran right over to it and started eating. "Good boy," I said, bending over to pet his head.

I walked down the hallway to the guest bedroom. Lily was waiting in her bed for me.

"Your homework is all done?" She nodded, yes.

"Did you brush your teeth?" "Si," she responded.

"Okay, good." I pulled her blanket up under her chin and tucked her in. I did this every night but, for some reason, it felt different this time.

"Goodnight, Tia Tana."

It was the first night she said goodnight to me. I smiled. "Goodnight, Lily. Sleep well." I leaned over to kiss her forehead.

Right before I was about to leave, Lily called out, "I really liked Brittany."

I tried hard to fight the smile that spread across my face. "I liked her, too. She was very helpful."

"She was pretty, too."

I laughed, "Yes, she was."

She smiled at me and said, "Buenas noches."

"Goodnight." I walked to the door, turned out the light, and walked out of the room.

I checked on Aristotle to make sure he was still eating before cleaning up the rest of the kitchen. When I was finished, I picked him up in my arms and walked him down to Lily's room.

Lily was sound asleep. I put Aristotle down on the bed and turned to leave. On my way out, I saw a piece of paper lying on the end of the bed. I walked over to it and picked it up. It was Lily's spelling sentences.

I read through each one slowly, admiring how hard Lily had tried to spell words correctly. When I read over the second to last one, I couldn't help the small chuckle I let out. The sentence was: My two new friends are Britknee and Earistotull. I moved to the last sentence and gasped out in shock. It read: My Tia Tana stared at Britknee's eyes a lot.

What was she talking about? I wasn't staring at her eyes! Well, maybe I was, a little bit. She did have the most intense and gorgeous blue eyes.

No. I was not going to think about that right now. I needed to sit down and write a new slow song for Dylan.

I slid the paper into Lily's backpack and walked to my studio. It was going to be a long night.

The night shift had arrived just as I had finished making sure all the animals had food and water inside their kennels and cages. I said goodnight to all my furry friends before clocking out and leaving.

On the drive to my apartment, I kept thinking about Lily and her aunt. Lily reminded me of myself when I was younger. When I was angry, I wouldn't talk much. Instead, I would sulk in my room and create crazy dance routines.

I hoped Aristotle was adjusting well to his new home. Lily was definitely a good fit for him. Together, I knew, they would be able to make each other happy.

I felt bad for Santana, though. I could tell from what little she told me, that she had a lot on her plate. If I was in her position, I don't know how I would handle things. Thankfully, I only have a younger sister who is nowhere near ready to settle down and have children.

Still, I couldn't stop thinking about helping Santana and Lily further. Aristotle was a good thing to have in common with them.

I put my key in the door, turned the knob, and walked into my apartment. It had been a very long, exhausting day. I slipped off my shoes, then, walked into my kitchen. I took food out of the freezer and heated it in the microwave.

Lean Cuisine dinners were slowly becoming my "go to" meal for when I worked late.

As I placed my food down, I happened to glance over at the answering machine on the counter. The red light blinking, indicated that I had a new message. I pressed the play button and waited to hear some good news.

"Hello, this is Sofia Waters. I am calling with news on the status of the position at the Rosenbloom Theater. While your audition was greatly respected and very professional, we have, unfortunately, found the person we were looking for. Please do not be disheartened. We would be delighted to have you audition with us again. Thank you for your time."

I sighed loudly. This was the fifth message I had received this week that had not brought me good news. Nobody wanted to hire me. It was becoming so infuriating. I put forth so much in my auditions yet, never received anything in return. I was so close to giving up entirely.

After dinner, I went into my bedroom to change into some sweats. As I was plugging my phone into it's charger, I noticed I had a text message. I quickly checked it, only to find it was from Mike. "Breakfast tomorrow am?" it asked. I smiled before responding, "Sure, if it's your treat."

I put my phone back down on the nightstand and walked over to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

I kept thinking about Lily, no matter what I did. Something about that little girl was tugging at my heartstrings. Even more so, though, I kept thinking about Santana. She looked so lost and alone. I wish I could have told her how great of a job she was doing with her niece.

When I finished brushing my teeth, I went back into my bedroom to go to sleep. I had just lain down in bed when my phone chimed. It was another text from Mike. "You got yourself a deal. I have to stop by my friend Dylan's studio afterwards. You don't mind, right?"

"Of course not. I'm going to bed, though. See ya in the morning," I replied.

I really hoped tomorrow would be an easier and better day.

What lies behind…those eyes of blue?

I seek to know…the essence that is you.

Those eyes they hold a wisdom that is true,

Ohh, baby, can I shelter you?

I had been writing for the past ten minutes. Now, I was humming a melody for these new lyrics.

"This is ridiculous!" I said out loud. I could not get those blue eyes out of my head. It was driving me insane. Apparently, blue eyes were inspiring my writing.

I decided to call it a night and head to bed. It had been a very long day and tomorrow life was going to start all over again for me.