Able begrudgingly settled into his new life. The next few days slowly became a week with his life revolving around taking care of the orphaned lamb and suffering through chores with the irritating human, Emre. She hadn't become any less insufferable as the week progressed. Every bucket she gave him, every word she said, hell, every time he looked at her. Able found himself irritated beyond belief with her. No human had ever been under his skin as much as this girl.

Adding to that troublesome female was her father, who had begun a three times a week "therapy" session that Dr. Dreyfus called "Fireside Chats". At the facility, a boring bald, know-it-all, would make Able rest in an uncomfortable chair until he would snap and start a rampage. Dreyfus, on the other hand, had a full head of hair and stoked a fire in his study room fireplace while Able sat in a big red chair with a glass of whiskey at his side.

It didn't annoy him AS much.

They actually had decent conversations. The whiskey was obviously loosening him up. But Able found himself not really caring that it was. There was something comforting about the environment he was in. He didn't feel pressured or intruded on.

"Baaaaah!" Able spun around to face the source of the whine. The lamb was living in his room now. Tucked cozily in a corner inside of a round bucket with blankets in it to keep it warm.

Emre had insisted on keeping it in his room...

Able's irritation wasn't completely unfounded when it came to Emre. He had been more patient with the female than any other person since his first time ever being resurrected from the dead. Unfortunately, Emre sabotaged him at every opportunity. When he told her that she could never truly overpower him, she truly took that challenge to task. What really bothered him (as much as he hated to admit it) was that he couldn't exactly prove that she was even sabotaging him. It wasn't his style to punish people out of paranoia. He couldn't accuse her of anything he didn't have proof of.

Just the other day a bucket of half frozen water came splashing down on him. Able had loosened up the ice in a bucket that Emre had given him. As he lifted the bucket to put it back into the stable, the handle broke and the water soaked him. Emre's face had turned a bright red from how hard she laughed. Able had started to yell at her when she insisted that she had nothing to do with his misfortune. But felt incredibly stupid when he couldn't prove that she had secretly loosened the handle. Fuming, Able startled her by punching a hole into the barn wall and stormed off. Leaving Emre to finish chores alone.

That wasn't the only thing she did either. The day before that, she ordered him to get a baby calf from the corral so that she could vaccinate it. She had also neglected to tell him that female beef cows were extremely protective of their calfs.

But today was different.

This early Saturday morning, after Able filled the belly of the lamb with milk, Emre came knocking on his bedroom door. Probably to give him orders. This time, he would let her have it. This time he would chew her out, no, punish her, for even thinking she could order him around. He was still sour about yesterday. He answered the door with his usual deep scowl, while his eyes burned at her. It should have been the scariest face Emre had ever seen. He towered over her, making her bend back a little just to see his face. But before he could even say anything Emre spoke first,

"I'm going to handle chores today. You can sleep in, take care of the lamb." Emre quickly said.

Able froze. For the first time ever he was lost for words. Then the suspicion set in. What was she planning? Should he go with her just to make sure she wasn't conspiring behind his back? He grumbled to himself. The overthinking was too much trouble,

"There's..." SLAM!! Able closed the door in her face. "Breakfast on the stove...asshole." He heard behind the thick wood. Able plopped back in bed. The frame groaned under his weight. He wouldn't let Emre fill his mind any more than she deserved.

Just as he was becoming comfortable, Able's stomach twisted.

"Emēṣu." (I'm hungry) Able whined to himself in his native language. Emre did say there was food cooked on the stove. Without second thought he made his way down to the kitchen. Sure enough, bacon, eggs, sausages, oatmeal and some drinks were waiting for him. Able hungrily reached out for a sausage when he hesitated.

Emre made this food. He could smell her scent all over it. It brought him no comfort. What if she spiced it wrong? Or poisoned it!? Able took a few glances behind him. Wondering if she was hiding somewhere, waiting to see his reaction to tainted food. Could that brat hate me that much?

Able slammed his fist on the dinner table, a small crack appeared in the wood from the force. That girl had him so flustered and paranoid! It was embarrassing! Able snatched a sausage from the stove and devoured it in defiance of the girl. Then he took another and another with some eggs and bacon. His mouth was so full the food began to fall out.

"Emre sweetheart is that you making all that noise?" Dr. Dreyfus suddenly appeared from his study and into the kitchen. Able whirled around, his mouth completely stuffed with food that he was scarfing down in pure defiance of Emre's underhanded tactics.

Dreyfus froze at the sight. The large and imposing man had froze as well, a piece of meat still clutched in his hand.

"Able..." Dreyfus started carefully, "would you like to step in my study for a fireside chat?"

It seems Emre is getting under Able's skin! Will he completely lose it next chapter!?