Julie folded her arms and frowned. "You aren't getting rid of Payton."

"Wha-why would you say that? What makes you think I'd get rid of her or that I want to get rid of her?"

"You've been saying no every time I asked for one and it's feels like having Payton is this huge burden for you."

"First of all i—" Eric gritted his teeth and took two deep breaths and reminded himself not to go into 'Coach Taylor' mode. "First of all, your mom and I both agreed that it wasn't the right time for us to get a pet when you asked a few years ago. We were moving somewhere new every year or so, and that was hard. It was hard on you having to be the new kid in school every year and it would be hard on a pet. Sometimes people just leave their pets behind when they move, not that we would ever do that with Payton."

Eric walked over and sat on the floor in front of the couch. Payton trotted over wagging her tail and covered his face with licks of her tongue. She climbed into his lap and lay down as he stroked her head and back. "And when you asked for a puppy I said no and I told you the reasons why. I also said that didn't mean you couldn't ask me again later, but at the time I wasn't sure if we were going to be staying in Dillon, put down some roots. And it isn't as simple as you get a dog. You know that because you've read up on it. You did some research on it and considered it and I'm proud, we're proud of that. And our money situation wasn't as good as it is now, I've always been, I guess your mother would call me 'stingy,' I call it not being foolish. But I thought about it and about what you've said and I did some research on my own, and when you agreed that it wouldn't just be me or your mom taking care of it, but it would be you as well, your mom and I agreed that we could get a dog. And you've been great, taking her for walks and cleaning up in the backyard and feeding her, you've even kept from feeding her from the table when we're having dinner. I love Payton just like I love you and your mom. We're not gonna get rid of her, I promise you."

"It's just that I never get much time with her by myself."

"What do you mean? You walk her and you run around with her at the dog park or in the backyard and have her in your room."

"I guess, maybe it's just that you and mom have had her all the time recently."

"Well you've been babysitting every day and I don't know that Payton would be welcome in those people's houses. Not that they aren't nice or that they don't like dogs, but some of them have dogs themselves, right?" Julie nodded. "Dogs can be territorial. Very territorial and very protective of the ones they consider part of their pack, their family. You bring another dog in; even a puppy and you can end up with someone in the emergency room and maybe even a dead dog. And I don't want that, do you?"

"No."

"And since your grandmother got sick, I've been taking Payton to work with me, 'cause your mom's not here. Now, if we talked to the parents of the kids you sit for and they're alright with it and they meet Payton and approve of her, I wouldn't have a problem with the two of you babysitting together. But you have to pay extra attention, because puppies have a tendency to nip things as their teeth come in. Payton's been good about it, her addiction to ice cubes probably helps, but all it would take is her nipping one of the kids and next thing you know Animal Control has taken her away and she's over at the dog pound and maybe she gets put to sleep." Eric held his hand up. "I'm not saying that's what would happen, just seems that everyone else, first thing that goes wrong they sue you or want you fired, you're not allowed to make a mistake anymore."

"Well what about you letting her up on the furniture?"

"I haven't let Payton on the furniture. That was probably the biggest rule we have."

"What? The last two nights I've come home and she was on your lap on the couch and on your throne."

Eric ran a hand under his chin. "Technically, Payton wasn't on the furniture, she was on my lap."

"You know what I mean. It's the same thing. And it's not just that, she's been on your bed."

"What?"

"You and mom let her get up on your bed."

"We have not."

"It was the Saturday before Mom left, you guys said you wanted to sleep in, mom and I were going to the library and to get my ears pierced and it was nearly ten thirty, so I knocked on your door and when I opened it, Payton was lying on mom's legs on the bed."

"Well, why didn't you say something?"

"Like what, was I supposed to shout 'Ah hah!' or just slam the door and storm off? Doesn't she sleep in her crate?"

"I don't know. She starts out in her crate. If she needs to go out she gets out and walks around and she'll growl. But you know how you wake up in a different position than you fell asleep in? Why would dogs be different?"

Julie leaned down and patted Payton. "She's asleep right now. Don't do anything to wake her up."

"Like slamming a door or yelling 'Ah hah?' I guess being outside tuckered her out more than I thought."

"She was outside? On that fake grass all day?" Julie rolled her eyes." It's only been like ninety five degrees and sixty percent humidity the last few days."

"Hey, she spent a good bit of time inside, in the locker room or coach's room, where it's air-conditioned, and when she was outside she was under an umbrella." Eric pointed to the coat rack where the blue, yellow and white umbrella was hanging. "I did not pick her up and put her in my lap. Last night I was watching game tape and I fell asleep in my chair. Last I knew she was on the floor. She jumped or climbed into my lap. Same thing the night before that, my back was aching so I lay out on the couch and was patting her, she climbed up and settled on my legs."

"Well, why didn't you feel that, the weight of her?"

"I don't know, because your nervous system and brain are busy doing something else like resting or whatever. You don't feel yourself turning over or moving in your sleep."

"That's not true. I've felt myself falling sometimes."

"But you aren't actually falling, are you? I mean, you've never mentioned that you fell out of bed while you were sleeping and you don't sleep walk."

"Why is it such a big deal if she gets up on the furniture? She doesn't shed and she doesn't like to go out when it's raining anyway. A couple of weeks ago it was raining and she was over by the back door like she wanted to go out, but when I opened it she poked her head out and then looked at me like, 'Well, it's raining. Make it stop.' She wouldn't go until I got the umbrella and followed her around the yard for ten minutes until she found a spot. I mean yeah, her paws get wet, but it's not like the back yard is all dirt and mud, and we could make sure that if her feet were dirty that she didn't get up. She just does it because she wants to be close to us and cares about us."

Eric ran a hand through his hair. "I guess because your mom is worried that we'd have company over and Payton would jump on the furniture or jump all over them or something. That's one thing that wheatens tend to do, the books call it 'The Wheaten Greeting,' they kind of jump up at you and I guess they could catch their claws in your clothes and rip them."

"What company? The only people who come over are Aunt Shelly and Grandma and Poppa Taylor."

"Buddy Garrity," Eric mumbled.

"Who?"

"Someone I'm sorry to say I'm probably gonna be seeing a lot of and I've got my fill of him already. But what about your friends, what about Lois and Glenna and Natalie and Aimee?"

"Aimee moved five months ago and Natalie is moving in a month. And they never came over much anyway."

In Eric's lap, Payton sneezed then shook herself. She licked Eric's hand then walked over to her bowl, looked at it, then at Eric and barked. Eric looked at his watch, then stood up and walked into the kitchen, stopping to get Payton's food and water bowls. "Look, I don't really mind if Payton is in my lap when I'm watching game tape and I wouldn't mind if you had her on your lap on the couch, but-I can sort of see that leading to her jumping and begging when we are trying to eat dinner and I'm not gonna have that."

Julie pushed her hair behind her ear. "So, does that mean you aren't gonna yell at me if you come home and Payton is on my lap and I'm sitting on the couch?"

"I probably won't get the chance because your mom will already be yelling at you or she'll already be here so you won't be able to have her on your lap, unless you're on the floor."

"That wasn't a definitive 'No.'"

"It wasn't a yes either. You want to do it; you have to deal with the consequences."