We got out of the car and Nick was quick to grab hold of Nate's hand as he all but ran towards the pet shop.
'How many puppies can we get? Can we get a lion instead? Or a snake?' asked Nate as we walked through door.
'No! no snake, they don't have snakes, here do they?' I said quickly clutching Nick's side. I was absolutely terrified of snakes.
'How about we see the puppies first then we'll decide? And I don't think your momma will be happy if I agree to get you a snake' chuckled Nick putting his arm around me and pulled me close.
One of the shop assistants came over to us.
'We want to see the puppies' pipped up Nate before any of us could say anything causing us to laugh. Nate was so excited as he jumped about. He could hardly keep still.
'Of course. This way we just got some new puppies in this morning' said the shop assistant with a smile on her face. Sarah from what I read on the name tag on her shirt.
'Do you have any lion? We saw some at the zoo and we saw some snakes' said Nate making me squirm. I had stayed outside and gone to get some drinks as both father and son went to see the snakes.
'Sorry we ran out of the lions, but we have some snakes…no we don't we've run out of then too' said Sarah as she looked at me shaking my head and Nick in his silent giggles.
'Oh, okay I guess we'll just have to get a puppy instead' mumbled Nate looking dejected at not being able to get his lion or snake.
'Well… we can always get a snake afterwards after you've proved you can look after a puppy' said Nick with a smile on his face.
'No absolutely not. No snakes but we can stop at the toy store to pick up a clown if you want Nate' I said to him with a smile on my face.
'Nope no snakes or clowns, buddy' said Nick shaking his head no longer smiling.
'Not so funny now' I muttered watching Nate race off toward the dogs dragging Sarah with him.
'Woman those things are creepy as fuck' shuddered Nick.
When I got to the puppies they were all so adorable. I forgot moments before that I had wanted to get Nate some gold fish instead.
'MOMMA! Momma can we get this one? I want this one' yelled Nate from next to Sarah as he pulled himself closer to the cage. He had his face smushed against the glass cage staring at the small, golden Labrador puppies.
'You sure you want to get that one, champ? Cos if we get one we can't give it back. You've got to be sure' said Nick walking over to him after letting me go.
'Yes daddy! Please I want this one! That one! That gold one! I want that one! I promise I won't give him back. I'll love him. And feed him. And take him for walks. And I'll take him to the toilet and I'll read him a bedtime story before putting him to sleep' pleaded Nate giving his father his puppy dog eyes.
'What do you say, Tay? Taylor?' Nick asked me looking back over to see me standing at another glass cage.
But my attention was on another puppy. Something about it just drew me in. It was a black and white husky puppy with pale blue eyes. Its face was white with bits of black underneath its eyes and on both sides of its forehead. 'Huh? Sorry what?' I asked Nick as I drew my attention away from the husky puppy.
'Nate want this one. What do you think?' asked Nick as I looked over at them.
'Okay, if Nate wants that one. I want this one' I said pointing to the little pup that was now stretching. Its little bottom in the air as its head was on its front legs.
'I though we just came for one, Tay' said Nick as he walked over to watch my pup.
'Please Nick. I want that one and I know Nate has his little heart set on his own puppy and he won't change his mind. And I don't want him to. Please I promise I look after him. Please, Nick, please' I begged him much like my son had previously.
'Come on Tay. You didn't want even one. Now you want two. You have Nate to watch over him and his puppy. It'll be too much' reasoned Nick.
'Fine let's just get the one Nate wants' I told him my heart breaking as I walked over to Nate.
Nate gushed about what he was going to name his puppy and what he was going to do with him.
We got the puppy that Nate wanted as well as everything he would need. Nate picked out a bed and some toys for him whiles Nick picked up a lead, a collar, some dog food, treats, a brush, and a few bowls. I couldn't help but feel jealous of Nate getting his puppy when I couldn't.
'I'm going to go wait in the car' I told Nick taking the keys off him whiles he was waiting at the counter with Nate waiting for his puppy to be bought out.
'Tay… come on Taylor' called out Nick as I walked away from the both of them.
I sat in the car feeling dejected. I could have bought the puppy myself but what wasn't the point. It would just lead to a pointless argument with Nick. It didn't matter anyway. We were here to buy Nate his puppy. I didn't want to get one in the first place. Right? I had always loved animals and wanted one as a child. But my mother wouldn't allow me one. And when I saw that husky I felt something. I wanted it so bad and to have Nick say no. But I guess I should have been used to it by now.
I wiped my tears away as I saw my husband and son walk out of the pet shop with smiles on their face as Nate chattered away. Nick had the puppy in its pet carrier and a few other bags in his hands and Nate carried a few other in his as he walked besides his father.
They walked toward the trunk of the car and put the bags in it. Then the back door was opened, and Nate jumped in and Nick put the pet carrier in next to him.
'Momma I'm going to call him Buster' said Nate peeking in to the pet carrier as Nick got in to the driver's seat.
'That's great, baby. I'm sure he'll love it. Did you thank your father?' I mumbled with a small smile before turning around.
'Thank you, daddy for buying me Buster' chirped Nate pushing his fingers in through the holes of the carrier.
'You are welcome champ. You're not upset I said no to that husky, Tay?' asked Nick as he pulled on his seat belt.
'No, I'm not upset. It's not like I had my heart set on it' I mumbled looking out of the window.
'Come on, Taylor. We bought one for Nate and you didn't even want one. So why does it matter?' asked Nick.
'No, I guess it doesn't matter. My feelings never matter to you. I don't matter to you, so it doesn't matter at all' I hissed bitterly still not looking at him.
'Stop being stupid Taylor. Don't act like a child. It'll be too much for you to handle' reasoned Nick.
'I guess I'm just the stupid, childish idiot you married. Just drive to the airport Nick. You'll miss your flight' I said causing my voice to crack.
'Are you crying? Why are you crying? If you want the damn puppy so bad let's go' snapped Nick taking his seatbelt off grabbing my arm.
'Stop it. Just drive forget I said anything' I said pulling my arm away from him. I wiped my tears and looked over at Nate who was so engrossed in Buster that he had no idea that we were arguing.
'Nate come on let's go. We're going back to the pet shop' said Nick looking back at Nate.
'Why daddy are we giving Buster back? But I promise I'll look after him' said Nate looking confused.
'No, we're going to go get your mother a puppy' said Nick.
'Don't… Nick just don't' I hissed at him as he got out of the car and slammed the door shut. Nate quickly followed after him.
This was the reason why I didn't want to say anything to him. God I was so stupid! If only I had kept my emotions under control till I got home.
A while later they both returned with my precious pup. My heart flipped at the thought of having a pet for myself. I had longed for one for so long and I finally had one. Even though I was beyond pissed at Nick for not listening to me, again. I was glad he got me my pup. I was like a little child on Christmas.
'Here, it's a boy' said Nick as he passed me a pet carrier as identical to the one Buster was in.
'Thank you' I muttered stiffly taking it from him. I tried to hid the smile that spread across my face but failed epically.
'You're welcome' said Nick as he began to drive a small smile on his face when he saw the joy on mine.
'What are you going to name him, momma? Buster and him can be brothers' said Nate from the back seat.
'Zeus, I'm going to name him Zeus' I said smiling as I looked down at the newly named Zeus as he sniffed my fingers through the holes in the pet carrier.
'I got him a collar and lead, but you can back and get him another one if you don't like it. They're both toilet trained, and I got them both littler trays. But if I missed anything just pick it up afterwards' said Nick smiling softly.
'Thank you, Nick really. And if there's anything that you missed I'll pick it up tomorrow' I said to him with a smile leaning over and kissing his cheek shocking both of us.
'I shouldn't have called you stupid. I'm sorry. I should have guessed you had your heart set on the puppy. You and Nate get this look in your eyes when you really want something. Think of it as an early wedding anniversary gift' said Nick taking my hand in his and kissing the top of it.
I didn't say anything back to him. I just stroked Zeus's fur through the pet carrier. I hadn't thought about it before Nick had bought it up. It was our fifth wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks.
We arrived at the airport and got out. Nick walked over to the trunk and took his suitcase out that he had put in there before we set off in the morning. We stopped outside in the parking lot so that we weren't mobbed by fans or paparazzi. It would have been different with just me but because we had Nate with us we weren't going to risk his safety. Nick and I had decided that we would keep Nate out of the public eye as much as we possibly could.
'Okay Champ, I'll see you when I get back. I love you and take care of your Momma for me. Don't cause too much trouble and try to be a good boy for her. I'm going to miss you' said Nick crouching down in front of Nate. I stood near waiting and watching both of them together.
'I'll be a good boy, daddy. I love you too and I'll miss you lots' said Nate in a quiet voice throwing his little arms around his father who hugged him back just as tightly and kissed his forehead. I opened the door for Nick as he helped Nate in and buckled him in to his seat. He kissed his forehead one last time and then closed the door with a sigh.
'I always hate leaving you two. I'll call you in the morning. I love you, Tay' said Nick pulling me in to a hug. I stiffed at first before relaxing inhaling his familiar scent.
'Take care Nick. Try not to get hurt. I see you when you get back' I said pulling away from him. Tears clouding my eyes as I tried not to let them fall.
'Hey! Hey don't cry. You know I don't like seeing you cry. It's hard enough leaving you guys don't make it any harder. When I get back we'll work on our relationship' said Nick wiping my eyes with his thumb and kissed my forehead.
'I love you too Nick. You should go before you miss your flight' I said with a sigh. It was the truth I did love Nick no matter what he did. But I was conflicted with myself with how I let him treat me.
I climbed in to the driver's seat 'You okay there, baby?' I asked Nate as he sat in the back seat.
'I'm going to miss Daddy when he's gone' mumbled Nate.
'Don't be sad little man. He'll back soon. In three days. And we have to take care of Buster and Zeus and get them settled in. Make them happy and at home. So, when he comes home we can show daddy we can look after them' I told him as I drove home.
When we got home I got Nate out of the car helping him with Buster's pet carrier and then I got Zeus's pet carrier out. I unlocked the door and let Nate and the dogs in. Then ran back to the car and carried everything else in as Nate stood watching from the door.
'Momma can we let them out?' asked Nate as I closed the door behind me.
'No not yet, baby. We need to set everything out for them and then we'll let them out' I told him.
After setting up the litter trays, bowls of food and water and putting one of the beds in Nate's room and one in mine we walked over to pet carriers.
'Can we let them out now, Momma? Please' said Nate as he crouched down near Buster's pet carrier. He was holding his chosen collar in his hand. It was a black leather collar with small silver bones on it.
'Of course. Let's get them both out' I said to Nate just as excited as him. But I was able to hide it better.
I opened the pet carrier and let Buster out and then Zeus. Buster was timid and slowly made his way out slowly sniffing his surroundings. Whereas Zeus walked out confidently and walked straight over to me. I placed the collar Nick had bought for him around his neck as he placed his front paws on my knee. A plain red leather collar.
'Momma why is he scared?' asked Nate as Buster skittered away from him as he tried placing his collar on him.
'It's an unfamiliar environment for him, baby. It's going to take time for him to get settled and then he'll be fine' I told his pulling him close and kissed his forehead.
The next two days went by quickly getting the puppies settled and just spending time with each other. The pups had settled in quite well and their personalities began to show.
Zeus was a confident and patient puppy. He seemed to walk around like he had no fear. He wasn't distracted when out for a walk. He wasn't scared of anything it seemed. Zeus would always come to me when I called him, and he seemed to understand basic instructions. He would play with his toys and loved to curl up in my lap whilst I watched T.V or read a book. He had his own bed that he slept on during the day. But during the night he would curl up at my feet and sleep on my bed.
Buster, well Buster was a different story. He was a hyper little pup. He would run around the house with Nate, yapping and barking. When we went out for a walk he would bark at the wind and everything that moved. He barked and yowled every time someone came to the door. Buster had already chewed on at least three pair of shoes and one of them were Nick's. I wasn't looking forward to that conversation.