Hi everyone, please enjoy this new addition to this short story!
A note: you'll probably sob at this part; it might hit you with the feels.
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Chapter 8: Kailey
Not long after, we pick up Bingo and Bluey respectively and upon returning to the house, the girls dragged me to their trademark playroom.
Bluey had invited some of her friends from school who came shortly after…two girls around her age. One is a Beagle with round, blue, glasses named Honey. The second is a grey-white Chow Chow (wearing a bluish headband and is actually their next-door neighbor) called Judo.
"This is who I was talking about in class!" The seven-year-old Heeler introduced me to them.
"They're staying with us" Bingo added excitedly.
I reach my paw out as if to give a handshake and at first…her friends stand there in confusion.
"Uh, what?" The Chow Chow replied, made awkward by my greeting gesture, "what is this a business meeting?
"I like it!" The Beagle added, giggling back before reaching forward to shake my paw. Bingo across from us couldn't contain her amusement and in that moment an idea crossed Bluey's mind about what game to play for today. As I would come to expect, Bluey always had made playtime elaborate in design.
Her idea was for us to play as a bunch of businesspeople at a meeting. I thought the idea to be hilarious given my context, and with everyone deciding to play along…I just couldn't resist…
The Blue Heeler went to her father, Bandit, and obtained several ties from his closet for us to use for this game. Everyone got different colored ties except Bingo, who reached up to get her sister's attention, "can I play Bluey…please, please!"
The older Sister smiled back, "you can be my helper!"
"Okay!" Bingo's tail wagged in response.
So basically, a secretary, I thought to myself amusingly, might as well have fun with this.
I helped the group set up a mock conference room with several brightly colored pillows arranged as if they were chairs and some props were used to form a long "table." Bluey placed some plushies on the pillows as if they were businessmen/women. Sure enough, we all sat down on our "seats" while Bluey sat across from us at the end of the "table" as if she were the CEO of our non-existent company. Bingo hands her sister some papers with scribbles (gibberish) made with crayons.
"Thanks heaps, Mrs. Bingo!"
The beige dog shook her head as her sister rose an eyebrow in confusion, "Bluey, my name is Mrs. Trumwell."
"Oh, okay! Thanks, Mrs. Trumwell!" Bluey corrected herself before Bingo squealed excitedly and stepped away, "okay everyone, any ideas for things we can sell to people?" The blue dog asked as silence filled the space. Judo breaks the silence by raising her paw as if we were in a classroom. I snickered at that in silence as she began speaking, "bracelets that can track time!"
"You mean a watch?" I interjected slightly, she did NOT take that lightly, "no! I mean a bracelet that can count time!"
"What about glasses that can count time?" Honey threw in her suggestion toward us.
Just have a watch, what's the point of keeping time on glasses? I thought to myself. I remembered then that these were just children…I ought to let them run their imaginations wild.
"What about you, Dustin…have anything?" Bluey asked as she playfully readjusted her loose tie. I put a paw against my chin and thought, "pocket watch."
"What?" The Heeler asked, curiosity waxing.
Bingo turned her head to the side as her ears fell in that direction, "what is that?" Her older sibling leaned toward her as if to whisper loudly, "I don't know, Mrs. Trumwell."
I coughed a bit to catch their attention as all the girls looked back, "it's a watch from the eighteen-hundreds: old…round…and you had them in your pockets."
"So…a phone?" Judo jumped in before I shrugged as a comeback, "not exactly. They weren't digital, but I was thinking that maybe we can make a pocket watch that is designed for kids and have it be digital! And, you could have different colors for them too!"
Bluey scratched her snout-chin in thought before I continued.
"They won't be as expensive as regular adult pocket watches and they'll be retro…kids LOVE retro!" I unknowingly wagged my own tail.
"Can you talk with them?" The Chow Chow on the other side of the "table" asked as her Beagle friend jumped in, "like a phone?" She asked, strangely enough, her tail wagged the rest of her body instead of the other way around.
I had to shake my head to dispel the confusion and I cleared my throat afterwards. That was strange…but anyway, "that can be arranged; however, it might impact the number of profits our company may end up with considerably.
"So…what will we call them?" Bluey asked, folding her paws on the table. I raised my arms in an "I don't know" gesture before the others groaned.
"Well, so much for all that" Judo rolled her eyes before everyone giggled.
"Well, your idea was to have bracelets that could tell time…how does that make any sense?"
"Ughhh, WHATEVER" the greyish dog groaned as everyone else giggled.
…
By the time it was evening, Honey and Judo said farewell and left. Bluey, Bingo, and I rested on the back porch…watching the sky turn dark to welcome the night.
"That was fun" Bingo giggled as Bluey playfully nudged her sister's side with her head, "I agree!"
"You girls have such a wild imagination. I could NEVER come up with all that" I complimented, smiling at them. Silence filled the air as cicadas could be heard in the distance. Bingo looked up toward me with a beckoning look running down her face, "where is your family, Dustin?" Bluey didn't know what to think of her sibling's question, but soon even she began to question everything.
"Yea, are they on vacation?"
I hesitated, looking away from them. I didn't know what to say…what to do. It didn't feel right to lie to them but how can I explain things to them? What if they take it the wrong way? I can't keep it a secret forever, can I? I won't…but…I didn't know how to tell the sisters, honestly. The way I told their parents was straightforward but for the kids, it might be harder to get them to understand my pedigree.
Ultimately, I made the decision NOT to tell them (instead urging myself to ask the parents first if and when the opportunity arises.) Unfortunately, that means I would lie to them. I cursed myself…mentally growling at myself for making this choice, "They're…yes…they're not here currently" I simply answered. I stood up, deciding to head back inside, "girls, I'm going inside. Chat with you later."
"Okay" Bluey nodded.
"Bye Dustin!" Bingo smiled, waving at me. As I re-entered the residence, the young Blue Heeler turned back to see me leaving and a thought crossed her. Inside she didn't want to suspect me of anything, but inside she didn't know what to feel for sure. Did they offend Dustin, she thought. Dustin sure felt weird at times, the way she talked was very strange, but Bluey figured it was because the former was from Canada…maybe they all talk so formally? Either way, Dustin was friendly and could fit in with Bluey and her posse. She can't imagine how it must be moving to Australia from such a faraway place. It reminded her of Jean-Luc…the person she only knew for a few days and never got the chance to stay in touch with them.
B-but…Dustin said her family just moved in! Yeah, maybe Dustin's the way she is because she's in a new environment and has to adjust, Bluey thought to herself. With that, a smile and a tail wag appeared in her demeanor.
Meanwhile, upon entering the living room I see Bandit Heeler watching "the tele." Upon closer inspection, it looks like he's watching Cricket!
Upon noticing me enter, he smiled, "hey, sport. I got the game on if you'd like to join!" I nodded, sitting beside him. We watched the game as if we were father and son…cheering for the team the Heeler next to be favored. It felt weird…needless to say, I was uncomfortable at first…but watching something for once took my mind off everything happening to me right now. Well, let's ignore the fact I am watching cartoon dogs playing cricket on the screen to do that. It reminded me so much of my time with my own dad and how we used to watch Football (soccer) together.
"Come on…hit it, hit it!" The father shouted at the television screen before I decided to join in.
"Yea, hit the bloody thing!" I shouted before he stopped me, shushing me playfully, "language, kiddo."
"Oof, sorry" I scratch the back of my head in regret but he patted my back in response, "no worries, look at 'im go!"
"Hit it!" I added.
"Dinner'll be ready soon" Chili had said nearby, and Bandit soon nodded, "yeah, yeah, I'm on it!" I look above to see Chili by the stairs (she had a slightly infuriated look running down her face…an assertive expression I might add.) The husband looks up to catch her side glare and jolted up from his seat, catching me off guard as I yelped, "ah, I'll get right on that!" I'm left on the couch as he rushes up the stairs to get the table ready for food.
Consequently, I am left on the couch alone…deciding to continue watching the game, but it's not long before the sisters walk in and block my view.
"Bluey, Bingo! I'm going to miss this play!" Both stepped forward and without any warning, they touched my arm and yelled:
"You're it!"
I do nothing and they soon came back with bewildered looks on their faces, "Dustin, you have to chase us!" Bingo instructed, putting her paws on her hips in frustration.
"Yeah, come on!" Bluey wagged her tail, anticipating the game to start.
I still did nothing, fake yawning as I lean back against the couch even more…deciding to watch the game more.
As soon as Bluey nudged me, I gave a mischievous side grin: I touched her and jumped to stand on the seat of the couch, "you're it!" Soon afterward, I jumped off and started running away before Bingo realized what I did and started running too, squealing as she did.
Bluey just stood there for a second, flabbergasted, "h-hey! That's not fair!"
That move I made at her was inspired by the stuff Bandit does and how he would sometimes play tricks on the girls. Anyway, a small chase ensued around the house, which soon ended up in the kitchen: where Bandit was preparing the table. We ran around him as he juggled the items he was holding…trying not to drop them, "watch it, squids!" He cautioned.
Bingo and I make a turn to get out of the dining room/kitchen, but we are stopped by Bluey (who gets in our way!) "Not so fast!" She grinned, holding her arms out.
The Blue Heeler jumped at us before managing to get her sister. I retaliated, playfully jumping in, "unhand her, villain!" I said as we ended up in a pile…laughing in response at the absurdity of it all.
…
After having dinner with the Heelers it is time to put the sisters in bed. The parents helped them shower, brush their teeth, and all that jazz. Not too long after, Bandit read a bedtime story to his daughters and before long they passed out. I was by the door, watching it all and at that moment, Bandit looked toward me. At first, he thought why I was still up, but soon he remembered right away that I'm an adult trapped in a seven-year-old.
A few minutes had gone by, I was on the balcony across from where we had dinner…just…staring at nothing. My mind was at a million places all at once, my anxiety began to creep back to me like a snake slithering toward its prey. Bandit is by the door; he saw just how I was…it didn't take a genius to know my state of mind at that moment. I had climbed up to rest on the balcony ledge (probably not a smart idea given my age and size.)
He, of course, made that known and decided to stand next to me just in case, "I know why I'm here" I began before the blue dog looked toward me, "oh yeah?"
I sighed softly, "I'm being punished."
His eyebrow rose and he immediately went on the defensive for my sake, shaking his head. He was ready to retort, reassure me that I was wrong, but I stopped him, "don't get me wrong…this place…everybody…it's great. I could've ended up in a place MUCH WORSE, but I've been thinking about what got me here in the first place. I just…feel…I feel so ashamed to say it" I hesitated in that last part.
"It's alright, mate. You don't have to…"
I sighed before I faced him again. He could see that I was close to making tears…he could see the shine in my eyes suggesting I was one breath away from a breakdown. Still, I continued, "I want to." He just stood there, waiting to hear my reasoning and I opened my story with, "I was afraid."
It was several weeks after I found out from Julie. I told my parents about it…and they were angry of course.
Honestly, I expected better from you, Dustin, my father said, slamming a pot down in anger as he was cooking dinner. I just sat at the corner of our table against the wall…arms crossed as I stared down at the floor with a neutral look on my face. I took the scolding…I deserved it.
Sure enough, once the anger settled…I looked at both of my parents as I breathed in cautiously…preparing myself for an even worse outcome:
We're going to get married.
My father sets the pot down on the stove, wipes his hands with his apron, and walked slowly toward me with a look of astonishment in his green eyes, why?
I scoffed back at him defiantly; Julie and I want to…we decided together….
Mom cried, of course, and I just had to sit there realizing how everything is playing out, we thought this through, we decided on it…we're going to marry and have the baby.
Dustin, my old man said, sitting down across from me. He gave a reassuring look, no one is forcing you to do this.
"You're right" I retorted.
Honestly, Dustin, I am very disappointed. We've never met this girl and you go and do this…
Son…it's bad enough to start a family in the middle of a recession…
Both parents gave their thoughts and I just sighed before they both stopped, we're going to marry.
Not too long after, several days later, I introduced my parents to Julie and her family. We rented a house a few weeks later and she and I tried to make the best of everything, but the weight of it all began to erode my confidence.
Bandit listened intently, never blinking…never looking away…realizing the severity of my actions. He understood at that point what all of this was: unplanned.
I yelled at Julie…told her, I didn't want any of this…that maybe it wasn't best to start a family.
Tears fell off my face as I looked away. Bandit couldn't resist himself…he wrapped his arms around me and brought me in toward him as I cried my heart out.
"Kailey doesn't deserve me…" I whimpered. Bandit pulled away and directed my face to his, "I get it, kiddo. Starting a family is tough…it get it…you don't know what to do…if you'll do it right…but…I'm sure you'll be a great dad…because I KNOW you care, mate."
I take in his words as I sniffled a bit more, "like I said earlier today, you got this!" I wiped my tears and reached forward to pat his furry shoulder, "t-thanks Bandit. I-do care. I shouldn't have said what I said to Julie about Kailey."
He smiled, knowing that I was being honest. Suddenly, he pulled me into a tight hug again (though this one was more playful to get me in a better mood) "c'mere, sport!"
My face is squished against him, and I scoffed at the ridiculousness, "okay, okay" I squirmed before he finally lets go of me.
"Come on, it's getting late" he grabbed me to set me down on the wooden floor of the patio and gestured to me to come back inside. I nodded before jumping down to walk with him. I look behind to see the stars out and the moon hanging overhead. I sighed softly at myself before turning away…nodding soon after. If I'm here because of what I said, then I should do my damn best to make sure I can be the best example for Julie and Kailey. I want to be.
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That's the end of this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it! I'll be in Florida this week, so I may or may not upload a chapter while I'm gone. Either way, I'll see you all in the next update, peace!
