Chapter 3

The next day

"Wow! Look at this place!" Dulci said, as she stared up at the store known simply as Pet World. The store was huge more like a warehouse than a pet store and they had everything you could possibly want for all kinds of animals, not just dogs.
"This is the best pet store in the city," Dave said.
"I've never been here, as I've never had a pet. My apartment doesn't allow them, as I told you and I never had one growing up because my dad is allergic."
"You need to move into an animal friendly building then," Dave told her.
"Probably," Dulci shrugged. "However, since we are dating and you just adopted a couple of dogs I don't see the point. I don't think we need to add a third dog to the mix right now."
"Well, let's go see what they have," Dave suggested once the two of them were standing on the sidewalk outside of Pet World.
"That's a good idea," Dulci said and followed Dave into the pet store.
"The store was a fascinating place for pet lovers everywhere, as they had absolutely everything you could possibly want to spoil your beloved pet. Whether you had a dog or a cat, a fish, a lizard, a snake or any other type of animal Pet World had it all. They had everything from small fish tanks to those large ones that would take up an entire wall and everything that went with them whether that was stuff like fake plants or a little fake cave for the fish to hide in they had it all. They had the gravel that went in the bottom of the tank as well as several kinds of fish food and stuff to clean the tank as well.
They had tanks for lizards, rats, snakes and nice cages for birds and pets like hamsters.
"Let's start shopping, shall we?" Dave said smiling at Dulci.
"We shall," Dulci agreed, even as Dave got a cart.
They started wondering around, down one aisle up another collecting what they needed as they went. It took a while to explore the whole store, even if they only bought things for the two dogs they had adopted. They got bowls for food and water, toys and several kinds of treats.
"We should get their names inscribed on the bowls," Dave said finally after they had picked up everything they could possibly need including two very nice collars, blue for the Denali red for Nova. They would need to have their names put on the tags, along with who to return to if they happened to get lost or even stolen. There were two very nice dog beds to go along with everything else they were about to purchase.
"You can get that done right here in the store after we purchase all this stuff," Dave said.
"Yes, I did happen to see that they could do that," Dulci agreed. "They can do the collars too."
"They have an appointment at the vet next week, as I made one after you left the other day," Dave said.
"That's good," Dulci said.
"I just thought we needed a little time to get collars made before they went to the vet and also the vet I called didn't have any appointments until then," Dave said.
"Sounds sensible to me," Dulci smiled, as she and Dave headed for the check out. "There's a lot to be done in a short time when you get a new pet."
"That's true," Dave said.
The two of them stood in line at the checkout, as there was only two registers open and both were very busy. Luckily, the line went pretty quickly, so they didn't have to stand in line for long. 10 minutes later they were checking out.
"That went fast considering how busy they were," Dulci said. "I can't believe we spent over $1,000 on things for the dogs. To me, that's a lot of money."
"It is to most people," Dave said. "When you've just gotten an animal buying everything they need at one time it is expensive. Inflation doesn't help. If we bought things over a few months it wouldn't have seemed like so much money. It's because we bought everything in one shot."
"Not to you?" Dulci asked curiously.
"To me it's pocket change," Dave shrugged casually. "Remember, we had this discussion not long ago. I told you I had plenty of money as I made a lot of sound investments. I always knew that getting even one dog was going to be an expensive venture, because of buying everything they need and that doesn't even include the vet bill that will be coming. Getting two dogs just doubles that number.
"You're an unusual man, David Rossi," Dulci told him, even as she hugged him for his thoughtfulness.
Dave wasn't greedy in the least and wasn't one to keep his fortune just for himself. He was generous and kind and Dulci was rapidly falling for him.
"I don't think I'm all that unusual at all," Dave denied. "There are other people who are just as generous and kindhearted as I am."
"That might be true, but in my experience, they are few and far between," Dulci said.
"I won't disagree," Dave sighed. "In a lot of ways, the human race has gone downhill over the centuries."
"That's rather odd way of looking at things," Dulci said looking a Dave speculatively.
"I guess it is, but I've studied my history," Dave said quickly in order to cover his slip up. He really needed to watch what he said around his mate, as she was very intelligent and he didn't need her getting suspicious, at least not yet.
Dave tried his best to be casual and not let sweat pop up on his forehead because he was nervous, something he almost never was.
"I just happened to notice that, as you really delve into history, how the human race has gone downhill," Dave said, as he and Dulci headed for his car after paying for everything.
"So, you're a history buff then?" Dulci asked.
"Something like that," Dave agreed not bothering to tell his girlfriend that he had actually lived through a lot of history and not just read about it in the history books. He had spoken like he had actually experienced the human race becoming greedier, more dishonest and numerous other negative things instead of like he had just read it in the history book. "I like history."
"Many people do not," Dulci said.
"Haven't you ever heard that phrase you either learn from history or you are doomed to repeat it?"
"Well sure," Dulci asked puzzled at what Dave was getting at.
"I simply believe that you can learn a lot from history," Dave explained what he was getting at. "If more people paid attention to history the world might not be in such bad shape as it is. It's basically do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
"So, you're basically saying, that if your good, generous and kind than others should be the same to other people," Dulci said.
"Precisely," Dave agreed.
"You know sometimes you sound like you come from another time entirely," Dulci said.
"Why? Just because I don't let others influence how I act?" Dave asked Dulci with a raised eyebrow, even as he drove out of the parking lot a Pet World. "My parents raised me with what would be considered old fashioned manners today and I would never want to disappoint them, even though they're dead. If you can't be polite then it's best not to say anything at all, was drummed into my head from the time I was a small child."
"Well, they certainly did a good job," Dulci said smiling her tone sincere.
"Thank you," Dave said smiling himself.
"So, any brothers or sisters?" Dulci asked.
"I'm afraid not," Dave said.
"So, I guess that makes you one of a kind," Dulci said.
"Maybe," Dave allowed. "So shall I drop you off at home or do you want to come see the dogs and help set up everything we bought?"
"How will I get home later?" Dulci asked. "It's not that I object or anything, just that I'm wondering how I'll get home since my car is at my apartment building."
Dave had picked his girlfriend up on his way to Pet World.
"Well, I picked you up in order to go to Pet World I'll happily take you home when you're ready to go," Dave said.
"I hate to ask you to do that," Dulci said.
"You're not asking I'm offering," Dave said.
"Well, if you don't mind," Dulci said looking indecisive.
"I don't, or I wouldn't have offered," Dave said.
"Well, ok," Dulci decided. "I would love to see the dogs, as they're so cute and adorable."
"Yes, they are," Dave agreed smiling. "With their floppy ears, wet noses and eyes that just beg you to pet them. Their fur is so soft that you want to pet them all the time."
It was nice to know his mate loved animals just as much as he did. He was sure they would own many dogs over the centuries, though that also required getting Dulci to believe in something as fantastical as immortality. He was well aware that would probably be a difficult proposition, but hopefully, not impossible.
"I fell in love with them just playing with them in Susan's office," Dave added.
"So did I," Dulci agreed also smiling.
"Well, it looks like we are very similar in that way Miss Waverly," Dave said smiling. "That's not a bad thing at all."
"No, it's not," Dulci agreed, as Dave drove towards his house.

~~~Dave and Dulci~~~

"I have something to tell you," Dave told Dulci
It was nearly a year later and Dave and Dulci had gotten extremely close in the months they'd been seen each other exclusively. The two dogs that Dave had taken in were curled up in their laps looking quite content to remain there.
Dave and Dulci had taken them to obedience training when they had first gotten them and they were just well-behaved sweeties. They knew not to piddle on the floor and had ways of let Dave know they needed to be let out. Dave's yard was fenced in so they couldn't just run off. Dave was seriously thinking about adding a doggie door to the back door so the dogs could go out and pee without bothering to wake him up.
Dave brought a cake into the den and where they were sitting. It was one that needed to be sliced so he could have a knife without raising Dulci suspicions of what the knife was for.
"First, let me cut this cake so we can both have a slice," Dave suggested and got Dulci's nod.
"Did you make this yourself?" Dulci asked.
"I did actually," Dave said, "just today."
"I'm sure it'll be delicious, as you are very good cook," Dulci complimented Dave sincerely.
"I'm glad you think so," Dave smiled, even as he got up and cut two pieces of the cake. Dave soon had two fat slices of the chocolate cake with cherry filling sitting on two plates.
Dulci took a bite and made yummy noises as the chocolate and cherry filling blended together perfectly. Dave enjoyed his own slice, even as he watched Dulci close her eyes obviously enjoying hers.
"You've never made this one for me before. It's really good though and I hope you make it again sometime," Dulci said.
"I'm glad you like it," Dave said.
"Oh, I do," Dulci agreed with a smile kissing Dave's bearded cheek. "Now, what was it you had to tell me?"
Dave knew he couldn't put it off any longer and so begin to tell Dulci all about how he was immortal. Dulci listened in disbelief and thought that maybe Dave was playing a practical joke on her, even though he wasn't usually the type. Surely, something like immortality could possibly be real could it?
Before Dulci could say a word Dave took the knife that he had been using on the cake and simply cut himself on the arm. The knife was nice and sharp and cut Dave skin easily. The skin parted so that blood flowed down his arm and Dave just stopped himself from wincing at the pain. Dulci reacted as if he had shot her. She leaped up and got the paper towels Dave had brought and started to cover the wound until Dave stopped her.
"Just wait," Dave said simply and Dulci watched in amazement as Dave's arm wound healed right before her eyes.
"I must be hallucinating," Dulci said.
"You're not," Dave promised her, his tone tender. "I didn't want you protesting when I told you I was going to cut myself to prove my point, as I knew you didn't believe me."
"That's why you brought the knife and just didn't bring out two slices of cake," Dulci realized quickly. "You knew you were going to have to demonstrate, which is why you brought the whole cake unsliced."
"I didn't want you questioning why I brought a knife when there was nothing to cut," Dave explained.
"Why tell me though?" Dulci wondered. "I would think you wouldn't want to tell anyone."
"I don't tell most people, as should be obvious." Dave said. "There is a reason I told you though."
"What reason could you possibly have?" Dulci asked with an eyebrow raise skeptically.
"Well, you see, immortals have kind of a mate," Dave begin to explain, even as he wiped off his arm to get rid of the drying blood. "Someone that they can build a life with. That they can trust 100 percent."
"So, if I'm understanding you right that's me," Dulci said blinking at the information looking disbelieving.
"Exactly," Dave said. "It's the reason I made sure you weren't allergic to animals with fur, as I've thought about adopting a dog for some time, long before we met."
"So, the dog you told Susan and I had to put down...?" Dulci asked.
"Was more than 100 years ago and I haven't had a dog since. There was nothing at the time the vet do. Medicine though, was much more primitive than it is now. I didn't lie if that's what you're thinking," Dave explained quickly. "I just didn't mention it was decades before you and Susan were born."
"That's not what I was thinking," Dulci protested mildly.
"Then what?" Dave asked.
"I'm not really sure what I was thinking," Dulci admitted. "I think I'm still trying to absorb how I saw your arm heal in no more than 30 seconds right before my eyes."
"And that derailed your brain," Dave said knowingly. "I'm sorry if I shocked you so badly. I know that immortals shouldn't exist and yet we do. There are many supernatural forces in the universe Dulci, that most people never know exist, because they don't pay attention."
"You have made comments every once in a while that I thought were kind of odd, but I just thought that was you," Dulci said. "You made a comment back at Pet World that I found odd. You said the human race had gone downhill and you sounded odd when you said it. You fobbed me off with the comment that you had studied history."
"Yeah, I really slipped up at that time. Luckily, you accepted my hasty explanation for my slip," Dave said nearly blushing, which wasn't like him. "We hadn't been dating that long, so I knew I couldn't tell you, as it would be a bad idea. I'm not usually one that makes that kind of mistake, but I'm so comfortable around you that I relax and don't watch what I say like I should. Now that you know though, I will never keep anything from you again and that's a promise."
"We had only known each other a month or so at the time," Dulci said.
"Exactly," Dave agreed. "You sure are taking the news calmly.
"If I hadn't seen your arm heal right before my eyes it would be different," Dulci said. "I won't say my mind isn't still reeling, because it is."
"I know it is, as it will take time to fully absorb the news," Dave said understandingly.
"So how old are you Dave?" Dulci asked.
Dave told her and Dulci stared at him in shock.
"I knew you said you were immortal and I saw your arm heal right before my eyes, but you've been around since before my family line has likely existed," Dulci said. "I guess I just didn't put it together until you told me your true age."
"Age is just a number, Dulci," Dave said. "I'll always look my current age."
"But I'm very mortal," Dulci said. "I'll age and then die in a few decades."
"See, that's the thing. There's a way to turn you immortal," Dave explained.
"How exactly?" Dulci asked with a skeptically raised eyebrow. Her tone was also skeptical.
"It has to do with my DNA," Dave explained this delicately as he could, so as not to offend her.
"So, if I'm understanding you right, it has to do with you having sex with me," Dulci said working out what Dave meant in just a few seconds. "That is only one way for you to share your DNA with me and the other way is through the blood."
"Very well thought out," Dave praised smiling proudly. "Your brain cells seem to be working fine despite still being in shock. Both methods will work. Just so you know me giving you some of my blood will be faster. Us making love, however, will be much more pleasant and probably earthshattering."
"Why do you say that?" Dulci asked genuinely puzzled, even as a thrill went down her spine at the thought of making love to Dave. She loved him so much and knew that she would be very happy if they did marry, though Dave being immortal certainly did throw her for a loop.
She had often wondered why she and Dave weren't making love, but now she understood. Dave would've started to turn her immortal if they had begun making love unless he used a condom every time. Dave was to honorable to start to turn her immortal without telling her about himself first. Considering how old he supposedly was Dulci thought that wasn't really surprising.
"Because having sex with your mate is supposed to be exquisite experience, better than having it with anybody else," Dave explained calmly. "Once an immoral meets they're mate and had sex with them for the first time it's supposed to never compare to having sex with anybody else."
"Is that right?" Dulci questioned.
"That's what I've heard anyway," Dave said. "I've never had a chance to try it for myself since we met less than a year ago and we haven't gotten to that stage yet. Also, you never need to worry about the running out of money as I know you have, since we've had several discussions about how much I spend. The thing is I've made a lot of money over the centuries and I'm always looking for new investments, so I'm not going to go broke anytime soon, even if I do spend outrageously sometimes. I suppose you could kind of consider it inherited, even if I'm the only member in my family at present. I would like to change that however."
"You would?" Dulci asked with a raised eyebrow her green eyes twinkling
"Don't think I don't know you're teasing me," Dave told Dulci with a smile. "I never would have told you all about myself if I wasn't going to ask you to marry me."
Dave produced a ring box from his pocket.
"Marry me Dulcinea. You are the light of my life and I'd like to spend the rest of my eternity with you. You have changed my life so much ever since we met totally on accident in the best possible way," Dave proposed.
Dulci stared at Dave in shock for a few seconds and then kissed him thoroughly to show she accepted. Both of them came up for air looking very happy. The two simply cuddled together before Dave seemed to remember the ring in his palm and slipped it onto Dulci's finger.
As for Dulci, she not only didn't object, but she also kissed him again leaving Dave looking very happy.
"Does that mean you agree to let me join you immortal? To spend however, long we live together with me?" Dave asked her. "Your life is going to be very long just so you are aware."
"I hadn't got that far," Dulci admitted.
"I know you're likely still reeling from what I told you and probably will be for a while," Dave said smiling, as he cuddled Dulci close.
"All I know at the moment, is I love you enough to last forever," Dulci said.
"If you need time to think I understand that, believe me I do," Dave said. "You need time to come to terms with what I told you even if it's the truth. If there's one thing I know the kind of truth I told you is often hard to swallow so it's not surprising you need some time."
"A few days at least," Dulci agreed kissing Dave's cheek.
"Take all the time you need to give me an answer," Dave said.
"Will you be OK for a few days by yourself?" Dulci asked.
"I'll be fine, Dulci. I've lived a very long time on my own with only friends who never knew what I was and an occasional girlfriend."
"You must've mourned your friends at least when they passed," Dulci said.
"I did, but I also know that they were humans and humans lifespan is a 100 years or less and they used to be on the lesser end of the scale centuries ago. They were lucky to live past 40 in those days, which has slowly changed over the last few hundred years," Dave explained.
"You can come by to play with the dogs anytime you like, so long as I am here and not out running errands or something," Dave said.
"I just need a few days," Dulci said, even as she patted the dog that was laying on her lap and then patted the other one that was laying on Dave's.
"I'll see you in a few days," Dulci told Dave, even as she moved the dog off her lap and left, Dave watching her go.
Dave gave a rather melancholy sigh as Dulci left and he heard the sound of her car engine start up even as he sat there.
He had always known it was a risk telling anybody he was immortal and while Dulci hadn't broken up with him or anything he could help but feel like that was coming when she had time to think. He knew very well that living forever wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Yet, the fact, that she had accepted his proposal gave him hope, that she would eventually come back to him.
Finally, Dave rose took the plates they had used as well as the silverware into the kitchen then came back for what remained of the cake in order to put it away.

~~~Dave and Dulci~~~