Page 15 of Savage Ends

The door remained open and she liked that Pat didn’t leave.She was sure he was busy elsewhere.She tried to scramble her brain for a way to keep him.

“I haven’t seen you for coffee,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too snoopy.She didn’t mind what he did, but she did miss him.

“I’m coming tonight,” he said.

That made her heart race.

He didn’t say anything else.Ava was drawing a blank.Should she talk about soccer, sports, what?

Just then, the sound of paws moving had her turning to see Bernice moving closer.The dog was so damn cute, sad, and curious.She was shocked as it came close to her and then snuggled in against her thigh.Now this did freak her out a little.Growing up, Bernice, her dad’s dog, had done the exact same thing.She felt tears fill her eyes.

She didn’t know what to do.This was not her childhood dog, Bernice.This was a new dog.She put her hand on the dog and gently stroked her, feeling an instant love for her.

“I’ve never had a dog,” Ava said.“I—my dad—would train the dogs he brought home.They were loyal to him.I never watched what he did or how he worked with them.”

“No two dogs are the same, Ava.They’re different, and they react differently.Bernice just needs a lot of love.You’ve seen that she has been avoided because she is not interactive.”

Ava couldn’t help but think about Lauren.Her boss didn’t like attention.Some of the staff had quit because Lauren refused to come out of the main kitchen.She was happy to bake and wash dishes.She ran the coffee shop, but she wasn’t seen.Ava didn’t mind.Lauren had her reasons, and she respected her for it.

“She’s beautiful,” Ava said.

Just then, Ava looked up to see her sister calling her.Bernice didn’t react, but Ava held her hand up.

“I wondered where you had wandered off to,” Violet said, approaching.“Well, hello, sugar.”This was directed at Pat.

“Good morning,” Pat said.

Ava tried not to laugh.“Pat, I’d like you to meet my sister, Violet.Violet, this is Pat.”

“So, you’re Pat?”Violet asked, and there was no way the ground could just open up and swallow her and Bernice as a whole.

Pat didn’t say a word, he just held his hand out to shake Violet’s.

“Ava has spoken highly of you,” Violet said.

“She has?”

“I just ...you know, about the fact you order coffee.”

Her cheeks were bright red.This was mortifying.

“Hey, honey,” Hazel said.

Great.She hadn’t thought about her family meeting Pat and what that would mean for her social life.Pat met her mother and her sister, and then they all turned toward her.

“You’ve got to get her,” Violet said.“Look how she is curled up against you.It’s just like...”

She didn’t need to finish.Ava looked down at Bernice, and then toward her mother, sister, and of course Pat.

“I don’t know how to take care of a dog.I don’t know how to train a dog.I’m not sure I can do this.I work late, and...”

“It’s something you can think about,” Pat said.“No one is going to adopt Bernice.There is never any interest in her.”

And that just broke her fucking heart.This was not fair.

And before the day was over, Hazel and Violet didn’t have a dog, and Ava had Bernice.