𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 |𝟏𝟖+ (#𝟏)

𝙵𝙸𝙵𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽 |

15
AMBER JACKSON
--------------------------------------

Gifts were best when thought through and sincere.

I usually was an awful gifter, maybe because I was broke as fuck and couldnt afford the things I wanted to gift the people close to me that encapsulated my thank you for them being in my life. But now, thanks to Georgio, I think I may have gotten one of the best gifts I could ever buy.

Like Liam promised, I received the list of dogs at the animal shelter and looked through them completely, falling in love with the happy and sad faces of the photos. However, only two puppies caught my attention a hundred percent. The black bodied, brown legged rottweilers whose only differences were the two brown spots above one's eye were so cute they literally stole my heart. I only hoped they were both available. So I called the shelter, talked to the owner Anabelle and came to find out they were both still there - happy as ever.

I've never rushed to get somewhere so bad before. So now, I sat in a playpen with both puppies prancing over my legs, licking my hands and looking even more gorgeous in person. I just finished signing the adoption papers for both and was waiting for Anabelle to get all their immunization records and such in order. "You're so cute, I wonder what he's gonna say when he sees both of you."

In person, I saw a few more visible differences to tell them apart - the scar patterns that littered their skin as a result of abuse they endured from their breeder along with the amount of brown vs. black that made up their coat. They were underweight and had already received their first round of shots from the vet but other than that exceptionally healthy. Anabelle walked into the room I was in with a folder and two crates. "Here you go, all done. In a week or so you could bring them back on a Thursday to meet with the vet that comes in so they could get the second round of shots and then move forward from there."

"Thank you so much. You don't know how grateful I am." I tell her, standing up straight holding both puppies towards their crates set up on her desk. Inside both were a stuffed giraffe - probably their favorite toy. Grabbing the manilla folder while she says goodbye to both puppies, I stuff it carefully in my bag before I check my phone. The bakery was five minutes away from the shelter and the driver was supposed to meet me there so I could meet with Alessandro for dinner. I ordered some dog food that would get to his house around eight-thirty which by then I would have already shown him the dogs.

"I might get some more people to show up and get dogs soon." I told her thinking about how sad some of the dogs looked and the people I knew who would want one. "Ohhh, that would be great. Sometimes it's sad walking in here and seeing how many of them don't have homes. Plus we've been getting a bit overpopulated with them." she said sadly.

"Well now I'll make sure they come." I tell her with a smile as she walks me to the front door. We say our goodbyes and I make my way to the bakery. Thank God I lifted when I went to the gym because even though the puppies were underweight they felt like they weighed fifty pounds each. The little bakery by the water was an ambiance of brown, black and mint green hues, the coffee seeping into the air surrounding the street. I had already previously ordered, so all I had to do was pick it up. The sidewalk had two black benches on either side of the door where I carefully placed both dogs. It wasn't particularly busy but having known the owner of the bakery well all I needed was to shoot her a text and she'd bring what I needed outside. 

Everyday during undergrad, I would come here anytime between twelve and one-thirty to get a hot chai latte during fall and winter and a cold brew with sweet cream foam during summer and spring always with one of the chicken pesto sandwiches. It was a surprise to know that Alessandro came here either early in the morning for donuts or late in the afternoon to pick up the peach and raspberry parfaits or the coconut refrigerated cake - always.