My heart was pounding like crazy for the whole time we were inside Ezekiel's car. I'm unsure of how to feel as I anticipate my mini reunion with my dog.
It has been years, and I have already forgotten what it feels like to have a pet of my own. I have always adored dogs, but I just don't know why I didn't have the heart to buy or adopt one.
"Are you okay?" the man beside me asked.
I looked at him and saw how he threw a glance at me before looking at the road again.
"I'm okay... I guess?" I answered, and he flashed a ridiculous smirk while his left hand rested on the window — holding the steering wheel with his right hand.
"There's no need to feel nervous. I'm sure Snow will still recognize you. Just remember not to expect that he's the same puppy you left behind years ago."
"I didn't leave him, Ezekiel or Kiel or Zeki? The fuck do you have three names for!" I scowled, and he let out a hearty laugh as he shook his head.
"Just choose one, Eero. It's the same person anyway." he shrugged his shoulders as the silence enveloped us once again.
As I reminisced about the moments I spent with Snow, my mind wandered down memory lane. I always knew she was a hyperactive dog, but I never expected her to be with us for almost ten years. What is the average lifespan of dogs, anyway?
I was lost in my thoughts when a phone rang, interrupting me. I glanced at Ezekiel because that ringtone definitely isn't mine. A default ringtone is something I would never set on my phone.
I saw him pouting as he looked at the compartment where his phone was. It kept ringing, but strangely, it seemed like he had no intention of answering it.
"Aren't you going to answer it? It could be important," I said.
He shook his head while continuing to drive.
"I currently have no one important to make a call."
"Maybe it's about work?" I suggested, but he scoffed and shook his head. "An investor, perhaps?"
"Eero, my company stands alone. I don't have investors. I'd much rather let my vet hospital run under my own supervision. I take risks in business—a big one at that—for being a sole proprietor. But I don't trust businessmen." He smiled, but there was a bitter edge to it. Like he'd experienced the chaos those businessmen could bring into his life.
"So, you're a sole proprietor of that company?" I asked. He nodded. "I get it, but having investors is way better, right? You'll have more funds to expand."
"I can do it on my own, Eero—I always have," he said in a reassuring tone.
"Don't you want to get richer?" I asked curiously, and he spoke without looking at me.
"I can afford things now compared to my eighteen-year-old self. That's enough for me. Greed will only bring you faster to your grave," he said coldly.
The phone started ringing again, and I couldn't stand it anymore.
"Ezekiel, can you just answer your phone? Tell the person you're on a business trip or something! It's too noisy!"
"Yeah, right. Since you're the only loud person who can be with me, correct?" He threw a quick glance at me, and I swear he's flirting again.
"Stop flirting. It won't work."
"Not yet..."
"Ezekiel!"
He pouted, clearly enjoying this little mind game he was having with me, before finally reaching for his phone.
"Answer it for me," he said, and I was quite surprised.
