Empty Gold

Chapter 5: The Diary of Jane (Alison)

Chapter 5

Alison awakens the next morning to Pepe whining, the laundry door is not open enough for him to slip out and Pepe is scratching at it desperately. Alison springs into action after a few sleepy blinks—years of conditioning have made her an incredibly light sleeper. She opens the door quickly for the dog and watches him slide across the floor as he rushes to the dog door desperate to be outside. Alison slips on a thin robe that Aria left her and her flats. She gathers the leash and some plastic bags before following after Pepe.

The house is quiet, and the blonde doesn't mind the silence, she finds comfort in the stillness of the early hour. The kitchen clock says it's just after seven but no one seems to be up and the yard is bathed in soft sunlight when Alison emerges into the morning air. She calls for Pepe quietly and he comes bounding over, happily letting Alison clip his lead on. They're only going to walk around the property but the last thing Alison wants to do is lose Emily's dog.

Pepe walks nicely as they head further into the property past the pool and out into the open space. What anyone would need with all this space is beyond Alison buts it nice to be outside amongst the trees, in the quiet. The crisp morning air is chilly, especially in the shadows of the large trees and she shivers a little bit before continuing on her way.

She feels a bit claustrophobic in the house, like she takes up space even though the place is vast and bigger than any home she could imagine. It's just that her presence is noticed in every room, she feels all eyes watching, waiting for her to slip up. Out here, in the back, there is literally no one for acres.

Pepe catches sight of something moving in the bushes and Alison unclips his lead to let him get a bit of a run, he's certainly energetic. She prays that he won't let her down and run away. He sprints into the bushes and flushes out a tiny adorable rabbit. Quickly, he chases it across the grass but it's much faster and ducks into a hole, avoiding the dog. Pepe barks and whines while sticking his nose in the dirt but the rabbit doesn't remerge.

"Too slow, Pepe," Alison whispers fondly to the dog.

She pats her thigh and he obediently trots back to her and they wander along around the property.

A good hour or even two passes and when they get back to the house they're both tired and worn out. They sink down onto the kitchen floor, Pepe lapping at his water bowl and Alison resting her head against the cabinets. If they're going to do this every morning Alison is going to be getting a good work out. She chuckles softly as Pepe collapses next to his bowl rolling onto his back in exhaustion.

"You goof," Emily calls sleepily from the doorway catching sight of Pepe as she wanders out of the hallway.

Alison freezes in surprise. She is partially hidden behind the counter and doesn't think Emily has spotted her yet, and she's unsure as to whether or not she should announce herself. She also caught between being happy the brunette is awake and fearful of Emily's needs. Emily trudges in yawning as she opens the fridge.

"What did you do with Ali, huh?" Emily asks Pepe who whines and bares his belly for tummy scratches. "What did you do with her, boy?"

Alison squeezes her eyes shut and debates what to say. Its obvious to the blonde that Emily has already searched for the blonde in the laundry room and she wonders if she will be punished for being absent. Was she allowed to be outside early without Emily's permission? Emily fishes out a water bottle and stretches again as she makes her way over to Pepe. She finds Alison on the floor next to the dog and the blonde immediately drops her head embarrassed.

"Floor comfy?" Emily mumbles as she plops down to join Pepe and Alison. She's too tired to really notice the blonde's discomfort.

"We went for a... a walk," Alison stutters nervously hoping that this is acceptable to her owner.