14 Years [GNR/Mötley Crüe]

102. Attitude

Axl:

It was freezing outside.

I quickly shoved my glove-covered hands into my pocket after checking the time. Eighteen more hours and then I leave.

"Marshall, no!" she exclaimed. "That's disgusting."

That's when I noticed Marshall had shoved his face down into a pile of old snow along the edge of the path, fascinated by dirty grey snow.

I tugged at the leash that I took from her a little while ago. I did that after catching her wrap the leash around the same three fingers that finally healed. It's how she broke it in the first place!

I sighed, watching him dig his face deeper into the snow.

"What's in the snow?" I said out loud.

"I think in his mind, he's with the NYPD like his dad." She rolled her eyes.

I laughed and tugged the leash again, pulling him away from the dirt. That's some new information. And then he sneezed because it's freezing.

"His dad is in the K-9 unit?" I asked her as we continued our walk.

Earlier today, we went to Citarella to get some of the groceries. We have some ambitious plans for dinner, so we had to get the ingredients.

The original plan was a weekend getaway. We were supposed to go upstate to Hudson, but it had to be canceled due to work. Her work.

She went to work yesterday, and she was supposed to work today, which is a Sunday! But she stayed up at work till 2 in the morning and avoided that.

So we thought the next best way to spend some quality time before I leave is to pretend we can cook gourmet.

"Yep," she said, "Hey! Is that my earring?"

Her hand came up and tucked my hair against the beanie to reveal my ears. She touched the dangling teal tube.

"Yeah," I answered when she tilted my face to check the other side.

That one was my own. A cross.

"Where's the other one?" She asked.

"I don't wanna walk around with matching earrings. This is way cooler." I replied, "And I have been wanting to try this one for a couple of months now."

"Really?" She snickered.

"Yeah! It looked nice, and I knew it would look good on me, but considering I already took a ring from you, and if I took this... I'd be the creepy ex who's a jewelry thief. So."

But as soon as those words left my mouth, I wished to grab them and shove them back down my throat.

"Habitual thief," she laughed and kept walking.

Okay, maybe I expected her to get upset. I wasn't sure if it's okay to bring up those things without it sounding like I am keeping score.

I didn't want her to feel that I think my love for her is greater than what she feels for me. Definitely not after how she mentioned that as one of the reasons we couldn't be together a month ago.

But I've wanted this longer. Long enough to believe this day wouldn't come. That it would remain an unfulfilled dream. She said she believes I get everything I want in life, unlike her! Well, I stopped thinking I would get her.

I looked down between us and watched her hand wrapped around my arm as we walked her dog, whom I could now call my dog.

The winter sun lacked warmth, but it was bright enough to reveal the red undertone of her brown hair.