This Thing Called Love (ON HOLD INDEFINITELY)

chapter three

NOW

I woke up to a foot in my face and snores in my ears. I tickled the feet next to me and felt it shake before I heard some moans. That had to be Noel's. As for the soft snores that were being produced, I shifted my head slightly to the left and saw Olivia with her mouth exposed. I stiffened a laugh; this would be a perfect picture moment.

Olivia's light brown locks were in a mess all over her face, almost like a curtain. Her legs were tangled with the blankets I had set out for us last night. After we painted each other's nails, we set out some blankets in my spacious living room floor. Together, Olivia, Noel, and I watched all the recent animated movies from Inside Out and my least favorite Frozen. It was nice the first three times I saw it, but once Olivia begged to watch it every day during summer break it got old and fast.

I heard barks coming from the kitchen and I knew that Lucy was up. I kept her in her cage last night because she kept trying to eat our popcorn. I maneuvered my way out of the soft blankets and exited the living room. Lucy's barks were loud and persistent. If she kept this up she was going to wake up everyone!

"Lucy!" I half yelled half hissed. "I'm coming; keep your barks down."

This only made her bark louder. I rolled my eyes. She's always been a drama queen, ever since Tobias got her from the shelter.

"Hey Tobias," I breathed, slipping my scarf off of my neck. It was January and as you could imagine there was a snow storm going on.

"I hope you don't expect me to make dinner tonight," I continued, slipping my coat off this time. "I don't think I'm going to get this job either. I might as well give up; I'm never going to find a job that I like. Where's my little Olivia? I need one of her hugs after the day I-"

I stopped talking when I heard dog barks. I paused, knowing that what I heard had to be a figment of my imagination. The TV was probably on because surely there wasn't a dog in my house. But then I heard the barks again and I knew what I heard wasn't a figment of my imagination. I stomped into the living room and sure enough, I saw Tobias holding a small pit bull dog. Olivia was jumping up and down around his legs and I could see a wide smile on Tobias's face.

"Daddy! Daddy! I want to hold him too!" Olivia squealed. She jumped up and down again as if that would make the dog come down if she did.

"It's a she," Tobias replied, crouching down. He still held the dog tightly in his arms, but he let Olivia pet it her arms. She was a wild young one, eager to get away from Tobias's grasp.

"But this is our little secret okay? I'm sure your mommy won't be too happy to find a dog at home," Tobias continued.

Olivia scowled slightly, her three-year-old face looking matured. "But she's so cute! We have to keep her."

I crossed my arms after I dropped my purse on the floor, producing a thud. Olivia and Tobias both looked at me. There was still a scowl on Olivia's face and Tobias had a mischievous grin on his.

"Mommy! We have to keep her!" Olivia pleaded before I even got a chance to speak.

I gave Tobias a stern glare. Now he was going to make me the bad guy. Olivia was already a daddy's girl; bringing home a dog was only adding more brownie points.

"Tobias. Kitchen, now," I rejoined, kicking my heels off.

I didn't wait for his response or to see his expression. I walked into the kitchen and began to ransack around for my chai packets. After a day like today with prejudice interviewers, I just wanted to come home with my family and snuggle up next to the fireplace and watch a movie. But I just had to come home to a dog that my daughter was already attached to. I laughed dryly to myself. Just my luck.