Restoring the faith

Snowball

It was around 2 weeks before Zak's birthday and I still had no clue what to buy him. 

We had been flat out at work with lockdowns and aftershocks that we had little time to do to the simplest of things such as shopping. But even then we were together so buying something without him seeing was near on impossible! With a season break coming up I decided to take him away instead.

If he's away from work he can't go to work!

I sat scrolling through advertisements on the computer looking for somewhere to go. I had checked out places in America but none of them screamed at me for us to go.

I wanted somewhere he very rarely went, so immediately I narrowed it to being out the country.

I stopped looking when I heard Zak singing to some music. He had been in a great mood for the last few days running up to the season break so I guess he was ready for some time off as much as I was.  I clicked off my in private browser as he came dancing around.

"I'm too sexy for my car too sexy for my car
Too sexy by far
And I'm too sexy for my hat
Too sexy for my hat what do you think about that!" Zak threw his hat at me making me laugh and watched him dancing around.

"I'm a model you know what I mean
And I do my little turn on the catwalk
Yeah on the catwalk on the catwalk yeah
I shake my little tush on the catwalk."

I completely lost it when he shook his bum backing it into me budging me with his butt.

I pulled him in for a kiss and began giggling against his mouth as he began dancing attached to my mouth.

"What has got into you?" I asked stepping back watching him.

"I get time off with you, what's not to love at the idea of staying in bed all day and making love?" He asked.

"The idea that we will need food and Gracie will need walking? Don't be neglecting our child now." I giggled.

"I could never do that. Do you know I had her nose in my mouth this morning?" He asked making me laugh and nod my head.

"I couldn't stop laughing, she was stopping your snoring." I laughed walking away.

His hands grabbed my waist from behind and guided me back towards the bedroom.

"CONGA!" He yelled.

"Where we going?" I asked.

"Back to bed! B-B-B-B-B-ED!"

We spent the early afternoon between the sheets as every time I tried to get up he would pull me back into bed.

By late afternoon he decided it was time to head to the shelter.

"Can I come?" I asked sitting in bed watching him get ready.

"I don't know. I have been trying to get you too." He laughed.

I frowned and then saw the innuendo to that comment and threw a pillow at him.

"Come on then." He grinned.

I got showered and changed in record time and raced him to the car.

"You're eager! I give you that." He answered as he unlocked the car.

"I get to see and play with puppies?! Of course I'm excited!" I smiled.

"Yeah but some are poorly and some need a forever home." He answered.

"Then let's buy a really big house and fill it with animals? Gracie will love a baby brother or sister!"

"Puppy." He added.

"That's what I mean."

"Thought you were getting broody on me then." He answered as we set off.

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We got to the shelter when I realised it wasn't as fun or nice as I wanted it to be.. It was heartbreaking.  They did their best but my heart strings were still pulled continuously as we walked through the dog pens. I stopped at a cage and looked confused as I couldn't see a dog inside, I presumed it had gone outside. Reading it's info I rocked on my feet.

Snowball, female, 1 year old, Samoyed.

I had a dog named snowball once, also a Samoyed when I lived in Iowa. I guess people called them snowball or snowy from their fluffy white coats. They were adorable, and I wanted to bury my face in their fur. I often did as a child.

"Brit?" Zak spoke realising I had stopped.

"I want to see this little doggy." I answered poking my bottom lip out.

"Hey you had a dog called Snowball didn't you?" He asked.

I nodded as smiled as a white fluff ball entered from the back of the pen. Upon seeing us it stopped.

"Oh my giddy aunt. Zak I want her." I answered sinking to my knees and putting my finger through the wire mesh trying to touch her.

The pup came up and sniffed my hand before her little tail wagged furiously.

"Awh. My heart is hurting. Zak I want her. Please."

"Brit we can't, I would love to but it's not fair on Gracie as it is.. If I could I would have her in a heart beat because she's gorgeous." He answered crouching down and greeting her.

"Fine I quit. Awh look at her little tongue!" I squealed.

"Jeez, I knew you coming here was a bad idea."

"I'm moving in here to be with her. Oh. Oh I love her." I whined as he helped me off the floor. It was their dinner time so I had to leave her.

"I'm coming back for you!!" I sang as Zak pulled me into the other animals.

I had my heart set on Snowball but Zak had the sensible head on and put up a reason as to why I couldn't have her.. Simply through work and time there was no way. Gracie didn't know if she was coming or going somedays and Zak hated leaving her behind.

We left the shelter as I poked my bottom lip as we passed Snowballs pen. She was out so I couldn't say goodbye. Probably for the best as I was little emotional when I saw all the sick animals. I ended up crying and hugging a Staffordshire bull terrier mix promising that it was going to get better.

I hugged it despite the shelter staff warning me not to I had to. Sense had flown out the window, a dog like that could have bit me. Any dog could have bit me. But I was so emotional towards it the little black Staffie just lapped up my tears and leaned against me.

"It's the last time you're coming here." Zak spoke as we sat in the car and I sniffled.

"God. People are such bastards!"

"I know, they are evil sometimes.. Some people just give them up for the animals better welfare, for example if they are struggling to look after or maint-"

"Don't make excuses." I mumbled wiping my nose.

"Oh you silly thing." He chuckled.

"I want them all." I added giving him a hug.

"They will all go to the best homes, don't you worry." He smiled as we set off towards home.

My heart broke leaving Snowball behind but she was destined for a better life with a family who could love her relentlessly.