To Love a Stray

Chapter 3

I hold the game controller and wriggle with excitement as I play against Sam but the car I am in control of hits the sidewall and erupts into flames. I groan in disappointment as game over flashes for me and Sam goes on to cross the finish line first.

"Winner!" Sam yells as he waves his controller in the air.

"My turn!" Dwayne yells and looks at me in surprise as I hand over the controller without complaint.

"It’s making my shoulder hurt," I explain.

"You want something for it?" Sam asks as he looks at me from where he is seated on the floor at the other end of the lounge I am stretched out on.

"It only really hurts when I move my arm about," I explain.

"I can get you some of the pain tablets Doc left here for you," Dwayne offers from the floor near my good shoulder.

"I’ll give you a foot rub," Alex offers from where he sits on the lounge with my legs across his knees.

"Rosy said no touching remember?" Mitchell reminds Alex from the armchair beside him.

"Yeah, yeah," Alex groans but doesn’t argue. He might not be allowed to touch me but my feet and ankles are touching him.

"We’re out of chips," Sam announces holding up a large bowl that had held corn chips.

"You guys got any fruit?" I ask as Mitchell gets to his feet, takes the bowl and heads for the kitchen.

"Healthy food is bared from the quarters," Mitchell yells back to me.

"You got any ice-cream then?" I inquire.

"Ice-cream we have. Hope you like either triple choc or vanilla," Mitchell yells again.

"Vanilla will do," I decide.

When Mitchell returns with more chips he has a large bowl of ice cream for me and I balance it on my stomach as I eat it. I place the empty bowl on the floor out of Dwayne’s way and settle down to watch Dwayne and Sam racing their cars. I yawn several times and turn onto my left side. My eyes begin to drift closed after a short while so I settle myself more comfortably and close them.

"Must you boys have that game so loud? You didn’t answer me when I called from the back door!" The scolding female voice wakes me abruptly and I open my eyes in alarm, Dwayne’s head is right in front of me and he is turning his face towards me quickly.

"Ah Mum," There is a note of caution in his voice as he stares into my eyes.

"Where do you lot have that poor girl? I’ve bought her lunch out here for her," the female voice continues on.

"Rosy is on the lounge and you just woke her up," Sam says very softly.

"Oh dear! I’m so sorry!" The sound of her voice and footsteps move around above my head and I tense as I hear movement within inches of me.

"Hallo Deary, my name is Marissa. My sons and their friends tell me your name is Rosy. That’s a beautiful name." She exclaims brightly.

I turn my head slowly to look her way and she immediately picks up on my stress. Her sudden caution triggers my hunting instinct inside me and I narrow my eyes as I look at her assessingly.

"Oh did I surprise you? I didn’t mean to. I just thought you’d like some nice freshly caught fish with your salad for lunch. I know these boys don’t keep anything but frozen junk food here," Marissa explains brightly even as she takes several slow steps to the side further away from me. I blink several times breaking my stare, I realise my sudden aggression is unwarranted but still it is hard not to glide off the lounge in a stalk. Slowly I look around at the silent toms to find they are all tensely watching me aware of my simmering aggression and I blink several more times.