When Worlds Collide

110. I want answers

"Mommy get up, daddy has a present for you." Diana said as she shook Valerie lightly

She stirred a little until her eyes fluttered open to see Diana's light brown eyes and a grin on her face

"I'm up, now can I go back to sleep?" She asked turning over and putting the blanket over her head and Diana snatched it off

"No, you can't. You have a present and I want to know what it is." She smiled

"What kind of present?" She mumbled with her face buried in the pillow

"I don't know, dad won't tell me. He said you have to come and see it." Valerie perked her head up

"Is this some kind of prank to get me to come downstairs so he throw a pie or something in my face?" She said and Diana giggled

"He said you would say something like that and the answer is no. So please come see what it is, he won't tell me."

Valerie pulled the blanket away from her ankles and slowly arose from the bed with Diana grabbing ahold of her hand as the trekked down the stairs and Valerie rubbing the sleep from her eyes

When they reached the bottom step, Diana let her hand go as Valerie looked around for Ryan or even Jeremiah to come up to her and do something crazy.

"Are you excited?" Diana asked her and Valerie was still a little on the edge as she continued to look around

"Yeah, I guess you could call it excitement." She answered

"I see you finally got her to come down here." Ryan said coming around the corner with a box and holes all around it

"Okay what's this surprise that you have for me that probably could've waited until after my nap."

He stepped closer to her and handed her the box," See for yourself." He smiled

She was a little hesitant about opening it as they both looked at her with a hint of glee in their eyes. She opened the box and was surprised when she did

"Aww it's cute, what's it's name?" She asked as she gently scooped up the puppy that was bashfully curled up in the corner of the box

"His name is Rocky."

"And of course it's another Doberman, something else to be as big as me. Do you want everything in this house to be taller than me or what?"

"Ok let me explain, that wasn't the plan to get another Doberman but when I saw that one, I had to get it because I figured you would like it." He said

"Well you were right, he's a cutie." She said while rubbing the top of the puppies head

"Can I hold him?" Diana asked and Valerie handed him over to her. "Can I take him outside with the others?"

"Yeah sure, let's see how they react to the new addition to the family." Valerie said as they went outside

"Hey guys, look who's here." Diana said setting the puppy on the ground in front of Spike and Charlotte

The puppy started to whimper and hide behind Diana when Spike stood up. He eventually sat down  and put his head down on the ground as Charlotte went over to Rocky and started to bark at him and lick the side of his face

"See Rocky she likes you, why don't you play with her." She said pushing Rocky towards Charlotte and he still cowered away in fear

"It's alright, you'll get used to them."

Valerie looked over at Ryan and smiled, "Thank you for the gift, what made you want to get a puppy?"

"I want to keep you happy." He said glancing in her eyes and she nodded her head in understanding what he meant