Floor was in the middle of putting the cookies she'd made into a plastic bag to take them to share with her bandmates, when she heard a scratching noise at the front door. She hurried to open it.
"Saartje, have you been digging again?" she demanded, when she saw the dog standing on the front steps, covered from head to tail in mud. Saartje barked and put her dirty paws on Floor's chest. "Down, girl! Down!" Floor ordered, trying to look severe, but it was hard not to laugh. Saartje did look awfully funny covered in dirt. "Come on," Floor said, grabbing a hold of her collar and leading her out into the yard, where she began trying to use the garden hose to wash the dog. Saartje thought Floor wanted to play, and she ran around and around in circles, barking, and then grabbed the hose in her mouth, got it away from Floor, and started wrestling with it. Water sprayed everywhere, drenching Floor, who was already filthy,splattering the side of the house and Floor's car, which was in the driveway, and watering Floor's rosebushes much more than they needed. Floor couldn't help it. She burst out laughing, falling on the grass because her legs were too weak to support her. Saartje dropped the hose and ran toward her. Floor tried to move, but the dog knocked her over, licking her face and panting. "Okay, okay, I surrender," Floor said, sitting up and spitting out some dirt. "Please, can you cooperate now? No way are you coming back in my house looking like that." Saartje licked her face some more. Floor grinned. "You ridiculous dog." She rubbed the top of Saartje's head affectionately. "You're gonna make me late for practice. Now I have to shower and change, and clean you up." She sighed, got to her feet, and then went inside to grab some soap and a towel. When she came back inside, Saartje was wrestling with the hose again. "Drop it!" Floor ordered. Saartje did as she was told. "Sit," Floor said, grabbing the hose. Saartje watched her warily. "Sit!" Floor repeated, more forcefully this time, and Saartje sat down. Floor went to work with the hose and soap,scrubbing at the mud clinging to Saartje's fur and then rinsing it away, until the dog was clean. She rubbed her all over with the towel, then got up, took the soap and towel, and went inside to take a shower and put on fresh clothes. When she came downstairs about half an hour later, wearing jeans and a red top, she found that there seemed to be fewer cookies on the cookie sheet than she'd remembered. Floor frowned.
That's funny. I know I made three dozen. Why are there only 28 here? she thought, tapping her chin with a finger. Saartje,maybe? Could be... Turning around, she noticed a trail of crumbs leading to the basement door. Floor grinned. Ah-ha,I know who stole those cookies,she thought, and descended the steps into the basement. Hannes was working out on the weightlifting bench over by one wall of the room. He was shirtless and sweaty, and he grinned as Floor came over to him. "Did you enjoy the cookies?" Floor asked, arching an eyebrow at him. He focused his gaze on the ceiling as he lifted the barbell again.
"I always enjoy your cooking, Floor," he answered, refusing to look at her.
"You!" Floor cried in exasperation. "Hannes, we've been over this. You don't take the treats I make to take to band practice. I would have left you some."
"Yeeeeeeeeeah, but..." he said, glancing at her and then quickly looking away, a little smile playing on his face. "I was hungry. And I've been working really hard. And, you know, they looked good." Floor felt the corner of her mouth twitch. It was hard to be angry with him.
"You could have asked," she said. He set the barbell down and sat up.
"You were busy," he replied. Floor rolled her eyes.
"You still could've asked! What am I gonna do with you?" She ran her hand through his hair lovingly. He reached up and took her hand.
"Love me," he answered. Floor sighed, grinning.
"Well, obviously, but besides that."
"Who needs anything else?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her down onto the bench next to him. "We love each other, why does anything else matter?"
"Oh,whatever," she said, kissing him. "It's a good thing I love you so much. Or else I might not be so nice." Hannes laughed and held her close. She leaned her head on his shoulder, having already forgiven him for stealing the cookies. It was impossible to stay mad at him under such circumstances.
