When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.
"Jamie?" I call out into the echoing expanse of our house, cautiously, probingly.
With the exception of my echo, there was no reply. Curiosity rushed my veins as I threw my sheets to the side and stumbled into the doorway.
A slight tip-tapping sound made me snap my attention down the hall. Racing towards me at full speed was a giant bundle of golden fluff whose fur flew and bounced along to the rhythm of his paws.
Sliding to a less than smooth stop, he leaped up, planting his front paws firmly onto my hips, his normal and enthusiastic way of saying 'Good morning, human!'
I reached down and grabbed his paws as he danced up and down. My voice went up a couple of octaves as I talked to my good boy. "Hey Bub! How are you?" His pink tongue lolled out as he happily panted his dog breath up towards my face.
I dropped his paws and asked him, "Hey, Bub?" His tongue retracted back into his mouth as he cocked his head, his ears pricked forward at attention. "Where's Jamie?" He jumped up, wagging his tail as I asked again, "where's Jamie, Bub?"
He darted down the hallway straight towards the stairs. He paused at the top, turning to face me me, barked and disappeared down the stairs.
I jogged after his pattering footsteps down the stairs, peeking into each room as I passed, looking for Jamie's tell-tale floof of black hair.
Looking ahead, I saw Bub's flowing golden banner of a tail disappear into the theater room. Pushing the door open farther, I peeked in to see Jamie's black floofy hair peeking over the top of the couch, blocking some of the screen from my perspective as Bub jumped up onto the couch next to him.
He started, looking down at the fluffy angel-faced dog as what I assumed was a smile spread across his face. "Hey Buba-wuba! What's up, pup?" A sloppy licking noise and a noise of disgust from Jamie told me that Bub had just licked Jamie from his chin to his hairline.
I leaned against the doorframe as the beginning scenes of 'The Hunger Games' began playing in the background. I cleared my throat, saying, "Come on, Jamie! You know better!"
He flinched, looking back at me with a guilty look, like a puppy who had chewed up a sock and got caught. "Um... hey, babe."
I satirically scowled at him, crossing my arms playfully over my chest. "You know that if you're going to have a movie marathon, you have to wake me up too!"
He chuckled, the guilty look slipping away for relaxed humor. "Well, will you except my apology of cuddling and snacks?" He asked, holding his arms open for me. I giggled, jumping into his arms and curling into his side as his popcorn breath warmed the crown of my head.
His steady breathing lulled me into a sleepy tranquil state and I slip back asleep as the announcer guy shouted into his microphone,
"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!"
