Love On the Brain (Corey Crawford)

39| Freddie

Corey

Our time in Switzerland was amazing but the week comes and goes by too quickly for our liking. I have to admit, I was going to miss that place. It was so simple yet so beautiful, it was simply beautiful. And I was happy that we got to go, I wanted somewhere to go that was away from everything I knew and she wanted something to see that's worth seeing and it worked out perfectly for the both of us. Even though we haven't been together for all that long she's been my best friend for a while now and I think that little trip was perfect for us. I made so many beautiful memories and learned so much about everything. I felt like I was ready for whatever life threw at me.

And the first thing we had in store for us as we continued our lives together when we got back into town was Jessica's birthday. She was turning the big 3-0 today and she didn't want to make a big deal out of it. We had just gotten back from vacation and wouldn't see her family until the weekend to celebrate so she wasn't too worried about her birthday. She hated the attention and didn't think she should be celebrated for doing what she was put on this earth to do. But there was something we had been talking about for a while and I wanted to do this and there was no better time than now to do it.

So I walk into a animal shelter just a little outside of the city and look at the animals. Jess thinks I'm out doing hockey things but in reality I needed a excuse to get out of the apartment and to here without her figuring me out. I think I did a good job but she's a smart girl, she can probably figure it out pretty soon so I better be quick.

I thought about getting her a cat at first because she would love any living thing that she can give love to but I know she said specifically a dog, so that's what I was going to get her. Plus I can't tell the guys I got us a cat... I'll never hear the end of it.

So I go look at the dogs before I find the puppies. I figured if it was young then it can be trained and she can name it and all that good stuff. Eventually I find a worker before asking some questions I had.

"Do you have any puppies who haven't been named yet" I wonder.

"We do. We just got a whole bunch in from a illegal breeding chain in the city yesterday and if they don't get taken here pretty soon they'll have to be put down" he explains and my heart drops. I

"You have to kill them" I question.

"Under state laws we do. We can't be over capacity for dogs and everyone is full this time of the year when so many dogs are being born during the summer days" he explains.

"Oh" I sigh, "well can I see them" I wonder as he nods his head. He takes me into a room full of dogs, all of them barking and jumping around in their cage. They were so small I was afraid I would step on one.

"These are the ones we just got in. They're all golden retrievers and are a month old. Usually too young to adopted but like I said, if we can't find them homes soon it won't really matter" he says.

"Alright, thank you" I nod. He leaves me with the dogs and I look around, how am I supposed to choose just one? Eventually I see one who stuck out over the others. It had bigger teeth and it was actually really cute. It was really hyper and was getting all the other dogs going even though he was a lot smaller than them. This one had a personality and it's teeth didn't seem to slow him down.

I walk over and pick the puppy up and hold it in my arms. I see it's a boy and look into his big puppy dog eyes. I had never had a animal before but I was pretty excited about this guy.

"You're cute, I'll give you that" I say. It looked like the dog smiled at me and in that exact moment I knew he was the one. He was just what I wanted for Jess and I.

So I purchase the dog and go to the pet store to pick some things up. I get him a blank collar and a little bow to put on him because I don't believe in the whole putting him in the box thing, that's just scary. So instead I drive to her place with him riding shotgun and let myself up. I knock so she knows it's me and she answers it. I hide the dog behind me and she looks at me questionably as I try to make it so he didn't make a sound.

"Close your eyes" I demand.

"What" she asks.

"Close your eyes before I drop your birthday gift and we all feel really bad" I threaten and she just shakes her head. She finally covers her eyes and I let myself in. I set down all the dog stuff that I could bring up with me before adjusting the puppy so I was holding him correctly. I lift him up and he starts to lick Jessie's face and she smiles.

"Please tell me this is a dog and your breath doesn't smell this bad" she claims and I laugh.

"It's a dog" I assure her and her eyes shoot open. She gasps loudly when the little golden retriever puppy continues to lick her face. It's little ears all over the place as he tries to get into Jessie's arms.

"Corey what in the world did you do" she whisper yells.

"Well you said you wanted a dog and I wanted one too. Now we have a little puppy to care for and love together" I say.

"He is so freaking cute. What's his name" she wonders.

"He doesn't have a name yet" I admit.

"I think I'm gonna name you... Freddie" she claims and I smile. Of course it's Freddie, why would it be anything else?

"Really" I ask.

"Look at his teeth! How can he not be named Freddie" she asks.

"Alright alright, you got me there. I just hope no one gets him up with Freddie from Friday the 13th" I admit.

"Look at his smile, no one will do that" she insists.

"He is pretty cute" I admit as I scratch behind his ear.

"What made you go out and get a dog" she questions.

"Seriously" I ask and she nods. "It's your birthday" I say.

"Already" she says and I laugh. Like she really forgot today was her birthday.

"Yes already. How do you forget your own birthday" I ask.

"I guess I wanted to be in Switzerland so bad that I didn't realize life kept moving forward even though my minds still there" she claims.

"You really liked it eh" I ask.

"I loved it... and I love you. Thank you for the trip and this little cutie pie. I can't wait to watch him grow with you" she says.

"The feeling is mutual" I admit.