The family ties of Lily Juniper Abernathy (book 3)

Chapter 33

As morning broke I headed to the kitchen and flicked the kettle on. Corky meowed at me and shot out the cat flap. Cleo followed him until she stopped at the door. Maybe she was a house cat?

"She won't go out the cat flap- it's not clean enough for her- she's a right madam." Aunty Ealie giggled opening the door. Cleo strolled out then gave a very precise and primped meow.

"I'm leaving it open today Cleo, let some air in."

I smiled as the cat looked for a second as if to say 'oh fine then' and carried on strutting down the garden path in the sunshine. My aunt went over to the little kitchen radio and felt over each button '1, 2, 3. There." She pressed button three and it powered into life.

"Do you want a hot drink?" I muttered

"Yeah alright, tea please."

"Okay, you take sugar?"

"No, I'm sweet enough."

I smiled and handed her the mug "Okay."

There was a tap on the door and she sighed putting it down "What time do they call this?"

She answered and I heard a bark. Oh. I didn't know my Aunty Ealie had a guide dog. The dog came in, so quietly that if I had my back turned I might not have noticed. It came over and licked my hand once.

"What? Do I taste good?"

It wagged it's tail and scampered away.

"Obviously not?" My mom yawned as she came in.

The dog came back with a ball in it's mouth and dropped it in front of me. It barked and sat just behind it.

"I can't reach that without ending up stuck on the floor, sorry?"

It's head tilted to one side and in nudged it closer.

"It's still on the floor." I shrugged

"Pick it up." My aunt mumbled

I was about to say I couldn't until the dog did. I opened my hand and it gently dropped it into my palm.

"Oh...Good boy?"

"So," my mom said as I rolled the ball along the floor "What's the dog called?"

"Toast."

"What?" I said slowly as my mom giggled

"I know, his name is Toast- safe to say, I didn't pick it- guide dogs come with their names."

"Ah- I didn't get to pick my dog's name either?"

"Why? What's your dog called?"

I sighed "Pancake."

she giggled "I'm presuming Charlie picked that?"

"Pretty much."

"Huh, that's a kid thing I guess-" She paused and said brightly "Get your lead dog breath."

Toast, the dog, put the ball in my hand again and went into the living room then came back with a lead. She rolled her eyes "I'm not over there silly, I can't see in that direction, that's why you're here in the first place?"

He pawed a little closer and nudged against her hand

"Thank you." She said to him finding his head with her other hand and tickling his ears. She hung it on a peg by the door and said firmly "Now I know where it is...now, collar." She wandered into the living room and turned the radio extremely loudly up on the way out "I love this song, ok, come on doggy, we'll get you unpacked."