Scandal of Grace

17

°Listen to "Hope" by Twista ft Faith Evans for this chapter.

"Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born." - Mary Oliver.

*

Sighing heavily, I finally got up from the couch when dad opened the door to my room, bringing me out of my wandering state of mind.

"Are you okay? You look really worried. If it is about Darkling, her doctor said it is not something serious. And that it's good I brought her early." Dad rushed his words. I must have really looked like my world was crashing down because of just a dog. But Darkling was not just a dog. She'd been a representation of my past in appearance but still helped me feel lively when I was dull.

I simply loved my dog.

I found it difficult to hold myself, so I hastily hugged my daddy, laying my head onto his chest and wrapping my slim arms around him. He sighed a little and returned it before planting a small kiss in the centre of my head. I smiled against his broad chest. Mum must enjoy this a lot. I mentally warned my subconscious to not think about my parents that way.

My mind momentarily wandered to Stephen and I imagined what it would be like if he hugged me so intimately like this. But then I quickly shoved every thought of the green-eyed boy down to the furthest part of my mind. I broke up from the hug and smiled up at my dad.

"What?"

"Nothing." My response was sharp but Dad didn't mind because he pulled me by the hand and dragged me out of the room. He didn't need to know that I was imagining being with a boy at this age. He would surely reply me with something from the Bible like, "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

I shook my head a bit. I was not ready to die.

"Honey! We'll be on our way now!" Dad yelled to mum when we got to the sitting room.

"Okay!" She yelled back. She was still in their room.

"Come on, let's go." Dad said, his voice firm like I would change my mind. I wouldn't. We walked out the door, closing it behind us and made it to his car in few seconds. He put the car in a reverse mode out of the garage while Temitope opened the the gates wide.

Once we were out of the gate and onto the dusty bumpy road, my nerves started to take over. It should be about thirty minutes drive to the Vet's. That was long if you'd asked me. Dad said it's not something serious right? So that should at least calm me down right?

"You okay?" Dad asked.

"Huh? Umm... Yesss.. I guess so. Why? " I drawled.

"You've been tapping your laps impatiently since we got in the car." He exchanged looks between the road and me.

"I'm just nervous. That's all."

He removed his right hand from the steering wheel while using just the left and captured my smaller palms in his large one. I looked up at him but his eyes were trained on the road before us.

"You have to stop tapping those laps of yours. They don't make nice rhythms."

I laughed at that.

He squeezed my hands. "Everything will be okay." He stole a glance at me.

I nodded, trying to be optimistic not just about Darkling but about Everything. "Yes sir."

In some minutes more, spent in comfortable silence, we were pulling up in front of the simple building of the Animals Delight Clinic painted in shades of blue. The name, written in bold designed letters could not be missed by anyone who cared to take a glance at the clinic.