Destiny

Chapter 2: Archie and Noah

"Are you going inside the car or not?" Matthew asks with a questioned look.

"Yeah, I'm coming."

"What you're thinking, binky?" Marcus gives me a concerned look.

"This whole wedding thing. Is it wrong that I'm kinda jealous of my cousin that she be able to feel these wedding vibes? Me? Not even a single chance."

"Binky, we told you many times. Break up with him. Find someone who wants a family like you always wanted. Lucas is not worth your time for fuck sake. Do you even love him?" Matthew asks while taking a glance at me.

I don't know if I love him as much as I was before. But I do love him. Does he even love me? I mean, in my perspective, if you love each other you'll end up in marriage, right? At least, that's what I believe and see from my parent's marriage.

"I do."

"Look, we don't wanna be such a bad influence on you. But in my personal opinion, I don't see any sparks anymore between you and Lucas. You just like a robotic girlfriend, tailing behind him whenever you guys walk and him making almost every decision in your life." Marcus added.

That part is also true. I hate these insecure feelings.

"I can't just break up with him."

"Yes, you can binky. It's a matter of time. Wanna stop by at Koi Thé and buy their boba milk tea? I kinda craving it." Marcus suggested.

"Sure."

We arrive at the Koi Thé store in Plaza Singapura. We could stop by at the nearest Koi Thé in Bugis+ but we don't know where to park the car.

"You wanna come or stay in the car?"

"I'll come with you two. If not, you guys gonna buy me their tea collection and without boba. That's such a disgrace."

"Hahaha... How did you know that?"

Since the store at the basement, we're not walking that far. I start to order what I usually drink, large Golden Bubble Milk Tea. Yeah, the standard one, don't judge me. Matthew and Marcus got the same order, large Honey Lemon Juice.

"I thought you said that you're craving boba milk tea. Not juice."

"It's an excuse so you could get your milk tea, I know something sweet can ease your mind a little bit." They gave me their dollar smile.

"Awe thank you. You're the best!"

"You don't have to declare that in front of people, you know? Besides, we already know about that. It's in our DNA."

"I take it back then, Matty."

A few minutes after, the waiter calls our name so we get the drinks and back to the car. On the road back home, Matthew turns the radio on. And then I feel my eyes kinda heavy, tired from the events and my thoughts.

***

"Hey, binky. Wake up, we arrived." Matthew shakes my body a little.

"Hmm... I'm sleepy."

"You can go back to sleep in your room. I'm not gonna give you a piggyback ride."

"Marcus will."

"What?! No, you're too heavy. You ate Zuppa soup, 1 whole plate fettuccine carbonara, 2 plates of cakes, and the boba milk tea."

"You guys are so mean. I'm gonna tell my Dad about this."

"You want us to die, don't you?"

"No, Marc. I want you both to not breathe tonight."

"You're the meanest one here!" Marcus pointed at me.

I chuckle then get out of the car and wave them goodbye. Once I unlock the door at my house, Archie and Noah are welcome me by wagging their tails and jumping on me.

"Hey, babies. I know, I miss you guys too. But both of you are heavy." I chuckle.

"How was your day, left without your human Mom and Grandparents for about 4 hours? Are you guys happy or what?" I ask them like they could answer my questions. Until I walk into our kitchen and see all the mess they have made. Bread, cereals, and juices are spilled on the floor, so does their food. Shit! Dad must forget to close the pantry door before we go to the wedding venue. I look at them with a tired and annoyed look.

"Archie, Noah... Whose idea was this?" Both of them are lower their heads down, knowing that their human Mom is really mad.

"Alright, if no one confesses, I'll give no treats." I emphasized the 'no treats' word. I might say, my two giant Alaskan malamutes are smart. They know if their lives are on the edge.

"One more time. If no one confesses, I'll give no treats." I cross my arms and wait for them to admit. "No treats for the rest of your lives."

Then, like a human kid who feels guilty, Noah steps forward with his head hung low and then looks up at me with those pleaded eyes. He feels like he needs to save his brother and himself from this kind of threat. Archie and Noah have huge personality differences. As you can guess, Noah is the troublemaker. Meanwhile, Archie not gonna do anything until Noah triggers him to do it. Noah is more playful, friendly to strangers, and always gets into trouble more than Archie. Archie the other hand more peaceful, calm (until Noah makes him do bad things of course), and not that friendly to strangers. He's not mean either. Archie is more like always in protect mode for his family (packs) in front of strangers.

Archie and Noah are rescued dogs. I didn't know they were siblings until I adopted Archie first 2 years ago. Ana, the owner of the shelter called me once. She asked me if I could take another one, which is Archie's siblings. She told me since the day I adopted Archie until that day she called me (three days apart), Noah cried non-stop and refused to eat cause he missed his brother. Without hesitation, I said yes to another one. And now, I'm a mother of two fur adults. Now back with the troublemaker Noah.

"I knew it. But I need you to be honest with me. Okay, since today is the happiest day for me, your aunt just got married and I'm tired, I'll forgive you two. But you are both still grounded. No treats for a week." Archie and Noah make a disappointed sound follow by Archie's bark at Noah. It's like Archie scolded Noah for the 'no treats' thing.

"Go to bed now while I'm cleaning this mess." I see them still standing there and look at me once again with their beautiful brown eyes making sure that 'no treats for a week' were just a joke and hoping that I take back what I said.

"Go to your bed or no treats forever?"

Then they know, their Mom is serious about no treats for a week. They decide to go to bed and get some sleep. I, once again, take a heavy sigh to see the mess they made. I'll take this as a practice before I have my own child, a human child.