The Realm of Question

Chapter 18

I woke to see Satan standing over me. He seemed shocked to find me awake. He jumped off my bed and sat on the floor still looking at me.

"Good morning." My digital clock told me it was only six o'clock. "There goes my energy for the day, thanks pup." I threw off my covers, grabbed my robe, and went down for some breakfast. The floor boards creaked under my feet and I heard the plink of claws on hardwood floors behind me. Stephen was already up and making himself some coffee.

"Morning Ana." He said cautiously.

"How are you?" I asked, hopping onto one of the stools. He placed my bowl in front of me and passed my cereal and the container of milk he was using to cream his coffee.

"Good, thank you." I smiled brightly at him.

"That's good. Do you always have to be up this early?" I asked, pouring my milk and watching as the cereal swelled.

"Not every morning, but I've got a busy day ahead of me." He looked down at Satan and cocked his head to the side.

"Oh, that's just Satan my new dog." I patted him on the head.

"Satan?"

"Uh huh."

"Why did you name him that?" His voice said that he didn't really care either which way, but how his lips were pursed and his head was bowed told me he really did.

"It's from Trish's story last night. It was riveting." I took a bowl and poured some Lucky Charms in it and placed it on the floor for Satan. He walked over sniffed it and walked away. "Nuh uh mister I don't share my Lucky Charms with just any one, so you're going to eat every last bite," I said sitting on the ground with the cereal in my lap. His lips drew back over his teeth almost like a doggy grimace. He walked forward and took a couple of bites out of the cereal, then turned away. "No! Finish it." I demanded, pointing at the half-finished bowl.

"Ana, he's a dog. He needs dog food." Stephen said from behind his cup of coffee. Suddenly, Satan started to eat with gusto and scarfed the whole bowl down.

"Does not." I got up and rubbed my hand down Satan's side. "Come on boy, let's go get ready for school." I walked up the stairs into Trish's room smiling the whole way. So maybe I was in denial but wishful thinking isn't a crime is it? I skirted around the banister and opened the door to the land of pink and pillows.

"Morning, Ana..." she said.

"Morning." Why was everyone being so cautious around me? It was like they thought one wrong word is going to make me crack.

"Me and the family were thinking that for Thanksgiving we could invite over some family friends." I could see she was attempting to sidetrack me, from what I wasn't sure. I thought it might have to do with thinking too much but one can never be sure.

"Will these friends have four legs and a tail?" I raised an eyebrow checking out the outfit choices on the bed. I picked a nice pair of low cut jeans, a forest green sweater and warm cream colored Uggs.