He stared up at her as she worked.
“It’s okay boy. I promise this will make you feel like a million bucks.”
When it came time to rinse him, she had to cup her hands to pour water down his back. She was going to have to be more prepared next time and keep a plastic cup in the bathroom for such things.
She stopped. “Maybe there won’t be another time. Maybe your owners lost you and they’ll be coming for you soon.” While she would be happy for him to return to his family, the idea brought a little touch of sadness.
When she was finished washing him off she pulled the plug on the tub.
She reached for the towel just as the dog jumped out of the tub. He shook, sending water droplets everywhere.
She squealed and held up the towel in front of her.
She scowled at the dog. “Give me a warning next time.”
He blinked at her and then yawned. She towel dried the dog as best as she could.
“Let’s find you someplace to sleep.” She turned the lights off in the bathroom and headed into the living room.
The dog put its paw on the couch and looked at her with big brown eyes.
“Sorry buddy. That’s where I’m sleeping. You have to sleep over there,” she pointed. “ I’ll make you a comfortable bed.”
She went into the laundry room and found an old but clean blanket. She folded it into a large square and placed it in front of the fireplace.
It would be getting cold soon and it would be nice to have a fire. She wasn’t sure if the fireplace was in good working order or not. Maybe whoever she hired to fix the roof would know something about fireplaces.
She dug around in the plastic shopping bags and pulled out the new sheets she’d bought. She fixed up the couch as a bed. Until she got a mattress she was going to have to couch surf.
She fluffed up her pillow and put the coverlet she found at the discount store on top of the sheet. She sat on the couch until the dog went over and curled up on his make-shift bed.
“Good dog.”
Carolina laid down and pulled the coverlet over her. Her fingers traced the intricate outline of the stitching. It made her think of her mother and how she loved to sew. Most of all she loved to quilt. Her mother always gave her quilts away as gifts. The last quilt her mother made had been gifted to her. She always had the quilt draped over her favorite chair in her bedroom. In the winter months she would curl up with a cup of coffee and spread her quilt over her legs and sit in the silence of the morning.
The quilt pattern was Hanging Gardens and it was done in an array of greens and golds. It truly was stunning and everyone always commented on it when they saw it.
She loved that quilt.
But Kylie had thrown it away like garbage.
Grief washed over her like a tsunami and she was reminded of how truly alone she was.
Hot tears trailed down her cheeks onto her pillow. Her quiet weeping turned into hard sobs.
The last thing that she thought of as she cried herself to sleep was why this happening to her.
Chapter 13
Carolina woke the next morning and turned over, wanting a few extra minutes before she climbed out from the warmth of the blanket. As she did she felt a strange weight on her legs. Sitting up on the couch, she saw that during the night the dog had climbed onto the couch with her.
She tried moving her legs but they had fallen asleep.
“Come on boy. You need to move.” She nudged the dog with her hand.
He lifted his head, yawned and slowly climbed off the couch.
Carolina swung her legs off the side of the couch and rubbed the feeling back into her legs.
