Muffin rolls over and jumps into Kat’s lap, stretches up, and gives Kat a kiss on her nose, melting my heart.
Kat eats it up. “Well, that’s because she is a little princess. Princess Muffin, we need to get you a tiara.”
Laughing, I stand up. I roll her suitcases next to mine, saying, “Please, Kat, if you need anything at all while we’re there, let me know.”
She nods while still petting Muffin. “Are you ready to go?”
I cross the hardwood floor to my fridge in the kitchen and say, “I will be in two seconds. I just have to pack up Muffin’s food.”
Grabbing a freezer bag, I pack up all the components of her meals and load her bowl in last, zipping it shut.
Walking over to where Kat is still sitting on the ground, I smile and check in with her one last time before we hit the road. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
She looks up at me like I’m the crazy one. “Oh my God, yes. This alone was worth it.”
“Petting Muffin?” I ask.
She is beaming. “Yeah. I’ve never had a pet. And she’s fake mine for a while, which is going to take zero acting.”
“All righty, well,honey, let’s get going,” I say mockingly.
She glares at me with humor in her eyes as she gently sets Muffin down and stands up, laughing. “Absolutely not. Try again.”
Throwing my coat on, I pick Muffin up and pull the door slightly open. “I will find the right one. Muffin?”
I receive the same glare as before. “Your nickname for me will not be the same name as your dog, Noelle!”
She grabs her suitcases, and we walk outside.
“Fine, fine. Would you mind getting the door?” I ask her as we walk around my Audi Q7.
“Yeah,” she says through the wind that seems to have suddenly picked up.
We load her suitcases up, and then I put Muffin in the backseat in her car seat, hooking her harness to the built-in short leash. I might seem like a crazy dog mom, but it’s winter, and roads get icy. I’m certainly not risking her life.
“I’ve got to grab my bags quickly, but you can get in if you want. I started it a bit ago, so it’s nice and warm,” I announce as I rush up the steps to my front door.
The car door shuts as I throw my purse on my shoulder. I grip the handles of my two suitcases and roll them outside. Locking my front door, I stash my keys in my purse.
Carefully, I walk around the car to the back and load my suitcases in the trunk, leaving my purse on my arm. My nerves are at an all-time high as I walk up to my door and open it.
I can’t help but notice Christmas music is playing, which definitely wasn’t what I was last listening to. I’m glad she’s getting comfortable.
Settling into my seat, I shut the door and buckle up. “Ready to go,sugarplum?”
She buckles her seat belt. “That’s the one,” she says, straight-faced.
Aghast, I look at her. “There is no way thatsugarplumis your favorite.”
She bursts out laughing. “It’s not, but if it were, that is such a mouthful you would have to use all the time. So, I might pick that one just so you have to say it repeatedly.”
“Wow. I’m impressed.” I laugh at her.
Putting the car into reverse, I back out of the driveway, and we’re off. After a few minutes, I stop at a gas station, so Kat can get her snacks and whatever else she wants.
She goes to grab her purse from the backseat, but I stop her.
“No, you’re not paying for a single thing this entire trip. Here.” I open the back of my case that holds a few of my cards and my ID, and shove a few hundred-dollar bills in her hand. “Take this.”
