She immediately nods. “Yes, of course. I would love that. Here, put yours in, and I’ll text you, so you have mine.”
She hands me her phone, and I add my contact info and hand it back to her.
She types a text out, and a moment later, my phone vibrates.
Unknown: Keep the blanket.
My head gets whiplash from how fast I look at her. “I can’t keep this, Kat.”
She laughs. “Oh, yes, you can. You have to make the trek back over to your place, and now, it’s snowing.”
She nods to the window behind me. I turn and see the thick snow falling to the ground.
“Please, I’ve barely used it. It’s yours.”
Feeling fuzzy and warm, I say with flushed cheeks, “Thank you.”
She stands up, grabbing both glasses, and I join her, following her back to the kitchen and then to the front door.
“Seriously, thank you for the cookies and for coming over. I’m so grateful. I haven’t had someone to really talk to for, well, ever.” She smiles genuinely, and it reaches all the way to her eyes.
“I’m always a house away. And I needed this too. I isolate myself in my work a lot, and I don’t have friends really. I don’t make the effort most of the time. But I’m glad that I did tonight.” I can’t resist my eyes dropping to her plump lips as she grabs the door and pulls it open.
“Have a good night, Noelle.” Her voice is quiet but sweet.
Walking out the door, I kick into overdrive and take off for my front door. This snow came out of nowhere. But I guess if I checked the weather more than twice a year, it might not seem so surprising that it’s snowing right now.
Sprinting the last few steps up to my door, I unlock it and throw it open, shushing Muffin as she barks when I burst into the house. Her barks turn to high-pitched shrieks of joy.
My new favorite blanket pools around me as I bend down to greet her.
“Hi, baby. I missed you too,” I say in the voice that is reserved just for my little Muffin.
She digs in the blanket and gives her snuggle of approval.
Picking her up and carrying her twenty-one-pound self, I walk into my kitchen and set her down.
I use her trigger words just to watch her get excited. “Are youhungry?”
She immediately begins spinning in circles and barking softly at me. I quickly prepare her dinner, warming up her homemade quinoa-based dog food, complete with lean chicken, vegetables, and added vitamins and proteins that are essential to her diet.
I set her slow-feed bowl down on the ground, and she pounces on it and begins enjoying every bite.
Right as I put her food back into the fridge, my phone starts ringing on my counter.
Hustling over to it, I seeMomon the screen.
I swipe across the screen, answering her call.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, honey! How was your day?”
“It was good. Finished up the prep for a case for when I get back.”
I’m going to my parents’ house for Christmas, and I’m supposed to leave tomorrow evening.
“We are so excited to meet Katy. We have her stocking ready to go and plenty of presents underneath the tree. We want her to feel welcome and happy!” my mom exclaims.
