CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

-:- MACKENZIE -:-

Now I’m finished working at the doctors’ practice. It leaves this week free and me feeling at a loss. On the one hand, I’m glad to be away from there, although I didn’t cause the problem, the gossip was just too much for me. I’m not one of those, talk behind someone’s back type.

Jig has taken my Jeep to work with him this morning, and I’ve been given one of the club SUVs to use for the day, or however long the garage has the Jeep. Hopefully, just for the day as I love riding around in my Jeep. Since Fist gave her the makeover with that paint job, and Jig doing all the little bits and pieces she needed, she’s just grown on me every time I’ve driven her.

BigDog seems to have taken to his new home quickly, and he’s found a spot where he can settle down in every room whilst keeping his eyes on me, and whatever I’m doing. He lets me know when he needs a toilet break. Where food is concerned, he’s very gentle. I expected issues with him being possessive over food or wolfing it down too fast, but I’m surprised by how gentle he is for a dog his size, and also with the way I suspect he was treated in the past.

When I take him for his walks, I don’t like the collar and leash he has. The collar is just a big, heavy steel chain with a thick leather leash that wouldn’t be out of place as a blacksmith's belt, for heaven’s sake. I need something a bit more pet friendly than this crap. I can stop by the pet store when I visit the vet; I want to see if they can give him a checkup in case he needs any meds or such. I’ll ring them after I’ve rung Flynn.

He walks on the leash very well, doesn’t pull, and isn’t trying to sniff everything he passes. He’s seemingly not interested in anything, however, when I watch him closely, he doesn’t miss a thing.

Once we’re home again, I make fresh coffee, take my phone, and sit in the living room. My shadow follows me and settles by the fireplace. Ringing Flynn’s number, I wait for him to answer. I’m just beginning to think I should hang up when he accepts the call.

“Hi, Kenzie. You okay?” He sounds good.

“Hi, Flynn. I’m good, thanks. How is everyone there?”

“I’m good. Kayla is settled into her new job and is loving it. The kids, well, what can I say? You know how resilient kids are, they just took everything in their stride. How’s things over there? You and Jig still good?”

“Oh yes. I’ve ditched the condo and moved in with Jig. I start a new job next week, which is still doing reception work, but at a vet’s clinic.”

“You’re working with veterans? That’s cool, good for you.”

“Not vets’ clinic, as in veterans. Vet as in veterinarian.”

“Oh, pet doctor's clinic. Well, that’s still cool.” Flynn is seriously trying to make up for that slip. “You always wanted a dog as a kid, at least you’ll be able to pet a few as they go by.” He laughs at his own humor.

“There’s been another development in my life, too. Apart from the living arrangements and career front, I have a dog.” I wait for the reaction I’m sure is coming.

“You have a dog? That’s a hell of a commitment you’re making there, Sis. I never saw that coming. My baby sister has grown up all of a sudden.”

“Baby sister? You’ve never called me that, why would you say that now?” I’m amazed he even thinks of me that way.

“You’ve always been my baby sister. I’ve never thought of you being settled down with a husband and kids, and a dog.”

I’m not sure how to take that. “What are you trying to say about me? I’m ugly? I have no personality to speak of? Men don’t find me appealing? Come on, big brother, spit it out,” I’m teasing him, but after our other phone call, I’m sure I can have him panicking.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. Don’t twist my words.”

“Well, as a matter of fact, brother of mine, I do have a bit more news for you. Ready for this? Jig got down on one knee on the weekend and proposed. How do you like them apples, huh?”

“Proposed what?” He sounds genuinely puzzled.

“Bondage and sex with me as a dominatrix. He wants to have a sex dungeon in the basement.” It’s a shame he can’t see me rolling my eyes.

“Oh, yew… NO! Really? What did you say?”

“I said yes, of course,” I give him a few seconds to try to get that image out of his head. “You can be such a dumbass at times, Flynn. Marriage, he proposed marriage, he asked me to marry him.”

“Oh, thank fuck! You had me hook, line, and sinker. That’s an image that I don’t need floating in my head, my sister in leather gear, thigh-high stiletto boots, a whip…”

“Well, I’m glad that I don’t stir your imagination, bro. If you know what I mean? Please stop with the descriptions of how your mind's working. I need to speak to Kayla. When’s a good time to catch her?”

“Oh now, definitely now.” I hear his muffled voice calling to her, “Kayla... Come talk to Kenzie. No, Babe, you need to come now, there is no ‘wait a minute’.” Then more clearly, “She’s coming, Kenzie. Talk again soon.”

“Hi, Kenzie. How’s things with you?” Kayla sounds bright and breezy.

“I need to ask you something, and it’s huge. You may want to sit down for this. Okay, here goes. Will you be a maid of honor at my wedding, please?”

Kayla has always struck me as the take it in her stride type of woman, so when she lets out a girlie squeal, she almost deafens me. “Whoa… I take it that’s a yes then?”

“Oh, yes, yes, yes. I’d be honored to be your maid of honor.”

“There’s a couple of ladies here that have already spoken up for the role, so you’d be the chief maid of honor, so to speak.”

“No problem. No one is gonna steal my thunder from my sister’s wedding. I’ve never seen you as an in-law, so good luck to anyone who thinks they can step into my shoes. How long do I have to prepare?” She sounds so excited.

“We haven’t set a date but I don’t see us having a long engagement. As I just told Flynn, I’ve moved into the cabin with Jig, he’s proposed, I start a new job next week and we have a dog, too.”

“You have a dog? Oh, how wonderful for you, and you always wanted a pet dog. I bet he’s cute and cuddly,” she gushes excitedly. Boy, is she in for a shock, I think to myself. I can imagine she’s picturing a little yappy lap dog or something. Her parents had those, I remember.

“He’s all that and so much more, Kayla. I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

“I can't wait, either. I have to run, Kenzie, I’m due at work soon, so have to get ready. I can’t wait to talk to you later in the week.”

“In the week? What do you mean?”

“Oh, I was going to ring you during the week, silly, you’ve beaten me to it, though. I’m off Wednesday, I’ll ring you then. Thank you so much for asking me, I’m so happy right now.”

“You were always going to be my first choice as my maid of honor. Have a good day, talk to you Wednesday.”

“Wednesday? What do you know about Wednesday?”

“What? You just said it was your day off and you were going to ring me.” This has sure gone to her head quickly.

“Of course I did. Talk then. Bye.”

The phone is dead before I respond and I wonder if she’s not losing the plot just a bit. Before I put my phone away, I call the vet’s practice and the voice that answers isn’t as welcoming as Amy’s. Finding they have a cancellation for today, I take it and hang up.

Once I’m ready for the trip to the vet’s and the pet shop, I call BigDog to the front door. Turning, because I haven’t heard him move from the living room, I almost fall over him as he’s sat right by my side.

“I might have to get you a damn cowbell, BigDog. I don’t know how something as big as you can move so quietly. I should have called you Ninja or Stealth.” As he licks my hand, I swear to God he understands, and looks like he’s smiling.

Opening the door, the SUV is gone and my stunning Jeep is sitting there waiting for me. I am so pleased to have her back, even though she’s only been gone a few hours.

Stopping at the pet shop first, I get him a nice leather collar and an identity tag. I have his name and both mine and Jig’s phone numbers engraved on it. I get a decent rope-style leash that looks more pet-like and less brutish. Taking his old gear and asking the lady at the register if she has a trash can she can place his old collar and lead into, we leave the store.

He definitely has a swagger in his stride as we head for the SUV. You can almost hear him telling everyone, look at me, I belong with this woman.

At the vet’s, we report to reception, where I have to say we get a cold welcome, if you could even call it that. When we get our appointment, it’s Jasmine who calls us into her room. Seeing BigDog, she beams at him.

“He looks gorgeous, Kenzie. How long have you had him?” Fussing him, he lifts his head for some under the chin affection. He likes that.

“Oh, this will be our third day together. He came to me Saturday.”

“Third day? You look like you’ve been together for years,” Jasmine says with a smile.

Telling her the story, without the drama of how I beat his previous owner's ass, she gives him a checkup as I talk. About to take blood, he doesn’t like the look of the needle and I think we may have trouble brewing. Jasmine holds the syringe out for me to take from her, and I hold it so he can take a sniff. Handing it back, she approaches him and takes a blood sample with no problem.

“I’ll ring when I get the results, but I’m not expecting there to be anything wrong. He could probably do with a little feeding up. He’s not in a bad place weight-wise, but I don’t think adding a few pounds would hurt him. If he was to become ill, it would be a good thing for him to have a bit of a buffer to fall back on.”

“How old do you think he is, Jasmine?” It just popped into my head that I didn’t know his age.

“I wouldn’t think he’s more than two years old. He could still be growing, you know? You could get a DNA test done if you want to know what breeds he's got in him.”

“Honestly, I don’t care. He is what he is, and I love him for it. He is unique, I doubt anyone else has one like him.”

“Well, anyone with half a brain cell can see he’s your dog. He’s hardly taken his eyes off you since you came in here.”

“He hasn’t hardly let me out of his sight since we met.”

Jasmine looks us both over. “Well, I don’t think it’s anxiety or insecurity, I would say that he’s decided you’re the one, and that’s it. Some dogs are like that, they only have one owner, and they tolerate the rest of us.”

“I’m not his owner, I don’t ever want to be his owner. His friend, his equal, that I don’t mind, but I never want him to think I own him.” Feeling his wet tongue on my hand, I look down at him.

“I think he knows that already, Kenzie.” Jasmine shows me out, and I pay at reception before we head back home. Not quite home. I have another cooking lesson with Bitty and Amelia.