Falling For Charlie

Part 5- Lying With Butterflies

Charlie kept thinking about what Rupert had said the night before, about how the mind games we play inside our heads is the map of our future, its all about confidence. Gathering up the bags of trash, one in each of her hands she shriveled up from the cool night air and headed out the back door making her way to the trash bins. Charlie so lost in her thoughts strode past people without seeing them wondering if she should go back to KeKe & Mimi Publishing and give it another try, Just make another pitch as to why she would fit there. Charlie couldn't shake off the feeling that something great was meant to happen for her at the publishing firm no matter how much she tried to push the feeling away, it stayed there in her thoughts. After all she left Jersey in the first place, the only home she had known, hoping to land that job so how can she not give it one more shot? Then her thoughts turned to Mary Anne as Charlie pictured her snobbish look when she had dismissed her from her office like she was in high school and being expelled by the principal. All Charlie had to do was break through Mary Anne's layers of Ice and have her give her a chance, just a chance to prove herself. Charlie made the decision that she would ask Briana for help, knowing that Briana would be more than willing, she smiled a warm smile. It was nice to have someone on your side, Charlie was still a little cautious but she had no doubt Briana was one of the best friends she would ever have, if it only lasted. That was Charlie's number one problem, the good times she had were few and not long lasting, sometimes too short to even give her a good memory out of the experience. 

Focusing on the trash Charlie set the bags down and opened up the enormous gray bin surprised when from a flash in the corner of her eye she seen something fly into it. Stepping back and losing her footing Charlie landed on her bottom and bellowed out a sharp cry of pain mixed with surprise. Pretty soon she seen two eyes looking at her from the trash bin and she stood looking at it, squinting, trying to see what it was. She knew she must of looked ridiculous but the thing looked so odd, it was not very big but too small to be a rodent and it had lots of hair.

The thing jumped out of the bin and came over to Charlie sniffing and that is when Charlie then knew it was a dog. Standing there looking as if to say are you alright, Charlie put out a hand and the dog sniffed it starting to graciously lick her hand all over as if it was trying to heal her or get her up, Charlie wasn't sure of which but looked into the dogs ebony eyes that popped out at her and felt the gentle beast's love radiate to her. Charlie made a face as the dog's tongue was tickling and warm even though the dog's matted brown and white fur that was cold, the tongue was warm. Giving a little bark "arf" the dog left Charlie and went to the trash bags on the ground where Charlie had laid them and was poking around looking for food. 

Charlie knew there was only three olives and a few bread crumbs in the trash in terms of food, most of the trash was empty liquor bottles or napkins and hair. Three olives and a bit of bread was not enough to feed a dog of this size for even half a meal so against her better judgement she brought the dog into "Jasmine's Dreams" and looked to see what she could find to give to the stray mutt. As Charlie opened up the refrigerator pulling out some deli meats and thin slices of cheddar cheese she wondered if the mutt was a male or female, The mats and long hair on its tummy made it impossible to see its parts down under, in the face the dog looked like a girl so she decided to call her a girl til she knew otherwise. Breaking the meats and cheeses into small pieces she set it down on a paper plate and called her new friend over "come here girl, see if you want this." 

Racing over with her tail wagging in happy contentment the dog gobbled up all the food and lapped the water that Charlie had just set down in a mug that was never used but kept on the shelf for looks. It said Peppermint Kisses and Butterscotch Dreams Equal The Sweet Life with swirling lines of white red and a color similar to Caramel that all came together to form a big smile down below the writing. Charlie ran her hand over the matted and dirty fur of the dog and made another decision that her name would be Butterscotch until she found her a home at least she would be Butterscotch.