Assurance

Nine | House to Home

NINE

B A I L E Y

- 6:21 pm -

We get home and I walk Willow around the house so she can get a feel of the place, while Lewis makes dinner. When I show Willow Lewis's room she jumps right onto the bed. I lay down next to her and she moved onto my stomach. I laugh and talk in a baby tone to her.

I am so grateful that Lewis took a day and just made me happy. Took a day off of work to practically get me the stuff I wanted. All the paints, that book. And best of all Willow. I look down at her, and push her rolls up off her eyes. My heart melts.

- 7:03 pm -

"Bailey?" I hear Lewis call out. "Dinner is ready!"

I snap back into reality quickly, sitting up. Willow follows me down the stairs. "Here we are." I say to Lewis.

"Where did you guys go?" He asks, putting my dinner plate in front of my chair.

"Went and snuggled a little bit in your room." I answer. "Why?"

"No reason. You just disappeared for forty minutes." He laughs.

"Oh. Well that's all we did. She is a good cuddler. Nice and warm." I laugh.

"I bet." He says looking down.

"Are you jealous?" I tease.

"Of the dog? No!" He says defensively.

"Sure." I taunt. He puts a glass of water next to my plate and takes his seat. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He says starting to eat his food. "I made a lot since we didn't eat lunch."

"Good idea. I'm starving." I say digging into my meal.

"I brought your paints, and stuff into a room down the hall." Lewis says between chews.

"Oh thank you!" I say looking up at him.

"You're welcome." He says.

- 7:39 pm -

"I'll clean up, you feed the dog, and we'll take her out." Lewis suggests.

"Sounds good." I say walking over to the box of dog stuff we got from the shelter. I grab the food bag and plop it onto the ground, scooping two cups of kibble into the bowl. Before I put it down the bowl, I put her pill into it. "Sit," I ask Willow, with the hand motion the man from the shelter taught me.

After a few tries, she sits and I reward her by putting her dinner down in front of her. I turn and help Lewis with cleaning up, but he is mostly done. "How did you do that so fast?" I question.

"I don't know." He says. "When she is done, we'll take her out back to go to the bathroom." He adds.

"Yup." I say. I walk to him and wrap my arms around his torso. "Thank you for today." I say into his collarbone.

He puts his hands on the small of my back. "Ask and you shall receive." He says with a chuckle. I look up to him and pucker my lips. He laughs and plants a quick kiss on my lips and hugs me tight.

We creepily watch Willow eat her food until she is finished. "Gotta go potty?" I ask in a baby voice. She looks over and starts to wag her ginormous tail. But before we go outside, she drinks from her water. When she finishes her drink she starts to slobber everywhere. She comes up to Lewis for pets and completely drenches him in water. I laugh hysterically.

"Come on." He laughs.

I pull his arm to the back door and Willow follows behind. "Go potty!" I say to her once we get to a grass spot.

"They left out her nasty trait." Lewis says looking down at his soaked jeans.

"It's no nasty. It's adorable." I tease nudging his shoulder.

"Oh yea?" He laughs. Then he picks me up and holds me over the pool.

"Stop! I'll take it back!" I laugh.

"Do you?" He taunts.

"No!" I responded. "But don't throw me in!" I beg.

He puts me on the ground, but my heels are off the edge of the pool. I hold his arms with a tight grip. Lewis stares down at me with a sinister grin. By now Willow has trotted over and sits, watching Lewis tease me. Just then Lewis relaxes his arms, making me fall back, but holds me with one arm.

"Let me up!" I struggle to hold on with my arms. After a laugh, he lets me up and continues to laugh. I swat at his chest. "Don't do that again. You practically gave me a heart attack."

We walk inside and Lewis just laughs at me. I find a cloth and wipe the dripping drool from Willow's mouth. Then I take her wrinkle wipes and clean her crevices. Once she is all cleaned, we make our way up the stairs and I let Willow into Lewis's room. When I open his bedroom door, Lewis is putting on a new shirt and turns to look at the dog walking in.

"I am just going to shower." I state.

"Okay. I am just going to check my email." He says. He must see the disappointment in my eyes. "I'll be back up before you are out of the shower."

"Okay. At least take Willow down with you." I say.

"Of course. Come on dog." He says as they go down the stairs.

I watch them until they aren't in sight anymore before I go into the bathroom and shower. While I'm in the shower, I take my time to shave, and make my hair super soft. When I get out of the shower, I lotion until my skin is soft. When my hair is in a simple braid, and my pajamas are on, I walk out of the bathroom, and right into Lewis's room. He isn't here. Neither is Willow.

He is probably still working. Figures. But he did a lot for me today. I have to be grateful. I continue into Lewis's room and lay down in the middle of the bed. I am tired, so I just don't bother with the TV and snuggle into the covers, falling asleep quickly.

- 10:32 pm -

I slightly wake up to the matrice shifting under Lewis's weight as he lays down next to me. My back is to him but he stays behind me and puts his arm on my torso, pulling me to his chest. Then I feel Willow snuggle her way in front of me, nuzzling her nose under my arm.

We lay there, three in a row, together. "Sorry it took so long." Lewi says in a low voice into my ear. "You'll have to get used to it." He adds in a more distraught voice.

He relaxes, and his breathing goes smoothly. I fall asleep again.

- 12:09 pm -

Willow and I walk to the kitchen for lunch. Lewis isn't here. But I made him a sandwich anyway. Once the food is all made, and on a plate, I search for Lewis's office, and once I do I knock on the door.

"Lewis? Are you there?" I say, still not walking in.

"Hold on-" His voice goes quiet as if he is on the phone. A few moments later he answers again. "What?" He snaps.

"I made you lunch." I say walking into the room.

He looks angry. He looks like he doesn't want to look at me. "Put it there. I got stuff to do. I'll see you later." He says, shutting the door in my face after taking the food.

What is his issue?