Tainted

Chapter 18: Oh Yeah a Dog is in Here Too

"Hey you said you would take me home!" I accuse.
"Yeah and I also meant just you, not a 200 pound animal," Jesse rolls his eyes.
"Oh yeah a dog is in here too," I point to the back seat where Harvey is sitting, his tongue flapping out and drool falling onto the leather seats.
"Oh ha ha you're so funny I'm dying of laughter," Jesse comments sarcastically.

"What so you're not a dog person?" I remark dryly.
"Excuse me dogs are life, I'm just not a fan of... I don't know slobbery dogs in my half a million dollar car," he looks over at me with a raised eyebrow and I snort.
"Why not you come in here everyday," I respond making him sigh and turn back to the road.

"So what is your mom going to say about Harvey huh?" Jesse comments with a hint of amusement in his tone as I fidget nervously. My mom was never one to like dogs and I don't think Chris's and my begging for one over the years helped at all, honestly I'll be lucky if he's allowed to stay in the garage for a night.

"Let's just say you better get ready for my funeral," I murmur.
"Nah I'd only go if there's cake," he grins over at me through his shades and I give him a dry smile. We're soon pulling into my house and I begin to wonder what the heck I'm actually supposed to do with Harvey, I mean my mom must've just went back to the hospital so that gives us some thinking time.

"Alright I called Lukas and he said he'd drop off a collar and old leash from my dogs cause it wasn't exactly a party trying to get him in the car," he mumbles the last part as I remember us both pulling on his thick fur to get him to even budge.
"Wait how are we going to get him into your―" Jesse starts.
"Come here Harvey!" I cheer and pat my legs as the large dog falls out of the car in his face. Oh boy a 200 pound clumsy dog, this will be interesting.

Harvey sloppily stands up before charging towards me with his large tongue flailing everywhere and soon I'm bolting into the house with him on my heals. I leap into the house and turn around to see Harvey slipping on his own slobber and skidding across the floor leaving long and white scratches across the dark wood floor.
"Shit!" I scream and run over to him grabbing his fur and leading him into the living room.

"Oh Kira it looks like there was just a flash flood in your house! And look at the scratches it's almost as if a tiger came in and went at it on your floors!" Jesse exclaims.
"Jesse you're not really helping!" I call out while Harvey continues to drag me across the carpet floor.
"Oh," Jesse mumbles before jogging towards me and throwing himself on the Newfoundland, leading him back into the center before the dog ultimately plops down and begins to pant nervously. I stare down at the dog with my eyebrows furrowed together and begin to feel a little spark of hopelessness blossom in my chest.
"Aw it looks upset," Jesse coos, "Oh yeah and the dog too." I shoot a quick glare at Jesse before plopping down by the two of them.

As my hand begins to tangle in Harvey's fur the doorbell rings sending him into a fit of loud and strong barks. The sudden shock of it sends Jesse and I both jumping to our feet and I clutch onto my heart tightly as I feel like my heart just exploded in my chest.
"That should be Lukas," Jesse murmurs as he gets the door for me.
"Where's the puppy!?" I hear a voice sounding almost identical to Jesse's shout and soon Lukas is storming into my house and straight for the dog.

"Dang when you said he was the size of a bear you weren't kidding," Lukas muses as he unhooks the chain collar on Harvey and replaces it with a dark blue one that immediately gets lost in his fur.
"What do we do Luke?" Jesse asks his older brother and I watch as the two exchange a quick look before Lukas simply shrugs.
"You think I know? Just cause I'm 6 years older than you does not mean I'm 6 years wiser," Lukas explains before making goo goo noises towards Harvey.
"Oh gosh," Jesse mutters, "Did you at least bring dog food?"
"Yup it's at the front," Lukas nods his head and Jesse huffs leaving right before muttering some profanities about his brother.

"So are you guys like dating or something? All he does is go on about you at home," Lukas states and I begin to sputter a bit before simply staring dumbfounded at Lukas.
"N..no," I mutter and he rolls his eyes.
"Yeah ok," Lukas rolls his eyes as I feel my face heat up just as Jesse returns with two bowls, one with water and another with food.

Harvey slurps up the water sending half of it to the floor and the other half onto me making me cringe slightly.
"This was your idea," Jesse retorts looking over at me as I purse my lips.
"I was never known to be very intelligent."

                                                                                              PRESENT

"Mom!" I scream just as Jesse and I bolt towards the door where my mother is screaming and clutching onto the stairwell throwing things at Harvey.
"It's ok! it's ok! it's just a dog!" I scream as my mother's terrified look turns into one of horror.
"A dog? In the house!?" she screams in anger at me.

"You're responsible for the cake at my funeral," I murmur to Jesse who's starring at my mother wide-eyed in fear.
"His name is Harvey and..." I start.
"And what? Tell me why there's a damn dog in my house, I don't care what his name is just GET HIM OUT!"
"But mom..." I trail off and I can practically see the fume coming out of her ears.

"Kira no pets allowed in the house, those are the rules!"
"But why? I mean he's a great dog look at him!" I point at Harvey whose eyes are hidden beneath his fur and tongue sloppily hanging from his mouth.
"Kira, you have five minutes to return this dog to his rightful owner before I call the pound!" she exclaims.
"No please Mrs. Williams his owner passed away and he's practically a stray now, if we call the pound they'll put him down right away cause he's an older dog with no real owner," Jesse pleads with my mother and her gaze softens a bit before returning to me and then the dog.

"One night," she sighs, "And he is sleeping outside."
"But where will we put him outside?" I wonder aloud and she turns back to me.
"One night in the garage until we find someone who is suitable to take care of him," she states and turns around to leave before her foot finds its way into a puddle sending my mother flying onto her butt.

Slowly standing still covered in slobber my mother turns to us, "One. Night. Then he is out of here."