Daniella and I sit in the living room, Zoe sitting across from us, a cup of coffee in her hand. The silence between us is heavy and awkward, I don't know what to say, what I can say to thank her for everything she has done.
"Thank you," Daniella says after a moment. "I can't tell you how grateful I am for everything you did today... despite you flirting with my girlfriend."
Zoe looks at her, shrugging. "I didn't do much, really... let that go, will you?"
"Why did you decide to help us?" I ask, the question that has been weighing on my mind for a while finally making its way out of my mouth.
She sighs, setting down her mug on the table. "Honestly? I don't know," she shakes her head. "I guess I just didn't want you to have to go through what she made me go through... and I also feel like you have so much more to lose. It's hard to explain."
I nod. "I understand, it doesn't matter why, though, it's the fact that you did."
"This is getting too sappy," she groans, standing up. "If you happen to have a single friend as cute as you, send her my way."
Daniella chuckles humorously, standing up and extending her hand to Zoe. "You'll be the first one I think about," she says as they shake hands, Daniella's grip tightening for a moment, making her groan.
"Thanks," she says sarcastically, rubbing her hand. "I think I'll be heading out, I don't want to interrupt your family time."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" my dad asks, walking out of the kitchen.
"No, thanks. I already overstayed my welcome," she says, grabbing her bag. "Have fun you two."
The door closes behind her, the room falling into silence once again. This is awkward. I don't know how to act around him anymore. I know things are never really going to go back as they were before, but I can only hope we can try to move forward.
"So..." he starts. "How are the renovations going?"
⁂FIVE YEARS LATER⁂
"I don't know, Soph," I sigh, looking at the puppy in front of us. "Is she ready? I don't want her to think I'm doing this as a way of making her forget about Slippers."
"I mean... isn't that the intention?" she shrugs, holding the small Golden Retriever in her arms.
"No," I shake my head. "Maybe..."
"Anna, you're not adopting a baby behind her back — it's an adorable puppy, she hasn't had a puppy in nearly 2 decades, she'll love it."
I take a deep breath. "Ok, let's do this."
"Hurray," Soph jumps up and down, making his fluffy ears bounce around.
"But we will have to babysit him for a bit at your apartment until Lucia has everything done at home," I say, raising my eyebrow at her.
"Double hurray."
I roll my eyes at her, getting everything we need before leaving the pet store, the puppy sleeping soundly on her lap as we drive to the shop. We get out of the car as quietly as possible, trying not to wake the sleeping ball of fluff as we make our way inside the shop and up to Soph's apartment.
"Awn, look at that baby," Jenny whispers as we come into view, immediately getting up from the sofa where she was reading. She approaches Soph, planting a loving kiss on the dog's forehead.
"Oh nice, I've been replaced," Soph grumbles before getting a less loving kiss from Jenny.
"What did you name him?" Jenny asks, ignoring her.
"I haven't, I want Daniella to name him," I say, placing his stuff on the floor and walking toward the couch.
"That's so cute," she sighs dreamily, side eyeing Soph. "You should take notes."
"I'm pretty romantic," she defends herself. Soph scoffs, resting the puppy on the sofa beside me, and wrapping her arms around Jenny. "I'm the most romantic person you know."
Jenny kisses her softly before pulling away, a smile tugging at her lips. "Of course."
"Enough with the PDA," I gag from the couch. "Gross."
We watch the puppy slowly get up from his sleeping position, yawning. "Is he hungry? I have beans."
"Can he eat beans?"
"One bean should be fine," she says, taking a single bean from the pot and showing it to him, he swallows it immediately. "Two beans should be fine."
"Soph," I shake my head. "Don't, what if he gets diarrhea?"
"That's going to be your problem," she smirks, making me squint my eyes at her.
"Well, what's the occasion?" Jenny asks, sitting down next to me.
"Six years," I grin.
"Wow, six years already? It feels like just yesterday we were in high-school," she shakes her head as her eyes land back on Soph. "You know whose relationship is also about to turn six?"
"Whose?" Soph teases her, getting a pillow smack in return. "Are you insinuating you want a puppy? We already have Alfred," she says, pointing at the mummified cat in the corner. Mrs. Bardot's cat, that surprisingly still has it in him to jump down the window to Soph's apartment.
We all turn to look at Alfred, his heavy breathing as he stared up at us with crooked eyes was unsettling at times. This cat is a miracle.
"What?" Soph asks. "He's still alive."
"Barely," I murmur.
"Bringing in a puppy or a kitten would upset him, let the poor cat have some peaceful last days," Soph groans, getting up to pet the carcass.
"Last days?" I raise my eyebrows. "I thought so, too, the first time I saw him... five years ago. Now I'm convinced he'll probably outlive us."
"Probably."
I sigh, looking down at my phone, there is still no news from Lucia. I try to calm my nerves, but it's almost impossible to stay still as the minutes go by. The more time goes by, the more anxious I get. What if she doesn't like the idea?
And just then my phone dings, a message popping up on the screen.
_Mommy-in-law: Come home._
I jot up, not able to contain my excitement. "It's time, I'm going to have a heart attack," I say, feeling as if my heart was about to jump out of my chest.
"Good luck," Sophie says, wrapping her arms around me. "You got this."
I hurry outside, running to my car, and driving home, the puppy safely sleeping in the passenger seat. Her car still in the driveway when I arrive. I take a deep breath before walking to the door, Lucia already waiting for me.
"She's in the room, stay here," she says as excitedly as I am, wrapping the bow with the small box around his neck, finally waking him up. "It's all set, I'll go call her,
Lucia walks up the stairs, leaving me standing there alone with the dog. He barks softly, wagging his tail as he looks up at me. "Shh," I whisper, running my hand through his fur.
"Anna?" Daniella calls from the top of the stairs. "What's wrong?" The dog barks again as her eyes fall on my arms. "Is that?" she asks, stopping a few steps away from me, her eyes glued to the puppy. "A puppy?"
I let the puppy down, letting him run up to her, his tongue hanging out as he wagged his tail so much he tripped on the way. She chuckles, picking him up in her arms. A shiny glint in her eyes as she looks back at me.
"Too soon?" I smile nervously, walking closer to her.
She shakes her head, welcoming me on her embrace, our lips meeting halfway as the puppy licked both our faces.
"Happy six years," I whisper against her lips.
"Six years with you already?" she asks teasingly, her voice tight with the tears threatening to roll down her face. "I can't believe it."
"Well, you know what they say about time, it goes faster when you're having fun," I smirk, stepping away so she could take notice of what was attached to the ribbon.
Her eyebrows shoot up as she lets out a laugh, taking the small box in her hands. "You didn't."
"I did," I nod, nervousness talking over my entire body once again.
She sets down the puppy, carefully untying the ribbon, and opening the box. "Are you not going to knell down?" she asks, raising her eyebrow at me.
I shake my head, getting on my knee as the puppy tries to climb on my lap. "Daniella, uh," I groan, nearly falling down as he jumps on me. "Will you... ack... marry me?"
She nods, trying to stifle a laugh as she gets on her knees as well, and pulling me into a kiss. "Yes," she says, her forehead resting on mine.
I let out a sigh of relief, my lips meeting hers once again. "I love you," I say, kissing her again and again, not being able to have enough of her.
"I love you," she says, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me to the floor, the puppy running on top of us, barking happily.
"We have to watch out for him," I sigh. "Soph gave him beans, he might let out some gas."
"Nice," she shakes her head. "That's romantic."
I grin, kissing her again, all my worries melting away with her touch. I never thought I would ever be this happy, but now here I am, living the happiest moment of my life with the most amazing woman I've ever met.
"So, what's the name?" I ask, basking in her warmth, feeling Potato and Carrot along with their new barking mate running over us and around the house.
"Bean."
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