Yalannah
"You lost something?" I spoke, completely frustrated.
I hadn't read in a while and I wanted to refresh my mind with my favorite books, The Percy Jackson series, but I can't even sit in the park and read without some nigga staring at me or trying to talk to me.
"Fuck it." I said to myself. I got off the bench and headed back to my car. I drove back home carefully but over the speed limit.
Like Beyoncé said, Pretty Hurts.
I unlocked the door and slammed it back.
"Was wrong?" Aug asked me coming out the kitchen.
"I can't even read in the park without being harassed. Niggas staring and tryna mac." I frowned.
"Do I need ta' get you a bodyguard? Don't nobody be tryin' dat shit when I'm wit you." Aug stated upset.
"Exactly but we can't be with each other 24/7."
"Hence why I said bodyguard."
"I don't think I need one. Maybe I overreacted." I second guessed myself.
"Nah, you didn't. Staring' leads ta' talkin', Talkin' leads ta'..." he trailed off.
"So you're gonna hire somebody to be with me when you can't?"
"You know what? No. I'on trust humans. Les go getchu' a pet." Aug said thoughtfully.
"Ooouu! I want a kitty." I instantly turned into a little girl.
"How the hell is a kitty going ta' protect you from these niggas outchea'?"
"But I always wanted a cat." I pouted, crossing my arms.
"But you need a Dog, a big one."
"Like?"
"Anythang. A German Shepherd, a rottweiler, whateva' you prefer. Plus, I need a security dog round hea' anyway. It's a win-win."
"I still want a cat, August." I folded my arms.
He sighed. "Aight, bruh. We'll get a kitten for inside and adopt a big ass dog that can stay outside and go witchu' places." Aug gave in.
"Let's go get 'em." I said that like Bey in Dejá Vu.
--
"Dis dog not big, Yaya."
"I know but he's so cute. Today was his last day! If we didn't take him they were going to kill him." I frowned at the thought. "Besides, he's going to grow."
We were buying everything we would need for the dog. Collars, leashes, canned dog food and hard dog food, dog shampoo. We were going all out.
Then we bought a pretty black and brown cat. She wasn't a kitten but she wasn't grown. I really liked her and she liked me so I got her. We bought everything we would need for her as well, including a litter box and we also bought a cat scratch post so she wouldn't scratch up our furniture.
(A/N: Say something slick about my fucking cat and you're getting muted. 😊🔇)
Now we were having dog tags made for both of them. It would have our names, numbers and adress on them.
"What's the name of the cat?" The lady asked. "Her name has to be on her dog tag too."
I thought to myself. When I first picked her up what did I call her ? Oh yeah.
"Pookie." I said it and spelled it out for her so she'd get it right.
"What?" Aug busted out laughing.
"What's wrong with it? She's my Pookie."
"Nothin', baybeh. I like it, it's juh' funny." He laughed.
"And the dog?" She asked.
"You name him, since my name for my cat is soooo funny." I looked at Aug and awaited an answer. August looked at our white boxer.
"Shit, da dog is white. I can come up with a million names fa' him. Avalanche, Snow, Ice, Vanilla, Ivory, Frosty, Cotton, Moon, Alaska."
"I like that one."
"Which one? I said like a hunnid."
"Alaska. That's creative and pretty." I nodded my head in approval.
"Well you kno' me." He popped his non existent collar.
I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, his name is Alaska." I told the woman.
--
When we got home, I gave pookie a bath in the tub and since cats hate water it was a task. I finally got her blow dryed and she smelled good. I put on her collar and dog tag and let her walk around the house to explore.
I opened a can of cat food and put it in one of her bowls and poured a bottle of water in another. She came running to me and started eating hungrily.
I went outside to check on August. He was supposed to be giving Alaska a bath but he should've been done.
"What's going on?" I laughed at the sight. Aug was trying to spray Alaska with the hose but he would run and roll in the dirt.
"I can't wit dis damn dog, Ya." Aug cut the hose off and put it on the floor.
"Let me try. Can you get the chain we got for him?" I asked.
"Aight."
When Aug brought it to me, I chained Alaska up in a grassy area so he couldn't go get dirty and we gave him a bath and kept him tied up until he dried off. We put his food out there and after he ate, he was free to roam his new territory.
--
"Where are you?" My sister asked me through the phone.
"Home. Why?"
"No you not, Yalannah. Your door was open and there isn't any furniture in your house at all. I was freaking out."
"Sorry for causing you to worry, Yoyo. I live with August now." I said, feeling bad that we didn't tell anybody.
"Why didn't I know this?"
"I didn't want to tell you and then I move back out like a week later. That'd be humiliation at its finest." I admitted.
"Not really, baby sister but we'll discuss that later."
"Good. It's working out fine so I don't want to talk about it. Why were you looking for me?" I questioned.
"Well Nate swung by and picked me up and we were going to get you to just hang out. Have a sibling day. Catch up on what we missed out on. You down?"
"Of course!"
"Text Nathaniel the address." She said.
"Okay. And can I bring my dog?" I asked.
"You got a dog? What else I don't know?" Her attitude was clear in her tone.
"I got a cat. That's it, though." I stated, truthfully. "You know everything else."
"You sure?"
"Yes! Can I bring the dog or not?"
I heard her speaking with our brother before answering "Yes."
I told Aug my new found plans so he said he was going over to Christoper's house when I left.
I was putting the leash on Alaska when I heard a horn from the front.
"I guess das ya' cue, boo. See ya' when ya' get home." Aug hugged me from behind and kissed my cheek.
"Okay. Take Pookie with you when you go to Chris house."
"Why?"
"She's going to be in the house by herself, probably stressing because she don't know this house well enough. I'm sure Royalty will enjoy her company. Put on her leash so she don't get to far. Bye baby." I said as I walked out the door over to my brother's Ford.
"That is a big ass dog!" Nathaniel hopped out the car.
"Damn, Yaya. When you said you had a dog, I thought you meant a puppy." Yolanda stressed.
"His name is Alaska and he's a teen dog. He's going to get bigger. Chill." I rolled my eyes at them. I opened the back seat and let Alaska get in first and then I got in.
--
We asked a woman to take pictures of us when we arrived at the same park I was trying to read at earlier today.
Then instantly Alaska had won over my siblings hearts. We were playing Frisbee with him and fetch. Then we let him run around while we were playing tag.
I gave my dog water straight outta the bottle and then the ice cream truck came and we all went over there. I had gotten a vanilla ice cream cone while Yolanda got a chocolate. Ew. Nathaniel got a mixed one with vanilla and chocolate. Then we sat and talked while Alaska ran around the park care free.
___
💬🌟 Y'all should know what these emojis mean by now.
Pookie is not a figment of my imagination. She's a real cat that I loveeeeeee. So I don't appreciate y'all calling my baby ugly. Don't do it. Period.
Danielle 🌊🌺💖