“Justus, it’s Liberty. How did last night go?”
“Fine. I’m making breakfast for us now. How are you?” She took the pancake out of the pan, cut some butter off, and let it melt in the pan for the eggs.
“Really?” Her sister sounded like she didn’t believe her.
“Yes. I don’t know why I was fighting this,” Justus said.
“Where’s Rafferty? I want to talk to him,” Liberty said.
“Why? Don’t you believe me?” Justus asked, whisking the eggs together before pouring them. “He took For All down to the dog park for a walk while I made breakfast. He’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“So, things are going smoothly for you?” Liberty said, finally, sounding as if she believed her.
“Yes. Besides a slight hiccup when I wanted to go swimming, everything has been fine. And that was because I had a meltdown when I put on my swimsuit. But Rafferty wassupportive and helped me get through it, which was a turning point for me and him. I began to see him differently after that.”
“Are you okay now? Do you think you need another session with Dr. Saunders?” Liberty asked.
“Don’t worry, sister. I’m good.” Justus ate the scrambled eggs and carried the food over to the dining table. “If I need another session with her, I will call, and if I need to see you, I’ll let you know. I’ll also call you. Speaking of which, I did talk to Chaney last night, and we are good.”
“That’s fabulous. I’m glad to hear it,” Liberty said.
“Yeah,” Justus said, snagging a small piece of bacon. She nibbled on it as she got plates, silverware, and napkins for the table. She found the cabinet with the coffee mugs and glasses and got out one of each, filling the glass with milk for her and the mug with coffee for Rafferty. “Listen, our breakfast is ready. I need to call Rafferty and let him know he needs to get back up here before I eat it all.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll let you go. I’m glad to hear you're doing well. Call me later.”
“I will,” Justus promised. “I hope you and Asher are having a good time being back together. It wasn’t fair of you to leave him like you did.”
“I’d do it again for you in a heartbeat,” Liberty said.
“I know.” Justus ended the call and licked her fingers before she dialed Rafferty’s number.
He picked up immediately. “What’s wrong?”
“Breakfast is on the table, and I’m starting without you. If you want any, you better get back to me ASAP.”
“You are too sassy in the mornings,” he said, hanging up.
The front door opened, and a bark came from that direction.
“That was fast,” Justus called.
“We just got off the elevator,” he replied.
Justus brought the coffee carafe over from the coffee maker, poured him a cup, and returned it to the burner to keep it warm. Then she broke a piece of bacon off and crumbled it into small bites for For All, mixing it with a little scrambled egg and placing it in his bowl.
“Come, baby, have a treat,” she urged before going to the table for breakfast.
“Do you do that often?” Rafferty asked her.
“No, but I know eggs are good for his coat, and bacon in small quantities can’t hurt him. And after being uprooted the way we have recently, he deserves to be treated.”
“Has he ever been to a veterinarian?” Rafferty asked, “Or the groomers?”
“No. Why?” Justus said.
“Dogs need annual vaccinations. Small breeds like For All need special care. Did you gethimfrom a breeder or a pet store?” He filled his plate with food while he talked.
“Neither. Dan found him and gave him to me.”
