I held up a finger to indicate that I’d be right there. Addie tiptoed out but Mom was still standing there, lips pressed together, staring at Charlie with intense disappointment.
It’s my fault, I mouthed but she just shook her head and ghosted out of the room.
Charlie must’ve been exhausted because she hadn’t so much as twitched. I eased my arm from under her, rolled off the bed, and crept out of the room.
As soon as the door was closed, Mom started in. “Cash. No girls in your room. Not even Charlie.” She nodded at Addie. I got it. I needed to be a better example.
Addie tugged me down the stairs.
“I know. I’m sorry. We had an emotional night.” I scrubbed the sleep from my face. “I just…” My chest heaved. “I’m having a hard time letting her go.”
“You don’t need to let her go, silly,” Addie said, pulling me down the stairs. “You’re going to marry her. Have a fancy wedding. Make a bunch of babies. Can I be the flower girl?”
This was not helping. “Mom, make her stop, please.” We stepped onto the foyer floor.
“I don’t know, bud.” Mom’s laugh was light. “I’m starting to think Addie is a prophetess.”
“I am.” Addie pulled me toward the kitchen.
I glowered over my shoulder at Mom. She’d just given me a lecture the night before last that I needed to respect Charlie’s wishes and learn to be her friend.
Lula, our chocolate lab, loped toward me, tail wagging.
“Morning, Lula.” I gave her a scruff on the head as we rounded the corner.
“Ta-da!” Addie gestured at Dad who sat on the floor, back against the wall, with three black and white…puppies on his lap? Though they were so tiny they almost looked like hamsters.
“Morning, son.”
“Hey, Cash.” Anna was next to him, feeding another little ball of fur from a small bottle.
“Lula had babies!” Addie squealed. “It’s a miracle!”
My mouth fell open. “What is happening?”
Lula dropped down next to Dad and rested her head on his thigh. One puppy crawled over and licked her nose.
“Lula didn’t have babies,” Dad said. “Lula brought somebody else’s babies home.”
“One at a time, probably between her teeth,” Anna said, impressed.
Addie put her hands on her hips. “You don’t know that. Did you see it happen? No, you didn’t. She might’ve pushed those out of her lady parts. You never know.”
“Addie.” Dad chuckled as one of the puppy’s little tongues lapped at his knuckles. “We had her lady parts removed.”
“He’s right, cutie. I took them out myself,” Anna said. “It’s impossible.”
Addie crossed her arms and scowled. “Bet Moses thought there was no way that sea was parting either.”
Anna snorted. “Fine. I’ll give you that. And you’re right that Lula now has puppies. Who knows how that happened but they appear to believe she’s their mom.” As was evidenced by the fact that now two out of the four were curled against Lula’s belly trying to suck from her empty nipples.
Addie beamed, so proud of herself.
I lowered myself to the floor, legs criss cross, and picked one up. His eyes were hooded, struggling to stay awake. Correction, her eyes. “What kind are they?” I asked Anna.
“Maybe a hound-border collie mix. But they’re too small to tell for sure. Probably a week old.”
“They look cold. I’m going to get them a blanket.” Addie skipped from the room.
