She cuddled it closer against her jacket and stroked its head. At this point, if it bit her, it bit her. She felt nothing but relief, safe and sheltered from the wind—and everything else—outside.
“Well, little guy, let’s go home. And please, don’t pee or poop before we get there.”
She made it home only half successful, her jacket wet with dog urine. It just figured the dog had left a mess before hiding in the back seat. It took her forever to get him out and into her house, but he didn’t once bite her.
She wasn’t allowed to have pets in her townhome, but who would know? At least she had time to find this guy—and it was a male—a good home.
“Let’s get you cleaned up a little.” She had no idea if the dog would welcome a bath. Afraid to put the Chihuahua down and lose him when and not if he bolted, she took him upstairs and into her bathroom before locking them both inside.
The moment she set him down, he barked at her and ran around, trying to find a place to hide. He ended up cowering behind the toilet. Which made her tear up again.
“Whoever did this to you should be beaten, given the worst haircut known to man, and tossed to Axel.” She understood her Viking better than he thought she did.
In all the time she’d known him, he’d never once picked on anyone smaller than himself or gone out of his way to make trouble. Trouble usually found him, true enough, but his fights involved standing up to bullies or stepping in when someone picked on someone weaker. And the man owned a wooden shelter for a pregnant cat he said he didn’t plan on keeping.
She chuckled. “Okay, little fella, I’m going to find you some food and water and see if we can’t clean you up. Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.”
* * *
Everything was not okay. The chihuahua had gotten over his fear enough to eat the shaved ham and drink a bit of the water she’d given him after she’d left him alone to eat it. But when she’d spent time with him, he seemed scared, preferring the space alone. A bath had not been in his immediate future, or so he’d convinced her each time she’d tried to rub a warm washcloth over him.
Apparently, he didn’t like the bathroom because he barked.A lot.Ear-piercing yips from a tiny dog burrowed into her brain throughout the night. But she’d kept him in there because she didn’t want to give him free rein in her home, not sure of what kind of damage—or vermin—he might spread.
In the morning, she found him sleeping, curled on the bathroom rug by the sink. He’d also left her a tiny poop in the tub, though she had no idea how he’d gotten in there.
Tired but amused at the stray’s spirit, she could only be glad she didn’t work until noon and left the bathroom to text Nicky. Nicky texted back right away that she’d open the shop that morning. One problem solved.
Then Rena called Axel, hoping he’d be awake at…six in the morning. Whoops.
“Ja?” came his gritty voice over the phone. “Rena?”
“Hi, Axel. Sorry. I didn’t realize it was so early.” The dog heard her voice and yipped.
“What was that?”
“That is the reason I’m calling so early.” She explained about the dog and its behavior, and Axel laughed at her.
“I must see this dog.”
“He needs a vet, so I was wondering if you could give me the name of the one you used.”
“I can take you there, if you like.”
“Oh. That would be nice.”
“And we can have breakfast together. Okay?”
“Sure.” Another date with Axel. She shivered, and not from the cold.
“I’ll swing by to get you in an hour. The vet opens at eight, so it will give us time to get him in or at least schedule an early appointment. Will that work?”
“How about an hour and a half?” She had to do her hair and dress…after cleaning the tub with bleach.
“Okay. See you soon,Häschen.”
A bunny, a possessed Chihuahua, and a pregnant cat walk into a bar together…She had to find a way to make that joke work.
She entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind her, and squatted to look the dog in the eye, well, his good eye. He had hidden behind the toilet once more, but he poked his face out now and then when he barked at her.
