Wincing over the rumble in my queasy gut, my eyes slid to Charlotte.
She was looking gorgeous in awhitedress with so many ruffles it made me doubt it was an actual dress. It looked more like she was swimming in a cloud, but I didn’t have the appropriate amount of time to dwell on that because what hooked my attention the most was she was growling at me.
A very realistic I’m-going-to-chew-your-face-off growl.
When did she learn to do that?
Something’s out of place.
“Let’s not panic.” I took a timid step toward Charlotte as the growl dropped off into a snap. My gaze fell to the floor, and I jumped back a whole foot. There was a behemoth sized dog with a head so massive he could swallow me whole. Clearly, I was wrong about the growling coming from Charlotte, which made me feel so much better about Charlotte.
Okay, so there’s a lot of misconceptions going on, even though things look a little strange. I’m sure there is a logical explanation for everything.
I inched forward, but the dog pulled back his thick lips into a snarl, revealing his giant fangs that would make a vampire jealous. “Nice doggie,” I hummed out, hoping this dog was a vegetarian while still wondering the most obvious question,where did Cujo come from!
Apparently, he didn’t like to be called nice, or something, because he snipped his puissant jaw forward, and growled ferociously. “That’s a little dramatic. Don’t you think?” I nervously rambled, while sliding my foot backwards. I was hyper-focused on his canine teeth. He had a severe overbite and desperately needed a doggie dentist as his teeth appeared unnaturally sharp.
“I saw a bag of treats.” Charlotte’s voice rang out, all cheery like we were at the zoo and this beast was caged behind a fence.
“I don’t think he wants treats.” I took another weak-kneed step back and avoided making eye contact with him. I didn’t want him to accidentally think I was challenging him to a duel. “I think he wantsme.”
Charlotte sprang off the other side of the bed and snatched a little pouch off the dresser. “Found them.” She flashed the bag at me before rotating it to read. “It says, Christmas cookies for dogs. Oh, and look how cute they are.” She held up one of the treats, identical to a Christmas cutout-cookie candy cane.
“I don’t care if it looks like a turd.” I slid my hand out sideways, wiggling my fingers for her to come nearer. “Just give it here.” She dropped the bag in my palm. I didn’t want to risk getting my hand bitten off by getting closer, so I tossed a cookie in an ungraceful Frisbee toss. Holding my breath, I watched him open his jaw like a giant hatch and swallowed it whole. His colossus eyes latched onto mine while he ran his tongue over those viper fangs. Squinting, I might have cowered a little as I waited for him to growl. Instead, he pushed his paws forward and reclined into a lying position, just as mellow as could be. “Maybe he was hangry,” I whispered, still afraid to move.
“W-well, I mean,” Charlotte’s voice stuttered a little. “When’s the last time he was fed?”
“Or how about the better question,” I blurted out. “Who’s dog is it? Where did he come from, why is he here, and—”
“That’s three questions,” Charlotte’s voice came out with a humored inflection.
“You cut me off before I got to the best question of all,” I went on without acknowledging her impressive math skills. “Why is he in a bowtie that says best man?”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t bring that detail up.”
“Why?” For the first time since hearing that furious growl, my eyes left the dog and hooked on Charlotte. “How can I not see that?”
“Um, I was hoping it was part of my over-active imagination, and thought if you didn’t confirm it, I could pretend it wasn’t like athing.”
“It’s athing!” My voice ticked up a notch, as I took an involuntary step, okay it was more of a stumble back. Now that I was not scared for my life, I rubbed my temples and prepared to address the next most obviousthingin the room. “Charlotte, you’re in a wedding dress.”
“It was my mother’s,” she said with a straight face.
“You knew about that?” I asked in an accusing tone, not because I was upset with her, but I was so confused.
“Well, sort of.” Her head weighed to one side before she tacked on, “My Dad made me pack it, but I wasn’t going towearit.”
“Charlotte,” I said, my voice smooth and casual, but inside everything spun in all the wrong directions.
“Yes, Nick.”
“I’m not certain about this.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and plopped onto the corner chair, trying to remember what had happened last night but my mind was blank. Oh, Man! I wanted to marry Charlotte, had always wanted to marry her. But not like this! Not with all my memories wiped out, but I couldn’t deny what had most likely happened. I continued, “But let’s say it’s at ninety percent and maybe a half-ish. I’m doing the math, but it’s like the best man.” I gestured to the dog. “Plus, wedding dress.” I motioned to Charlotte. “Plus, honeymoon suite, and I don’t remember anything, about anything. That all equals, in my head, I added it, and I-I think we got MARRIED!”
.
six
Charlotte
