A smile lifts the corner of my lips as I remember dancing and singing with Gina, taking off our heavy jerseys.
I don’t remember too much after that…
“I think we can wrap this up for today.” Dr. Smithfield puts his hand on my shoulder. “We covered a lot of ground. I hope you’re able to relay all of this to your family back home.”
“Don’t worry, Dr. S, I’ll be telling them everything. Today if they’re available.”
He grins, lifting his chin. “I think your discoveries will hold until Sunday. Take some time to enjoy your weekend. You’re only young once.”
I don’t bother telling him I packed a full weekend’s worth of enjoyment into one night last night.
I slide my laptop into my messenger bag and pull the strap over my shoulder. “My uncle is building raised beds so the root collars can be exposed.”
“A proven approach.” My professor nods. “Although it can present a challenge in the colder weather.”
“I’m sure he’ll be interested in trying out this new root stock as well.”
We bid each other farewell, and I head out to Gina’s waiting car. She’s letting me use it while I’m here so I don’t have to spend money on rideshares all the time.
She told me the fuel pump had recently been changed, and it has a clean bill of health. Then she and Owenexchanged a glance and a laugh, clearly indicating some inside joke about which I know nothing.
When I park in the driveway, I rest my forehead briefly on the steering wheel. I’m so close. I just have to walk the short distance from the car to the porch, climb those three steps… and then all those other steps… and I can get in the bed and sleep forever and ever amen. Possibly all weekend.
I’m halfway there when I open the front door, and I’m greeted by the sharp, high-pitched yelp of a puppy.
“Isn’t she the cutest thing?” Gina sits on the floor in the middle of the living room, and an adorable black-and-white husky puppy hops around on the rug in front of her.
Her ears are pitched forward, and her mouth is open, tongue hanging out, tail wagging. When I close the door, she turns to face me, and lets out a sharp little happy-puppy bark.
“Hey, you’re home.” Mav is dressed in gray sweatpants and a loose, navy tee.
Still, it stretches across his broad shoulders, and I’m not so hungover as to have forgotten when he pulled his jersey up on the ice last night and showed us the goods.
“Hey,” I answer, closing the door as quietly as possible.
“How’d it go today? I didn’t hear you leave this morning.”
“I owe you my life.” I reach up to put my hand on his shoulder. “I would never have made it out of bed this morning if you hadn’t taken care of me.”
“I told you I was glad to do it.” He takes the messenger bag off my shoulder easily transferring it to the coat tree. “Come meet Kelani.”
“Do you have any noise-cancelling headphones?” I’m only half-teasing.
“Hold that thought.” He starts for the kitchen, and I wonder if he’s actually going to find a pair.
“You’re alive!” Gina hops up, scooping the puppy under her arm, and walking over to where I stand. “Look who I’ve got… Kelani, meet your new friend Dove.”
The puppy’s eyes are clear blue, and she looks like she’s wearing a black Zorro mask over her white face. Her ears are pitched forward, and she opens her mouth to pant.
My heart melts, and I look from her to Gina. “She’s smiling at me!”
“She loves you already.” Gina hands her over, and I hug her to my chest.
I’m rewarded with a firm lick right across the mouth.
“Ew!” I pretend to squeal, shaking my nose at hers. “Puppy breath is so stinky!”
It only makes her wiggle as she tries to do it again. Leaning forward, I put her on the floor just as Maverick returns to the room holding a glass of what looks like the same electrolyte beverage he gave me last night and two fresh ibuprofen pills.
