[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Part II Chapter 48

After dinner, Edith excused herself to take care of the luggage and threatened AJ, not to touch the dishes. He waited a few minutes after she was gone and began clearing the table. Denise got up to help and AJ playfully smacked at her and told her,
“Sit your ass down woman! I told you, I’d do it!” Denise and Win laughed heartily as Serenity jumped up into her lap.
“Oh hi sweetie. You are such a pretty dog, yes you are.” Win said petting her on the head and down the back.
“Truth be told, she’s AJ’s favorite.” Denise said.
“What kind of dog is she? She looks like a mini collie or something.” Win asked stroking the dog’s fur. Tank and Daisy were fretting around AJ’s heals in the kitchen, begging for scraps. Every once in a while he’d throw each dog a piece of something to stop them bugging him.
“I think she’s a sheltie. Daisy is a Bichon frise, I think, and Tank, he’s a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. I got him for AJ for his birthday two years ago. After that a friend of mine had to get rid of a puppy, that was Serenity, and he bought Daisy not too long ago.” Denise replied as Daisy raced into the dining room.
By the time Edith had finished arranging the rooms to her satisfaction, AJ had finished the dishes and was getting the dogs on leashes to take them for a walk. When Edith returned to a clean dining room and kitchen she smacked AJ around the head with a roll of paper towels.
“What matter with you? Is my job! My job! You take my job! Why you have me! Why don’t you fire me! Tu no necessitas mi! Niguna necessita Edith! Niguna quiere!”
“I love you Edith!” AJ said sheepishly, and giving her a hug.
“Oh fine, estupido, pallasjo! No more!” She said hitting him one more time with the towels.
“I’m taking the dogs for a walk, keep Win company for me.” AJ said before heading outside.
“Win, I take you upstairs, to you and Seinor’s room.” Edith said reentering the dining room.
“Thank you Edith, dinner was delicious.” Win said climbing out of her chair.

Once upstairs, Win really got to see how large the house was. The halls were gigantic, and everything was beautifully decorated. Edith led her along the hall, all the way to the end with a giant bedroom overlooking the back yard garden. There was a giant patio with double doors attached, and Win could just glimpse a pool.
A king-sized bed was in the corner, angled out so both sides were accessible. It was a white room, with soft plush gray carpeting and black accessories. Some framed watercolors accented the walls here and there. But other than that, the room was empty. Win noticed Jack’s cage on the side table. It was freshly scrubbed, with new food and water, and he was nibbling on a large peanut shell.
“You didn’t have to clean him out Edith, that’s my job.” Win laughed taking a moment to pet her rat.
“Is no trouble. He a very nice rata.” Edith replied smiling.
Edith led Win around the room, showing her where she had stowed her clothes and bags, where the bathroom was and then the patio.
“Seinor had this built when he moved in. Very nice. Pretty view.” Edith said pointing towards the garden and the pool. She noticed a small house set along the side of the property as well.
“Is that yours?” Win asked.
“Yes, Seinor very nice boss, he had built for me and me family.” Edith replied.
“Oh are you married?” Win asked as Edith helped her to a chair on the patio.
“Me no married. Solo me and me hija. She four year old now.”
“Wonderful. What is her name?”
“Latecia. Very good girl, she like Seinor mucho.”
“I’d like to meet her.” Win said smiling.
“She so much trouble sometime. I don’t bother you with her.”
“Oh, I like kids. She’ll be no bother to me.”
“Tomorrow, I bring her to meet you. Is okay?”
“Of course. How long does AJ usually take the dogs out for?”
“Seinor knows no time with perros. Some time one hour, other time two. Some time all day.” Edith replied. Denise knocked on the patio door.
“Hi Denise.” Win said.
“Hola chicas, would you mind if I borrowed Edith for a minute?” she asked.
“Oh no, go ahead, you two must have loads to talk about, I can’t keep up.” Win replied sincerely.
“Nice to talk to you Senorita,” Edith said politely getting up.
“Win, just Win.”
“Okay, Win, good night.”
“Thank you!” Win called after Denise and Edith.

Win liked Edith and Denise both very much, but she was glad for a quiet moment to think to herself. Every once in a while she liked to stop and take inventory of what she had. Especially now since she had so much to be thankful for. She had her friends, her job, and now a new family, AJ and Denise. She had Jack, her rat. She had her health, although she was a little beat up, but she could be worse, and she had money to be independent with. She also had AJ’s promise.
Thinking on this she looked down at her hand and looked at the word on her finger. Serenity. Its message was well received now, she was in serenity. She had a calm about her now. An irresistible calm and sweetness that came with it. Absolute serenity is where she was right now. The quiet, the stillness that came with a real love. She felt it enveloping her as much as AJ’s arms did when he held her. She was so lucky.

AJ jogged around the corner, the dogs in front of him as he spotted his favorite bench. The dogs knew where he wanted to go and ran towards it, pulling him along. He plopped down on it, Daisy and Serenity jumping up onto the bench beside him, everyone panting from their run.
“Oh boy. It’s been a while since I did that. You guys are gonna have to keep me in shape.” AJ panted as Tank laid his head in his lap.
“So what do you guys think of Win huh?” he asked ruffling up Tank’s ears. Daisy yipped twice in answer.
“Really now?” AJ asked petting her as well.
“That good huh? What about you Tank?” Tank batted his nose into his arm several times in rapid succession. Serenity barked as well.
“I guess it’s unanimous! Cause guess what guys, I kinda like her too. I think she’s going to be sticking around for a while too.” The dogs all appeared to be smiling at him. Serenity barked three times and AJ turned to her.
“What are you saying?” he asked playfully. She nipped at his finger. This time it hurt.
“Ouch, what was that for?” he asked. He realized the finger she bit was the one usually protected by his ring.
“Oh, yeah, I gave her the ring. So, what’s it to you?” he asked the dog. She bit the finger again.
“Ouch! Now that really hurt! Cut it out!” AJ said pulling his hand away from the dog.
“I got to get another ring, I forgot about the game you like to play, bite daddy’s finger off.” He said shaking his head. Then something hit him.
“Get another ring. That’s exactly what I have to do. But I don’t know, what do you guys think?” AJ asked, looking at his dogs for an answer. They all just stared at him.
“Oh a load of help you lot are. Get me thinking about things and then don’t answer me, that helps a lot. Oh and just for that bite, no treat for you Serenity.” AJ said petting her on the head. She growled playfully and hopped down off the bench, Daisy following her.
“Yeah, might as well go home. I don’t have to think about it right now.” AJ said as he stood up. He and the dogs jogged all the way home. Upon entering the house, AJ let the dogs loose and went to the kitchen to fill their water bowls. While there he lit up a cigarette and was on his way upstairs when Edith spotted him.
“No smoke in house! Bad for you! No more smoke! You want to smoke! You smoke outside! Not in house!” she yelled chasing him outdoors with the roll of paper towels again.
“Hey, it’ my house, I can smoke in it if I want to!” AJ protested.
“Yes, but I have to make house not smell like smoke, and is not nice. Is bad for you. Stop smoking! Ahora!” Win heard Edith shouting and got up to look over the balcony edge. AJ was standing outside smoking while Edith lectured him on smoking. She laughed.
“I thought I told you to stop that!” Win called. AJ looked up and smiled at Win.
“I’m tapering off!” he called, and Edith smacked him again.
“Pallajaso! No more smoke!” She pulled the cigarette out of his hand and disappeared into the house with it.
“I guess I’m done, I’ll be right up beautiful!” AJ called with a smile.