Puppy Love

Puppy Love
~~~~~~~~~
Janey was cleaning out the parrot pens. She wondered how such a small animal could possibly make such a big smell. Her job at the local pet store, Wild Wonders, had its perks, but dirty birdie dooty was not one of them.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for a gift for my niece.”

A warm voice interrupted Janey’s thoughts and she spun around. The voice belonged to a young man with brown hair and eyes, medium height, medium everything. There was no one feature that made him handsome. It was the way all of his features came together that made Janey blush.
Holy cow, Janey thought, eyes widening. Now this guy is a perk I like!

“Okay, what kind of gift?” Stupid question, he’s in a pet store you idiot!

The man answered thoughtfully, not noticing her tomato red blush.
“A pet of some sort. She’s eight, and she's just come to live with me. Her parents died a few months ago. I think she needs a friend.”

“I’m so sorry!” Janey's voice squeaked in mortification. Oh God! She was ogling a man who had just lost siblings, gained a daughter, and was about to tie himself to a pet. The man was a Saint, and she was wondering how he kissed!
She felt awful, and set to work to help him find The Perfect Pet.
Brushing stray pieces of her disobiedent hair out of her face, Janey straightened her shoulders. Pulled back in a high pony tale, her chestnut waves added height to her 5'2" frame.
Janey had always wished to be taller.
Marching away from the bird pens, she began The Quest For The Perfect Pet. Janey always thought in titles when she was feeling determined, as it made her feel more official.
It's hard to be official in a red smock that says Wild Wonders.

The man followed her bobbing pony tale, and reflected that he had never seen a general with a high schooler's pony tale before. Yet he had never seen anyone, general or high schooler, take a task so seriously. He suspected that she would rob a bank if it meant finding the perfect pet for his niece.

After passing up the iguanas and snakes, and debating over the kittens, they settled on a plump golden retriever puppy.

“He’s a real sweet puppy and very affectionate. He’ll make a great friend for your niece.”
Janey scooped the furry puppy into her arms and offered him The Saint, whose name she had learned was Ben.
Ben reached out to hold the puppy, and found himself held in the cute clerks blue-grey eyes instead. She was much cuter than the puppy, and looked just as affectionate. He wondered bemusedly what his niece would think if he brought Janey home with a bow on her head.

There they knelt, knee to knee, eye to eye, holding the wriggling puppy between them, frozen, lost in each others eyes. Janey felt a brainless smile spread across her face.
Now I know I've been reading too many romance novels!
“Do you hear singing?” Janey whispered. She could practically feel her brain dripping out of  her ears. One handsome Saint and she was reduced to a puddle of cat food. The mushy, stinky kind.
Ben smiled and leaned closer.

“That’s just the puppy whining because you’re holding him too tight.” He whispered.

Janey blushed but didn’t look away.

Ben leaned closer and that’s when Janey knew, knew with the certainty of a young woman who had known a man half an hour, that Ben was the one. He was the one, or there never would be a the one for her.

That’s also when the puppy emptied it’s apparently huge bladder.

“Omigod!” Janey cried in horror. She jumped up, hauling the happy offender away from Ben. “You shirt, your clothes, oh lord,”
“Relax, I’m sure this happens all the time Janey."
Yes, but not when a Saint is about to kiss me!

“Anyway, Becky will love house training him. It’ll keep her busy.”

Ben tried to smile but inside he was shaken. He had almost kissed a girl he didn’t know, in the middle of a pet store! That was not the kind of responsible behavior of a man taking on a hurting niece. It didn't matter if she looked like a tiny blue-eyed general.
A blue-grey eyed general.
A general that looked like she would fit perfectly in his arms, her head just beneath his chin.
He needed to get his priorities straight. He cleared his suddenly tight throat.

“She’s lost her whole world, and I think having someone else to take care of will help her. She’s just a little kid, she should be happy, not so sad. ”

Pain danced across Ben’s eyes, and Janey saw that Becky wasn’t the only one who had lost something precious.

“Okay, don’t get sappy on me, I’ll help you buy Mr. Pee.” The pain on Ben’s face was replaced by shock.
Did she really just call me a sap?

“Right, house training a puppy is enough to keep anyone busy. Do you have everything you’ll need? Dog food, leashes, bowls…” Janey trailed off at the look of panic on Ben’s face.

“Hey no worries! I’ll help you pick up everything you need. You do know you’re a Saint for getting your niece a puppy, right? I sappy saint maybe, but still, even saints need help.”

Poor guy, he’s got enough on his plate already without me making life awkward for him! And did I really just call him a sap?

Janey helped Ben purchase his mountain of “totally necessary” dog items and glanced knowingly at the huge pile.
“I’ll help you out to your car.”
It wasn’t a request and Ben knew it. Smiling, he followed the cute self proclaimed general out to his car. If he’d been attracted to her at first, seeing her charge through the store and tossing out commands made him wonder if he was falling in love. In love, with a cute, bossy, prickly, brunette with a soft spot for animals.
Now I know you’re going crazy Ben. He shook his head in disgust.
She’s only doing her job.

“Remember to buckle the seat belt around the puppy’s cage, so he won’t slide around.” Her urgent voice cut through his thoughts.

“Right. Hey, thanks for all of your help Janey, I honestly couldn’t have done it without you.”
“No problem, it was my pleasure. Hey wait a sec,” Janey dug frantically in her pockets and produced and scrap of paper and a pencil stub. She scribbled something on it and thrust it towards Ben.

“Here’s my number, if you ever need help with the puppy, or have questions or something.” Janey turned and walked quickly away, not giving him a chance to say "no thanks", or even just thanks. Mostly, she just didn’t want to beg him to take her home too!

Ben stood staring at Janey as she fairly dashed back into the store. Smiling he glanced back at the paper she had given him.
She wants me to call her. She could’ve just given me the number of the store. She wants to see me again.
Ben’s face began to heat as he watched Janey’s rear end disappear into the store.
Down boy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rang. Janey groaned and flopped over in bed.
The phone rang again, and Janey’s hand began to search the bedside table. Crash went her alarm clock, followed by something that was probably glass, judging by the shattering sound..
“Damn,” she muttered, finally sitting up and grabbing the phone.
“’Lo?”
“Uh, Hello Janey? This is Ben, you helped me buy a puppy a few days ago.”
Oh God, it’s Ben! He called!

“Of course! How is the puppy? Have you named him yet?”

“Well, that’s the problem. You see, I have a minor crisis on my hands here, and I was wondering if you could come help me sort it out.”

Ben gave her his address, and Janey promised to be there soon.
He wanted to see her again! Sure he needed help, but hey, he called her, right? Hanging up the phone she ran a hand through her dirty hair. Instead of lying flat in chose to stick up in ways that defied gravity.
“I wonder if I have time for a quick shower? I mean, how much trouble could a puppy get into anyw-Omigod!”
Janey threw on some sweats, wrestled her hair into submission in the form of pony tale and made it to Ben’s apartment within a half hour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“He ate what?”
Janey was feeling very cranky. The man of her dreams finally calls, but he calls about some puppy, and to top it off, her hair could probably walk away from this nightmare without her.
I should’ve at least thrown on a hat…

“He ate Becky’s lunch money, and she won’t let me anywhere near him. Like I said, Becky locked herself and the puppy in the bathroom. She doesn’t trust me to help, but once I tell her you’re an expert, I’m sure she’ll let you in.”

He anxiously checked Janey’s face, trying to gauge if calling her and letting her into his house had been a good idea.
At the moment, he was having his doubts.

“Fine. But I’ll warn you, I’m no good with kids. I can do dogs, cats, iguanas, rats, parrots, most species of snake, but with kids, I’m lost.” Janey sighed and rapped on the bathroom door.

“Go ‘way!” came the impassioned reply.

“No.” Came the flat answer.
“Your uncle told me something is wrong with the puppy. I think I can help.” And God help me if I can’t, Janey thought.

The door opened a crack and a tiny face peeked through. Next came a hand, which shot out and dragged Janey, with surprising force, into the tiny room.
Janey looked from the earnest little girl to the sloppy little puppy.

“Can you help him? Is he going to die?” Becky’s light freckles stood out against her pale, tear stained face.
Janey knelt down by the puppy and began her inspection.
“What exactly did he eat?”
“He ate all the nickels from my lunch money. I guess he didn’t like the quarters.” Becky peered anxiously over Janey’s shoulder and repeated her question. “Is he gonna die?”

Janey sat down with a thump and a sigh. Okay, so this was obviously about more than the puppy.
“Not today, he’s not. But come here Kiddo, I’m gonna call you Kiddo, k?”
Becky nodded and crept close to Janey.

“Listen Kiddo, he’s a puppy, but puppies don’t live as long as you or me, so someday, yeah, he’ll die. But before that you’ll have years to love him and show him what being a puppy is all about.”

Becky’s face clouded and she burst into tears.

“I don’t want him if he’s gonna die! Everybody leaves me! Even my Mommy and Daddy, and they loved me! They loved me and they left! I don’t waaant...” Her words became a wail of anguish.

Cripes! Now what?

Janey stiffly put her arms around the unresisting Becky and pulled her into her lap.

“Shh baby, he’s going to be fine. Your lunch money will go right through him, and if you want it back, all you’ve gotta do is dig through his poop.”

Janey slowly rocked the little girl, murmuring nonsense to her. It was strangely familiar to Janey, and she felt herself relax into holding the child.
It’s like holding a sick kitten. Plus, she really is kinda cute.
“What’s you name?” Becky whispered into Janey’s chest.
“It’s Janey Miller. You can call me Janey if you like.” The head on her chest nodded, and Janey felt like smiling.
“Now the real question is, are you going to keep this trouble maker here?”

Becky looked at the puppy, who looked right back at her.

“You’re sure he won’t die, not right away?” The look of longing was clear on the kid’s grubby face, and Janey wondered if she hadn’t looked just like that as a kid.

“I’m as sure as I can be kiddo, but bad things happen, you know that.”
Again the head nodded itself deeper in the Janey’s chest. Janey felt that little head was probably lodging itself in her heart.
“The only thing we can control is how we live life in between bad things, you follow? Just love puppy the best you can, the way your Mommy and Daddy loved you, the way Ben loves you…” Hey, might as well go for broke, “the way I love you.”

“You can’t love me, you just met me.” At least Janey was pretty sure that’s what Becky said. It was hard to tell with her face buried in Jane’s shirt.

“Sometimes love doesn’t take much time to start. I know you loved puppy the moment he came home, and your momma loved you the moment she saw you. Kiddo, I can’t promise anything to you or puppy but love, but I’ll promise you that.”

They were silent for some time, Janey still rocking the girl, the puppy still smiling goofily.
Finally Becky spoke.
“His name is Nickels. ‘Cause that’s what he ate. Nickels. That’s not stupid is it?”

“Naw, I think it’s the only name a puppy like him could have.”
A sudden knock on the door made all three occupants of the bathroom jump in surprise.

“Is everything okay in there?” Ben’s strained voice reminded Janey of where she was, and she rose, still holding Becky in her arms.
Becky wasn't much smaller than Janey, but when a kid needs a hug, she need a darn good one.

“Come on Kiddo, let’s go tell you uncle the puppy’s name.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the next week, Janey stopped by Ben’s apartment after work each night to help walk Nickels. Janey was surprised at how much she really was growing to love Becky. The kid had more than lodged herself in Janey’s heart, she’d become part of it.

Yet one evening as Janey entered the apartment, her increasing worries engulfed her.
What if they realize they don’t need me anymore? They have pretty much got the puppy thing handled. Maybe I should do something drastic, but what?

Nickels greeted her with a sloppy kiss as she came in.
“Heya buddy. Where’s your shadow?”

“Hello Janey. Becky’s eating dinner at a friend’s house tonight.”

“Really? She’s making new friends, oh Ben that’s wonderful!”

Ben’s answering smile assured it that he agreed.

“Janey, would you like to go to diner with me? Alone, just the two of us.”

“You mean, a date?”

“Yeah,” He gave that adorable lopsided smile. “A date.”

Janey’s smile could have easily powered Las Vegas.

“Yeah. I’d like that.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hey Uncle Ben?” Becky stuck her head in the room.
“Yes Beck?” Ben continued to work on the open file before him.
“Are you going to marry Janey?”
Ben froze.
“Huh? Becky, she’s-we, well I’ve only known her a month honey.”

“Yeah, but you look are her the same way Daddy looked at Mommy. And she makes the room happy whenever she’s in it, all full of light, like Mommy. Even when she’s cranky.”

Ben felt like he’d been punch in the stomach. Felled by an eight-year-old. The first time she talks to him about her parents, and it’s to scold him on his love life!

“Becky, I don’t know if Janey’d want to marry me. I haven’t asked her.”
“Oh.” Becky seemed to think this over. “Well, you love her, right?”

“Becky,” he almost pleaded, “I’ve only known her a month!”
Becky approached him solemnly and he saw that she had Nickels clutched to her chest.

“I know Uncle Ben, but sometimes love doesn’t take much time to start.”

That was the moment the door bell rang.
“It’s Janey! I’ll get it!” Becky ran to the door, with a barking Nickels at her heels.

Ben sat, glued to his chair. When the heck had his niece become so wise? He heard Janey’s voice in the hall, and felt the familiar rush of warmth.
Marry Janey? It was too soon to even think…

“Hey Ben, Kiddo and I are gonna take this mutt out for a romp, you coming?” Janey barged into his study, looking fresh and alive. Lighting up the room.

“Yep. I’m coming General.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next few months went by quickly, with Ben and Janey learning more about each other, and Becky growing more attached to Janey.
Not yet ready to admit his own attachment to Janey, Ben focused his worry on the depth of Becky’s.

One evening at dinner he brought it up.
“Janey, you know Becky really likes you, right?”

Janey looked up from her food with a grin. “Yeah, I don’t know why, but she does.” Her grin faded as the look on Ben’s face stayed grim.

“What’s wrong Ben?” Oh God, is he going to break up with me?
“I’m just worried about Becky.” He rubbed his hands across his face.

“See, last time I dated someone, it was before my sister died, before Becky lived with me. When the accident happened…she left me. Said she couldn’t deal with so much commitment.” He paused and looked at Janey’s face.

“Can you Janey? Because Becky can’t face another loss…”

And neither can you, can you Ben? Janey felt her heart begin to shatter into tiny shards. It hurt like hell.

“Ben, I love Becky. But if you want me to back off, sure. I can do that.” Janey thought she was going to burst into tears.

“Janey, it’s not that exactly…” Ben suddenly wished he hadn’t said anything. What had he hoped to accomplish anyway?

“Well, what is it Ben?” When he didn’t answer, Janey rose.
“Anyway, I’d better get home. I have opening shift tomorrow. Night Ben.” Janey tossed down a twenty for her dinner and walked away from the table.

“Hang on Janey,” Ben fumbled with his wallet, trying to pay for their meal.
By the time he had, Janey was gone.

“It’s just as well asshole,” he told himself. “You were getting into too deep.”

Two weeks later, Ben knew he was already in too deep. Two weeks, and Janey had only come by three times to check on Nickels, one to take Becky to the park, and had said barely two words to him.
She hadn’t called him The Saint, hadn’t made fun of his work as an editor, she hadn’t even said anything nasty.
In short, Ben was going nuts, and it was his own fault.

What am I going to do?

It was Becky who answered.

“Uncle Ben, when are you going to ask Janey to marry you?”
When, not if.

Ben suddenly felt lighter. He grabbed Becky in a hug.

“Want to come shopping with me Kiddo?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janey came to the apartment, raised her hand to knock, and paused. Ben had called and asked her to come over. For a dinner. Alone.

She was petrified. She’d been so careful, not spending too much time with him or Becky, trying to ease his fear. Now she thought that all she had done was ease herself out of their lives.

The door opened, and Janey tried not to stare and Ben. He looked beautiful. Idiot, men don’t look beautiful, especially when they’re about to pulverize your heart!

“Hello, Janey, come on in.” Holding open the door, and shutting it behind her, Ben greedily drank in the sight of Janey.

God, he’d missed her.

They sat down to a very careful dinner, watching each other, barely tasting the food.

After dinner Ben asked Janey to join him on the balcony overlooking the city.
Janey clutched her napkin a moment, then nodded, following him outside.
Ben looked carefully at Janey’s face.
        Janey wouldn’t look at him.

If he was going to ask her to stop coming by, she wasn’t going to make it easy on him.

Ben’s hands drifted down to his jeans pocket, fingering the contents.
“Janey? I was an idiot to ask you to back off. It hasn’t changed anything. I’m miserable.”
Serves you right, Janey thought peevishly.
“I have a question.”
Janey looked up. After learning about his past experience with women, it was stupid of her to hope, but she couldn’t help it.
“Yes?” she said, annoyed by how breathless she sounded.
“Can I kiss you? Right now?” I sound like a teenager, Ben thought disgustedly. But he didn’t want to do this wrong.
It wasn’t the question Janey had stupidly been hoping for, but it wasn’t the dismal she’d been dreading. It was more than good enough.

“Oh yes.”

Ben held her face in his hands, and slowly lowered his lips to hers. He felt so big and clumsy, as though he would hurt her if he kissed her too hard.

Janey closed her eyes and almost fainted. He was kissing her. Really kissing her, in a serious way. This wasn’t lust, or a friendly kiss. This was a tender, devoted, careful kiss. Like he really cared about how it made her feel.

She opened her eyes and drew back with a smile.

“So I guess you really like me, huh?” The red flush in her cheeks and the quirk of her smile belied her flippant words.

Ben grabbed her in a tight hug and spoke into her shoulder.
“Yeah. I think I really like you, my tender general.”

Janey felt herself melting in the heat of his arms.
“I’m not a general…that’s not…very romantic…”

Ben’s lips were mapping the contours of Janey’s collar bone, and Janey almost fell backwards.
Laughing, Ben lifted his face to gaze once more into hers.
“What about you General Janey? Do you really like me?”

Janey kissed him once, then smiled happily.
“No.”
“No?” Ben looked puzzled, but not too worried. After all, she did have her arms around his neck.

“I really love you.”

For a quite some time, there were no more words, as both of their mouths were busy with other important activities. Presently, Ben withdrew.

“You know I love you too, don’t you Janey?”

“Yes. I wasn’t sure for awhile, but now, yes. Besides,” Janey gave a wicked smile, “ It’s the only reason I’ve let you call me general.”

“That only leaves one problem then.”
“What’s that?” Janey sighed and leaned into his arms. She felt so happy there.
“Nickels.”
“Nickels? What are you talking about?” Janey was suddenly gripped with worry.
“Oh Ben, is he okay? He was fine last time I came over, what-“
“Shh! He’s fine now, but I’m not sure how he’ll feel about having his mommy and daddy living in sin.”

Janey giggled and snuggled in closer. “He’ll get over it. It might take years of therapy, but he will.”

“I’m not so sure. He’s a very impressionable puppy.”

Janey smiled, waiting for Ben to finish the joke. When he didn’t, she looked at him in question.

“Ben?”

“Janey, I’ve loved you from the first moment you called me a sap-“

“And I’ve loved you from the first moment Nickels peed on you, so I win.” Janey tried to lighten the mood, to shove away the tremors suddenly attacking her stomach.

Ben smiled again. “That’s good. So, for Nickels sake, will you marry me?”
Ben reached into his jeans and pulled out a ring. A delicate silver ring with a bright yellow stone.
Becky had asked why it had to be yellow, and thought the symbol of their love should be something different.
“Why would she want to wear something that reminds her of Nickels peeing? I don’t get it!”

But Ben saw that Janey did.
Janey gaped. “Are you serious? Because if you aren’t I-I-I’ll think of something horrible to do to you! Ben-“
Janey was quaking. No way he could mean it. She was the prickly dreamer, he was The Saint.
She could imagine waking up next to him every day, never growing tired of his face, but how could she be what he wanted?
She didn’t realize she had asked it aloud.

“Oh Janey! Do you think I’d ask if I wasn’t sure? I’m miserable without you, and that’s entirely your fault. You’re fun, you make me want to be the man you think I am, and I love you. If you’ll say yes, I will marry you and together we’ll be the Saint and the General.”

“Yes, I’ll marry you. But only for Nickels…”
It was a long time late before either came up for air.

“What about Becky? I know she likes me but…”
“She more than likes you. She’s been pushing me to ask you since she met you. You can stop worrying about being perfect with us Janey, she doesn’t want us as replacement parents. I finally figured that out. To her we’ll always be…”

Janey laughed; suddenly feeling like the sun was shining out of her entire body.
“The Saint and the General!”

Then End.