Part 71

Charlotte woke to the smells of bacon and coffee. Rolling over her first thoughts were, "There is a God." For no matter what was going on in her life, breakfast was her favorite meal; especially when it involved bacon and coffee. As she sat up to gather her robe to go downstairs, she noticed a note propped up the nightstand.

Charlotte,

Thank you for intervening. I wasn't drinking, but I couldn't look away.

Love,
Sam

Maybe there was hope, too.

As she eased herself down the stairs, Charlotte overheard Sam and Jenny.

"Watch the eggs, sweetheart," he was instructing. "They're starting to stick."

Not acknowledging her father's warning Jenny replied, "Do you think Nana will get to see the new baby?"

"I don't know. Mommy still has 4 more months until the baby is born. Some days Nana looks great, energetic, and others..." Sam's voice trailed off.

"What will Grandpa do after she's gone?"

Charlotte, not wanting to interrupt sat down on bottom step and listened.

"I don't know. But he's welcome to stay with us."

Jenny's voice squealed, "Do you think he will?"

The coffeemaker beeped, Charlotte thought its noise created a sort of pregnant pause, the pause right before a cliff hanger.

"I hope he does. I can't imagine traveling about alone would be much fun for him."

The toaster popped. "I'll ask him!" offered Jenny.

Without actually seeing him Charlotte knew her husband was smirking from ear to ear. He was so proud of his daughters and their thoughtfulness, when they weren't trying to kill each other. "You just do that. Tell him he always has a space here and here."

Here and here; Charlotte was puzzled. Here being the house but here being where else. She'd have to ask him when they were alone. Just then the light charge of dog barreling down the steps behind her filled the house. Unable to rise in time to give them the full step, Charlotte squeezed over to the wall, figuring the dogs would run past to investigate the food smells. She was wrong.

Gussie and Kaylie came to a screeching halt on the step above her. Where they started to kick her ears and neck.

"Yuck! You're a butt licker!" She tried to get away from them, but they had squished her to the wall. "Help! I'm being kissed by the butt lickers!"

Sam and Jenny charged in from the kitchen, while Lovie and Sarah flew in from upstairs. No one went to help her. They were all overcome with fits of laughter. "They love you," gushed Sarah.

"Mom, you look like a dog whisperer. They love you," squealed Lovie. "Can they lick me now."

Blocking her face from the attack she said, "No, these dogs lick their butts. I don't want them licking me or you." She looked to her husband for help, "Sam?"

Not taking a step closer to his wife, he shook his head and started to walk away, "you're the one that wanted a dog."

"A dog, not two..."

Sam stopped. "So you want me to take him back."

The house went dead silent. Even the dogs stopped. Did they really know what was being said?

"No Gussie and Kaylie both stay." They'd only been there a short while, but she could remember the house without them.

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