Taken By A Texan

It was later that Lu felt the dog get up and cross over her covered, cramped legs to jump down onto the floor. His toenails clicked as he went over to the window to sit there. She opened her eyes to watch the dog. He was watching the door.

There was a soft knock and before she could say or do anything, the door opened. It was Rip. “You awake?”

She said, “The dog sleeps on the bed. He’s a sham.”

“I didn’t think he’d pull that on a fragile lady! I am shocked.” He shook his head and tsked, looking at the dog.

Then with his lack of any surprise, she mentioned, “Apparently, not very much.”

“I’ve gotten used to it in this time he’s been with me. The curious part is he has no qualms about sleeping with somebody, but he’s careful to be on the floor if somebody else comes along.”

She nodded. “A total fraud.”

Rip asked gently, “Did you sleep at all?”

“Like a dead rock!”

“There are live rocks?” he gasped.

She groaned. “You’re one of those kind who is easily shocked.”

So, of course, he then said, “So you slept like a dead rock.”

“I breathed.”

With her words, Rip remembered their watching to be sure her brother in the hospital breathed. Her brother. Rip asked, “Where are your parents?” “My daddy had a heart attack when he heard Andrew was missing. Mother’s with him.”

“Ahhhh. He okay?”

“It was mild. It might not have been a heart attack, as such as it was panic. He tends to be emotional. Our doctor is careful of him. My daddy talks to the medical staff here. They give him updates.”

Rip by then had slowly moved to the side of her bed. He sat on the edge very carefully, like an animal who isn’t sure of his welcome.

She asked logically, “How am I to get up and get dressed with you here?”

“I’ll help.”

“No. I’m capable. Go downstairs, and I’ll be there in just a couple of minutes.”

“You’re selfish!” He made the two growling, hushed words into shock.

She considered for a minute and then nodded as she agreed, “Yep.”

He looked disgruntled. He did a good job of it, but she wasn’t lured. She was worse. She was patient.

Rip sighed with great drama, then he said to the dog, “Come along, Buddy. If I can’t stay here and watch her dress, then neither can you. You’ve already slept with her. I am surprised at you. Shame on you!”

The dog lifted his head, closed his eyes and panted oddly as if he was laughing.

She said, “It’s as if—”

“Yeah. He thinks I’m funny. He laughs most of the time. And he tries to communicate. He thinks I’m real dumb.”

She agreed with his study. “Dogs tend to be tolerant, but you wonder what sort of words they mumble under their breaths.”

He nodded as he replied, “You’ve been the servant of dogs.”

She shared: “Cats are less demanding. They can get up on tables easier than dogs. On beds, they at first pretend to be little, fluffy balls that take up no room at all. Then when you’re asleep, they take the middle of the bed and sprawl out...sideways.”

“Dogs are similar. They’re surprised when any human objects to not having their share of the bed.”

“How do you handle that?”

“I pitch the dog outside.”

“In this weather?”

“It’s spring for crying out loud! He ought to just sleep outside. He would, but there isn’t a fence around my place.”