THEA
Isipped my frappuccino and looked around for my brother. He was late. I had a million things to do and sitting in a café waiting on my big brother was not at the top of the list. It did feel good to sit down for a minute. Things were crazy. I was burning the candle at both ends. Taking a minute to just enjoy coffee was nice.
I spotted him the moment he pulled open the door. I waved my hand to get his attention. Before he came to sit down, he gave his drink order to one of the servers. I knew my brother very, very well. We were close, and when he was mad, sad, or in between, I knew it.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
He looked at his phone before putting it face down on the table. “Nothing. How are you? You said you were stressing out yesterday.”
It was what he always did. He was always trying to take care of me. It was like having a second dad. “It’s nothing. What’s going on with you?”
“Just been a busy day,” he said with a sigh.
His coffee was delivered. He checked his phone again. I knew there was something bothering him, but I wouldn’t bug him. He’d tell me when he was ready. “It’s that time of year,” I said with a sigh.
“Been busy?”
I nodded. “Kids going to school, and there is suddenly no time for a dog or guinea pig. Kids going off to college and the parents don’t want to take care of their pets. People know it’s going to get cold and don’t want to deal with a big, shaggy, stinky dog in the house.”
“You know this happens every year,” he said.
“I know. We just never really got cleared out before the surrender rush. If we don’t get these animals adopted before the after-Christmas surrender rush, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I won’t have the room. I need to do some kind of adoption fair.”
“Don’t even ask me to take another dog,” he warned. “I’m one of those that would just have to bring it right back. I work way too much.”
“I know, I know,” I said. “I wouldn’t ask you to take a dog.”
“Again,” he reminded me.
I giggled softly. “I’m just glad you tried. Me and the animals appreciate the effort.”
Once again, he got that faraway look in his eyes. He looked off. Something was most definitely on his mind. “How many are you taking?” He asked the question, but it wasn’t like he was really interested. He was staring out the window.
“Want to tell me what’s eating you from the inside out?” I asked. “Remember, I’m half dog-whisperer, which means I’m a pretty good judge of a person’s mood as well. You know you’re going to tell me, so let’s get it out in the open. Let me help you.”
He checked his phone and then looked at me. “It’s not just me that has a problem. We do.”
“We? As in me and you?”
He nodded. “And Dad.”
I groaned and leaned back. “What did she do now? Another shopping spree on Dad’s credit card?”
“Worse,” he replied. “She’s moving him to Calgary.”
My mouth fell open. “No.”
“Yeah, well, as it turns out, Dad is all grown up and he’s going.”
“Why in the hell is she dragging him there?” I asked.
“Because we’re here,” he said. “She wants him as far from us as possible. No witnesses to the abuse she’s subjecting him to.”
“His friends and family are here,” I said. “That woman is evil. What the hell does he see in her?”
“She’s twenty years younger than he is and shook her ass just right,” Rich muttered.
“Whore,” I muttered. “She dresses like a woman of the night. When did Dad like that?”