Ellie’s satisfaction we made our way out to the Jeep. Ellie was practically skipping the whole way. The sight of her so happy made my chest swell. I wanted her to feel loved and wanted every damn minute of every day. Just then Aaron and Jenny drove up, right on time. Ellie started to jump up and down when Jenny walked up to her. Jenny grabbed Ellie’s hand and looked at the ring as they both let out a small scream. Then she leaned in asked Ellie something. Ellie turned bright red and looked over at me. She turned back and said something to Jenny that caused a huge smile to spread across Jenny’s face.
Aaron walked up and handed me a huge ass box. I sat down on the porch steps and called Ellie over.
“I have one more Christmas present for you sweetheart. ” Ellie turned and looked at the box I was holding. She came and sat down next to me and smiled.
“What is it?!” She asked filled with excitement.
“Well, the only way you are going to find out baby is if you take the lid off!”
Ellie reached over and took the lid off and a 7 week old chocolate lab popped his head up. Little guy looked liked he had been sleeping.
“Ohhh! Oh my god! Is he MINE?!”
I started to laugh. Damn she was so fucking cute.
“Yes, baby he’s yours. ”
Ellie reached in and lifted him out of the box and started to hug him. Aaron and Jenny looked on as Ellie smelled every inch of him and said how wonderful he smelled. Her smell senses and mine were clearly different.
She looked at the ribbon that was tied around his neck. The note I wrote was tied onto it. She took the note off and put the puppy down. Little guy went right over and peed in the grass.
“Oh sure now the little fucker goes to the bathroom in the grass!” Aaron said.
Ellie started to read the note out loud.
“Dear mommy, I’m here to help daddy watch over you and protect you and love you like there is no tomorrow. Love, Gus. ”
Ellie turned her head to look at me. Those blue eyes were filling with tears as she leaned over and kissed me. She pulled away from my lips just a little and smiled.
“Thank you…. . I love him and I love that you remember every single thing I say to you Drew Mathews. I love you so much!”
“I love you too Ellie, more than you will ever know. ”
It was 11:00 in the morning by the time we got back up to the ranch house. Ellie looked nervous as she was holding Gus in her arms while the little bastard slept in total peace. Lucky ass dog.
“What’s wrong sweetheart? You look like you just saw a ghost. ”
“Holy shit Gunner! Your grandparents are going to know that we had…. . . that we had…. . . SEX!”
I started to laugh my ass off! Fuck she really was so damn cute.
“Ellie, we’re adults, they knew what I was planning all along. Believe me; I got the lecture from them about protection yesterday before I took you to the cabin. ”
“But I would never want them to think badly of me for having sex with you before we got married.
I had to smile at how thoughtful her heart was. I pushed a piece of hair that had fallen out from her pony behind her ear.
“Ellie, don’t let those two fool you. They were sneaking around in Grams barn at seventeen having sex! Gramps talks a lot when he gets drunk. ”
Ellie threw her hand up to her mouth and started to giggle and woke up the little monster.
Just then I heard Ari and Jeff. I looked up and they were walking hand and hand down to the barn. I was so happy Jeff finally came to his goddamn senses. They both looked so happy. I was not going to tell Ellie but Jeff was planning on asking Ari to marry him graduation night.
Ari took one look at Ellie and she screamed. Ellie screamed back as she jumped out of the jeep, put poor little sleepy and lost looking Gus on the ground and ran over to Ari. Jeff just smiled and stepped out the way of two very excited females. Ari grabbed Ellie’s left hand and screamed again.
Little Gus looked up at me like I knew what the feeling of not being in her arms anymore felt like. Little bastard thought like me already……I was going to love this dog. I reached down and picked him up.
“I know buddy…. . . she has bewitched me also. ” I said as I held Gus in my arms.