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Leaving the park Bart rolls in something dead before he can be stopped and as soon as they walk in the door, Ben drags him to the bathroom. Alex, always surprised by Ben’s willingness to bath the puppy, tries to find the dog towel he knows came out of the tumble dryer last night; touching the ring every few minutes.
Lost in his thoughts, Alex jumps when Allie’s voice sounds over the intercom. He buzzes them up and ignoring the splashing, yelling, and barking coming from the bathroom, opens the door for them. God only knows what Ben and Bart are doing in there and he’s in no hurry to investigate.
Polly’s hair is now bright orange and she looks like the world’s oldest punk rocker. It makes her look older and Alex prefers the turquoise, but she looks as healthy and as full of mischief as ever and returns his hug with enthusiasm.
“Child, stop whatever you’re doing and come hug your grandmother,” she calls to Ben as Alex turns to Allie.
“How was your trip?” he asks.
“All good, kid,” Allie says with a smile, pulling him to her. “Happy birthday.”
Alex holds her at arm’s length and frowns.
“You look tired, Allie. Everything okay?”
“Nothing being here won’t cure. I’ve got a builder who is holding up the laying of foundations and my mother is determined to repaint the entirety of the house before fall. I just need to sleep for about a week.”
“Well you can sleep late tomorrow, I promise,” he says leading her into the living room.
“Really? Did you leave earplugs on our pillows?” Polly laughs when Alex blushes. “Birthday boy, you are too much fun for an old broad like me.”
“That’s because you’re bad,” Alex replies. “Just like your grandson.”
“Which is why you love us,” Ben says behind him. When Alex turns, Ben is holding a squirming and soaking wet Labrador in his arms and looks as if he spent more time in the water than Bart did. The puppy wriggles his way to freedom and races around the room, jumping from the couch to the floor to an armchair while Alex tries to catch him.
“Ben! Seriously?” he yells as the dog does another circuit of the room.
Ben shrugs and turns to his mother and grandmother.
“He said yes.”
Polly shrieks and throws her arms around Ben; Allie catches Bart as he races past her and holds him while Alex slips his collar on, uncaring of the water being shaken all over her.
“That’s the best news I’ve had all week,” she says with a smile. Leans over and kiss Alex’s cheek.
Alex succeeds in man handling Bart into the kitchen and pulls the barrier across, trapping him. He turns and lets Polly engulf him in a Chanel perfumed, bright blue silk hug. Over her shoulder, he sees Allie stroke Ben’s cheek.
“Congratulations, kid,” she says.
When she steps away, Alex crosses the room and slips an arm around Ben, then recoils.
“Ugh, you smell of wet puppy,” he says. “How bad is the damage in the bathroom?”
“All good, nothing needs replacing.”
In the past six months they’ve had to replace one shower head, three bath mats, and two pairs of shoes. Several books have fallen victim and at least twice a week the papers are shredded before anyone can read them. Once, at Matt and Claire’s, Bart snatched a loaf of bread from Matt’s hands and last week he helped himself to an entire chicken while Alex was getting carrots out of the fridge. When they came home from the movies one night to find the remote devoured and the living room drapes dripping with pee, Ben put his foot down and insisted on obedience classes and a puppy sitter. Twice a week they take him to obedience classes and during the day, he goes to a pet day care near the hospital. Meg, a high school senior whose family has the other half of the second floor, is thrilled to make some extra pocket money puppy sitting.
Speaking of Meg, they’re not going to be ready when she gets here if they don’t get moving Alex realizes, glancing at his watch. He dispatches Ben to one bathroom to clean up the mess and then shower – no there is not time for a bath – and Allie and Polly to their room. Finally finds the towel and sits down on the kitchen floor to dry Bart. Panting, the puppy rests his head on Alex’s shoulder, tail sweeping back and forth across the tiles.
“Best birthday ever, Bart” Alex tells him with a smile.
It was possible to be happier. Who knew?
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