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ZELDA AND PIP SCRAMBLED eggs, seared bacon and had a fresh pot of coffee ready for the morning.  Although she wasn’t envious, Zelda’s eyes went back to Pip’s ring.  Scott had slipped a ring on her finger at the party last month, but he didn’t propose. She was curious.

“If you don’t mind, may I ask how Michael proposed to you?” She said giving Pip the side eye.

“Zelda it was sweet. He stumbled over the suitcase, pulling all of his clothes out and into the middle of the floor until he found the ring.  He sat there, like a big drunk baby because he wasn’t able to get on one knee, opening the box and sticking it up in the air like Smigel gaining a hold on ‘his precious.’ It was adorable,” she said with a tear running down her cheek.

She turned to Zelda, her eyes brimming with tears.  “He said he searched high and low to find the perfect stones to match the color of my eyes.  Blue eyes that he wanted to stare into for the rest of his. Then, he asked me to do him the honor of being his wife, the mother of his children and keeper of his heart,” she said biting her bottom lip.

The emotion impacted Zelda as well causing her to choke up a bit. “What happened next Pip?”

“Well, he passed gas, started laughing, collapsed on the floor and fell asleep,” she said.

“So much for the romantic ending.  I can’t see how the two of them managed to do any of that stuff as drunk as they were,” Zelda said.  “Maybe we should go get them and get some food in their bellies to help with the sobering up portion.”

“Yes, where did Michael go?”

“He went in the bedroom with Scott,” Zelda said.

Pip’s blue eyes got wide.

“What?” Zelda asked, feeling a bought of concern.

“Maybe we should go check on them.  They are both still pretty snockered, I mean, Michael did say his ass is sore and he doesn’t know why,” Pip said moving down the hallway, but Zelda pulled her arm stopping her.  Scott wasn’t dressed and she didn’t know if he was covered or not. Pip could see Michael naked all she wanted, but a nude Scott was for her eyes only.

“I’m not understanding what you are implying Pip?”

“They were drinking Zelda.  I’m not sure what Scott will do when he drinks.  He never gets drunk...and we don’t know how Michael’s ass got sore,” she said, raising her chin as if Scott could have been the cause of her new fiancé’s tender tushy.

“Seriously?  You think they got drunk enough that Scott suddenly decided to run his junk up Mike’s keester or that Mike would have thought that was a fun thing to do on a night out in Vegas?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds kind of dumb,” Pip said, trying to peek over Zelda’s shoulder into the room. Scott, fully covered, sleeping with his face to the wall, had a silly smile on his face as he snoozed.  Michael, equally happy, faced the wall, his arm under his head as a pillow.

All of the pillows on the king sized bed were lined down the center of the bed, separating the bed into equal parts as the men slept.  Zelda reached the other side of the bed, securing Scott’s phone.  Remembering the pattern he used to open the phone, she repeated his movement, unlocking the device and showing it to Pip.

“This is why Michael’s ass is sore,” she said, showing her the video of the men using the vibrating chair.  “There are 45 minutes of this video and they nearly get into a fight at the end.”

“By His mercy,” Pip said, contorting her face. “Is that a testicular tray in that chair?”

“Yep,” Zelda said.  “I think they both ordered one of these chairs for their personal use.”

“Good God, the look on Michael’s face and did he just...turn that off!  Turn that off!” Pip said, covering her eyes.

“Yeah, your new fiancé is freaky as hell,” Zelda said, laughing. The phone, she placed on a charger as her stomach rumbled.  “I’m hungry.  Let’s just let these two sleep it off today and we will decide what to do when they wake up.”

A soft knock was heard at the front door. Zelda, frowning, wondered who in the world was at her door this time.  If it was the owner of the monkey seeking some form of restitution, she would shoot him on the spot.

“Are you expecting someone?” Pip asked, peering out the peephole?  “He has a box in his hand.  Hold up, let me get a knife from the kitchen.”

“What is with you and the knives?”

“We have to protect ourselves.  The world is going crazy and these men don’t know how to accept the word no. If this joker is going to try something, he is going to have to fight us both,” Pip said, grabbing the biggest knife she could find in the kitchenette.

“Delivery for Ms. Fitzsimmons,” the man said.

“Sit it down. I will get it,” Zelda said.

“I’m sorry Ma’am, but you have to sign for it,” the man at the door said.

Zelda opened the door to let the man and the box inside.  Pip stood behind the door with the knife and a tough girl look on her face.

“Jeez,” the guy with the Pets R Us shirt said. “Mr. Berger ordered this for you and asked me to deliver it this morning. Sign here.”

“What is it?  I am not signing anything until I know what it is,” Zelda said.

“Don’t matter. It’s already paid for and now it’s yours,” the guy said, stepping sideways. “I will just right you refused to sign, but it will make my job easier if you do.”

“Fine!” Zelda said, scribbling her name on the paper, accepting the box.  Something moved inside of it and she nearly dropped the container. “Something is moving inside of it.”

The quick hands of the delivery man caught the box, placing it on the coffee table.  “Be good to her,” he said, making a hasty exit.

“Her?” both Pip and Zelda said at the same time. They stood side by side staring at the box as it moved again.

“What do you think it is?” Pip asked.

“Only one way to find out,” Zelda said, pulling the brightly colored ribbon off, lifting the lid with holes punched in the sides.  Her mouth dropped open as she eyed the small ball of fur inside the box. It was a brown and white Peekapoo, with large brown eyes. Inside of the container were two small bowls, one with the name Diamond stenciled on it and a designer doggy carrier.

“She is a certified companion dog,” Pip said, reading the note. “Scott got you a therapy dog.  That is so sweet.”

“Pip, how am I going to take care of this animal, I have to work and interview people?  I may be gone for hours at a time,” she said.

“Zelda, it’s a therapy dog, which means that it can go anywhere you go. She has a carrier. Besides, I am off today, so I can babysit when you go to work, and from there we just make a schedule for the next two months for her care,” she said, looking at the tiny angel.

“She is cute,” Zelda said picking up the puppy. Her little body shaking in fear as Zelda held her close. “She’s scared. Oh little one, it's okay.  My name is Zelda and I am going to take good care of you.”

Pip watched her friend stroke the tiny puppy, nestling it close to her chest, speaking soothing words to Diamond. A puppy was the last thing she would have ever expected Scott to give Zelda, but in her eyes, it may have been the perfect present.

“You are going to make a good mom Zelda,” Pip said.

“Really?  You think so?”

“Yeah, Diamond there is going to be lucky to have you,” Pip said with a smile.

Bending over, while still holding her new little darling, she realized she’d never had a pet before in her life. The bowls inside of the box were empty which meant her new gal pal was in need of water.  A small bag of kibble was inside the carrier, along with a chew toy and a ball. Zelda carried the puppy to the kitchen as she filled her water bowl, placing her on the floor to drink. Adorable. A damned puppy. That man got me a damned puppy.

Suddenly, the worries about lost memories and diaries, soon to be a part of her past, and moving forward she would seek light instead of dwelling on the dark recesses of her mind which she could not see. Maybe they are not meant to be seen. “My life is now,” Zelda said looking at Pip.

“Pip, I am lucky to have you as well,” she said, finding her eyes stinging. “I’ve never had a pet. This is going to be a new experience for me.”

“Of course, I understand. I say when you get back from work, we go shopping and get Ms. Diamond a wardrobe of cute pink outfits and matching hats,” Pip said.

“And nope,” Zelda added. “I feel stupid enough about my life as is. I don’t need to bring her into my world by dressing her like a little clown.”

“But Zelda...just think, you can start an Instagram page, a new blog of ‘Me and Ms. D’ or something. I mean, you have to think about your life after you leave this job. There have to be some thoughts on the next steps when you move to Kentucky and become Scott’s wife. I know I have been thinking about what I am going to do when I move to Texas, especially after we conceive our first child,” Pip said.

A slow smile came to Zelda’s lips as she poured them both a cup of coffee. The idea of being an Aunt to Michael and Pip’s child warmed her heart. A thought flickered across her mind of who would get pregnant first, she or her BFF.  Adding some kibble to Diamond’s bowl, she washed her hands then made a plate of breakfast for Pip and herself sitting down at the table. Before blessing the food, she jumped up, startling her breakfast companion to grab her current journal. Diamond’s tiny paws following behind her new master, returning, to lie at Zelda’s feet. In the diary, she started a new entry.

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DEAR DIARY,

Today, I am moving forward. Scott gifted me with a brand new puppy named Diamond who will require my constant attention, love and care.  I guess he figured if I had to focus my time and energy on someone other than myself, then I could see a bigger picture.

I don’t even like dogs.

I like this one though.

I am happy.

I am nobody’s victim.

I am loved.

Zelda Marie Fitzsimmons (Berger)

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