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*1*
David looked across the top of the car at his husband and fixed him with a look. “We’re just in and out, getting a lay of the land to see what is there. No commitments.”
“Yes,” Patrick said as he joined David in front of the building.
“Patrick, pinkie swear.”
“David.”
David rested his arms on Patrick’s shoulders and leaned in. “Okay, it’s just your loud eyes plus a bunch of puppy eyes are too much at once. I need a promise from you.”
“Okay! I promise we’re just looking,” Patrick said solemnly with a hint of amusement.
“Did you bring the shopping list?”
“We’re not ordering a dog, David," he said, walking away. "We’ll know when we know.”
“Speak for yourself," he said under his breath.
*2*
“What…...what was that?” Patrick asked as they stared straight ahead after returning to the car.
“I know.” David shook his head minutely.
“No I mean, really, David,” he said with very wide round eyes. “What was that second animal? A bird? A dog?”
“Maybe a ferret?” David shrugged.
“Of course the Schitt’s Creek animal shelter would only have a cat that hates people, a ferret-bird, and a three-legged pig named Peg.”
“We can never come back here, Patrick.”
*3*
“Twyla’s cat had kittens,” Patrick shared as he toed off his shoes by the backdoor.
“ Absolutely not,” David said appalled, looking up from the iPad as he searched for recipes for dinner.
“David, you said you’d have an open mind.”
“About a dog. Cats are just….no,” David said as he kissed Patrick’s cheek. “Also, hi.”
“Hi. What do you have against cats?”
“They are picky and prickly and only barely tolerate people. Frankly, we’re too alike to exist in the same house.”
“Okay, David,” Patrick said as he kissed the side of his head. “Oh, maybe that recipe. We have chicken in the fridge.”
“Hmmm….wait, aren’t you allergic to cats?”
The back of Patrick’s neck turned pink.
“Huh?”
*4*
“You two are lucky you arrived when you did. She’s going to go quick,” Marsha from the Elmdale animal rescue said when they arrived.
David looked down at the prim little dog sitting politely at their feet. She was black and white and seemed quiet but sweet.
“What do you think, David? Fit the aesthetic?” Patrick bent down to pet the dog and she sat nicely for a treat.
David sighed, this wouldn't do.
“Marsha, thanks so much but I don’t think she’s what my husband is looking for. I’m sure she’ll find a great home elsewhere but we want a little more...” David grimaced. “Fun?”
“David, it’s fine,” Patrick said looking up confused at his husband.
“Actually what both of us are looking for,” he amended, surprising himself.
*5*
The bell above the door rang out, pulling David’s attention from the back displays to an unwelcome sight.
“Hey Dave, do you all carry dog food?” Roland asked out of breath as if he'd just jogged there from the motel.
“Ummm, no. We have artisanal dog treats. Did you...did you get a dog?”
“Nah, there is a stray dog that someone left at the motel. He’s pretty scared and I wanted something to lure him out. I need to hurry and pick Rollie up soon.”
Patrick walked out of the backroom as Roland finished explaining.
“We could go have a look if you need to get Roland, Jr,” he said cheerfully. “Give David and I a chance to peek in at the shelter when dropping him off.”
“Great, thanks, fellas. Joc will kill me if I forget him at preschool again this month. And I do not want to miss out on strip canasta again because she’s mad,” Roland started out the door immediately but called over his shoulder. “He’s in your old room, Dave.”
“What the fuck just happened?” David asked.
----
Walking up to the motel, David thumbed the key to the room that he still had.
“Why would someone just leave a dog.”
Patrick frowned. “I don’t know. I never could.”
Opening the door and looking in, David felt the nostalgia wash over him as his eyes adjusted to the dim room. At first, they didn’t see anything, but then peeking out from under Alexis’s old desk was a scruffy gray face. The puppy was cowering a bit, clearly scared.
“Forgot the treats in the car,” Patrick said, squeezing David’s shoulder.” Be right back.”
“Okay, but what do I do?”
But as he looked back, his husband was already out of the room. David sighed and moved closer.
“Hey there...um don’t worry,” David said quietly, trying to reassure the dog (do dogs need reassurance?). “Well, if you find any of Alexis’s old hair extensions under there, that would be horrifying but don’t be scared.
The puppy looked curious but as David got closer, he tucked himself back under the desk.
“Oh, I’m too big and scary. Ummm, here.”
David looked down. The carpet was newer than when they first moved in but still...floors. He grabbed a pillow and gingerly sat down by the bed. Close but not too close.
“You’re okay now. Whoever left you like that, they’re gone. Schitt’s Creek is safe.” A little nose stuck out a bit from the desk. “You’ll like it here. Well, at first it’s a nightmare, but you get used to it.”
David held his hand out for the puppy to sniff. His gray and black fur was matted but he looked clean at least.
“I know what it is like to get left here. Everyone forgetting about you." David tried not to let the old melancholy from those days resurface as he talked. That wasn't his life now. In fact... "But this is where I was found too, so it will be okay," he said more confidently.
Slowly the dog crept closer, sniffing David’s hand. Then all at once decided he was safe and surprised David by bounding out from under the desk and into David’s lap, burying his face under David’s arm, trying to get close.
“Oh, okay, well. You’re okay now," he whispered as he petted the soft, knotted fur cuddled up in his lap. "You’re safe and I’ve got you. Nothing is going to get you now, I promise."
David would make sure of it. Just like this town had made sure of it for him.
He looked up at the sound of a sniff. Patrick was in the doorway with slightly wet eyes, giving him his fondest look.
“He’s okay,” he said, shrugging.
Yeah, he’s okay, David.”
“You were right.”
“About what?” Patrick asked quietly, bending down to pet the puppy’s head.
“When you know, you just know.”
“Hmmm.”
“What do you think of the name Owen?”
*+1*
Sitting on a bench, facing the grassy area in the middle of the park, he watched the dog bound through the leaves after a black squirrel. His scruffy black and grey fur was littered with leaves, but his happy gait made David smile in spite of the mess.
A short whistle perked the dog’s ears up as a man came into view. “Stay close, Owen.”
His cheeks were red from the cold and keeping up with the dog. Beanie pushed back and coat unbuttoned, you could tell he’d been running after the dog, trying to keep up with the energy of a puppy enjoying his first fall. But his wide smile showed how much he loved it.
And David loved him even more for it.
The dog suddenly caught sight of David and looped over, making a beeline with his leaf-covered snout for David’s knees.
“Well, ew. Hello.”
He attempted to swipe the leaves but was learning it was a lost cause and was learning to accept that as well. Trading a need to keep everything just so in favor of soft fur, goofy looks, and unconditional affection. David never knew he was a dog person but here he was.
“Someone came to get you to play with us,” Patrick said, swooping down to push his cold nose into David’s neck to warm up.
“Mmmm, I love you both but I’m not getting into the leaves. No matter how many pairs of puppy dog eyes.”
Paws came up onto the bench next to him as a puppy nose investigated the fringe of his scarf, tugging as if to try to pull him out to play. Patrick looked at him with an amused expression as he detangled paws and puppy teeth from the fringe. He was still surprised David tolerated Owen’s puppy antics, let alone loved him as much as he did.
David had just learned to always bring hand sanitizer.
“How about instead of leaves, we head across and grab brunch at that new place. Make it a park and brunch morning in Elmdale?”
David would never say no to brunch. And it was still just warm enough to be able to sit outside with the dog.
“Oh, yes! Owen, bacon?”
Ears up, tailing wagging. Owen was definitely on board.