Page 55 of Oblivion
I couldn’t leave him here. I couldn’t let them do this to him. I knew what it felt like, being unwanted, and this poor dog didn’t deserve it.
“I want to adopt him,” I announced, never moving my eyes away from him.
“What?” she asked, her eyes widening in shock. “Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack,” I murmured. And as if he knew what was going on, his head suddenly perked up, his tongue lolled out and I could swear he was smiling at me. “What do you say, darling?” I asked him, smiling at him. “You wanna come home with me?”
“Wow,” she breathed out, and as I looked at her, I could see the tears pooling in her eyes. “I’m sorry, I just…” she trailed off. “I prayed and prayed and prayed that someone would take him. He’s the best dog. A true king. He doesn’t care about cats. He gets along with other dogs, and we even managed to teach him a few tricks, thinking it would help with his adoption process. But most of the people that come here want smaller breeds because they think rottweilers are dangerous.”
She suddenly stood up and brushed her pants.
“And they’re not. I mean, in all honesty, every single animal is dangerous if you don’t work with them.”
“Oh, I know. I was attacked by a shih-tzu once and they’re a small breed.” I laughed. “I know about rottweilers and the stigma around them, but I’m sure we will be just fine.”
“Are you sure you wanna do this?” she asked. “He needs to go out at least three times per day. They’re active dogs and they like to play, they like to listen, and—”
“I know and I want him.”
With the way he was looking at me, he wanted to come home with me too.
The girl started to go out toward the door when I asked, “I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
“Diana,” she answered. “I’ll get those papers done for you. Oh, but wait.” She stopped suddenly. “What are you going to call him?”
I looked at him, but there was only one name in my head.
“Kaiser,” I answered. “An emperor.” As soon as his name rolled off my tongue, Kaiser stood up and started licking my hand.
“You like it, don’t you?” I asked him, grinning from ear to ear.
16
OPHELIA
I hada feeling that Diana skipped a few steps through the adoption process, but I was glad to get out of there with Kaiser walking right next to me.
I was completely unprepared, but the shelter sold collars and leashes, and since I wouldn’t be able to drag a large bag of dog food, I bought a smaller one just to have it until tomorrow. Grocery shopping was long overdue, and while it was never something I enjoyed doing, it gave me an excuse to get out of the house and I was definitely going to use it.
Diana also explained the commands Kaiser already knew, recommended a veterinarian in the area, and snuggled with Kaiser, tearing up when we finally left the shelter.
I expected him to pull, to try and go here and there, but all the way home, Kaiser walked next to me as if he'd been doing it every single day of his life. I grinned every time he looked up at me. I had never seen gratitude like the one shining through his brown eyes.
I had never wanted to cry as much as I wanted to cry for him. He wasn’t walking next to me, he was practically jumping as we walked home. Never once did he try to step away from me. A dam I didn’t know I was holding opened up in me, and halfway home, I started choking from the emotions too strong for me to handle.
“I’m sorry, darling,” I whispered as we stopped just one block before our house. “I’m not sad.” I scratched him behind his ears and kneeled in front of him. “I just don’t understand how anyone could leave you.”
He licked my face, his paw coming on top of my knee as if he understood. As if he knew.
“But I am not going to leave you, you know.” I smiled wobbly. “I will never leave you.”
That smile of his spread even wider, his tail wagging, and I knew it was the best decision I could have made. I made many mistakes, but this here, this was something good.
I did one good thing in my life, and it filled me with a happiness I hadn’t felt before.
“Let’s go home,” I murmured as I stood up, and he immediately fell in the line, on my right side, right next to my leg.
I was lost in my thoughts when we crossed the street, but as we passed the two houses before ours, I knew something was wrong.
