together. "Ah, let's figure out the dinner."
Recognizing when a subject was closed, Eric nodded in acknowledgement. "Can I help cook dinner?"
"Not if you want to live." At Eric's raised eyebrow, Thomas said, "I'm not good at sharing my domain."
Eric laughed. "Ah, a diva." At Thomas' glare he said, "That's fine with me. I'm a hopeless cook. I'll sit here and stay out of your way."
"Better still, take the dogs out for a quick walk. But stay away from the cottage."
Confused, Eric asked, "Why's that?"
Walking over to where Eric was standing, Thomas laid a hand on his arm. "I don't want you to think about it too much today. Just walk the other side of the lake, please?" His blue eyes held Eric's in a serious look and Eric realized he liked the fact Thomas seemed to care about his feelings.
"Okay, but I'm a big boy now, Mom."
Thomas flipped him the finger. "Get outta here before I decide to feed your dinner to the beasts."
"No! Please don't do that, Thomas. I'm really hungry." Eric begged. "I'm going, honest… if I knew where my sneakers were."
"In the hall closet with your jacket," Thomas informed him as he started getting out the pans to cook dinner. "Be back in half an hour."
Eric was so hungry he almost whined at the delay. Thomas must have seen his expression because he threw Eric a carrot.
"A carrot?" he whimpered.
"Well, if you don't want it…" Thomas began.
Eric took a large bite. "Numf, 'S finme," he mumbled, even though he'd rather be chowing down on the steak.
Thomas shooed him away and he went, grumbling under his breath. The dogs had retreated to the conservatory again to bask in the sunshine but when they heard the sounds of Eric rummaging in the closet they came to investigate. The sight of Eric putting on his sneakers made their tails wag furiously. The next few minutes were a mixture of him cursing as the dogs stepped over his hands as he tied his shoes and doggy breath as they noisily encouraged him to hurry it along.
The late afternoon sunshine was warm enough not to need a jacket and the dogs bowled ahead of him as he finally got some fresh air. They seemed to know where they were going without his assistance, and in lieu of anything better to do, Eric followed them.
A minute later he could hear splashing and he cursed as he realized who would be rubbing down stinky, wet dogs very shortly. Jeez, would Thomas even let him back in the house? Perhaps he wouldn't send Eric away without his dinner. He could always eat it on the doorstep. He wasn't above begging.
He reached the lake just as the dogs decided they'd enough and bounded out of the water. Eric was covered head to foot in lake water when they shook themselves thoroughly as close to their owner as they could manage. Eric was convinced they did it on purpose.
"You evil, mangy mutts!" he yelled at them, and then chased them along the sandy beach. Toby and Millie raced ahead, barking loudly in excitement as their owner swore he would skin them and render them down for fat. The three of them ended up in a wet, stinking heap on the sandy ground, Eric laughing hysterically as Millie panted in his face and Toby shoved his wet muzzle along the bare skin of his stomach.
Eric lay back as Millie planted her paws on his shoulders and he laughed until the tears streamed down his face. The mirth died away to hiccupping sobs as he realized that if he hadn't brought his dogs with him he would have died in the fire. Eric clutched onto his pets, ignoring their wet fur as he sobbed, shuddering in horror of what might have been.
Sitting up, Eric stared across the lake to where the skeleton of the cottage remained. Thomas had asked him not to go and look but he wanted to see for himself what he'd escaped from. Just not today, he thought, as he curled round his pups on the sand.
Seeming to sense his change in mood, the dogs snuggled in close as though they were comforting him. He only sat up, one dog on either side, when Thomas came into view.
"Hey,
Recognizing when a subject was closed, Eric nodded in acknowledgement. "Can I help cook dinner?"
"Not if you want to live." At Eric's raised eyebrow, Thomas said, "I'm not good at sharing my domain."
Eric laughed. "Ah, a diva." At Thomas' glare he said, "That's fine with me. I'm a hopeless cook. I'll sit here and stay out of your way."
"Better still, take the dogs out for a quick walk. But stay away from the cottage."
Confused, Eric asked, "Why's that?"
Walking over to where Eric was standing, Thomas laid a hand on his arm. "I don't want you to think about it too much today. Just walk the other side of the lake, please?" His blue eyes held Eric's in a serious look and Eric realized he liked the fact Thomas seemed to care about his feelings.
"Okay, but I'm a big boy now, Mom."
Thomas flipped him the finger. "Get outta here before I decide to feed your dinner to the beasts."
"No! Please don't do that, Thomas. I'm really hungry." Eric begged. "I'm going, honest… if I knew where my sneakers were."
"In the hall closet with your jacket," Thomas informed him as he started getting out the pans to cook dinner. "Be back in half an hour."
Eric was so hungry he almost whined at the delay. Thomas must have seen his expression because he threw Eric a carrot.
"A carrot?" he whimpered.
"Well, if you don't want it…" Thomas began.
Eric took a large bite. "Numf, 'S finme," he mumbled, even though he'd rather be chowing down on the steak.
Thomas shooed him away and he went, grumbling under his breath. The dogs had retreated to the conservatory again to bask in the sunshine but when they heard the sounds of Eric rummaging in the closet they came to investigate. The sight of Eric putting on his sneakers made their tails wag furiously. The next few minutes were a mixture of him cursing as the dogs stepped over his hands as he tied his shoes and doggy breath as they noisily encouraged him to hurry it along.
The late afternoon sunshine was warm enough not to need a jacket and the dogs bowled ahead of him as he finally got some fresh air. They seemed to know where they were going without his assistance, and in lieu of anything better to do, Eric followed them.
A minute later he could hear splashing and he cursed as he realized who would be rubbing down stinky, wet dogs very shortly. Jeez, would Thomas even let him back in the house? Perhaps he wouldn't send Eric away without his dinner. He could always eat it on the doorstep. He wasn't above begging.
He reached the lake just as the dogs decided they'd enough and bounded out of the water. Eric was covered head to foot in lake water when they shook themselves thoroughly as close to their owner as they could manage. Eric was convinced they did it on purpose.
"You evil, mangy mutts!" he yelled at them, and then chased them along the sandy beach. Toby and Millie raced ahead, barking loudly in excitement as their owner swore he would skin them and render them down for fat. The three of them ended up in a wet, stinking heap on the sandy ground, Eric laughing hysterically as Millie panted in his face and Toby shoved his wet muzzle along the bare skin of his stomach.
Eric lay back as Millie planted her paws on his shoulders and he laughed until the tears streamed down his face. The mirth died away to hiccupping sobs as he realized that if he hadn't brought his dogs with him he would have died in the fire. Eric clutched onto his pets, ignoring their wet fur as he sobbed, shuddering in horror of what might have been.
Sitting up, Eric stared across the lake to where the skeleton of the cottage remained. Thomas had asked him not to go and look but he wanted to see for himself what he'd escaped from. Just not today, he thought, as he curled round his pups on the sand.
Seeming to sense his change in mood, the dogs snuggled in close as though they were comforting him. He only sat up, one dog on either side, when Thomas came into view.
"Hey,
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