wagged his tail, kissing her on the nose. How any dog could have such rancid breath she would never know. She rubbed the sides of his face.
"I wish you could tell me what was wrong. Am I crazy?"
The dog tried to talk, at least as much as a dog can. He gave a half bark ending in a howl. She wasn't sure what it meant. Win seemed to know something. She scrubbed his head again.
She also looked pretty silly sitting on the floor with the dog. Maybe some fresh air would do them both some good. Catherine opened the door and walked Win to the back porch.
She liked the back better. It seemed clean, as if there was something wrong in the other areas of the house. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the back was brighter, healthier, unspoiled. Catherine followed the steps down to the manicured lawn. Frank certainly had a talent for making things beautiful. Here she could get better, leave the incident behind. She would get better, and the voices would be gone.
She lay down on the grass, Win putting his head on her stomach. It occurred to her that he was being too friendly. In some ways, maybe he thought being around her was for her safety too.
"Catherine?” Frank's voice came from inside the house.
"Out here.” She rose up, disturbing the dog who gave a half bark of disapproval.
"Are you okay? I got this call from Jim."
She smiled. Jim was a good guy. Neighbors like him were hard to find. Few cared what anyone around them did, much less brought a gun to a neighbor's defense. She just hoped he never hurt Win.
"I'm fine. I spooked Win and Jim ran over afraid that he'd been attacking me.” She reached over and wrapped her arm around Win. “Don't worry. Win was just looking out for me."
"Are you sure? Jim usually doesn't get upset over nothing."
She didn't want to upset her husband. He had a right to know something strange had been happening. Of course she would have to give him a watered-down version, or he would haul her back to the hospital again.
"I've had some trouble, not really a seizure, but something isn't quite right yet. Win seems to pick up on it. It makes him a little nuts. He wouldn't hurt me. I think he tries to scare it out of me."
His eyes grew wide. “We need a doctor then."
"No, Frank. I need to be here with you and him. I'll be fine when everything settles down."
"I don't know what to do here."
"Trust me.” She reached for his hand and gently pulled him to the ground. “I don't want to ever go back to that hospital. Everything I've ever wanted is here."
"Then stop frightening me."
He looked cute when he worried. She couldn't remember him ever showing so much concern, or devotion. Then again, she didn't connect with any old marital emotions. Beneath the surface, there were what she could only describe as memories of emotions, but they were convoluted and some how didn't fit with her life with Frank. It was like she was on the outside looking in at someone else's thoughts. Or more like she was watching someone else's memories be played back as if from a grainy old movie. All she had was the here and now. That would be enough.
"Why don't we go out to dinner?"
"No. Let's go shopping. I want food I've cooked. And I know you tried to bring me some decent meals while I was sick but, honey, that wasn't my own cooking. I appreciated it, really did, because that hospital stuff could kill. They don't season anything."
Frank laughed and rolled backward until he lay flat on the ground. Win took it for an invitation and sat in the middle of his chest. When he complained, Win licked him.
"Okay. You two win. We'll eat at home tonight."
He rolled Win off his chest and got up. Frank helped Catherine to her feet. She held his hand and they went to the car. She only let go after he opened the door for her to slip inside. For some reason, she wanted to keep touching him. Every moment, every second was precious, to be savored as if they might end without warning.
They had mild conversation in the car. Frank
"I wish you could tell me what was wrong. Am I crazy?"
The dog tried to talk, at least as much as a dog can. He gave a half bark ending in a howl. She wasn't sure what it meant. Win seemed to know something. She scrubbed his head again.
She also looked pretty silly sitting on the floor with the dog. Maybe some fresh air would do them both some good. Catherine opened the door and walked Win to the back porch.
She liked the back better. It seemed clean, as if there was something wrong in the other areas of the house. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the back was brighter, healthier, unspoiled. Catherine followed the steps down to the manicured lawn. Frank certainly had a talent for making things beautiful. Here she could get better, leave the incident behind. She would get better, and the voices would be gone.
She lay down on the grass, Win putting his head on her stomach. It occurred to her that he was being too friendly. In some ways, maybe he thought being around her was for her safety too.
"Catherine?” Frank's voice came from inside the house.
"Out here.” She rose up, disturbing the dog who gave a half bark of disapproval.
"Are you okay? I got this call from Jim."
She smiled. Jim was a good guy. Neighbors like him were hard to find. Few cared what anyone around them did, much less brought a gun to a neighbor's defense. She just hoped he never hurt Win.
"I'm fine. I spooked Win and Jim ran over afraid that he'd been attacking me.” She reached over and wrapped her arm around Win. “Don't worry. Win was just looking out for me."
"Are you sure? Jim usually doesn't get upset over nothing."
She didn't want to upset her husband. He had a right to know something strange had been happening. Of course she would have to give him a watered-down version, or he would haul her back to the hospital again.
"I've had some trouble, not really a seizure, but something isn't quite right yet. Win seems to pick up on it. It makes him a little nuts. He wouldn't hurt me. I think he tries to scare it out of me."
His eyes grew wide. “We need a doctor then."
"No, Frank. I need to be here with you and him. I'll be fine when everything settles down."
"I don't know what to do here."
"Trust me.” She reached for his hand and gently pulled him to the ground. “I don't want to ever go back to that hospital. Everything I've ever wanted is here."
"Then stop frightening me."
He looked cute when he worried. She couldn't remember him ever showing so much concern, or devotion. Then again, she didn't connect with any old marital emotions. Beneath the surface, there were what she could only describe as memories of emotions, but they were convoluted and some how didn't fit with her life with Frank. It was like she was on the outside looking in at someone else's thoughts. Or more like she was watching someone else's memories be played back as if from a grainy old movie. All she had was the here and now. That would be enough.
"Why don't we go out to dinner?"
"No. Let's go shopping. I want food I've cooked. And I know you tried to bring me some decent meals while I was sick but, honey, that wasn't my own cooking. I appreciated it, really did, because that hospital stuff could kill. They don't season anything."
Frank laughed and rolled backward until he lay flat on the ground. Win took it for an invitation and sat in the middle of his chest. When he complained, Win licked him.
"Okay. You two win. We'll eat at home tonight."
He rolled Win off his chest and got up. Frank helped Catherine to her feet. She held his hand and they went to the car. She only let go after he opened the door for her to slip inside. For some reason, she wanted to keep touching him. Every moment, every second was precious, to be savored as if they might end without warning.
They had mild conversation in the car. Frank
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