It was lunch time in the park. She didn't usually indulge in things other than pie but since it was her day off she had gotten a sausage from one of the food trucks nearby while on her stroll through the park. She walked along the pathway, past university students heading to class and business men on their way back to work as she crammed the sausage into her mouth in the mouth unladylike fashion possible. It was delicious, or at least she thought it was delicious. It was kind of hard to tell given how little time she seemed to take to actually enjoy it.
She burped, one hand thumping against her chest to make sure everything was settled, and then suddenly she felt something licking her other hand. She laughed outrageously, obviously ticklish before she immediately looked down to investigate what was happening to her hand. Upon noticing that the culprit was an adorable pitbull mix with his dog hanging half way to the ground she couldn't help but smile like a child as her purple eyes widened and her knees bent so she could reach him on a closer level.
"Hey there boy," she said in probably the cutest manner anyone has ever heard Nicole speak before in.
"Where are you doing down there huh?" She whispered to him before she began laughing more as the dog started to lick the face she had so graciously lowered within his reach. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop licking me!" She yelped out as she rolled backwards away from the tongue with laughter, landing on her butt as the dog gor right up into her business with his tongue again.
"Are you hungry? Huh?" She said, pushing his face away as she got back to her feet.
Hands running over the dog face and sliding down his neck, she rubbed the scruff of his neck vigorously. He didn't seem to have a collar on and there didn't seem to be anyone around the dog. He was friendly though. More than friendly. He was an angel! Nicole couldn't think of this as just a stray dog, he was too friendly. Maybe his collar had broken off? Purple eyes scanned the area with interest, looking to see if she could spot anyone who seemed concerned or worried. Was anyone here missing their dog?
"Where's your owner, huh?" She said, giving each side of his chest a good pat. She may as well have ended her sentence in 'a coo che coo che coo.' "Let's go find him! Come on!" She said, getting up and getting the dog super riled up.
Harley, the lost dog of Zia Connolly, was completely down with that plan. He picked his tongue off the ground and ran around in circles around the nice lady friend he made and then bounce off after her while she walked. He ran faster than she walked so every time he caught up to her he would then proceed to circle her like a game. Every time she stopped to ask someone if this dog was theirs or if they knew who he belonged to Harley would circle around her like a shark in dire need of love. If that failed to get his new friend's attention he would rub his face against her hand and when that failed he would rub his whole body.
It typically worked because Harley was no small dog.
Nicole must have spent half the afternoon wandering around the park trying to find the dog's owner without any success. Harley didn't seem down by it though. No, instead he seemed quite happy that Nicole had stopped on a bench. He decided he would jump up with her and then after that he jumped back down. He repeated this in succession until trying to sit on her lap, nudging his head into her face with his tongue hanging out.
Hey.
Hey.
Hey!
Hey!
Hey miss!
MISSSS!
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!
Nicole had been in deep thought when a tongue hit her eye. She blinked awkwardly and then immediately her hand raised up to wipe away the dog slobber. She looked at him sternly as if she was going to get mad at him and when he lowered his head she buried her face into his furcoat and gave him a vigorous rub down right from his rump right up to his ears.
"It's pretty late. I should be heading back," she said, getting to her feet.
The sound of a cry could be heard and Nicole laughed as she looked back to the dog.
"What are you doing? Come on! It's time to go home."
