The door of her condo unlocked, Nicole found herself the second one into it. In front of her, the large dog she'd picked up in the park ran around and explored the new territory. She watched him for a moment with a smile before she entered the space and closed the door behind her. The light sound of the door locking was followed by her removing her shoes and putting them away in the closet in the proper fashion, perfectly aligned at a 90 degree angle to the wall of the closet and the other shoe of the pair.
Not having been home all day, her condo didn't need to be cleaned yet. She didn't have time to settle down or relax yet though, not with an unexpected visitor. First thing first, Nicole went to the kitchen and began to dig around in the lower cabinet under the counter. It was in plain sight upon opening the right set of doors, a set of metal dog bowls with the name 'Rusty' engraved into them. She smiled a little at them as she pulled them out but the emotion shifted in her eyes as tears welled up a little.
Curious, Harley made his way to the kitchen too. Concerned and lovable, he began to force his head between her arm and leg until her arm was wrapped around him.
"Oh," she said softly, using the back of her other arm to wipe the liquid away from her eyes before she gave the dog a reassuring pat on the head that said 'Don't worry, everything is fine.' He seemed to believe in her hands, and the way they touched him. Content with his good job, Harley laid down onto the floor and rolled around until his belly was exposed for his reward. Laughing and right on the point, Nicole gave him his reward: Three firm belly rubs. Not two and a half, not three and three quarters, exactly three.
"Do you like the bowls? You can borrow them while you're here,' she said as she held the bowls out to him and he looked at her like she was crazy. Why did you tease him with these empty bowls? Harley didn't understand! He was hungry. Do you know how long it was since he had food?! Well, yes, Nicole knew exactly how long it had been. She had bought a sausage for him while they unsuccessfully searched the park for his owner but do you know how long ago that was?! Harley didn't think she did! He stuck his head into them and hoped she got the message.
She could only laugh, deeming his response acceptable and pulling the bowls away.
What? What were you doing human?! Harley whined, following her closely as she stood up with not only the two bowls but also a bag from the same cabinet before she closed the door before his head could investigate that wonderful place. There she set the bowls on the counter and did feats of magic that he could not see. Before he knew it, or what otherwise felt like a day, she set each of the bowls on the floor. One of them had water and the other had dog kibble.
Harley looked at her and she looked at him and then he attacked the bowls with his mouth, devouring bites of kibble and then lapping up the water like he hadn't seen food in a year. Nicole could only laugh but as it started somewhat cheerful, it migrated toward a hint of sadness as she left the dog to eat the food and wandered into the living room.
How long had it been now? Eight months? A year? Nicole sighed as she sat down on her recliner. It turned out to be a good thing after all that she hadn't been able to throw out his bowls. She always kept herself so busy with her upcoming promotion to Detective and her investigation as Svartalfheim that she barely had time to think or worry about it but she missed him.
She really missed him.
