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The drive back from the clinic was quiet, Milo curled up in the backseat with his head resting in Jenny's lap. She stroked his fur absentmindedly, her eyes fixed on him as if afraid he'd vanish if she looked away. I glanced at them in the rearview mirror. They both looked drained, but there was a calmness there too—like Milo had already claimed his place.
Still, after everything that happened, I figured they deserved more than just a straight ride home. Jenny especially. She'd been strong for Milo, steady when he needed her most. She earned something for that.
So I pulled the car into a little lot downtown, right in front of the ice cream shop. Jenny blinked at the sign, then looked at me, confused.
"Why are we here?" Follow current novels on NoveI★Fire.net
"Because," I said, stepping out, "you and Milo deserve a treat."
By the time she climbed out with Milo, I was already inside, ordering two cones—chocolate swirl for her, plain vanilla for me—and slipping one of the dog treats I'd bought earlier into my pocket. When I came back out, the two of them were settled at one of the tables on the patio, Jenny humming happily as Milo sniffed the air, his ears twitching at all the new smells.
"Delivery service," I said, handing her the cone. She grinned, taking it like it was treasure. I set my cone down, tore open the little treat bag, and tossed Milo a piece. He sniffed it suspiciously before crunching it down, his blue eyes flicking up at me like I'd just passed some kind of test.
We sat there together, just the three of us, cooling down after everything at the clinic. The sun was dropping low, painting the shop windows orange. Jenny kicked her legs beneath the table, lost in the simple bliss of her ice cream. Milo's tail thumped lazily against the concrete, content. For once, there was no tension. Just… normal.
But then Jenny's expression shifted. She went quiet, thoughtful, her spoon pausing halfway to her mouth.
"What is it?" I asked, already sensing trouble.
She hesitated before speaking. "So… the thing is…" She twirled the spoon in her cup. "As far as Susan's concerned, I'm not allowed to have a pet."
I froze mid-bite, narrowing my eyes at her playfully. "And you didn't mention this until now?"
Jenny winced, but then quickly brightened. "But! I'm sure Susan would say yes… if you ask her."
I shook my head. "That's because Susan feels guilty. I'm not going to use that. You're going to have to ask for her permission yourself."
Jenny's lower lip jutted out in an exaggerated pout. She turned to Milo dramatically, resting her chin on his head. "You hear that? No one's on our side, Milo. It's just the two of us against the world."
Milo gave a small huff, like he agreed.
Jenny smirked and went back to her ice cream, and I leaned back in my chair, watching them. I wasn't worried. If Jenny wanted Milo here, really wanted him, Susan wouldn't stand a chance.
The drive back to the estate was quiet except for the sound of Milo's steady breathing in the backseat. He had curled up again, head in Jenny's lap, while she absentmindedly stroked his fur. Her ice cream must have done the trick, because she was humming, soft and content, like nothing in the world could go wrong now.
The moment we pulled into the Lockwood driveway, I caught a familiar car parked out front. Susan was home.
Jenny didn't notice, too busy whispering nonsense to Milo as we made our way to the front door. But the second we stepped inside and Susan appeared in the foyer, arms crossed, eyes sharp as steel, it was over before it even began.
That was it. No explanation. No hesitation. Just a single word directed at the wolfdog trailing behind us.
Jenny gasped, as though Susan had just outlawed breathing. "But—you don't even know him yet!"
"I don't need to know him," Susan said firmly. "The answer is no."
Jenny clutched Milo's collar like Susan was about to drag him away herself. "Please, Susan, I'll be responsible! I'll feed him, take him on walks, brush his fur, everything!"
Susan's expression didn't budge. "Do you not remember the time you killed three pet goldfish in one week?"
Jenny's face went crimson. "Don't bring Mr. Whiskers 1, 2, and 3 into this! And that was because I was just a young girl who loved them too much!"
Susan arched a brow. "That was just two years ago."
Jenny sputtered. "I was practically a baby!"
"You were fourteen," Susan deadpanned. "I can't let this poor dog suffer the same fate."
Jenny groaned, throwing her head back in dramatic despair. Then she turned those pleading eyes on me—the kind that could melt steel beams.
I held firm for all of three seconds. Then I sighed, rubbing my temple. "I'll be the one who takes care of Milo," I said finally. "I'll feed him, walk him, and make sure Jenny doesn't… spoil him into an early grave."
Jenny gasped and punched my arm lightly, but I ignored her.
Susan gave me a long look, the kind of stare that measured every word, searching for cracks. At last, her shoulders softened just a little. "If you're the one responsible, then fine. But the moment I see him chewing on the furniture, he's gone."
Jenny squealed so loudly that Milo barked in surprise, his tail wagging like he'd just understood the verdict. She hugged him tightly, whispering triumph into his fur.
I shook my head, already regretting the deal, but when Milo wagged again and pressed his head against Jenny's side, I couldn't help but smile.