My Three Dogs, page 2
* * *
Archie saw exciting potential in everything, and the arrival of this new man was no exception. When their gazes locked, Archie wagged his tail vigorously, pawing a little bit at the air, indicating to this new person that he should know that the most fun dog anyone could ever imagine was straining right there at the end of this chain, ready to play, ready to chase balls, ready to go for car rides or do anything else any human could think of.
The man named Face walked out of the construction project, smacked his hands on his pants, and came forward with one hand extended. The new man reached out and shook it.
“You’re Liam?” Face asked.
The man nodded, glanced one more time at Archie, and then turned back to talk to Face. “I am. And you’re Face?” he asked tentatively.
Face nodded. “Name’s Damien Fascatti, but people just call me Face. Almost thought your call was a joke—who puts money down on a place sight unseen? But that’s your business.” He turned and gestured to the structure. “Well, there she is. Framing’s just about done. Plumbing, electrical, everything’s ahead of schedule, if you can believe it. Got a good crew this time. Come on in. I’ll show you around.”
The two men moved toward the half-built structure, but before stepping inside, the new man turned and locked eyes with Archie.
For some reason, Archie shivered.
2
When the new man broke off his gaze and turned back to speak to Face, Archie’s excitement faded. The two men moved out of earshot, and the dog went back to lying in the dirt. Whatever had just happened was over. That was Archie’s life: an occasional burst of elation, followed by the stillness of his existence, waiting for humans to decide what would occur next—which, since Norton vanished, amounted to almost nothing.
On the threshold of the framed-in house, Liam paused, nodding for Face to proceed him into the new structure. The men were of similar build, both lean and sinewy, with hands rough from shaping wood, carrying tools, and building things. Liam was taller and his dark brown hair neat and trimmed, while Face’s hair, virtually the same color, hadn’t seen a comb or a brush in some time.
“So you know they’re getting divorced?” Liam asked. “I don’t think it’s a secret or anything.”
Face nodded. “Yeah, we heard, but it’s no surprise, if you get my meaning. All they ever do is fight. I think they decided building a new house would bring them together.”
Both men laughed ruefully at this preposterous notion.
“Where does that leave you, then?” Liam asked after a moment.
Face shrugged. “Well, I’m paid through this week. Obviously, they’re selling it or you wouldn’t have called. You get the inside scoop on it or something?” Face raised his eyebrows at Liam with a speculative expression. “Made a bid, put money down before it even got listed?”
Liam shrugged. “Maybe.”
“That what you do? Go around buying up distressed properties?”
Liam smiled. “Well, I don’t know if I’d say distressed, exactly. I usually find a place in the right neighborhood at the right price that just needs some TLC, put in a new kitchen maybe, add a bedroom.” Liam shrugged. “Then I sell it, or sometimes I rent them out.”
“I hear being a landlord’s no fun,” Face observed.
Liam nodded. “Oh, you got that right. You got to do a really good job picking your tenants, or you could be in a real jam. That’s why lately I’m mostly interested in selling. House I’m in now, though, I’ve got a buyer on the line. Sold their home in California, so the offer’s all cash—they’re not bothered by mortgage rates. I time it correctly, I could move right in, make it my home.” Liam smiled, acknowledging Face’s curiosity. “So yeah, I’ve got a few friends here and there, put me together with the wife’s divorce attorney. Saw her photos online, made an offer, contingent on an inspection by a licensed builder—me. And…” Liam waved. “I’d say it passed inspection.”
“Well, if you’re taking this project over, what would happen to me, to my men?” Face asked bluntly.
Liam gave him a careful look. “I do have my own team.”
“Right,” Face replied. “I figured, but we’re doing good work here. You can check it out. Maybe … maybe you’d keep me on. Put your new team on something else. That could happen.”
Liam nodded noncommittally.
Archie’s gaze tracked the two men anytime they were in view in the unfinished house. He still had the sense something important could be happening today. He wagged involuntarily at the thought that the new man might come over to say hello. This occurred sometimes—people would be affectionate and give him hugs. Other times, they were stiff and formal, and from them, the best a dog might expect was a hand extended, palm up, offering a sniff. Though there was never a treat associated with this gesture, Archie always went ahead and sniffed anyway.
Every so often as the two men strolled, the new man would glance over at Archie. Archie registered each one of these brief looks as if it were a physical gesture. Suddenly, Archie wanted nothing more than to have this man come over to talk to him. Archie wagged at the thought, but the man seemed intent on his conversation with Face.
* * *
Luna was back on the sofa. In her triumph, she had pulled the stuffed cow up with her, not to chew on but simply to have as a hard-won prize. Her challenging glances at Riggs indicated she thought he was probably lusting to grab the thing from her. Riggs ignored her and the cow. Luna growled, shaking the toy. Riggs ignored that, too. But he couldn’t tolerate it when Luna began scratching and digging at the pillows on the sofa, knocking them askew. It upset the order of things. Riggs pictured Sabrina coming home and finding the pillows scattered and putting them back in place with a negative shake of her head. The thought was too much for Riggs to bear. He felt it was his responsibility to maintain order in the pack. Luna had her own agenda and was apparently intent on stirring things up.
Riggs rose and eased out of his dog bed, padding across the hardwood and leaping up on the couch with Luna, who greeted him joyously. Riggs gave a corrective growl.
Luna was not at all intimidated. In all their time together, they had never had a fight, and Riggs had never done so much as bare his teeth. His growl, though, communicated his stern disapproval, a disapproval that turned into action when Riggs pointedly pushed at Luna, steering her to the edge of the sofa. Luna willingly jumped down, and Riggs followed. Riggs determinedly guided her over to her bed.
Something about Luna suggested to Riggs that she enjoyed this daily ritual, that she wanted this. She needed the discipline. She craved the order that Riggs imposed on her. It was much the way Riggs craved to be told “sit” or “lie down.” Often Liam followed up these glorious commands with a treat, and that was wonderful. But even when there was nothing offered by Liam but a smile, just pleasing their person was good enough for Riggs.
This felt much the same. Luna wasn’t so much pleasing Riggs as ceasing to annoy him, but he could tell she felt like a good dog when she behaved the way he wanted her to.
Luna ceased her maniacal play and curled up on her dog bed, her mouth open, her tongue slightly out, her eyes glowing with satisfaction. Whatever had been the game, it had come to a conclusion. Riggs watched her for a few moments, because sometimes she bolted from her place and ran back to the sofa, but when she seemed content to remain still, he turned and padded back to his own bed.
It would not be long now before either Liam or Sabrina came home. Usually, the first person through the door was Sabrina, but something told Riggs it would be Liam today.
* * *
Archie was ecstatic as Liam and Face approached him. It wasn’t so much that they were heading straight to the dog as they were meandering, pointing out things in the yard, wandering ever closer. Archie was nearly overwhelmed with impatience. Would a yip be inappropriate? That’s how Archie felt, that he needed to give voice to his excitement.
As they neared, Archie could separate Liam’s smell from Face’s. It was clear that Liam had other dogs in his life. With a smile, Liam stepped forward and extended his hand, and Archie licked it, nearly swooning. It felt so good to be paid attention to by a human being.
“So who’s this?” Liam wanted to know.
“That would be Archie,” Face replied.
“Archie?”
At the sound of his name, Archie fell on his back and extended his legs in the air, willing Liam to give him a tummy rub.
Liam squatted and complied. “Got a lot of dirt and stuff in his fur.”
“Yeah,” Face agreed noncommittally.
“It’s a Labradoodle. They take a lot of attention, I guess. His coat might be hypoallergenic, but it scoops up crap like a vacuum.” Liam pulled a stick from Archie’s fur and frowned at it.
Archie licked Liam’s hand.
“Not my dog,” Face explained. “It’s my brother’s.”
Liam glanced up. “Oh, does he work here with you?”
Face shook his head. “Nope. So what happened was my brother Norton decided he wanted to go to Australia. Not sure why, exactly, but that’s just how Norton rolls. He calls me one day and says that he’s going to be gone for a while, would I mind watching this dog? And what am I going to do? He’s always dumping things on me and blowing out of town.” Face shrugged. “Good thing he never had a kid.”
“So when’s your brother coming back?”
Face shook his head. “Well, that’s the thing. I don’t hear from him very often, and when I do, he sounds pretty happy. I guess he’s met a girl down there. Her name is either Sheila or something like Sheila. That’s what he calls her anyway. Sometimes it sounds like he’s talking about more than one girl, both of them named Sheila.” Face shrugged again. “I don’t know. He’ll come back when he feels like it.”
“You’re just stuck on dog duty, then?” Liam asked.
“That’s about it,” Face agreed wearily.
Liam stood and looked down at Archie, thinking of something that brought a frown to his face. “Well,” he finally remarked, “it’s a beautiful dog inside of all that tangled fur. Puppy, too.”
“I guess maybe six months,” Face responded.
“Is it fun having a dog here?” Liam probed. “I never take mine to a jobsite. Always thought of it as being too dangerous.”
Face thought about it. “You know, I’m pretty busy. I feed the dog, I give it water, but I don’t really have time to do much else. Too much going on.”
“I know how that is.” Liam nodded agreeably. “Sometimes I’ll be on a project twenty hours a day. I got a girlfriend, though. Her name’s Sabrina, so she can take care of the dogs.”
“Oh.” Face gave Liam a blank look.
Archie sensed something, now, a tension coming off the new man. And something told him that tension had to do with him.
“So,” Liam announced decisively. He put his hand out to Archie, and Archie licked it again, then closed his eyes and groaned when the man gently put a knuckle up by his ear and rubbed out an itch that had been plaguing Archie for days and days.
“You’re a good dog, Archie,” Liam praised. “Really good dog.” Liam stood and turned to Face. “I wonder…” He trailed off, scratching his chin, internally struggling.
Face raised his eyebrows encouragingly.
Liam nodded decisively. “I wonder if you’d consider selling me this dog.”
3
Archie was in a full swoon. He was riding in the front of the pickup truck and could not stop himself from barreling across the seat to jump excitedly at Liam, who pushed him away with a grin. Then Archie ran to the glass and stared out at the passing scenery, and then returned at full gallop back to Liam.
Whenever Face gave Archie a car ride, it was always in the back bed of the pickup. The smells there were marvelous, but Archie always felt almost abandoned by the man driving, walled off by steel, glass, and attitude. It was as if they were taking separate car rides, but now Archie could smell and even feel the presence of Liam behind the wheel. It was absolutely exhilarating.
Archie saw a dog on the street and barked with joy, wincing when Liam called to him, “Archie, stop that. All right. All right. Stop!”
Archie could remember a time when he was yelled at. It was back when he was living with Norton. Archie found a piece of furniture that was redolent with Norton’s sweat. Near it were iron bars, stacked and dusty, and Archie could tell from the smell of the thing that Norton sometimes would lie on the bench with his head at one end. The supporting structure was made of metal, but on top was a spongy rubber padding that yielded under Archie’s teeth. His mouth at that point was on fire, a sensation compelling him to gnaw on things, and this fragrant bench seemed the best outlet for his obsessive urgency.
Norton did not agree with Archie’s judgment and was very displeased to find bench padding strewn all over his floor. He yelled the word no and even smacked Archie above the tail with an open palm. Archie wasn’t quite sure what the precise lesson was other than that he had displeased his person, somehow. The thought made Archie quail inside.
But this felt like a new chance, away from Face, away from Norton. Archie decided he would be a good dog, the very best dog, so that Liam would always want to be with him, and they would take car rides and he would bark at other dogs. Life would be perfect.
Liam kept laughing. “Have you never been for a ride in a pickup truck before, Archie? Settle down. It’s not as amazing as you think.”
Archie couldn’t help himself. He wanted to sit in Liam’s lap. He wanted to lick the man’s face. He wanted to climb all over him. Liam kept thrusting him away, but in a good-humored action, not one that communicated anger or displeasure. “You are such a silly dog, Archie.” There was something, though, a creeping feeling that was coming off the man. Liam would grow pensive, and that’s when Archie would decide another assault with his tongue and paws was called for.
“You just have no idea the kind of trouble I’m going to be in, Archie,” Liam advised at one point. “This is a really bad idea.”
Archie heard something in the voice and wasn’t sure what to do about it. Liam seemed a little wistful and sad. Archie stretched out in his seat and looked up at Liam and beseeched him with his eyes to see how wonderful life had become, now that they had found each other.
It made Liam smile.
* * *
Riggs had evolved to the point with Luna that the two of them fed off each other’s moods and reactions. When Luna suddenly came alert and trotted to the door, Riggs knew it meant that very shortly, one of their people would be walking through it, and from the way Luna was acting, Riggs knew that person would be Liam and not Sabrina. Then Riggs felt it, the change in the air, and went to join Luna. He yawned with excitement because soon they would be with people.
Both dogs were sitting at full attention when, with a rattle, the door swung open. Neither dog was prepared for what confronted them next. In charged a dirty, smelly puppy, less than a year old, streaking straight at them. Luna and Riggs froze, and this new dog crashed right into their bodies.
“Down, down,” Liam called.
Riggs and Luna reacted instantly, lying down and being good dogs. This new interloper did not. He dashed into the kitchen, ran around in there, came racing back, and threw himself joyously on Luna, who looked to Riggs for an explanation. Riggs reacted stiffly when this dog leaped at him, unsure if Liam wanted Riggs to control the situation or not.
“Archie, Archie,” Liam called. “Get down. Stop that.” The new dog was apparently Archie, and he showed no signs of understanding anything that Liam had just said. He certainly was wild and unruly, an undisciplined dog if Riggs had ever met one.
Riggs didn’t like undisciplined dogs.
Riggs wasn’t sure what to make of this situation. This had never happened before. Luna’s arrival, long ago, seemed to Riggs a perfect way of increasing the size of the pack, with the Jack Russell instantly acknowledging that the Aussie was in charge. Archie was so berserk Riggs wasn’t sure the other dog even knew Riggs and Luna were there.
Then things became worse. Liam reached down, grabbed the twisting, licking, squirming puppy, and lifted him up off the floor, grunting a little. He carried the young dog down the hallway and dumped Archie into the bathtub. Moments later, water was thundering out of the faucet.
Riggs and Luna regarded each other in horror. This unexpected bath seemed like the worst news possible. They had not even had time to properly greet their person, and now he was running water in the bathtub? Was the new dog getting a bath?
Though they each felt in the other an impulse to flee, Riggs and Luna could not help themselves—they were compelled to watch, even as they were horrified to think that they might be next for the torture.
Archie’s enthusiasm for life had dimmed considerably now that he was in the tub. Liam was grinning, but he was using his hands to cup water and splash it up on top of Archie’s back. The water ran dark with dirt and debris from Archie’s gnarled fur. It was a tangle that resisted straightening even under direct assault from the spray out of the faucet. “Good dog. Good dog,” Liam praised.
Those words made no sense to any of the canines in this particular context. How was this a good dog? He was getting a bath.
When Liam pulled Archie out of the tub, the look Archie shot at Luna and Riggs was miserable. He perked up considerably when Liam fished out an old towel and vigorously rubbed it up and down his back. Archie shook and sprayed water everywhere and then, panting, tried to roll on the floor, and then took off running into the other room. Riggs and Luna, feeling doomed, stared at Liam. “Well, guys, long as I’ve got the tub going and Archie’s splattered water everywhere, I might as well clean the two of you as well.” Sure enough, Liam reached for Luna, scooped her up into his arms, and placed her into the bathtub. The expression she aimed at Riggs was full of resentment, and Riggs understood why. Whoever this new dog was, his coming here meant all three dogs were being punished. Punished in the worst way possible.
