Learning Curve, Part 2
by Ri
Rickie kissed Veba passionately as soon as they got into bed. Then she kissed her way lovingly down the long beautiful neck. Veba just lay back her eyes closed pulling her love closer, basking in the love.
“Hmmm, Rickie?”
“You are sooooo goooood….”
“I…am…”
“Mmm, very,” purred Rickie as she continued to devour the beautiful body below her. She had just reached a beautiful breast when the phone rang. Rickie pulled back glaring at it with deadly intent. “I am going to kill him!”
Veba smiled and gently traced her loves angry mouth. “No, you won’t.”
Rickie smiled back and said softly staring deeply into Veba’s eyes, “How about just breaking his damn arm?”
Veba merely chuckled as she reached over picked up the receiver and handed it to her wife. Rickie took it leaning her head on Veba’s warm shoulder as she growled, “This had better be damn good!”
“Oooh, Did I interrupt something?”
“Yes!”
“Well Veba loves you so she will just have to get used to it, huh? Sandy is so good that she gets out of bed while I’m still on the phone and she starts packing my bag.”
“I never, ever want my baby to have to get use to something like that. And with us Clark it would be our bags.”
“Sandy would like that too but we have kids. Anyway Veba puts up with all your moods that almost makes her a saint.”
“Clark…”
“Ok, ok,” She could hear him chuckle, “I’m just saying that I think she’s a great wife.”
“Yes she is, so what the hell are you bothering us with in the middle of the God damned night for?” She could feel Veba tenderly running her fingers through her hair calming her. She could also feel a tender kisses against the top of her head. She closed her eyes just wallowing in the love as she listened to voice on the other end of the phone laugh and say, “Touchy, touchy you went to bed early if I recall, unless of course…”
“It’s 2am!”
“You went to bed at 7pm.”
“Give me a break will you? I haven’t slept in two days and Dory woke up screaming tonight from a nightmare. I am not a happy person so what the hell are you calling about?”
Ignoring the sarcasm in a really concerned voice for the first time Clark asked, “Is Dory ok?”
“No. Not really. We calmed her down and got her back to sleep and we were just settling in again. We have got to find this guy Clark.”
“I did and we have a problem.”
“Oh?”
“He’s in jail in Mexico for assault and attempted murder. He will be there for a long, long time.”
“Mexico! Could he have…”
“No, no computer. And he doesn’t have that kind of skill anyway. We will have to start from scratch. I’ll bring the Starbucks.”
“Double extra strong for me and Tea for my Veba she doesn’t really like coffee.”
“Gotcha, see you all in a few.”
Rickie hung up and pulled back to looked into concerned blue eyes. “What did he say?”
“They faked the prints on the note. The perp is in jail in Mexico for life and does not have a computer or the skills to pull all this off. Shit, What a mess!”
“So what are we going to do?” She pulled Rickie into a cuddle tenderly rubbing her loves back trying to ease the stress a bit.
“Clark is going to come over to start all over again from scratch with nothing but that damn cryptic message.” She laid her head on Veba’s shoulder and just soaked in the love; it soothed her like nothing else could. “By the way you’re a saint.”
“What am I?”
“It means you’re so good you’re almost an angel. It’s from the Catholic religion I don’t know much about it really.”
“Rickie I am not anything like that. You know that. All I want to do is be a good wife to you…”
“You’re a great wife. Clark was just teasing. He thinks you have a lot of patience to deal so easily with me.”
“Do I?”
“Yes, I think your very patient with me.”
“Hmm, thank you. I love you deeply and I do understand you so if that means I am patient I guess that is fine. I am not an angel though. I am just Veba.”
“Sweetheart just Veba is just perfect for me.”
“That is good because you are perfect for me too.”
“Thank you my love,” whispered Rickie before she kissed her love deeply and pulled her very, very close.
**** *** *** ***
Clark knocked at the door holding a large Starbucks bag. Veba answered wearing one of her many collectable t-shirts over a pair of jean shorts. She had her hair pulled back in pigtails and she was barefooted. Clark smiled at his friend, greeting her with the now familiar, “Hi Tiger.”
Veba with her hands on her hips and shaking her head replied, “I am not a saint, Clark.”
“Um, I didn’t say you were; I just said you were damn close to one though for putting up with all Rick’s moods.”
“Well I am not close either. I love Rickie. I understand her and her moods. That does not make me near an angel.”
“Believe me Veba, to understand someone as complicated as Rickie you have to be very special. Can you accept that?”
Veba bit her bottom lip and shrugged, “I guess so. Come in. Rickie says you better have remembered to bring the coffee.”
Holding up the large bag he replied, “I did. I brought brownies too. Am I forgiven?”
Veba’s eyes lit up and she smiled brightly. “Yes. Thank you Clark; I love brownies.” She took the large bag and kissed his cheek then she disappeared down the hallway.
Clark blushed and whistled. “Wow! Rickie you are so damn lucky.”
Clark came into the living room. He smiled at the sleepy blonde on the couch. Veba came bustling out of the kitchen with plates and napkins. Neatly centered on each plate were brownies for each of them. Watching the tall woman lick her licks he suspected that she had gobbled one up while she was getting the plates.
Clark pulled the tea out of the bag and handed it to Veba. Veba accepted it with a sweet smile, “Thank you, Clark.”
“Taste it.”
Veba tilted her head and looked at Rickie. Rickie chuckled at the confused expression and said softly, “Go ahead Sweetie; you know he wouldn’t hurt you.”
“I never even thought of that but he looks so…um…”
Clark rolled his eyes “Taste it. Trust me.”
Veba shrugged and tasted it. Her eyes widened and she moaned in pleasure. “Mmm, this is so good! What is it, Clark?”
“Raspberry, boysenberry with touch of vanilla it’s a special blend. I knew that you would love it,” said Clark with pleased smile.
Veba handed the cup to Rickie so she could taste it. “This is really wonderful. This is a Starbucks blend?”
“Um, sort of. There is a kid at the one here who blends his own. He is always giving me new concoctions when I come in.”
“Well this is very, very good. Tell him thank you please,” said Veba as she happily ate her brownie already taking more out of the bag.”
“I will and you’re very welcome. Hey take it easy on that Tiger; we need you; we don’t want you to get sick.”
“Why do you need me?”
“I have 27 files in my car.”
“27?” asked Rickie confused. She was shaking her head as she watched Veba eating her third brownie.
“Yes, your class including the professor, minus of course you three.”
“Why do need me?”
Veba was grabbing for the bag again when quick little hands took it away from her.
“Rickie!”
“You have had enough.”
“But I love them.”
“I know, but you’re going to get an upset tummy.”
“Why are you both saying that? I do not get sick from brownies.”
“They’re pure sugar, Tiger. That’s not good for you.”
“We care, that’s all love.”
“But why do you think I’ll get sick?” asked Veba as she licked her fingers trying to get every bit of brownie she could.
Rickie laughed and took the bag of brownies into the kitchen. When she came back she found her wife pouting on the couch and one very amused FBI agent.
“Stop that. I promise you will get more tomorrow.”
Veba nodded her mouth still in very adorable pout.
Rickie shook her head, “Clark would you excuse us for a couple?”
“Sure,” said the agent as he watched Rickie pull Veba into the kitchen. Rickie closed the door and pulled the tall woman into her arms kissing her passionately. When they pulled out of the kiss Veba was now smiling happily again. Rickie smiled back and cupped her cheeks saying softly, “That’s better.”
“What is?” asked Veba as she tenderly kissed her love on her forehead.
“I like to see a smile there much better then a pout.”
Veba shrugged and bit her lip, “I just love brownies a lot.”
“I know and I do too. I just prefer that you limit it so you don’t get sick.”
“I didn’t the last time.”
“Um Sweetie, remember you trotting back and forth to the bathroom all night the last time.”
“Oh? Yes, I do remember that.”
“You can have some more tomorrow, ok?”
“Yep,” Veba licked Rickie’s nose then pulled the smiling lips to her and kissed her passionately again.
*** *** *** ***
Veba and Rickie came back into the living room all smiles. Clark smiled in pure reaction, shaking his head saying, “Everything back to normal?”
“Normal?”
“You know, happily ever after?”
Veba looked surprised. She shook her head and sat down on the love seat replying softly, “No, we are not happy. We are very worried about Dory.”
Clark nodded, “Yes, I know. I am too. Ok, I will get the files and we will get to work.”
“Thanks Clark,” Said Rickie with soft smile as she handed Veba her tea and picked up her large coffee.
“Don’t drink all of it I brought enough for everyone, not just one cranky detective.”
“No worries, one of these is more than enough.”
“Well as long as you think so. That’s a bit different than it used to be but very nice.” He chuckled and left the room.
“What was that about, Rickie?”
“He was teasing me, ignore him.”
“What was he teasing you about? I do not understand.”
“He means that about women. We use to joke one was not enough. Then he fell in love with Sandy and became devoted to her only. I use to tease him pretty mercilessly.” Rickie looked up into confused blue eyes and then quickly looked at her coffee cup as she continued. “I fell for you and I guess he is getting back at me.”
“We’re there many others?”
“No Love. Hardly any. Remember what I told you about that before? I am a pain in the ass.”
Veba put her cup down and tilted her head looking deeply into beloved green eyes. She tenderly caressed Rickie’s leg as she said softly, “I love your ass. I love every part of you. There must have been many before me who loved you…”
“No, I never loved anyone before I fell in love with you.”
“But you’re so adorable, lovable, and perfect. There must have been others…”
“No,” Rickie looked right back into deep loving gaze and honestly replied, “I only loved you. If you’re asking me if I had sex before we met the answer is yes. If you’re asking if I loved them, then I’d have to say no.”
“Um…Why did you have sex if you didn’t love?”
“It’s hard to explain. You know how you enjoy your brownies and it feels good to eat them. You’re not in love with the brownie your just enjoying your self.”
“Rickie a brownie is not a person.”
“I know that but…”
“Am I interrupting something?” asked Clark as he came back in the door with large box of files.
“Yes. Thanks old buddy your stupid comment opened a can of worms!” replied Rickie angrily to her old friend.
“Oh? Do you want me to go out back til you’re done?”
Looking into upset and confused blue eyes Rickie nodded. Clark looked worried, he nodded put down the box and left them alone.
Rickie gently cupped Veba’s cheeks and said, “Ok, when I was young I was kind of head strong and crazy…”
“That has not changed…”
“Thanks Sweetheart. That is very perceptive of you to notice that.” She tenderly kissed Veba and the rubbed noses with her. Then she took a deep breath and said, “I want you to know that I was an idiot and that I never knew what it was all about until I made love with you for the first time.”
Veba nodded and she put her cheek against the soft red one saying softly, “I know that. I just do not understand how these other people did not love you…”
“I don’t care! I finally found you and you made my life wonderful. I guess I was just experimenting and so were they. I never knew what it was really like til I made love with you. I have never felt so special, loved and happy until then.”
“I am sorry. I still do not understand. How can you have sex and not love that person? Maybe it is because I only have made love to you but do you…can you feel like we do if you do not love?”
“No! It is impossible. There is a certain pleasure in the simple act but difference is as deep as the ocean.”
“Do you? Would you…?”
“What?”
“Want to do something like that now?”
Green eyes were now very alarmed, “No, never, ever!”
“But what if you become bored with me…”
“Impossible. I could never be bored with you. How could I be? Your sexiest most adorable person on the planet…”
“I do not know much…”
Rickie hugged her love very close, “Believe me my darling; what you know has made me very, very happy. I will never be bored with you and I will never stray. I have no reason. You are more than enough for me. I am so very lucky.”
“I am lucky,” said Veba softly kissing Rickie all over her tear-stained face.
“Were lucky.” Rickie kissed her love passionately and was not about to let her go til she was sure that her love understood fully what she had just explained to her. Her action being more convincing then words.
*** *** *** ***
Five exhausted people were lying around the living room. There were Coke cans and pizza boxes scattered around the room a pile of folders by each bleary eyed person.
The most alert eyes were pale blue; she was eating cold pizza and writing detailed notes on each folder in her stack.
Dory looked at her sister-in-law in pure awe, “Sweetie, don’t your eyes hurt you?”
Veba looked up from the file she was working on and replied, “A little, but it is my neck that really hurts.” She said as she lowered her head and rubbed her neck briskly.
“I’ll help you with that,” Rickie said with a tired soft smile, crawling over to her wife. She sat behind her and said, “Scoot up so your head is in my lap.”
“Ok,” Veba turned onto her stomach and crawled over to Rickie. She cradled her head on Rickie’s thigh. Rickie tenderly moved Veba’s long beautiful hair to one side and kissed the long elegant neck. When she heard the delighted squeak she smiled and started a gentle rub down.
After a few minutes of moaning in pure relief, Veba curled up in a ball and fell deeply asleep. Rickie smiled and gently kissed her loves head. Clark chuckled as he went on with the file he was reading.
Stephanie looked at Dory patting her lap with a sweet smile. With in seconds the very tired blonde fell into a deep sleep as well.
Rickie smiled at Stephanie and gave her a wink. Stephanie smiled back as she tenderly stroked the curly blonde hair.
*** *** *** ***
Going through the notes on the files Clark found the only one who really had instinct for finding the stalker was Veba. The tall brunette was sleeping peacefully with her head cradled on Rickie’s lap. Rickie was sleeping too her head pillowed against the cushion on the couch behind her.
Stephanie and Doris were curled around each other also deeply asleep.
Clark smiled as he took a sip of his cold coffee and whispered, “If I knew this was going to be a pajama party I would have invited my Sandy.”
Sleepy blue eyes blinked open and Veba smiled at Clark, “Hi.”
“Do you feel better, Tiger?”
Veba smirked and nodded. “You are not going to stop calling me that are you?” She whispered as she sat up and stretched.
“Nope, no more than I will stop calling your wife, Stringbean.”
Noticing the uncomfortable position Rickie was in Veba pulled the sleeping blonde in her arms and cradled her close nuzzling her cheek against the pretty blonde hair.
Clark smiled and whispered back, “You are so sweet the way you take care of each other. You know it’s really beautiful to watch for an old cynic like me.
Veba tilted her head, “Do you love Sandy like I love my Rickie?”
Yes, I think I do. My wife and kids are my whole life.”
“Yes, Rickie told me that. What is it like to have kids?”
“A wonderful pain in the ass.”
Veba chuckled softly and shook her head, “No Clark, I am serious.”
“What do you want to know?”
Veba was tenderly running her fingers through her loves tangled hair; she shrugged and didn’t meet his eyes.
“Would you like to have a baby?”
“I don’t know how…I love children. I like to play with them and talk to them. It is really interesting to watch their mother take care of them…Rickie says I am fascinated because I get to hand them back.”
Clark laughed silently and shook his head, “Yep, I can just hear her saying that. The most important days in our lives were when each child was born. It was spiritual. We were very happy together before but nothing compares to the first time you look at your child and hold him or her in your arms. They are our joy but they are also a collective pain the butt. I am always scrambling to keep up with them, helping them, cuddling them when they’re scared. Guiding them to make the right decision while trying not to make it for them. I wouldn’t trade it for all the money in the world and I know Sandy wouldn’t either.”
“Hmmm, I see. Yes, I would like a baby but…”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” rumbled a familiar voice from Veba’s lap.
Veba looked down startled by the sleepy grumble from her lap. “Rickie. I thought you were asleep. We were whispering.”
“Yes, you were love but I have excellent hearing. I heard most of your conversation. You want to have a baby? Really?”
Veba looked into the pretty green eyes, “Yes, I would. I’d love any child but if they looked like us it would be even more special to me. Is that wrong?”
“No Sweetheart. How could such a loving thought be wrong? It’s just a huge responsibility and I want to discuss it with you when I’m more than half awake. What would you like?”
“I love kids but we do need to discuss it when I’m not half dead. Please?”
Veba nodded and kissed her on the nose. “Ok.”
Rickie pulled her back and gave her love a proper good morning kiss. Then she looked at Clark and said, “So what did you find out?”
“That Veba is a great profiler her picks are dead on.”
“So we will be ready to go over the profiles in the morning?”
“Yep.”
“Want to sleep in the guest room?”
“I don’t have to; I can sleep on the couch. It’s not a big…”
“Stop rambling Clark and answer the question.”
“Yes, I would like that.”
“Ok, Veba help me up and we’ll tuck Clark in and go to bed.
“What about Dory and Stevie, Rickie?” asked Veba gazing at them sleeping snuggled together with a fond expression.
Rickie looked at them and smirked, “They look comfortable leave them alone.” Veba stood up and brought Rickie with her cuddled close. Then she gently placed her on her feet an arm going protectively around the smaller woman’s waist.
“Come on Dorothy we’ll take you to The Land of Oz.”
“I’d rather be the Cowardly Lion after he got his courage,” said Clark with a tired smile.
*** *** *** *** ***
Veba woke up curled around Rickie. She brought her head against the nice soft hair and thought about the conversation she had the night before.
It would be nice to have a baby or even a couple of them. But what would My Rickie think? Like last night, we could not have done something like that with a baby in the house, could we?
“Hmm, maybe we should start with a puppy?” She whispered to herself not even aware she had said it out loud.
“Puppy?”
Veba opened her eyes and looked down into very alert green ones. “Did I say that out loud?”
“Yep,” Rickie replied as she gently pushed some hair out of the beautiful blue eyes. “What about a puppy?”
“I was thinking how difficult a baby would be for us to raise. Maybe we should start with a puppy and see how we do.”
“You are so cute.” Rickie pulled Veba to her kissing her deeply. Then she pulled back and rubbed noses with her now purring wife, “Sure, we can start with a puppy. If you want to have a chat about a baby, we still can still do that too.”
“Really?”
“Sure.”
“Um, after we are all done helping Dory I would like to talk about a baby. Um…Rickie can really get a puppy… soon?”
“Sure Love, we will get it today, ok?”
“But would it not interfere with our helping Dory?”
“Nope.”
“I’ll…want to…um, play with the new puppy and cuddle it and…”When the shy blue eyes met the affectionate green Rickie could see that she wanted the little puppy right now.
“Well discuss it with the family over breakfast. After Dory is safe we’ll have a nice long talk about our baby too. Ok?”
Veba kissed Rickie with a deep happy passion. Then when she pulled back unsure eyes looked down at her and said softly, “Sweetheart, you do not have to.”
“Darling I want to.”
“You are so good to me, My Love. Clark says it is sweet that we love each other and are so good to each other. I do not understand that. Does not everyone who loves their mate treat them well?”
“Yes, in they’re own way. Everyone has their own idea of what loving treatment is…”
“I do not understand that at all. All I want to do is love you. To hold you, kiss you; make you feel better when you are hurting. I…Why would people not want do that for each other?”
“Darling your heart is so big you wouldn’t know how not to treat others well. There are people out there who don’t understand that. They wouldn’t dream what it would be like to be on the receiving end of your love. And they certainly wouldn’t know how to bestow it.”
Blue eyes blinked as Veba took in what Rickie had just explained to her. “But that is terrible. Everyone should love like our family does.”
Rickie cupped Veba’s cheeks and looked deeply into the misty blue eyes. “Yes they should. Come here and demonstrate it for me.”
Veba’s eyes sparkled as she moved close to her love whispering, “Ok.”
*** *** *** ***
There was a lively discussion that morning over pancakes made by Clark about the possible new addition to the family. Everyone loved the idea. They didn’t have class for a couple of days so they wanted to all go and find the puppy that day.
“What kind of puppy would you like, Veba?”
“I love all of them. It will be very hard to pick just one.”
Rickie smirked, “One is ok my Darling, not ten.”
Veba laughed and replied, “How about one hundred?”
“I knew I shouldn’t have gotten you that Disney movie for your birthday,” said Dory with a wide grin.
Veba had bright smile and said, “Would that not be fun!”
“No Love, it wouldn’t. I love animals. They are very cute and lovable. One is more than enough though. Wait until you see all the work that will go into that one puppy.”
Veba’s expression seemed to fall right before their eyes; she looked sadly at Rickie and said softly in an emotional voice that broke Rickie’s heart, “If you do not want one…”
“No Baby that is not what I meant. I do want a puppy. I just want you to understand that its not all playtime. A puppy is a responsibility.”
Veba was pouting. She bent her head and was playing with her napkin not looking at her love. Rickie shook her head and gently tilted the chin up til the blue eyes met her own. She gently traced the mouth and said, “Stop that. I do want a puppy too. I think we will have fun playing with it. I just have had many pets and I know how much work they are.”
“Ok, Rickie,” Veba replied with slight smile.
“Veba think of it as one tenth the trouble that Rickie is. That’s what a puppy is like.” Clark said smiling. He thought they would be great with a puppy and wonderful parents too.
Veba chuckled and replied, “She is not trouble, she is the love of my life.”
“Sweetheart, I know I am trouble. At least the old man made you smile.”
“Hey! I’m only two years older than you.”
“That’s two years to tease you about.”
“Ok, I’d say that is a tie. Shall we retire to the living room and look at my brilliant sister-in-law’s findings?” said Dory with a sweet smile.
“My findings?”
Stevie nodded as she sipped her coffee watching Veba devour a pancake with a determined expression. “Yep, Clark said your notes were very clear and you were dead on.”
Veba’s eyebrows shot up and she looked at Clark startled.
“You want a job?
“No thank you Clark, I like helping my Rickie and Dory with their work.” Said Veba politely and then she drained her orange juice. Putting down the glass and looking around the table for more.
“What are you trying to do Clark? Steal my wife?”
“Nope, just get a little help for my unit.”
“I will always help you because you are our friend but I do not want a job with the FBI.”
“Fair enough. Shall we?” He gestured toward the door and family left the kitchen to see the results of Veba intensive search.
*** *** **** *** ***
Clark held the three folders in his hand explaining why he thought Veba’s choices were right on the mark.
“You have a great insight Veba; you seem to be able to at glance at a file and be able to read a person’s character. It is a great gift.”
Veba shrugged. She and Rickie were on a large chair snuggled together. She had Rickie on her lap she was running her fingers tenderly through her soft blonde hair. “I just looked at what was in the file and wrote what I felt.”
“Yeah, I know Tiger. You do it very well. Let’s take this guy Jack. He is a computer salesman. He is over-friendly and boisterous. Rickie thinks he’s very strange. Most people in class avoid him because he talks about nothing non-stop. He is very dull and boring. Veba wrote, “Very lonely man. He is trying to make friends but does not know how. He could fantasize about people in class as friends. He works with computers so he might be the one.” Very direct and too the point yet compassionate. You’re so damn astute, Veba.”
“Astute?” Asked Veba not sure of the word.
“It just means that you’re very sharp, Sweetheart.” Rickie explained very proud of the beautiful woman.
Veba shrugged again, “I just wrote what I felt.” She reached over to sip some juice and then gently held the glass to Rickie’s lips who gratefully took a sip.
Clark winked at Veba causing her to blush and hider her face in Rickie’s hair. Rickie gently rubbed her arm. “Clark.”
“Right, back to work. Ok, I think this guy is a hot suspect. Number two is Rickie’s pick as well. Her name is Dawn, she is a computer analyst. She has several web pages devoted to soap actors whose lives she follows like she is a part of them. Veba wrote,
“According to Rickie she dresses like a little girl. She talks the same way. Her voice is very high and hard deal with. She stares at Dory a lot. I think she could be the one; because she seems to be like the type of person who would send that note and the computer thing.”
Clark smirked and turned to another page of the file, “Rickie said, “This bitch has been obsessed with my sister from day one of the class.””
“I like to get to the point quickly,” Rickie replied with a wicked smile.
“Yes, we all know that. Last but not least is this file. It’s a long shot. This is a quiet man. He doesn’t talk in class. He works in an IT maintenance department at a major company so he really knows his way around computers. Veba wrote, “This man could also be the one. He may be using all the baby stuff so we don’t know it. He is very smart and I think very lonely. He may be using Dory as a game in his head.” Stevie seems to agree with Veba.”
“So what are we going to do?” Veba asked Clark quietly.
“We will put together a team to watch Dory here and school.”
“And in the meantime?” Asked Dory.
“We get Veba her puppy.” Said Clark with a sweet smile.
*** *** *** ***
The family and Clark arrived at the pound. It was decided that just Veba and Rickie should go in while the rest waited out in the lobby waiting for them to make their choice.
The first dog Veba saw was a Great Dane puppy. The big puppy looked at Veba with big sweet eyes happily panting.
“Oh…” cooed Veba.
“No Love…”
“Aw Rickie…”
“He’s too big.”
“But?”
“Please Veba?”
Veba scuffed her toe but said softly, “Ok.”
The next one was a bunch of poodles. They were standing on their hind legs yapping. Veba thought they were cute but didn’t really feel the pull she had with the Great Dane. The German Shepard was fast asleep. Veba could see that he was too big though she thought he was beautiful.
Above him was a bunch of playful kittens. Veba’s face lit up, “Rickie?”
“If you get a kitten we can’t get a puppy. They would have to get along so it would depend on both their temperaments. I don’t think I have the patience for that right now.”
“Temperament?”
“Their personalities.”
“Oh? They are so cute.”
“I know Sweetheart. Do you want a kitten instead?”
Veba stuck her finger inside and her face lit up as one of the kittens licked her finger. “This one likes me.”
Rickie chuckled, “I’m sure the kitten adores you but they also love your salt.”
“What salt?” Asked Veba as she petted the cute kitten.
“You have natural salt in your body. If you want it we can get the kitten.”
Veba was torn. She studied the cute little kitten. She scratched it’s tiny ear and was delighted as the back leg came up trying to scratch the scratch. She loved the playful little one but she really wanted a puppy. She looked at the man who worked there and asked softly, “Can I think about it and still get this one later?”
Use to this from patrons to his shelter he nodded and said, “Sure would you like to see more?”
Veba nodded and followed him. Rickie walked beside him noticing the empty cages she asked. “Those were adopted weren’t they?”
“We work with a humane group, if they are not adopted by their termination date they take the lot and get good homes for them. “
Rickie smiled, “I like that. That is unusual though isn’t it?”
“Yes, the head of our shelter is married to lady who runs the humane group. Everyone is happy and they all get a good home.”
“That’s better than the alternative.”
“Amen.”
Veba had gotten ahead of them and was transfixed by some puppies in an open pen. There were five cocker spaniel puppies. They were all playing with each other. A black one was chasing a white one. The white one jumped over a brown one that was washing itself. A gray one was trying to swat its black and white siblings. A charcoal gray one with white stripes was sleeping the corner.
Suddenly the black one noticed Veba and left her siblings. She just walked right up to her and put both paws on the glass that protected her in the pen.
Veba’s face was full of love as she looked into the big brown eyes. She turned to the man and asked, “May I hold this one, please?”
The man smiled brightly and said, “Sure.” He walked over picked up the black pup and put it gently into Veba’s arms. Veba immediately cuddled the little girl close and laughed as she licked her on the chin. Its tiny paws trying madly to climb up her chest.
Rickie was all smiles too. Veba had chosen the newest member of their family. “Looks like we adopted our newest addition huh?”
Veba nodded, she couldn’t speak because the puppy was licking her all over her face.
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After a trip to Petco for supplies the family arrived home with its newest addition cuddled in Veba’s arms. She was followed by Rickie who carried the carrier. Doris who carried a very cute doggie bed with blue pillows to match the new mommy’s eyes.
Stephanie followed with a bag carrying bowl with a double bowl, leash and collar. Clark was at the end of the line with a large bag of puppy chow. He put the bag on the floor closing the door behind him. He smiled as he watched Veba talking to the puppy, very excited as she took her down the hall to their bedroom.
Rickie put the carrier down and collapsed on the couch. Doris followed Veba with a huge smile on her face. Stephanie and Clark went into the kitchen with the supplies and then Stephanie came back in and asked Rickie, “What do you want me to do with these?”
Rickie looked at the collar and leash, then she sighed and said, “Put it down for now. I can’t see myself trying to get it on her neck tonight.”
Doris came out of the hallway all smiles. “I think your going to have a third body in your bed tonight.”
“Not if I can help it.”
“Veba is just so cute. She is giving the little girl a tour of the house, now she explaining everything in your room to her.”
“Did little Lari reply?”
“She licked her face a lot.”
Rickie chuckled, “I think I have a rival for her affections now.”
“Yep, she is a child to Veba so all her motherly instincts are coming out. I think it’s beautiful,” said Clark with wide smile.
“Believe me Clark, I love the little pooch. Just seeing how happy she is making my Baby fills me with joy.”
“Yeah I could tell. You two were acting like new parents at Petco.”
“We are,” said Rickie with wink as she got up and stretched. Then she went toward her room to try and convince her love that little Lari would be just fine in her new bed.
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