Chapter 8

Lucy got's a dog! :D

After I left the vet with Dieter, I stopped at a nearby pet store and bought him a collar and leash. The leash was just in case. I wasn't worried abou him; he was pretty good at staying by my side.

     The vet said that Dieter was healthy, and gave him his shots and all that. I made an appointment for him to get snipped....you know, just in case.

     Dieter barked and yipped happily as we walked back home. I also got him some dog food, because I didn't think Gracia would be too happy about having to give a dog human food. Her exact words: "Who knows what and what won't give him indegestion or diarrhea?"

     "Hey! Miss Lucille!" I heard someone call. I looked behind me and saw Edward running towards me. I felt my heart sink a little, but I tried to shake it off and have a plastic smile once again.

     I couldn't believe that I still wasn't over Edward being gone, and having this dopplegangar torture me.

     He slowed to a walk and bent down by Dieter and said, "I didn't know you had a dog. What's his name?"

     "Dieter," I replied without looking at Edward. "I, uh, just got him yesterday." Dieter barked happily and approved of Edward. Edward snickered and said, "And I was planning to get you one two years ago."

     "Excuse me?" I said, my heart leaping.

     "Oh, what? Sorry, just thinking out loud." He coughed and stood up. "Um, how's your day been?"

     "Fine, I guess," I replied. "Just got out of the vet's office. Dieter's in good shape."

     "That's good to hear," Edward said. I could tell that that wasn't what he wanted to talk about. He was hoping to hear something else.

     "Um, how 'bout you walk with us back to the flower shop?" I suggested. "It feels like we don't talk anymore, Edward."

     "Sure." He walked next to me and I scooped up Dieter in my arms as we passed a cat milling around some garbage.

     "What do you think of cats?" Edward said suddenly.

     "I don't know," I said. "They creep me out. I don't like them very much."

     "I see," he said. "I always remember that my brother always used to find stray cats and beg me to let him take care of them. He'd get really upset when I told him no." That sounded so much like Edward--MY Edward--that I stopped in my tracks, remembering something like that that happening once....

     Edward and I had just arrived in Central City, just getting off a train from Resembool, and Alphonse, Edward's little brother, came running up with a cat in his arms. He said it was injured, and that we should take it home and make it better, but I told him we couldn't do anything but put it on someone's doorstep, ring the bell, run like Hell, and hope for the best.

     Which was what we ended up doing.

     "Miss Lucille?" Edward said, waving a hand in front of my face. "You okay?"

     I blinked, and looked at Dieter, who was sniffing me curiously.

     "I'm fine," I said, not lifting up my head. "Just spaced out. I've been....out of it, lately."

     "You sure you're okay?" he asked again.

     "I'm fine," I said again.

     "You always say that," Edward said as we started walking again. "At least twice a day, you give that excuse. What's really on your mind?"

     I felt the tears coming again. I started walking faster.

     "Hey, Miss Lucille," Edward said, walking faster to keep up with me. "Slow down. What's the matter?" I put Dieter on the ground and quickly said "gotta go" as I broke out into a full run back to the flower shop.

     Edward didn't bother to catch up.

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I entered the house, said a quick hello to Gracia, and ran upstairs to my room, slamming the door shut after Dieter made his way inside.

     At first, I stiffly walked to my bed and sat on it, crosslegged, and Dieter made his way onto my lap, sniffing me again.

     "Dieter," I said, a smile coming on my face as the tears started to flow. "I'm okay. I am....really..." I hugged Dieter and cried hard, but made no noise so Gracia wouldn't hear me. Dieter stayed perfectly still, and almost as if he wanted me to be happy again, he started licking my face, licking away the tears. I looked at him and smiled again. I kissed the top of his head and released him. He bounded to the bottom of the bed and curled up there.

     "Good idea," I said with a laugh. I laid on my side in bed and closed my eyes.

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I had been laying there a good ten minutes when Gracia called up the stairs and said there was someone waiting for me in the shop.

     "Who would be waiting for me in the flower shop?" I mumbled to myself as I got the rest of the tears and wetness off of my face and did a quick comb-through with my hair.

     "Stay here, Dieter," I said as I opened the door. "I'll be back in a minute."

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[Emunah June.]

Is it Edward?!?!?!? :D