turns my stomach.
“Listen, I could have left them there to die, or I could bring them home. I thought they might do Sherm some good. I’ll take them to get checked out at the vet on Monday.”
Her expression softens as she surveys the two balls of gray fur, one dark and one light.
I picked up a variety of dog food on the way home, hoping they’d be able to eat something. I tipped the box on its side and put a bowl of water on the floor for them. The darker one, who’s the more curious of the two, ventured out to explore the kitchen, then lapped at the water. The other one hasn’t left the box. I moved the water into the box, but he still hasn’t taken any. I also put out some canned food, which the bolder one ate.
“Maybe,” she says, reaching out and scratching the dark one’s head. But then her gaze lifts to me and hardens again. “But I swear to God, Rob, if I’m the one who ends up scooping poop, you will find it in your bed.”
“You and Sherm doing okay sharing a room?” I ask, leaning into the counter.
She nods. “He’s sleeping all night in his own bed now.”
“Good.”
She goes to the coffeemaker, gets it fired up. “Do they have names?”
“They’re both male. I got that far. Thought I’d let Sherm handle the naming.”
She looks at them again. “They’re probably a Sheppard mix. They’re going to get big.”
There’s a shuffling on the stairs. I look up to see Sherm making his way sleepily down with his cast cradled to his chest. As he stumbles into the kitchen, the curious pup charges at him, crashing into his legs and making him stumble.
His eyes open wide and a smile lights up his sleepy face. “What . . . ?”
Lee looks at me, but I push off the counter. I head to the living room to give Sherm some space with his new puppies.
“These guys need someone to take care of them,” she says, cutting me a look. “Rob brought them home for you because he thought you were up for the job. What do you think?”
I hang my head in defeat, but when I lift my eyes, Sherm is looking at me . . . and there might be something other than fear in his gaze.
He kneels down, scoops the puppy into his arms. It squirms away and runs back to the box, crashing into its sibling. The nervous pup yelps and the other barks and runs out of the box, skidding full speed into the cabinets.
Sherm giggles, then moves to the box and kneels low to peer inside. “Why won’t it come out?”
“He’s scared,” Lee answers. “You know how it is, moving to a new place and not really knowing what’s what yet.”
“We’re keeping them?” Sherm asks.
Lee shoots me an annoyed glance. “As long as you understand that they’re your responsibility. I’m not going to be feeding them and walking them and scooping their poop, Sherm. That’s all on you.”
He slowly reaches into the box, runs a finger over one of the timid puppy’s legs. “It’s okay,” he tells him. “I’ll show you around.”
He keeps petting the puppy’s leg. After a minute the puppy uncoils from the corner of the box and shifts into Sherm’s hand. After a little more coaxing he comes out of the box and rubs up against Sherm’s body.
Lee looks at me with a hopeful smile.
A lump rises in my throat as I realize what I want most for Sherm. A normal life. Until now—exactly this second, watching Sherm—my perception of normal was being Chicago royalty and everything that entailed. But everything about that life is so fucking abnormal. Sitting on the kitchen floor with puppies in your lap is what normal nine-year-olds should be doing. Laughing when they lick your face. Not watching your pop shoot your dog or worrying when the next attempt on your life is coming.
But how the fuck can I give him that when my path has been set since I was born? I can’t just change course.
Can I?
“Rob thought you might want to name them,” Lee says to Sherm.
He scoops the shy puppy up with his good arm. It settles into his chest as he thinks. I turn and climb the stairs two at a time, needing that shower. “Crash and Burn,” I hear him say as I disappear into the bathroom at the top.
Chapter 12
Adri
Sherm’s sister called Friday to say he wouldn’t