Free A Weekend Getaway by Karen Lenfestey Page B
Authors: Karen Lenfestey
we’ll run out and grab a snack while you get things ready.”
Resisting the embrace, Emma squirmed and stomped her feet.
“No! I want a gift.” She was so hungry and wiped out, there was no
rationalizing with her.
If Beth had been thinking straight, she would’ve anticipated
this. Their after-daycare routine included going home and eating a snack. Why hadn’t
she grabbed a Healthy Habits granola bar from the office vending machine?
Too late now. “Want some ice cream? Or a cookie?” Beth
gently tugged on Emma’s hand. “Let’s go get a cookie.” Anything to make her
stop crying.
The cool air outside immediately dried the sweat on Beth’s
forehead. She looked up the street for a bakery or restaurant that might have
something sweet. No such luck. They started walking anyway and passed a pet
store.
Emma sniffled and pointed at the window. “Doggie! Doggie! I
want a doggie!”
“No, we can’t get a dog.”
Emma scowled at her. “Mommy said I could have a doggie at
her new place.”
Beth ground her molars. Mommy. “Maybe she’ll get you one,
but we can’t get it today.” She tried to coax her down the sidewalk, but Emma
stayed at the window with her nose pressed against the glass. “Can I pet him?”
A little brown dachshund jumped toward her. He was just as excited to see Emma
as she was to see him.
“Um.” Beth swallowed. “Don’t you want a cookie?”
“No!” Emma stomped her feet.
“Okay.” A bell jingled on the door as they stepped inside.
Parakeets chirping, dogs barking, and the smell of grainy pet food greeted them.
Noticing that bubbling fish tanks lined the back wall, Beth followed Emma to
the dog cages they’d seen from the window.
Emma sat down and stuck her fingers through the slats.
“Awww. Cute puppy.”
A teenaged girl in a white lab coat approached them. “Would
you like to pet him? He’s my favorite.” She unlocked the cage and placed the
wiener dog in Emma’s lap. The puppy jumped and squirmed, licking Emma’s cheeks.
Finally, Emma’s foul mood dissipated. She laughed as she
petted the pup and Beth’s shoulders unclenched.
The teenaged employee went behind the counter and brought
out a dog toy. “This is his favorite.” When she squeezed the plastic bone, it
squeaked. Emma grinned and took the toy. Squeak!
Squeak! Squeak!
The dachshund bit on one end of the bone and played
tug-of-war with Emma. They were a good match. Neither gave up easily.
Beth sat down next to them. “I wonder if he knows how to
fetch.” She wrestled the bone away from the dog and tossed it a few feet away.
The dog took off running and stayed to chew on it.
“Come here.” Beth’s voice had elevated itself to that silly,
high-pitch especially suited for cute animals. She slapped her thighs. “Bring
me the toy. Bring it, bring it.”
The dog lifted the bone in his mouth and carried it back to
them. Beth clapped and rubbed his head as a reward.
Immediately Emma tossed the toy, knocking it against an
empty fish tank.
“Careful,” Beth reminded her. The last thing she needed was
to be forced to buy something that Emma broke.
The dog returned and Emma threw the bone again. Toss,
return, toss, and return. Emma never seemed to grow tired of the game.
Being an only child could be lonely, Beth knew from
experience. The girl needed a playmate. If not a dog, a cousin maybe. A smile crept
across Beth’s face. Perhaps this would be a new tactic to try to light a fire
under Drew. Having a baby would be good for Emma.
Beth glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes had sailed by. “Time
to go.”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t wanna go.” She grinned as the
dog licked her face.
Making her way to her feet, Beth signaled to the lab-coated
employee. “Can you put the dog back now?” She reached for Emma’s hand. The
toddler became dead weight, refusing to stand. “Emma, now, please get up. We
have to go see how pretty you look in those pictures. I’ll need your help
picking which
Resisting the embrace, Emma squirmed and stomped her feet.
“No! I want a gift.” She was so hungry and wiped out, there was no
rationalizing with her.
If Beth had been thinking straight, she would’ve anticipated
this. Their after-daycare routine included going home and eating a snack. Why hadn’t
she grabbed a Healthy Habits granola bar from the office vending machine?
Too late now. “Want some ice cream? Or a cookie?” Beth
gently tugged on Emma’s hand. “Let’s go get a cookie.” Anything to make her
stop crying.
The cool air outside immediately dried the sweat on Beth’s
forehead. She looked up the street for a bakery or restaurant that might have
something sweet. No such luck. They started walking anyway and passed a pet
store.
Emma sniffled and pointed at the window. “Doggie! Doggie! I
want a doggie!”
“No, we can’t get a dog.”
Emma scowled at her. “Mommy said I could have a doggie at
her new place.”
Beth ground her molars. Mommy. “Maybe she’ll get you one,
but we can’t get it today.” She tried to coax her down the sidewalk, but Emma
stayed at the window with her nose pressed against the glass. “Can I pet him?”
A little brown dachshund jumped toward her. He was just as excited to see Emma
as she was to see him.
“Um.” Beth swallowed. “Don’t you want a cookie?”
“No!” Emma stomped her feet.
“Okay.” A bell jingled on the door as they stepped inside.
Parakeets chirping, dogs barking, and the smell of grainy pet food greeted them.
Noticing that bubbling fish tanks lined the back wall, Beth followed Emma to
the dog cages they’d seen from the window.
Emma sat down and stuck her fingers through the slats.
“Awww. Cute puppy.”
A teenaged girl in a white lab coat approached them. “Would
you like to pet him? He’s my favorite.” She unlocked the cage and placed the
wiener dog in Emma’s lap. The puppy jumped and squirmed, licking Emma’s cheeks.
Finally, Emma’s foul mood dissipated. She laughed as she
petted the pup and Beth’s shoulders unclenched.
The teenaged employee went behind the counter and brought
out a dog toy. “This is his favorite.” When she squeezed the plastic bone, it
squeaked. Emma grinned and took the toy. Squeak!
Squeak! Squeak!
The dachshund bit on one end of the bone and played
tug-of-war with Emma. They were a good match. Neither gave up easily.
Beth sat down next to them. “I wonder if he knows how to
fetch.” She wrestled the bone away from the dog and tossed it a few feet away.
The dog took off running and stayed to chew on it.
“Come here.” Beth’s voice had elevated itself to that silly,
high-pitch especially suited for cute animals. She slapped her thighs. “Bring
me the toy. Bring it, bring it.”
The dog lifted the bone in his mouth and carried it back to
them. Beth clapped and rubbed his head as a reward.
Immediately Emma tossed the toy, knocking it against an
empty fish tank.
“Careful,” Beth reminded her. The last thing she needed was
to be forced to buy something that Emma broke.
The dog returned and Emma threw the bone again. Toss,
return, toss, and return. Emma never seemed to grow tired of the game.
Being an only child could be lonely, Beth knew from
experience. The girl needed a playmate. If not a dog, a cousin maybe. A smile crept
across Beth’s face. Perhaps this would be a new tactic to try to light a fire
under Drew. Having a baby would be good for Emma.
Beth glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes had sailed by. “Time
to go.”
Emma shook her head. “I don’t wanna go.” She grinned as the
dog licked her face.
Making her way to her feet, Beth signaled to the lab-coated
employee. “Can you put the dog back now?” She reached for Emma’s hand. The
toddler became dead weight, refusing to stand. “Emma, now, please get up. We
have to go see how pretty you look in those pictures. I’ll need your help
picking which