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furniture was being stored downstairs.
The mundane thought snapped me back to reality and I pulled away. I looked into
his eyes again and saw such love I thought I might just let myself get lost there. But
reality is hard to fight. I pulled back, wiping the last of the tears from my cheeks.
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Kelsy George
Come on, sweetheart, it s time to take you home. He put his arm around my
shoulders and led me to the living room where he picked up the cell phone and my
carryall.
Anything else?
I looked around, shook my head and started for the door. Ethan was right behind
me, taking my hand to slow me down. He stopped long enough to key the deadbolt
lock then led me to the elevator. Mikey was glued to my other side, not wanting to let
either of us out of his sight.
You know, this dog is something else. Once he decided he was yours, he hasn t let
you get more than a few feet away from him, except occasionally when I m with you.
Then he seems to relax. It s like he thinks he s protecting you from something. It s
enough to make a guy jealous. He smiled down at me as he spoke, his smile telling me
he really didn t mind Mikey protecting me.
Well, I guess I could always take him back to LeRoy, if you don t want him
around. I said it in a teasing voice and he leaned over to kiss me again.
No way, sweetheart. I want the dog next to you like glue so if I m not around,
you ve got someone protecting you. There s just too many strange things going on in
this building.
We were silent for the ride down and the walk toward the car. He held my hand
tightly, his fingers laced deeply through mine. I felt very safe with Ethan so close and
Mikey right beside us. So when trouble struck, I was in no way prepared for it.
Just as we reached the main sidewalk a truck careened around the corner and drove
straight for us. By the time we realized what was happening there was no place to go.
We were in the open with the big truck bearing down on us faster than we could move.
I pushed Ethan away from me, hoping to save him, and tried to move in the other
direction, but I tripped over Mikey and went sprawling.
The dog realized something was wrong and immediately moved to stand over me.
His body protected me from most of the stinking mess thrown from the truck. What
little made it to me on the ground was enough to make me want to throw up. Mikey
was the one who took the brunt of the foul goo. It was a thick soup of the most awful
smelling garbage imaginable. In fact, when I got the second good wave of the odorous
mass I realized it was exactly that. A mixture of garbage and some kind of manure. I
thought maybe chicken from the stinging sensation the fumes were causing. It
reminded me of the chicken coops in our old Bay View neighborhood. A few of those
had been allowed to steep, the waves of their stench an eye, nose and throat-burning
atrocity.
I hadn t meant to push Ethan so hard but I d actually knocked him off his feet so in
the time it took him to stand and get to me, the truck was long gone down the street.
Charli! Are you all right? His anxious voice told me he was worried. My concern
was even greater. How on earth was I going to get anywhere, home or back to the
apartment, smelling like this? And what about Mikey?
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Deja You
I m fine. Just very, very angry. This stuff stinks!
I was wiping it off my pants and not doing a very good job of it. The more I wiped,
the worse it looked. And there stood Mikey, dripping with the same odiferous ooze.
There was no way either of us could climb into anyone s car.
Come on, let s go find a hose. There was one at the side of the building yesterday.
If we re lucky the water is turned on inside. Ethan took hold of my hand but I noticed
he was keeping his distance. I couldn t blame him. I was the one covered in the mess
and I didn t want to be near me. Poor Mikey was drooping along behind us, trying to
keep up while we wished he was anywhere but close by.
I gave up trying to talk. Every time I opened my mouth I swear I tasted the foul
odor, and Ethan must have been having the same problem.
Well, all I can say is I m glad I don t have a sense of smell. If that stuff stinks as bad as it
looks you must be pretty gross, Charli.
Shut up, Michael. This isn t funny.
I know, sweetie, but if you could see how bad it looks
Michael, if I were you, I think I d stop talking about now. Otherwise, when she
loses her temper, I m the one who s going to be on the receiving end. Ethan s tone was
serious. He was angry, but I m not sure with whom.
Can I make everything better if I tell you who was driving the truck?
You saw them? Come on, Michael, spill it. I was on the ground, I don t know
where Ethan ended up, but I don t think either of us saw the driver.
I didn t. Ethan now had the hose unfurled and turned on the tap. I watched as a
small trickle built to a steady stream. He began spraying me down, starting high and
working his way down.
Let s just say you must have really ticked off Stan Medlar. It was him and his wife. She was
driving, he threw the stuff.
Why am I surprised? Ethan s growl made me look at him. He was furious but still
managing to hold his temper in check. I gave him credit for that, then I turned around
and blew up.
Well, damn! I felt like stamping my foot. All we did was fire him. With a
month s salary. We could have had him charged for all the damage in his suite and the
lack of work he did on this building. He s lucky he s not in jail.
I think he may just end up there, if I can get the police moving on this. I ve had it
with the man. He went just a bit too far tonight, with this mess. He could have hurt
you.
No, Ethan. Don t. Get them to warn him off. I m afraid if they charge him, as soon
as he s out he ll come looking for us.
Ethan stared at me and I could see the conflict in his eyes. He wanted to get even
with Stan but he knew I was right. If he called the police, Stan would come after us. Me,
in particular.
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Kelsy George
Leave it, please, Ethan. Maybe he won t be back.
I seemed to be ineffectually brushing at the water streaming down my clothes,
trying to get rid of the ooze, yet it appeared I was finally winning. While I was being
hosed down, I reached down to Mikey and grabbed his collar. He was next. He couldn t
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