Cupid's Holiday Trilogy

by Geeta Kakade

  “We do,” said Christy, “but I hate for you’ll to do all the work house training the puppy when Mark and I aren’t there to help.”

  “I don’t mind,” said Bridget quickly. “Beside Norah says they are partially housetrained already. They’ve been in her porch all this time and she has a doggie door there. We’ll keep them in the porch and garage till they’re house trained. Do you know how the Kemps and Moira feel about it or should I talk to them first?”

  “There’s no need for that. It was Mrs. Kemp who said one of her grandchildren had a disability and was starting to feel left out because he couldn’t do everything other kids could. Her son got a puppy and the difference in the kid was amazing. That’s when we all discussed it and decided we should look out for a good puppy for Frank. Besides a big dog will reassure Moira about the bears in the summer.”

  “Show her the puppy on Facetime,” said Andrew handing Bridget his iPad after hitting Christy’s email address that would let them connect to her iPhone.

  “That’s a good idea,” said Bridget.

  “What’s a good idea?” asked Christy.

  “Andrew suggested showing you the puppy on Facetime,” Bridget went towards the counter, iPad in hand. Norah took her out to the back porch and picked up the puppy Bridget had rescued.

  “Hi Christy,” said Norah when Bridget had the camera focused. “This is the one Bridget rescued from some bullies this morning.”

  “What bullies?”

  Norah told them what had happened.

  “She’s so cute,” said Christy. “Mark come and look at the new puppy we’re getting.”

  “Finally,” said Mark in an approving tone. “Hi Bridget, Andrew.”

  “Hi Mark,” said Andrew. He come up and stood right behind Bridget.

  “Hi Mark,” said Bridget aware of how close Andrew was and the currents that were doing a tango inside her. “Would you and Christy like to look at the rest of the litter and pick another one instead?”

  “No,” said Christy. “This one’s great.”

  A pause and Bridget could hear Mark saying something to his wife.

  “Sorry about that,” Christy sounded excited. “Mark suggests we get two puppies if you can handle them.”

  “Two?” Bridget was surprised.

  “Is that going to be too much work?”

  “They’ll be company for each other,” said Mark. “I researched Labradors online when Christy first mentioned the litter and they’re great family dogs. These pups are better for us as than pure bred dogs as they will be stronger. Norah says Flower isn’t pure bred either but she’s never been sick. The father’s a friend’s dog. This is Flower’s last litter and we may not get another chance to adopt from a litter who’s parents we know are both great dogs. I also read somewhere that two dogs are much better than one as they keep each other company.”

  “I agree,” said Christy. “But it’s Bridget who’s going to do most of the work. Maybe we should wait till we get back to get a second puppy.”

  “I don’t mind the work,” Bridget said quickly, “and I think it’s a great idea to get two puppies.”

  “I can help,” said Andrew taking her breath away.

  “Why don’t you choose the second puppy Christy?”

  Bridget pointed the camera at the rug getting down on her haunches so Christy could have a better look. One of the chocolate puppies came over to them and started sniffing Andrew’s shoes.

  “That one,” said Mark and Christy in unison.

  “Great choice,” said Norah. “You’ve got the best of the lot. I think I have a basket here somewhere you can take them home in Bridget.”

  “We don’t mean to be rude,” said Christy, “but Mark’s Mum has invited us to her place and it’s a long drive especially in rush hour traffic. We have to get going now to be there by six.”

  “That’s fine,” said Bridget. “Talk to you later.”

  Norah handed her the second puppy with instructions about what they would need. Bridget went back to the table to see Andrew looking at his cell phone, the first puppy tucked under his arm. “Just made a list of the things a puppy needs and called the vet to make an appointment. Dr. Goldberg says she can see us now.”

  Bridget was surprised by how quickly he’d made the appointment.

  “Let’s go see the vet and then pick up the things for the puppies.”

  Bridget went to the back of the SUV. Taking out a top of Christy’s from the bag of old clothes she had been given for the convent Rummage sale, she put it in the basket with the puppies.

  Making a brief phone call to Moira she told her they would be late. Explaining about the puppies she asked Moira not to tell Frank about them. She wanted it to be a surprise.

  They got home two hours later laden with things for the puppies, two new dog carriers and a list of instructions from Dr. Goldberg.

  Frank’s face when he met them at the SUV to ask why they were so late was a sight worth seeing. Mr. Kemp had his camera out and took pictures as everyone greeted the puppies and helped unload the supplies.

  Frank took them to the back porch and sat down with them. Moira filled the water bowls and Andrew measured out their first meal. For the next hour everyone was super busy with the puppies. They decided together where they would sleep, eat, play and be confined indoors. It was a happy conference and Bridget was glad Andrew took part in it rather than withdrawing to his room as he usually did. He volunteered to watch the puppies while they were busy with breakfast in the mornings and again for a couple of hours each afternoon before Frank got home from school.

  Andrew and Bridget were alone in the kitchen having finally persuaded Frank to go to bed after settling the puppies down in the apartment porch. If they cried the noise wouldn’t disturb any of the guests. Moira said she would stay there to make sure her son did not get out of bed to check on the puppies. The Kemps had retired for the night. Bridget had made a mug of hot chocolate for herself and coffee for Andrew.

  “I didn’t know you knew karate,” he said.

  She looked at him blankly for a second and then remembered what he was talking about.

  “Neither did I,” she confessed and suddenly they were both laughing hard.

  “It jus…just seemed like the right thing to do.” Another gale of giggles followed. “I saw it in an old movie once.”

  “What was your next move going to be?” Andrew asked unable to stop laughing.

  “I think it’s the kick isn’t it or is it the hand to jaw?” she asked wiping her eyes.

  They were at the SUV.

  “I lost my temper,” she confessed. “Sister Winifred says I must have a red streak in all this dark hair because every now and then I totally lose it.”

  “Over rude people and causes?” asked Andrew. “That’s a good thing. Rude people need to be told of and everyone should care about causes like injustice and cruelty.”

  She knew he wasn’t just referring to what had happened between them a few days ago. He was thinking of larger causes in the world as well.

  “Thanks for rescuing me,” she said.

  “You had the situation well under control.”

  Andrew was glad he had witnessed the incident. The fact that Bridgett knew how to stand up for herself when push came to shove meant she wasn’t as timid as he had first thought.

  Reluctant to call it a day, Andrew knew she was tired. He wanted to be around her as much as he could but he had to let her go to bed.

  The best part of the day had been getting the puppies and the shared laughter that had swept away the last bits of her reserve around him.

  All in all Andrew knew it had been a very good day.

  Saturday night Andrew helped Bridget clear the table. The crawfish dinner had been extremely satisfying.

  There had been only the two of them as Mr. and Mrs. Kemp were away in Reno for a Bridge marathon and the parents of a boy in Frank’s boy scout troop had invited him and Moira over for dinner so the boys could finis
h the they were working on.

  After the puppies had settled down, they had returned to the kitchen to clean up.

  Andrew knew he had to make the most of the time he had alone with Bridget.

  She put the last dish he’d wiped away and shut the cabinet door.

  “Goodnight,” she said.

  “Do you mind showing me the website you’re working on for the doll project?” he asked.

  “Now?”

  “If you’re not too tired,” Andrew said.

  “What about your exercises?”

  “I did them before dinner tonight.”

  She got the laptop from the apartment and opened it up.

  “This is Christy’s laptop. She told me to use it while she’s gone.” She pulled up the site and then turned the screen to him.

  He quietly scanned the few pages she had up and the information on the dolls. “Mrs. Kemp said you were worried about it not looking better. I can help with this if you like,” he said.

  “You can?”

  “I took computer graphics in high school and loved it. Why don’t you pick out the shades of color you like for the website and then I’ll show you a few easy things to do.”

  When the clock chimed midnight, Bridget looked at him. She had no idea so much time had gone by. “The website’s amazing. Thank you so much. Christy will be so happy about it.”

  She kept staring at the first page on the screen. He had muted the scarlet background to give it a misty look. He had put a lace border on the page and rearranged her photos of the dolls and their prices to make it easy to see at a glance. One of the porcelain dolls on the first page opened and closed her eyes.

  “When you and Christy come up with a name for the business, we’ll do that in lace too and you’ll be all set.”

  He stood up so carefully that she knew his knee was hurting and said. “Goodnight Bridget.”

  “Goodnight Mr. Blackwell.”

  “Andrew,” he said.

  “Goodnight Andrew and thank you.”

  Andrew knew he had enjoyed the evening with Bridget. She was really interested in the dolls. When she talked about them she lost her usual air of inhibition. Her eyes had sparkled as she’d told him about a doll with a metal head and limbs that was from the 1800’s. Her mouth had curved in the smile he liked seeing on her face as she described the exquisite porcelain dolls from France, the early Barbies and the Dionne dolls. Her eyes blazed with indignation as she described the life story of the Dionne quintuplets and how unhappy they had been as children. Then she told him about Emma, the doll an Australian donor had sent her, and he knew how much the doll meant to her.

  By Sunday night Bridget was worn out. The puppies had everyone out in the garage taking turns with them but they still made for extra work. Chasing them to get things like shoes and hats away from them was fun but tiring. Still they made everyone happy and she loved them.

  Toby’s eyes had lit up when he’d seen them and he’d told Bridget, “There’s nothing like a couple of dogs around to keep the wild critters out.”

  She knew having big dogs would allay Moira’s fears too about the black bears in the summer getting into the backyard.

  Frank hadn’t wanted to leave the puppies and go to his boy scout meeting on Saturday till Andrew overhearing his conversation with his mother about how he didn’t feel well and needed a sick day had told Frank that he would personally take care of the puppies till he came home. Instead of retreating to his room as he usually did after breakfast Andrew had taken his laptop into the garage and set it up there on the worktable.

  Bridget had put in an old shirt of Mark’s and the top of Christy’s she’d used yesterday in the basket where the puppies liked to sleep. Mark and Christy had called at noon and Andrew had connected with them on Facetime so they could watch the puppies and talk to them.

  “What’s been decided for names?” asked Christy.

  “Well,” said Bridget. “Moira had the best idea. She said we should pick out one name each for each puppy and put them in two baskets marked A and B and then we thought Frank could pull out one for each dog.”

  “Great idea,” said Mark.

  “Send us your choice for names,” Bridget said. “The draw’s going to be next Saturday as Frank says he needs time to think up really good names. Till then they are going to be A and B.”

  “Do the puppies keep you up at night?” Christy asked.

  “They were very good,” Bridget told her. “I think it’s the fact Norah had them on puppy food already that helps as does the fact there are two of them. They woke up around five yesterday and today and cried a bit but I got to them before they could wake Moira or Frank up. He was up at six and Moira couldn’t believe it was the same boy she has such a problem waking up every day of the week!”

  They laughed and promised to send names in soon.

  That night Bridget couldn’t settle down with her knitting and decided to watch an Andre Rieu concert in the family room after everyone had disappeared to their rooms for the night. She had barely started it when Andrew walked into the family room.

  “Mind if I join you?” He had a beer bottle in his hand and she knew he rarely drank so he must have something on his mind too. She’d overheard him tell Mr. Kemp that some nights it was the only way he could get to sleep.

  “Please do”, she said.

  He sat down on the couch next to her and all her senses shifted into high gear. He smelled of soap and looked so good in his shorts and tee shirt. Suddenly she couldn’t taste the hot chocolate she was drinking. Her hands itched to reach out and run her fingers through his wet hair. Bridget turned the volume up to drown out her thoughts.

  An hour later she switched off the tv and said, “Well I better say goodnight.”

  “Are you sleepy?” he asked.

  “Wide awake,” she confessed. Since he’s walked into the room she felt as if all her senses were plugged into a 210 volt circuit.

  “Sit and talk for a while.”

  It was the first time he’d said anything like that and she sat down quietly wondering what they would find to talk about.

  “You’re still worried about those kids, aren’t you?” Andrew had overheard part of her conversation with Norah that morning. She’d asked Norah if the other puppies were all right and if there was any sign of those kids hanging around in that lane.

  Wondering if she’d planned to go to town and try her karate out on them if they were he had quickly thought up something he needed so he could go there as well if she mentioned going.

  “Bullies always get a kick out of being mean,” she said.

  Bridget wondered if she should tell him about the kid in fourth grade who had brought a catapult to school and knocked a blue jay to the ground with it. She’d gone home with a black eye, the bird wrapped up in her jacket and a note from the principal.

  After she’d written, “I will not lose my temper and hit anyone,” a hundred times and written a note to the girl apologizing for hitting her, Bridget and Sister Winifred had made a splint for the bird’s wing. She’d found it worms and bugs in the garden to eat and eventually its wing had healed and they had let it go.

  Since that incident Bridget had known she had zero tolerance for any form of cruelty.

  “As human beings we’re lucky when we know the difference between right and wrong,” Andrew said. “It would be a better world if we could all be born with that knowledge.”

  “Is it so difficult to learn?” Bridget demanded. “Those who can’t get it should have had Sister Winifred to teach them that basic lesson. First she made you understand why whatever it is you’d done at that time was wrong, then she warned you and on the third strike she went for the wooden spoon she kept in the drawer. It was her final word on the subject she said for children who didn’t understand the spoken word. After three raps with the spoon on our legs, we’d have to sit and write one hundred times, ‘I will not do whatever it was we had done again.’ By the end of that whole proce
ss we were very sure we would never do it again.”

  Andrew couldn’t help laughing at the pictures his mind was coming up with.

  “Were you in trouble a lot?” he asked.

  “Quite a bit till I turned eleven,“ said Bridget, loving the sound of Andrew’s laugh. “But Sister Winifred said I was a quick learner and never made the same mistake twice.”

  “What changed when you turned eleven?”

  “I don’t really know except I became very quiet and kept to myself, preferring reading above everything else.”

  Actually she did know. A girl in her class had said she couldn’t be her friend as Bridget might have bad genes and she didn’t know if her parents had been criminals or druggies and so she couldn’t ever trust her. The girl said her mother knew bad genes would out. From that day Bridget had realized the true extent to which others saw her as different.

  “What about you?” asked Bridget to channel the conversation away from herself. “What did your parents do to teach you the difference between right and wrong?”

  “I never knew my parents as they died in a plane crash when I was seven but I was raised by my dad’s older sister and her husband in a loving home.” Andrew said. “My aunt Lucy just sent me to my room when I did something wrong and then my uncle Bert would come up and say, “Now see what you’ve done? You’ve made her mad and she wants me to talk to you and I don’t know what to say. Let’s just stay up here and work on those puzzles you love to do till she forgets what she’s mad about. Then we go down and you be very sure and apologize properly or I’ll have to sleep in the spare room for shirking my duty. Understood?”

  Bridget laughed over the picture drawn by his words and Andrew continued. “Their kindness made me want to never do the same thing twice. Looking back I know I must have been a challenge to both of them but they said I was the son they could never have.”