Two Dogs Monty: Easy to read, hilarious story of a lad falling in love, two crazy dogs, and a bizarre gang of criminals. (Two Dogs Monty Series Book 1)
Page 19
A little later a red Jaguar pulls into the driveway. Andrea’s long legs swing out and she stands. It’s bloody good to see her. A host of people flock over. I’ll wait for a bit.
Of course, Helen and Trotsky bask in the sun. They are so full of food they can’t even contemplate mischief.
After a while, I grab Sonia and walk over to where Andrea stands talking to Celia.
“It’s good to see you, Andy. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Wouldn’t miss it, Monty. I’ve known Sonia since she was little. I thought she was a bit more discerning, but each to their own.”
“Stop it Andrea. I knew it was Monty the first second I saw him.”
Andy smiles, “I’m back for good now. I can work from here and travel when I need to. The “art scene” gave me the shits so it’s good to be home.”
She turns to me, “Monty, you shit out a window and I become an internationally renown artist. How does that work?”
I shrug.
“I suppose I should thank you. Sonia, he is like a magic luck charm. I think you chose well.” Andy turns and wanders over to a group of people by the food truck.
Sonia puts her arm around me. “So do I.”
Rebecca and Patrick walk up to us, “It’s all ready.”
“Monty, it’s time to elope.”
“What?”
“We are going to elope and get married in Fiji.”
“Don’t I need to sign something and get it all set up?”
“You did my love. You just don’t remember.”
“What about our families?”
“Oh, they all know. Now don’t spoil it.”
I look at the balcony. It is a long way up. I can see Vince standing up there. He drops something. It’s a thin wire caving ladder. It unrolls as it drops and stops just above the ground.
“See you at the top, my love.” Sonia skips off inside. I cast my eye around. Everyone is watching and smiling.
I turn to Rebecca and Pat. “I climb that?
“Yes Monty, and then you both abseil down.”
Mary has wandered over, “She’s been fantasising about this since she was eight Monty. Don’t fuck it up.”
My legs wobble as I walk over to the dangling ladder.
41
The Things we do for Love
I give Trots and Helen a huge scratch before I get to the ladder. I put one foot on the bottom rung and lift the other. I just swing for a second. Everyone watches intently.
“Go, Monty!” I recognise Finger’s voice. Everyone follows his lead and shouts encouragement. Trotsky and Helen begin to bark. I push up another rung. The ladder swings just a little. I begin to ascend.
I can feel the ladder shaking. I look down and see Helen has hold of it. She shakes it like a great white on a seal carcass.
I am only at ten rungs but it already looks high. I shout down at her. “Helen, stop that!”
Sonia’s voice drifts down. “She’s deaf Monty!”
Fingers slips a lead on Helen and the shaking stops. I continue upwards. I get to the first floor. Minnie Valeri has gone up to her balcony.
“High five Monty!” I high five Minnie with my left hand. My right hand is white-knuckled and firmly latched to the ladder. I press on.
Second floor is Digger’s place. He has his beret but no banana skins. “High five Monty!” I have to take one hand off the ladder again. My right hand is getting numb.
I climb upwards. The next balcony is Ghasif Khoury’s. “Monty! I must shake your hand.” Again I take my hand off the ladder. My stomach begins to crawl.
“Monty, look how high you are!” Stupidly I look down. I feel dizzy. I hang for a second.
“Up you go Monty. Your girl waits for you.” I climb further upwards.
“Two Dogs! Fancy meeting you here. Give me five!” It’s Muscles. I have a sinking feeling I am being set up for everyone’s amusement.
It goes on. Every balcony I am forced to take my hand off the ladder. I get to the balcony below mine. Brian and Celia are there. “High five son!”
“Very funny Dad.” I might have guessed.
“Monty just hang for a sec. I can’t let you go without saying how proud we are of you. Sonia is a fine girl. You are doing good work here.”
“Dad, it’s criminal work.”
Celia smiles at me. “But it's still work, Max and you’re good at it. We don’t mind what you do, just how you do it. And how happy you are.” She sniffs, “I did rather want you to go into law though.”
“Mum, who bribed the employment office guy?”
“No one bribed him, Monty. He is a friend of Jessica’s. She has a lot of friends. It all worked out quite well though, didn’t it?” She smiles. “I turned your bedroom into an art studio.”
“That’s cool Mum.” I look up. Sonia looks down at me. “I’d better finish this climb.”
“High five Monty!” I high five my parents and climb the last few rungs. Sonia waits for me.
I get to the top and freeze. I am too exhausted to be scared. Sonia grabs me and helps me over. I stand on the balcony with knees trembling. Sonia’s head is turned. She leans against the balcony and stares out. People still cheer. She waves.
She speaks ever so quietly. “I wish my mum was here.”
I put my arm around her waist and stare out with her. “She taught me to be strong and always fight for what I want. I told her I would elope one day and she said, I look forward to seeing that. But she never did.”
I don’t know what to say so I say nothing.
“Monty, I miss her so much. Time steals away everything we love.”
I turn her shoulders towards me and wrap my arms around her. “Then let’s never waste a second of it, beautiful girl.”
I look at the pile of rope at my feet. “Sonia do you know how to work all this?”
She smiles, “You’re so lucky to have me around.”
She throws the rope down, helps me into a double harness. She slips in behind me and, after a thirty-second tutorial, she takes me over the edge. We slide easily to the ground where a limo waits. We acknowledge the applause with a wave and hop in. The driver moves slowly to the gates.
Sitting on the low wall near the exit are Trotsky and Helen. They jump down and run alongside the car, tongues lolloping, until they tire. They sit down and watch us drive away.
I gaze back at the two devils. “I’ll miss them.”
Sonia loops her arm around mine. “I guarantee you won't. Anyhow, you’ll see them again soon enough.”
As I watch the world flow by, it occurs to me that the day has slipped away. We are actually driving away into the sunset.
I hope you enjoyed Two Dogs Monty. The sequel, Two Dogs Diner, is available on Amazon now.
About the Author
Bill lives in South Western Australia with his wife and two dogs. You can follow him on www.facebook.com/2dogsday or visit his website www.billdayauthor.com.