This is the sixth part in a series, so if you have not already done so, you might want to read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V before continuing.
While Charlie was in the bathroom, I carried the dog into the house. Once inside, I held her out in front of me so she was facing Phil as I said, “Is this the vicious beast you’re so afraid of?”
“I don’t allow dogs in this house.”
“Good thing this isn’t a dog, then. It’s an oversized rat.”
Phil snorted out a laugh, then tried to cover it up. “Don’t let Charlie hear you say that. She loves that dog beyond all reason.”
“Yeah, enough to sleep in her car with it.”
Phil shook his head. “I thought for sure she’d give up and come inside after an hour or two.”
“Well, clearly she’s not going to give any ground on this one, so you’ll just have to be the bigger man on this one.”
“It’s my house!”
“And it’s your niece.”
He had nothing to say to that. One thing I’ve always loved about Phil and his family is that they’ve always looked after their own, no matter what. You won’t find a more loyal or generous man than Phil Pillmore.
Even if he is as stubborn as a mule.
I took his silence to mean he’s given up and I set the dog down on the floor before sitting myself down at the kitchen table and helping myself to some breakfast.
The dog didn’t miss a beat. She sat on the floor right next to me and looked at me as though she’d never eaten a day in her life.
“I don’t suppose she had much dinner last night, what with sleeping in the car and all,” I said.
Phil pointed a menacing fork at me. “Don’t you dare feed that dog at the table.”
I dropped a bite of sausage onto the floor and the dog pounced on it. “Oops.”
“Goddamit, Mike!”
“It fell.”
“That better be the only one that falls.”
I couldn’t help it. I dropped a piece of scrambled egg on the floor just to mess with him.
To be continued…