"So," said Lynne, as she looked around the sunny kitchen where her best friend, Cory, was pouring cream into a cup of coffee.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Lynne asked as she pulled the creamer from Cory’s hand.
"Well, I have a plan, sort of. I mean, I have thought about it and come up with several ways to make him stop, but I don't want to muck it up."
Cory's eyes darted around the room restlessly. This was her favorite room in the new house, the house she shared with Jake.
Jake was a love, at least most of the time. There were those times when she knew he was totally devoted to her; the times they spent curled up on the sofa eating popcorn and watching a chick flick even through she could see he wasn't really into the movie; the way he always kissed her when she came into the room, and their special way of sleeping together, his firm body as close to hers as he could get.
There were other times, though, not so fun, when Cory suspected Jake had been up to something. These were the times he would not meet her eyes, and his spontaneous kisses had ceased. He would stay out later at night, and when he came in he would sometimes sleep on the sofa.
"I want to handle this just right; I don't want to do something that will damage our relationship. In spite of it all, I love Jake and do not want to give him up."
Tears were resting in the corners of Cory's eyes and Lynne could see how much pain this situation was causing her friend.
"Okay, then, lets think this thing out," said Lynne.
"You need a firm plan, one that will not fail, let him know who is boss, in a loving way of course, and you need to get started now."
Cory and Lynne spent the remainder of the afternoon straining their brains until they finally came up with the perfect plan, the one that would let Jake know his games were over.
That night as Cory opened the door for Jake she said, "Oh, take your time, sweetie, but don't be out too long."
Jake looked into Cory's eyes, turned and walked onto the deck, down the steps to the shut gate. He stopped suddenly, looked around at the door where Cory had been standing, but she had gone inside. The gate was locked and he did not have a key...
Cory went to the door to peek at Jake. He was just standing there looking helpless. She opened the door and called to him to come back inside so they could talk. Jake climbed the steps and walking through the door, looked at Cory sheepishly.
"From now on, mister, you will go out at night for a short time only. And when you come in the house you will kiss me like you used to, and curl up with me in bed. No more sleeping on the sofa!" Cory delivered these new rules with authority.
"And another thing: you will not hide your mistakes any more. If you need something from me, just ask. I am tired of finding yellow puddles in the kitchen, and brown dried up 'sausages' in the foyer on the new Persian rug."
Jake ducked his brown furry head and knew he was a done dog.
Cory lifted his chin and said to her best friend, "Jake, you and I are going to be together for a long time. I know getting used to a new place is hard, but together we will work it out. Just go to the door and let me know when you need to go out."
Cory patted Jakes's head, and then grabbing the roll of paper towels from the counter, she went into the foyer.
As she looked behind her, Jake was sleeping soundly on the sofa.
"So, what are you going to do about it?" Lynne asked as she pulled the creamer from Cory’s hand.
"Well, I have a plan, sort of. I mean, I have thought about it and come up with several ways to make him stop, but I don't want to muck it up."
Cory's eyes darted around the room restlessly. This was her favorite room in the new house, the house she shared with Jake.
Jake was a love, at least most of the time. There were those times when she knew he was totally devoted to her; the times they spent curled up on the sofa eating popcorn and watching a chick flick even through she could see he wasn't really into the movie; the way he always kissed her when she came into the room, and their special way of sleeping together, his firm body as close to hers as he could get.
There were other times, though, not so fun, when Cory suspected Jake had been up to something. These were the times he would not meet her eyes, and his spontaneous kisses had ceased. He would stay out later at night, and when he came in he would sometimes sleep on the sofa.
"I want to handle this just right; I don't want to do something that will damage our relationship. In spite of it all, I love Jake and do not want to give him up."
Tears were resting in the corners of Cory's eyes and Lynne could see how much pain this situation was causing her friend.
"Okay, then, lets think this thing out," said Lynne.
"You need a firm plan, one that will not fail, let him know who is boss, in a loving way of course, and you need to get started now."
Cory and Lynne spent the remainder of the afternoon straining their brains until they finally came up with the perfect plan, the one that would let Jake know his games were over.
That night as Cory opened the door for Jake she said, "Oh, take your time, sweetie, but don't be out too long."
Jake looked into Cory's eyes, turned and walked onto the deck, down the steps to the shut gate. He stopped suddenly, looked around at the door where Cory had been standing, but she had gone inside. The gate was locked and he did not have a key...
Cory went to the door to peek at Jake. He was just standing there looking helpless. She opened the door and called to him to come back inside so they could talk. Jake climbed the steps and walking through the door, looked at Cory sheepishly.
"From now on, mister, you will go out at night for a short time only. And when you come in the house you will kiss me like you used to, and curl up with me in bed. No more sleeping on the sofa!" Cory delivered these new rules with authority.
"And another thing: you will not hide your mistakes any more. If you need something from me, just ask. I am tired of finding yellow puddles in the kitchen, and brown dried up 'sausages' in the foyer on the new Persian rug."
Jake ducked his brown furry head and knew he was a done dog.
Cory lifted his chin and said to her best friend, "Jake, you and I are going to be together for a long time. I know getting used to a new place is hard, but together we will work it out. Just go to the door and let me know when you need to go out."
Cory patted Jakes's head, and then grabbing the roll of paper towels from the counter, she went into the foyer.
As she looked behind her, Jake was sleeping soundly on the sofa.
