Another Day, Another Bone: Lost Cause

  “… Where is she?” Andrew growled as he paced back and forth in the living room of their apartment room. Charlie, his father, watched him pace about, wondering what had his tail in such a knot. He was usually irritable, but this was beyond the usual annoyance.
  “She’ll be back when she’s ready to come home.” The older mutt said, closing his eyes to block out his son. Watching him was making him dizzy, and he was amazed his aggravated son could keep pacing.
  Andrew growled softly in impatience.  “She’s always here to do stuff with me, where could she have gone?” He looked out the window, hoping for her to come walking up. Not seeing her, he sat on the floor with a heavy sigh. When he noticed that Sam had started to follow him about less and less, he had started to feel a gaping hole in his heart. It had started small, didn’t even bother him, but now it gnawed away at him like a tick.
  “What has you so worried anyway? Sam is a grown up young lady, and Joey should be the one acting all worried and he’s taking it in high stride.” Charlie said, opening one eye. “And he’s a Dobie, those guys are fierce.”
  “Shut up dad, you wouldn’t get it.” Andrew snapped, looking out the window again. Where… Where… Where…?!
  “Andrew, this is really unlike you…” The older dog’s ears drooped a bit. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
  “I’m fine.”
  Charlie watched his son a bit longer before shrugging to himself. If his son said he was okay, he wouldn’t say another word about it. If he were younger he’d be a bit more stubborn, but he had a bar to run and an apartment to get rent from. He walked out of the room and, passing Sasha, shook his head.
  It was a silent signal that Andrew wasn’t going to listen, that he was really restless. They both knew that when he got this way that they shouldn’t disturb him, knowing he was a bit more aggressive than usual. The Shepherd mutt climbed upstairs and knocked on one of the doors.
  “Come in!” He heard from inside, and he walked in. Inside the room was Zak, his brother Joey, their dad, and Joey’s sons Duncan and Meph. Duncan was seated by the tan Doberman, his brother on the ground with his head on his paws, eyes closed but his ears up high to show he was awake and attentive.
  “Hiya Charlie, what’s up?” Zak asked brightly, taking a quick swig of beer.
  “Nothing much Zak, just my son being really impatient waiting on Sam.” The mix sat beside Meph, whose ear flicked as he listened. “Do any of you guys know where she goes anyway? I’m so busy running this place and the Fleabite with Sasha, especially with that new entertainer we have on the first floor that I don’t have time to check myself.”
  Joey grinned big, winking at his old business partner. “Sam found herself a mate, you haven’t heard?”
  “Really? Since when?” Charlie said in disbelief.
  “Since a few months ago you dozy old dog, she’s been dating him.” Meph grumbled from next to Charlie. “She told me she’s expecting.”
  The older Shepherd’s jaw dropped a bit.
  “Surprised you’re gonna be a great grandpa soon?” Joey teased. “I know how you feel; I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandpa.”
  Will patted Charlie’s shoulder in mock sympathy. “I know how you feel, all old and creaky now eh?”
  “I’ll show you old and creaky!” Charlie pounced Will and started wrestling him, showing him he was still a spry dog despite his age. Zak, Joey, and Duncan laughed, watching the two roll around.
  They rolled over Meph a few times, making him grunt and open one eye. “Can’t you guys give it a rest?” He tried to sound threatening, but the effect was ruined with a light smile playing on his muzzle. When they rolled over him again he growled playfully and joined right in. Duncan beamed at the mass of fur rolling about; he was glad Meph was starting to finally open up since his miniature retirement from street fighting.
  He was sure nothing could ruin this family time, knowing that his family was safe if they had each other. Not even the building storm clouds put a damper on his spirits, glad he was maturing and becoming braver. He gave his Uncle Zak a hug that was returned without hesitation. Life was good.

  Andrew was resting his head on the windowsill, a frown creasing on his muzzle. His eyes looked up and down the street, watching for his niece. He had noticed that she had started drifting away, dropping most of the personality traits she mimicked from him, hanging out with the family more. He felt alone when she did, but was happy when she came right back, but her visits were becoming less and less.
  He got the feeling she was hiding something from him, since she always went out without telling anyone. He just couldn’t accept that she was a grown up and didn’t feel like hanging about him anymore, wanting to go out and meet guys. His tail flicked, almost feeling like the loneliness was crushing him from the inside.
  Just as he was about to get down from the window, he saw Sam come around the corner and he perked up. He hid around the wall to look out, seeing her with some other dog. He looked like a Husky; very cleaned up and standing up proudly, smiling serenely as he talked with Sam. He was about her height, shorter than him, and she nuzzled his fluffy neck often.
  The mix’s fur bristled up angrily as he saw them kiss before Sam crossed the street. The Husky walked off, tail wagging, a smile on his lips. When Andrew heard the front door open he raced out of the room into the main hall, surprising Sam.
  “Is something the matter Uncle Andrew?” She asked, head tilting a bit.
  “Yeah, something is the matter.” He said, keeping a growl and snappy tone out of his voice. “I wanna know who that was with you out there.”
  Sam’s expression changed a bit to a thoughtful frown. “He’s my mate, Uncle. His name is Abyssus.” She said, standing up a bit taller.
  “How long…?” Was all Andrew could get out before he shut himself up, knowing he may lose his temper. This being his favorite niece, he didn’t want to do that and scare her off.
  “Have we been mates? A few months, Uncle.” Sam said, watching Andrew.
  “And you never told me?” The mix said, sounding hurt. He felt the gaping hole in his chest grow wider, feeling empty.
  Sam looked at the ground, shuffling one of her paws softly. “I had a feeling you would take it badly.” She said softly. “I can tell you’re holding back feelings Uncle Andrew, I know you’re angry. I’ve known you long enough.”
  At that Andrew felt himself snap a bit. “He’s… He’s just a punk!” He growled. “We were inseparable until you started going out, you started dating! He’s taken you away from me, and if you think I’m going to just stand here-!”
  “Uncle, enough!” Sam said, looking back at him a bit sadly. “I knew you would take it like this and that’s why I kept it quiet.” She shook her head, walking up and nuzzling him. “Uncle Andrew, we’ve always had good times together. You have to accept that I’ve grown up and that we’ll still see each other, but our times of play have run out.”
  He stood still and quiet, staring ahead. She turned and walked up the stairs, going up to her room, hoping that he would accept her life choices so maybe he could meet Abyssus someday. He didn’t seem to notice she had left, and his eye twitched. Some nerve had been hit inside him, something that gave him crazy ideas to take her back.
  He didn’t want to be alone; he wanted to be with that young pup that was like him in nearly every way. He would do anything at all to get her back. Anything…

  “… He wasn’t too happy about knowing about me, was he?” Abyssus asked, looking at Sam across their table. He had taken her out to their favorite restaurant, Bone Appetite, because she had been craving it for some time and he had only recently come into the bones to take her. Sam had told him about what had happened when she got home the night before.
  After swallowing a bite of her steak, Sam nodded. “I wish he had taken it better, and after I told him he didn’t seem like himself. He’s usually very rambunctious, like I was when I was younger, but when I left him he seemed very distant.”
  “Did you tell him we’re expecting?”
  Sam shook her head, and the Husky understood why. If he had taken it badly that they were dating and mates, it was a wonder how he would take knowing his niece was expecting to have pups of her own. He reached across and put one of his paws on hers and smiled softly.
  “We’ll tell him together, okay?” He said softly.
  “He’ll get used to the idea of us together. Maybe he’ll even befriend one of our pups.” She said with a smile.
  The thought of one of his pups being friends with such a wild card like Andrew made Abyssus uneasy, but he felt he could get over it. He gave a soft, happy sigh and smiled at his mate. “You know, you really saved me