Puppy Love

I growled out at the traffic as I watched my dashboard clock change from 3:59 to 4:00. Perfect, just perfect.
“I cannot fucking believe that I am going to be late. Again!” I let out a louder growl, chewing my bottom lip. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the older business man glance over at me as I snarled at the clock.
“This would not have happened if you stopped going outside ever day to smell the roses.”
“They’re lilacs, grandmother.” Another growl emanated from my throat. “They were mother’s favorite.”
“I do not appreciate you growling young lady. This is the exact reason why there is no strapping young man wanting to sweep you off your feet as your bother has done that lovely Ashley.”
We slowly made our way up to the next light. I glanced at the clock once again. 4:15.
“I don’t care if I have a mate or not, grandmother. In actuality, it does not help nor harm the family line if I do not have young. Offspring is not in my agenda before I die. And I plan to keep it that way.”
“That is your personal choice and I understand if you do not want children. But you must have a nice young man waiting for you somewhere. I would love to meet him.”
“There is no young man, grandma. I understand that you did not approve of my previous love-interest, and I told you a million times before, that relationship is over. I do not care for him in that way any longer.”
I made a right turn. We were close, but with the time, I doubted that we would get a parking spot close enough for and elderly woman. Granted, grandmother was old, but she was still energetic enough to walk a fair distance.
“I understand that, however, Mai, you do not seem interested in having someone share your life. Notice I said “someone.” Honey, I do not mind if you are gay. If you have your eyes on a lovely young woman, please bring her around to the house.”
“There is no woman either, grandmother.”
“I do not mind if there is, Mai, is what I am saying. I adore you as you are. If that means that you are interested in someone of the same sex, so be it.”
“Grandmother!” I slammed my hands on the steering wheel, “There is no one. I do not like anyone, I am not having sex and I am not interested in having sex. So please, drop the topic. I am finished talking to you about this. You are not my mother and I will never consider you as such.”
Now it was her turn to snap at me. “Your mother was a tramp and will never be considered the mate of my son. I did not, will not, and shall never approve of the pairing. She was never one of us, and that hound is better off where she is. No manners. No respect for elders. Constantly on the move with no set destination. Is that the way you would have wanted yourself and your brother to grow up? My son, your father, has sacrificed so much to be with that hound and what did she do for this family, hm? Simply took what she wished and did not give anything back to support you.”
I snarled at her, pulling into a parking lot that was easily a good thirty minutes away from the restaurant. I parked the car, killed the engine and proceeded to strip down in front of my grandmother.
“Mai, what on earth are you doing?”
“Practicing.” And that’s when my body started to shift to my other form.

“Okay that’s all I have to know. Thank you for your time.” I gathered my small pad of paper, voice recorder and pen up with one hand and proceeded to walk out of the bar.
My head pounded horribly and my stomach started to turn right as I climbed into my car. I was late to the interview because as it turned out, Ethan did not cover for me. It didn’t go past me that my boss would hear about this one.
I had a sinking feeling when Ethan started saying that he going to cover for me, and that feeling wasn’t the churning of my last meal. I pulled out some Tums and put my Audi in gear. Ethan might leave Portsmouth in a body bag if I ever got my hands around him with me feeling as sick as a dog.
Stopping at a red light, I felt my stomach jerk again. Goddamnit. Settling my head in my arms on the steering wheel, I gazed out the window on the passing pedestrians. A white dog with a long brown patch over the shoulders weaved in and out of the passing people. It paused and turned towards me, the yellow eyes burning holes in mine. I could have sworn that the dog’s eyes glowed.
That’s when I noticed what it had in its mouth. A white blouse and black slacks, and where the hell is its leash or owner? Or even collar?
Its ears shifted to the side, turning the head she got up and continued running on her way.
“Mai! Mai! Come back here!” an old woman trudged after the pup. “You no good little mongrel.” She huffed as she continued to chase after it.
I stared as the pedestrians made room for her to chase after it. What the hell was that—the honking of car horns got my mind back into my body. I slammed onto the gas and sped down the road and parked at my own destination.
The clock read 5:20. There was no point in me sitting out here for forty or more minutes waiting for Ethan to get his ass over here. I sighed and popped another Tums before I got out of the comfort of my car and went into the bar.
“What the hell were you thinking pulling a stunt like that?” the old woman growled at a girl. No, let me rephrase that. This woman was hardly a girl at all. Sure, she had on a uniform, but that couldn’t hide the shape of her breasts or the curve of her waist and hips.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Her skin a soft tan to it, which had to be natural because I had never seen any tanning salon girl have such a glow. Her hair appeared to be soft, the colors ranging from blonde to auburn. And those eyes, once they were cast on me, I felt like I would drowned in them if I stared for too long. But that was a chance I was willing to take.
“Excuse me, may I help you?” a little blonde girl somehow came into my view, blocking my rather obvious gawking.
“Oh, um.” I cleared my throat, “I-I’m just waiting for someone.”
“Oh, are you the one Ethan has been expecting?”
I looked at her. “He’s here already?”
She nodded slowly. “He’s always here before 5:30.” She led me to a table closer to the model-like woman.
I watched as she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring down at the old woman. “Gram, I really don’t appreciate you coming here and chewing me out like you always do. I offered to pay for a meal and a drink for you, but if you’re just going to bitch at me I would appreciate you leaving.” She bent down at the waist to pull on her heels while muttering under her breath, “Just save it for home.”
Now that was something that I seemed to be curious about. Not only what she was wearing under those tight-fitting slacks, but why she waited until now to put on her shoes.
***
I felt multiple eyes on me as I pulled my heels on. “I don’t know why you even bother to work here.” She was going off on one of her rants that I’m sure my manager was going to chew out of my paycheck this week.
“Listen,” I snapped up, “I am the one working—unlike you—So I would just shut up and let me bring money for my classes so dad can save money to house you.”
“Don’t you hold that tone—”
“I have to work. I’ll see you early tomorrow morning.” Turning away from her I made my way into the kitchen to meet up with the other chefs.
“That was some argument.” Tim looked up from cutting red peppers into little minced pieces.
“Yeah, usually she’s not this bad to you. Does she still think you’re eighteen?” Carolyn walked past me with a pot the size of her torso full of water and placed it on the stove to boil.
“I don’t think so.” I laughed, “She still thinks that I’m that little fifteen-year-old girl who ran to her when Grandpop died.”
“Awe. That’s so cute.” Tim cooed brushing the peppers into a frying pan.
“Timothy.” Carolyn shot him a deadly look, “The bottom line is that we feel for you, kid. And we also think,” she turned from the pot and pulled out some pasta, “that maybe you should take waitressing tonight. You’ve worked all week and we’re down on waitresses tonight.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I was getting sympathy and getting kicked out of my cooking job. “I’m the one taking culinary arts in college!”
“And we’re the two who are already finished with college and working on paying the bills and supporting a family.” Tim moved on to working on an onion.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Fine.” I pulled an apron off the hanger and wrapped it around my waist. “But don’t think that I’ll be doing this often.”
He chuckled, “I don’t expect you to.”
“Okay, that’s enough.” Carolyn patted a hand on Tim’s shoulder, “Let the girl go to work.”
I smiled looking around to how many people were on today. Beth, Debbie, Tabitha, and then there was me. We were low on staff today. So that meant that I was more towards the back today.
“Hello, my name is Mai and I will be your waitress for this evening. The chowder of today will be the New England clam chowder and the soup of the day will be a lightly peppered beef stew. Can I start you off with a drink or an appetizer?” I asked politely to the two gentlemen.
“Well, I’d much enjoy a drink of you.” the older one of the two answered me almost immediately.
“I’ll just put you down for a glass of water.” I kept myself from rolling my eyes as I jotted down the beverage and moved to the next guy. “And what about you?” I quickly cleared my throat to swallow the sourness in my voice.
He just stared at me.
“Okay… I’ll just put you down as water for right now and—”
“Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?” he blurted out.
I raised an eyebrow at him. “You don’t seem familiar to me. Why? Should I…” My voice trailed off as I met his dark brown eyes. I had seen him before. The colors I didn’t seem to recall, but the shape of his jaw, the way his hair fell in his face. He was, was he?
“I’m going to get you two your waters now. Please take your time on deciding an entrée.” I gave them a sweet smile and rushed away to the back, tucking my hair behind my ear.

Ethan slapped my arm, “What the hell was that all about?”
“What was what?” I looked back down at the menu in my hands.
He pulled the menu down out of my hands, “That staring, and what a nice piece of ass to scare off.” He tsked me.
I rolled my eyes and continued down the menu with sudden hunger. The steak seemed pretty good.
“How is it that you came over someone like that?”
“I’m a journalist, remember? I meet people.” I scrolled down to the soups, feeling famished.
“Yeah and so am I. But I never pick up girls looking like that.” He turned to the side watching her walk by again.
“Stop staring at her ass.” I dropped my voice low, “If she catches you, she’ll kill you.”
Ethan held in a laugh, “Every girl likes to feel special. It’s not like she’ll—”
“Excuse me, sir?”
I felt a chill run down my back. We looked over to Mai, who had on a hard smile. I grabbed the water that she laid down for us.
“If I can be of any help, I would suggest the rice noodles with coconut broth or the fresh catch of the day, which just so happens to be flounder with a side of your eyes if you continue to star where they are not supposed to.”
I choked, spiting water over Ethan. He narrowed his eyes at me, “Thank you but no appetizers today. I’ll go with ‘The Beauty’ please.”
“Good choice sir. And you?”
“I’ll go with ‘The Steak Bomb.’”
“Okay. I’ll be back with your orders shortly as well as extra napkins.” She trotted off towards the back again.
“She’s a bitch.” Ethan muttered drying his face off with his napkin.
“No. She’s just not what you’re used to.” I pulled another Tums out of my pocket and chewed it slowly just as another wave of nausea hit me.