A Dog's Life

“Spike back here,” Sarah called to the dog unhooking the last lead from her bag and kneeling down to attach it to Spike’s collar. In her other hand Foo Foo and Ichabod were also secured to their lead. She’d thoroughly enjoyed her first, independent, morning walk with the dogs. It felt like things were getting back to normal and it wouldn’t be long before she had life back on track and flowing freely.

The cast off was a blessing, and one she was extremely grateful for. “Right let’s get you guys back, who’s hungry?” She asked the dogs as they trotted down the roads towards Zack’s house.
Most of the road was empty, no cars parked and only a few left on the driveways, people were making the most of this beautiful Saturday morning. She noticed one convertible parked close to Zack’s. In fact it was outside his house, it hadn’t been there when she left for her walk.

Sarah slowed her footsteps down and held the dogs close as she gazed at the car, she could hear voices as she got nearer. She took another step before pausing to listen to the conversation.

“I fucking told you it wasn’t here,” Zacky could be heard clearly.

“Well it must be!” A female voice replied, Sarah didn’t recognize the voice but had a good idea who it might be. Zacky had mentioned an older sister before, but Sarah had a feeling he wouldn’t dream of talking to her like that. “Where else would I have left them?”

“Someone else’s house!” He retorted.

“How dare you Zacky Baker! I never fucking-“

“Oh leave it out, you did,” Sarah was hoping to stay out of this but the bark from Foo Foo made the woman turn round. Sarah couldn’t quite be seen but she knew she’d have to make a move soon. The woman was smaller than Sarah, with lots of thick blonde hair pulled up into a messy bun. She wore what looked like gym clothes, showing of a tiny figure, and perfectly sun kissed skin.

“If I can’t find them Zacky I will be back and I will turn this house up side down, do you hear me?”

“The whole street hears you!” Zack called back as the woman strutted down the drive, a face like thunder. Sarah kept her head down as she walked towards the drive way, hoping to walk up the otherside of the cars to the blonde walking towards her.

She had no such luck.

Foo Foo and Ichabod both started barking at the woman. The woman stopped at the end of the drive way and just starred at the dogs before gazing up the lead towards Sarah. Sarah tried to carry on walking but the woman stepped in front of her blocking the path.

She looked Sarah up and down before turning back round to Zacky.

“Hypocrite,” She screeched, setting the dogs off again before storming back towards her car and slamming the doors shut as she climbed in. Sarah turned from the revving car towards Zacky who just shook his head went to open the back gate for her.

“So that’s Jenny?” Sarah questioned as she got to the back gate and bent down to let the dogs off their leads. The three run through the open gate into the yard where Zack had already laid out bowls of food and water.

Zacky didn’t reply, he took the leads out of her hand and hung them up on the hooks by the back door. He turned and watched the dogs pigging out on the food, always so jealous of how much easier their lives were. Foo Foo was first to finish, she stepped away from her plate and made her way towards the grassy area in the garden. The dog collapsed down in the sun, relaxing after a good walk and feed. What a life!

He could do with an easy life right now.

Sarah moved next to him, a soft hand rested gently on his arm.

“Do you want to-“

“No I don’t want to talk about it at all,” He replied without any emotion. He knew that was unfair, this was not her fault, she didn’t deserve his attitude. “She just pisses me off,” He muttered turning to
Sarah and grasping her hand. “She shouldn’t have come round! I told her-“

“Told her what?” Sarah’s bright eyes met with his, full of question not accusation. That didn’t matter though because inside Zack felt guilty; guilty for not telling Sarah, for talking to Jenny, guilty for lying to Jenny and guilty for snapping at Sarah.

“Oh fuck it!” Zacky stood up walking over to the seats in the garden and collapsing on one; his voice still loud enough to hear. “She’s lost this album shit, it had pictures of us in, all couple shit ya know!” He waved his hand around. “Sentimental shit, I saw it a while back when we were together,” He caught Sarah’s gaze. “It meant something to me then,” Sarah nodded, you couldn’t deny someone their baggage, past relationships exist that was just what happened. “Not now, I don’t give a shit where they are,”

“She thinks they are here?” Zacky nodded and then shook his head.

“I don’t have them, I haven’t seen them!”

Sarah tried to smile reassuringly but something in the back of her mind wouldn’t allow it.

“You, ya think she’d be more worried about her pet than photos!” Zack gazed over to the Chihuahua, that had finished her dinner and was walking towards Sarah.

“Hey Foo,” Sarah whispered running her fingers over the tiny dog. “You’re happy here right?” She ignored Zack’s grunt in response and played with the young dog. “It’s her home now, she’ll want to be around Ichabod and Spike,”

“Spike?” Zacky looked up. “Moving in is he?”

“I-I didn’t quite mean that!” Sarah retaliated, a little hurt by Zack’s bluntness. “I just meant they get on well,”

“Hmm,” Zacky caught Sarah’s gaze and sighed. “Sorry, she just fucks me off,” Sarah sighed this time, pushing herself off the floor and making her way to Zacky. She stood in front of him as he lent forwards, his arms sneaked around her waist, and his head fell against her stomach. “Sorry,” He whispered quietly, eyes fluttering shut as Sarah’s finger tips combed through his hair.

He groaned as her finger nails grazed his scalp.

“Shall we just have a day in-“

“Mmm- ah shit no,”

“Huh?” Sarah looked down confused at his sudden reaction.

“Sorry baby, I said we’d have lunch with Brian and Niki,” Sarah smiled with a nod.

“That’s ok Zack,” She leant down and kissed him. “It will be nice to get out, forget about it all, I’ll go get ready, where are we going?”

“The Mexican place, the one with the cocktails you love,” Sarah’s smile grew. “Yeah so we might make an evening of it and meet up with everyone else.”

“Okay I think I can do that,” Sara leant down and kissed him softly. “Give me 15?”

“You’ve got 30,”

“Even better,” She winked at him before turning and walking back to the house. “I’ll put the kettle on,” Zacky just smiled watching her go, she was good for him really good for him. She made all the shit go away.

Sarah jogged up the stairs, mentally deciding what to change into that would be both pretty and relaxed at the very same time. In the end she’d decided on skinny jeans, and a smart/pretty sleeveless top. Sleeveless because it was only going to get hotter and she was sure it would look prettier.

She was going for a little showy make up, just to jazz up her outfit. Apply foundation, some bronze and gold eyeshadow to give a pretty smokey eyed look and finally eyeliner and mascara. She pulled out a black eyeliner pencil and gaze it a once over.

“Ah,” She whispered stroking the stub of eyeliner, she needed a sharpener because that was not going to create beautiful smokey eyes but instead she’d end up stabbing herself with the wood of the pencil. “ZA-“ She paused remembering the eyeliner she’d seen before in the chest of drawers.

Sarah pulled open the top draw removing the bow tie and sunglasses that got in the way. She picked up the pieces of paper and turned them over.

The photos again.

She noticed a flowery piece of card below that hadn’t been there before. Where had he put the eyeliner?

She picked up the flowery piece and watched it cascade open and fall down. Ten 6 by 4 landscape, in an accordion album, currently hung down in front of her.