Somewhere Only We Know

Jenna was in front of her house, watering her orchids and daydreaming, when she heard it. Completely lost in her thoughts, the simple, non-threatening sound made her jump and almost slosh water down the front of her dress. Instead, it hit her boots and splashed up onto her black leggings.

Fighting the urge to curse, she turned, squinting into the afternoon sunlight, and saw a silhouetted figure coming up the road. Jenna took a tentative step forward, seeing that the figure was familiar. Could it be...?

As the figure stepped out of the sun’s path, she saw it wasn’t. Instead, it was Zack and he was leading a small, black dog on a leash.

“Back to harass me some more?” asked Jenna, more hostile than she knew she was capable of. “You don’t need to worry about it, anymore. I haven’t heard from him in over a month, so he’s obviously caught on himself.”

“You think so?” Zack asked vaguely, stopping at the edge of the flowerbed. His eyes, a dark hazel with the afternoon light behind him, skimmed over the bright pink-and-white blooms. “Keeping busy, I see.”

“Yes,” said Jenna, her attention now on the tiny creature by Zack’s feet. Up close, she could see that the dog was a pug, and extremely young. It stared up at her with big, brown eyes that she would’ve sworn could see into her very soul. “What’s your dog’s name?”

“She doesn’t have a name,” said Zack, looking at the dog as though he’d just noticed it was there. “You like her?”

“She’s adorable,” Jenna admitted, her mood softening as the pup began to smell her ankles, its nose like a tiny ice cube on her skin. She crouched down and offered a hand, which the pug sniffed curiously before beginning to lick.

“Glad you think so. Can we come in?”

“Why?” asked Jenna suspiciously, standing up quickly. She didn’t want to have to look up at him any more than she had to.

“Tea. I’ve been craving it and you’re the only one around here who seems to have any.”

“You came all the way up here for tea?”

“No, but can I have some anyway? It’s a long walk and it’s hot in the direct sunlight.”

“Fine.”

Jenna led the way into the house, stopping by the door to peel off her damp shoes and take off her coat. Zack’s coat, which had been tied around his waist, went onto the floor and, when he caught the look on Jenna’s face, he shrugged and headed for the fridge, dropping the leash as he did so. The pup, seeming puzzled by its sudden freedom, sat down by the door and studied its surroundings.

Jenna watched the pug for a moment, then followed Zack over to the fridge, which he had already started to root around in. “It’s rude to dig through someone’s refrigerator, you know.”

“Oh, you and I said goodbye to politeness a long time ago,” said Zack without pulling his head out of the fridge. Resigned, Jenna went over to the windowsill to retrieve the cake she’d baked yesterday (to keep herself busy more than out of a craving for sweets). She set it on the table with two plates and forks, then sat down and served herself a slice.

Once Zack had found himself a drink (blackberry tea), he sat down opposite Jenna and also took a piece of cake. As he ate, he looked vacantly at his surroundings. “It’s like being at Grandma’s house.”

“Is that supposed to be an insult?”

He shrugged. “Just an observation.”

Jenna, having finished her cake, went to put her plate in the sink, retrieved her watering can, and began watering the inside plants. She was just refreshing the water in a vase of amaryllis when Zack said, “So you haven’t heard from Matt?”

“Nope.”

“Or Jane?”

Supposing it was pointless lying to Zack, since it was pretty clear that he knew the truth, Jenna said, “Nope.”

“Still lonely?”

Jenna sighed. “What do you want from me, Zack?”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “I can’t just have an innocent visit with a friend?”

“We’re friends?”

“Sure. You feed me and I bring you gifts. Sounds like friendship to me.”

“What gifts?” asked Jenna sarcastically. “Your presence?”

“That, and this.” As he spoke, he reached down and picked up the pug, which had just been wandering past his chair.

“This?” Jenna repeated, stepping forward despite herself. The puppy was wagging its stubby tail so hard that it’s whole body wiggled from the motion of it. Jenna’s eyes rose to meet Zack’s, which were full of amusement. “Why?”

“You said you were lonely,” said Zack simply. “I like to visit and eat cake, but I have a life, you know? I can’t hang around twenty-four/seven, though I know you wish I could.”

Jenna rolled her eyes, setting the vase of flowers down on the table and reaching for the squirming puppy. Its short fur was soft between her fingers and its breath, which was coming out in fast bursts as it panted, was warm on her face. “I don’t know what to say.”

“‘Thank you, Zack. You’re so wonderful, Zack. What would I ever do without you, Zack?’”

“Oh, shut up,” said Jenna, rolling her eyes once more. “I’m still mad at you.”

He shrugged his shoulders and stood up. “I gotta get going.”

“So soon?” asked Jenna. Catching the look on his face, she added, “Not because I’m starved for your company, but because you came all the way out here for a twenty-minute visit?”

“I just wanted to drop off the dog and steal your food,” he admitted. “Mission accomplished.”

Jenna watched him cross to the front door, stooping to pick up the jacket he’d thrown on the floor earlier. As he opened the door, she called, “Hey, Zack?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you...have you heard from Matt? Is he doing okay?”

Zack exhaled slowly, his hand on the doorframe and one foot out the door. Finally, in a voice that gave away no emotion, he said, “He’s fine.”

Then he closed the door, leaving Jenna alone and confused. Well, she thought, confused. Not alone. Despite the vast sadness at her loss of communication with Matt, the presence of the little pug made her empty house seem a little more cozy.