Play your games

 

"Well, at least he hasn't bitten you yet." That was all his brother Jared had to say about the fact that Carmen loved her dog much more than Justin.

"He has growled at me." Justin was bug-eyed about it. Of course, Carmen didn't believe him. She'd seen Blue hop up into his lap. The whole time, Justin knew the dog had good intentions of biting him in the crouch. 

Actually, if he didn't raise his voice at Carmen and kept calm, things were OK. But what if Blue did attack him? He shuddered at the consequences.

"She loves that dog more than me." Justin cracked, turning to his summer wine to soothe himself while Jared stuck with his lemon-lime soda.

"Have you ever thought maybe Carmen wants a baby?" Jared looked at him blankly.

"Is that all you can come up with?" Justin didn't think so. It was crazy to him how much time and effort Carmen put in each day to make that dog happy. "She'd be happy if she only had Blue to come home to. What am I doing wrong?"

"Don't ask me?" Now Jared was livid. "Ask her? Are you doing enough around here, or just sitting on your butt the moment you get home?"

"Well she-" Justin sighed, thinking maybe Jared was right. But he did help with the dishes and sometimes the trash. OK, so he'd never learned to wash clothes properly or recycle stuff exactly. She was always running around getting the chores done. He didn't want to ask?

He squinted at the matter. "No, no, the dog can't do any of that, you know?" He emphasized how she was around this vicious mut of hers. "She calls him sweetie."

"You mean, she doesn't have any pet names for you?"

"Just pet peeves." Justin nursed his bottom lip.

"You have to love her." Jared gave Justin the eye. "You have to love that dog too."

Justin nodded. Yes, Blue was her baby. He even shared their bed. Of course, he did sleep at the bottom of the bed, but still, he slept on Justin's feet.

"If only we'd gotten a cat." Honestly, Justin could only take so much of the Frenchie (as he called the French Bulldog that Jared and his girlfriend rescued for them). Justin was certain now that he needed an orange tabby.