A Kiss From A Rose on The Gray

“Why was she there? Ay Dios Mios! Why? We don’t take Muffin to the fields, never!” Maria clasped her hands together as if in prayer. The old woman released a deep guttural groan, symbolic of the suffering all four shared. Dylan cast his weary gaze to Lauren. Things had changed. For one, she no longer cried, though her suffering was evident. Dylan found her silence was far worse than tears. Through silence an invisible force field had been erected around her, keeping them all at bay. Nothing he said or did since the drive from the vet’s helped. She no longer allowed his touch or anyone’s for that matter. She sat there in complete agony, isolating herself. Dylan looked to Hector. Did the old guy see what he saw? Hector’s retreat revealed nothing. He seemed to be more fascinated with the dew glistening over his bottle of Budweiser than voicing his concerns.

That left Maria. From the moment she arrived, she had been drilling them all for details on the why, how, when, what now. Maybe they were all in shock, because only a few answers escaped the three.

Lauren once referred to Muffin as her child and in every since of the word, the sweet animal was. It was hard dealing with the consequences of the day. When Dylan’s eyes lifted again, Maria’s dark ones bore down on him. “This is your fault!” she said through clenched teeth. Her hand rose. She pointed a finger at him. “You brought this upon us, you!” To this Lauren looked over, as if she just realized Dylan sat at her side. Didn’t she know he was with her always?

“He did this child. He brought this upon us. Now Muffin is suffering. Why don’t you do the decent thing and leave here! Get out of her life!”

Lauren sat back in her chair. Her sudden movement silenced Maria, and drew the eyes of all three. They braced for her to speak. Then she did. She inhaled the deepest of breath, a wakening breath, and then released the five words Dylan dreaded. “I want you to go.”