Sasha Beaulieu was dropped off from his exciting ride along with the cops on the case of the mysterious canine shoe thief. It was Kester! The sweet old mutt that belonged to the school’s history teacher Mr.Arnett. Kester had been stealing single shoes and stashing them in the hollow of an old tree that Sasha had discovered and reported. As his sort of reward he got a night of adventure and observation. He also came home with two puppies care of Chief Greene and the bizarre union of Henry the beagle at the fire hall and Daisy the German Shepherd police dog sniffer. The puppies were adorable, and he had temporarily named them Taffy and Toffee because of their fur colourations. Now he’d been helped to his porch with a bag of dog food, and he waved the crew off as he carried two puppies to the door of his house and knocked. He couldn’t deal with fishing out keys and hang onto them properly.
Cath had been watching TV and heard the door. She went to peek through the window on it and saw her brother and opened it “Did you forget your ke….PUPPIES!!!” She yelled back “Sasha has puppies!!!”
Sasha beamed at her “One is for Paige...Cath can you please grab that bag of food on the step please? Then you can hold the one that gets to live here as long as Mom and Dad don’t freak out.”
Cath dashed to grab the food and dropped it inside the door and shut it behind Sasha and held out her arms “Puppy me!”
Amelie had been elbow deep in dishwater and scrubbing the big casserole dish when there was chaos and talk of puppies at the door. She dried her hands and went to greet Sasha and find out what was happening. Her first reaction was shock and then she saw Cath falling madly in love with a puppy and melted a bit. They had had a few dogs and cats over the years but the last cat died a year before the move. She saw the second puppy in Sasha’s arms and looked a little stern “Two? And I take it you had a good night?”
“This one’s for Paige!” He protested. “And it was AMAZING!”
Rene had been watching TV with his little sister, but was actually a bit on the tired side. Hunting for frogs in the place they called the Bottoms. He got an energy burst with the word ‘puppies’ and ran to see them. One was for Cath and the other … for Paige. Beautiful Paige. Fair enough. But he can’t help but roll her eyes. He’d heard about the afternoon adventures and had to admit, he would have loved to go on the adventure with Sasha. But bringing home a puppy, even if it wasn't his … he got to live with it until Cath grew up and moved out with it and that would be forever and a day! “No, Cath. You’re not so spoiled you stink up half the town.” he rolled his eyes, because he had to poke at his little sister. It was part of his job.
Felix just shook his head at his son. Considering how annoyed Cath had been about the adventures her big brother got to go on, a puppy was the best possible way to say I’m sorry here's a consolation prize. He knew the moment he saw the adorable floppy ears that Amelie would agree to the pet and he was glad. A puppy meant stress relief ... or so he hoped.
Gen walks in the door with a full belly and a smile on her face after her dinner and conversations next door at the Alvin house. She opened her mouth to call out that she was home and home before nine no less when she saw the puppy and instead squealed out. “Mon Dieu it’s so CUTE!!”
Sasha looked up hopefully at both his parents now and grinned at his siblings “Cath has Taffy,,,and this is Toffee...unless Paige wants to call her something else. Come on Rene. be nice, for the puppies…” He looked again between his parents “Can we please keep Taffy? She’s got the colour of maple taffy like we used to have.
Cath was so happy about the puppy she didn’t even care that Rene was teasing her “Well let it stink. Look at him Rene…..hi Gen….look at him.” Now she turned her big brown eyes on her parents “Can we...can we please?”
Amelie reached over and pet the puppy in Cath’s arms and kissed her daughter on the top of the head. “I think he’s very sweet.” She smiled at Rene and tried to extend it to catch Gen’s eye and smile at her too. It was like old times having a sweet moment and she wanted them all to share it, despite recent stresses. She looked back at Felix with love too “What do you think Felix? Can Taffy stay?”
Rene can’t keep it up and smiles, reaching over to pet the puppy. “Yea … I guess he’s okay.” he admits. “And it means the boys outnumber the girls FINALLY!” he jokes.
Genevieve catches her mother’s eye and her smile is genuine. It’s been a long time since she and her mother smiled at each other for any reason it felt like to her. And tonight … it was like the hard times were maybe over. “Taffy, eh?” she grins. Sticky little Taffy, bringing the family together again.
Felix smiles. A puppy was a lot of work, but it would also teach Cath responsibility, which would be important. Give her focus. He looks at his youngest. “You have to walk him, and feed him and take care of him.” he insists. “But if you can … yes, Taffy can stay.” and he already knew that where Cath stumbled, Amelie would help her up.
Cath looked at her parents with utmost sincerity “I will do it all. I will walk and feed and pick up the poo!” She bent her head down and kissed the little puppy like she was sealing the deal. Then she gently set him down “Taffy...this is your house now. I’m Cath and this is Rene, Gen, Sasha you know and Maman and Papa…..” The little puppy sniffed around excitedly and then promptly lifted his leg on the corner of the couch and had a pee. Cath sighed.
Amelie kept smiling “Well Cath, you heard your father. Now’s your chance. Under the sink is the disinfectant and you know where the paper towels are. Put down some newspaper tonight in your room and we’ll make sure Taffy goes out again before bed.”
The puppy had a little collar on but they had no leash.
Sasha noticed this “You know we have some rope in the garage we can use until we buy a leash. I’ll cut some for Paige too in case they don’t have. And I should split off some of the food for her too...I better get over there….”
Amelie protested “Sasha you need to eat. Go heat up a plate before you go running off again. There’s lot of bread and stew left.” She looks at Gen “Did you eat? You should get some too?” Amelie had a compulsive need to feed her children or anyone who stepped into the house for 5 minutes or more.
Rene laughed when the puppy peed. It was funny. But he goes into the kitchen and gets what Cath will need to clean up after the pup.
Cath diligently took the spray and the paper towel and cleaned without complaint.
Gen is still smiling and she doesn’t stop. “Yes Maman. I had dinner at Lydia’s house.” she explained. It was probably better to call it Lydia’s as opposed to Dante’s. And it’s getting late anyway. I need my beauty rest.” she insisted and looks at the puddle of pee. “Good night, dear family.” and she will head up the stairs. She is exhausted, but would die before telling her mother the specifics.
Felix suppresses a grin when the puppy starts marking its territory. He sees Rene at least partially helping and nods slightly. Then Gen decides to go to bed early, and he suspects why, but says nothing about it. Gen loved sleep, so no one would be surprised. “Good night, Gen.” he will give her a hug and a hiss on the top of her head.
“Thank you Rene.” She said belatedly. He had helped her. She took the used paper towels and cleaning spray to the garbage and washed her hands and then went to sit with little Taffy again “We need to get you some dog toys…. Night Gen.” Her older sister sleeping was totally normal to her. She marveled at how much sleep Gen needed sometimes.
Sasha sighed about the food. His mother was right. He didn’t want to knock on Paige’s door, hand her a puppy and then beg for a sandwich. So he handed Toffee off to Rene “Rene, hang out with this little friend while I stuff my face please. Night Gen!” Gen did love sleep but Sasha felt that exit was a bit abrupt. Sasha was the master of the fast reheat set up and in no time he had bread dipping in chicken stew and was inhaling it all with happy food loving noises.
Amelie saw Gen head off to bed after saying she had supper at Lydia’s and frowned a bit “Well I’m glad you ate….but text next time please. Not that leftovers are ever bad….just common courtesy. Goodnight.” She sighed and did look pleased at Rene and Cath working together and then relieved that Sasha stopped to eat something. She smiled at Felix “I think this puppy will be good for all of us.”
The second Sasha was chewing his last bite he was rinsing his plate and sticking it into the dishwasher. He dashed upstairs to use the bathroom, brush his teeth and put on a fresh shirt and slap on a refresh of deodorant. His jeans were still ok. The slobber had dried at least. Then he was in the garage cutting rope and back in the kitchen getting a ziploc bag to split off some food. He also put out some tupperware containers for a food and water bowl for Taffy and filled one with cool fresh water from the tap. He walked up to little Toffee and looped the rope through the collar and tied it before thanking Rene and starting to head out with what he hoped would be Paige’s new dog, or maybe more the case it might end up Thea’s dog because of how it had gone in his house...but either way, he was bringing her a puppy. “Say bye bye Toffee…..oh I feel a little bad taking her from her brother...but they’ll visit.”
Paige Page finished loading the dishwasher. She heard the door to her younger sister's room close. They were out and sleeping peacefully. It had been a lovely evening, for sure. Her family felt like it was healing and that meant everything to her. Now she could sit in the living room and begin to unwind on her own way to bed, but she did wonder about Sasha’s adventure. How had it turned out. She hadn’t sent her a text since, and she wondered if he was still out there on the dog caper or not. On the couch and alone, at least for the moment, she pulled out the phone and looked at the picture of Sasha laying shirtless in the grass. He looked so hot and she bit her lip. Dream fodder until she had alone time with him again.
Sasha quickly learned that trying to walk a puppy you hadn’t trained to walk with you was, in fact, bonkers. Half way through the walk he just carried the puppy instead, or he would be getting to Paige’s house at midnight and it would definitely be an unwelcome offering then. But soon he was at her door and texted from the front step thinking it might be after the younger sister’s bedtimes.
Paige I have something for you. It’s kind of crazy but it’s awesome. Not to be creepy but I’m out front. I didn’t want to wake Thea or Aislin.
Greyson was sitting out on the back porch after his younger daughters had fallen asleep. He was happily listening to a podcast on his headphones and enjoying the evening air.
Paige was still staring dreamily at Sasha's picture when the chime indicating a test from him chimed. She read it, then blinked and looked towards the door. She didn’t bother to reply, but stood and went to the door. She opened it and stared with wide eyes. Her hands flew to her mouth and she danced in place, trying not to squee like … well like Aislin.
Sasha grinned at Paige’s reaction and then leaned in over top of the puppy licking at him and kissed her. Then he pulled back and said “She’s for you...for your family because I think you’ll all love her...if you’re allowed? I called her Toffee but you can change it. We have her brother at our house….mostly Cath’s now….he’s called Taffy. In my dog adventures I ended up hearing about puppies….and well...here we are.”
Paige kissed Sasha, but then kissed the puppy on its squirming little head. “I love the name and I’m sure Dad will love her. Or simply accept that she isn’t leaving, especially once Aislin and Thea get an eyefull.” she quietly squees again. “Come on in .. please .. Dad’s out back .. let’s introduce him to Toffee.” and she heads into the house.
Sasha follows but toes off his shoes at the door, not intending to go all the way out into the back yard but just to the porch if he can. “Here’s some puppy food.” He says quietly and sets it down on the counter as he passes. “She’s got her shots and you can just use tupperware for bowls until you get some….and I have this rope as a temporary leash.” He follows Paige outside and timidly walks up to her father on his chair. He didn’t really know Greyson well himself but his dad had said lots of good things about how nice the man was. It was a little more intimidating to be the guy dating his daughter and bringing a dog into their lives.
Greyson had his eyes closed but felt the floor of the porch shift and the breeze from the back door opening and closing and then the vibration of the foot falls of both his daughter and her boyfriend walking towards him. He opened his eyes to the pair of them and smiled and then saw Sasha holding an adorable puppy and laughed, taking off his headphones and pausing his podcast “Well hello little friend…” He reached for the puppy “May I?” Greyson was now home from work so casually in an old oatmeal coloured tshirt and a pair of slate grey loose cotton pants rolled up to the shins. Greyson had a dense covering of thick black leg hair and his feet were bare. He takes the puppy and it licks his face and he chuckles “Is this your new pet Sasha? Congratulations?”
Sasha shakes his head “Actually I’m giving her to Paige so she’s for your family...I called her Toffee. We have her brother Taffy at our house. Paige kept it. I hope it’s ok?”
Greyson sighs and looks down at the little puppy “How can I say no to this creature? Or this gift….how sweet Paige.” He says with a smile. “I am glad she came to us AFTER the other two went to bed or we’d never get them to sleep tonight.” He hands Toffee over to Paige and jokes “My first granddog….I approve.”
Paige smiles and bites her lip in excitement as her father approves of little Toffee, but she agrees. “They wouldn’t sleep again before August.” she sets Toffee down and moves to Sasha and puts her arms around him. “You did good.” she tells him before kissing him softly.
Greyson follows the puppy into the yard when Paige sets it down “Careful Toffee…..those are big steps….there you go girl.” He follows the little puppy as it sniffs around the yard “We might need some fencing and a gate back here.” He muses.
Sasha beams at the approval from Greyson “Thank you Dr. Page….” He laughs and nods at what Paige said about the younger siblings not sleeping until August and then smirks “Did he just say grandog?” He whispers with a chuckle and then kisses Paige back sweetly.
Greyson calls over “Sasha please call me Grey….” And then he sees them kissing and focuses on the little dog “Oh don’t eat those Toffee…” The little dog had found some of Thea’s modeling clay cannonballs. Greyson scooped one out of her mouth and stuck it and the rest on top of the barbecue.
Paige giggles and nods. “Yes, he did. So pressure off on babies.” she whispers. She watches her father with the puppy and inches at the cannonballs. “This might just be a good way to get Thea out of the habit of shooting people.” she winks and elbows Sasha. “That or find edible clay in case Toffee gets hold of them.”
Sasha smirks at Paige “Just furry babies.” He whispers back. Then he laughs about the cannonballs “Maybe she could do playdough. It’s not toxic. I think Toffee might like a tennis ball though. I have a few canisters. We use them for ball hockey. I’ll bring one next time. If you need help putting up a fence Grey….my dad and I did our old one in St. Pierre…..it was kind of fun.” He offers.
Grey goes around in a circle and lets the puppy chase him “I would prefer to train the pirate child not to shoot people if we can. Tends to be frowned upon in our world.” He reverses and goes the other way. Toffee lets out a few little barks which are tiny and adorable and Grey laughs and sits down on the ground “Shhh…” He pulls the puppy onto his lap “I would love help with fencing. I’m great with eye surgery but horrible at any home repair projects.”
Paige smiles. “Yes! Teach her not to shoot. It might help her later in life.” She grins at the idea of Sasha and her father working together in the yard, but it also makes her mind go to the picture Sasha sent her earlier in the day and she giggles, hoping the men ill think she is just laughing at her father.
Sasha blinks “I would be terrified to poke around in someone’s eye so it’s all good. Maybe Thea and Aislin training the puppy will be good for them. My little sister is already cleaning more than I’ve ever seen her in my whole life.” He laughs.
Greyson nods “It can be terrifying. I won’t lie about that part.” The little dog wanders a few feet away from him and squats to pee “Good girl Toffee.” He agrees about the responsibility “It’s good timing with school finishing.”
Paige comes down the back steps and sits, just watching and listening to the two most important men in her life talk. “They can help train the puppy together. That may stop them from trying to turn her into a pirate or a paratrooper.”
“Or a pirate paratrooper?” Sasha snorts “Sorry I can’t resist sometimes.”
Greyson laughs hard “As long as we don’t see them hooking the puppy up to a homemade glider with an eyepatch on?” He laughs and shakes his head and then looks at Paige “I like him. You have to keep him now.”
Paige laughs. “No self control.” she teases but she clearly loves it. Then she looks at her father and blushes. “I think I will, thank you.” She looks towards the house. “Iris can sleep on the porch.”
Greyson just laughs at her boldness and blushing “You’ll have to take that up with her. Here I thought you girls would be eager to scope out some of the kindly priced apartments around town so I bought a small house. Not to boot you out. But there is one above the eye clinic even. We’d have to see if they allow dogs….and pirates and flying girls? Because they’ll be all over sleepovers.”
Sasha stays quiet now when talk turns to the idea of Paige having her own place. He sits down beside Toffee and offers her a stick. They have a funny little tug of war over it with Toffee trying to look very tough and Sasha laughing at her.
Paige bites her lip when her father mentions she and Iris finding their own place. “We know …. We’ve … been looking for a place … and … we didn’t want to abandon you …” she blinks aay a tear.
Greyson sees her tear and swallows hard, his own eyes getting a little misty “Paige….I’m doing better especially here. And it’s a small town. You can’t get rid of me so easily you know.” He reaches over and pets the puppy “Besides I have grandog rights now. Sweetheart, don’t hold off on your life for me. I don’t want that for you and Iris, ever. Your mother would never forgive me either. She was all about life’s grand adventures.”
Sasha sees them both get emotional and feels an ache in his heart, mostly for Paige but for them both, as he already liked Grey a lot. He could see why he and his dad had been such fast friends. Since Grey was staying seated where he was Sasha walked over and sat down beside Paige, sliding his arm around her across her back to offer comfort.
Paige smiles and laughs a little about her father having a granddog now. When Sasha comes over to her, she leans into him and his embrace. “I … we … could put the money down for it and move…” she bites her lip. “First of July, even …” it wasn’t much notice, but it could happen that fast.
Greyson picks up Toffee and walks over to them, standing like he plans to steal the puppy and go inside “I’ll talk to the building manager, and we’ll talk to your sister. When you’re ready, I’m ready.” He bends down and kisses the top of her head, not bothered that Sasha is snuggled up to her other side. He gives Sasha a little grin and then extends it to Paige “I’m going to go see if I can’t make her up a little bed. She’ll probably try to crawl in with one of us but it’s worth a go. Thank you, Sasha.” He says and tucks the puppy under one arm to open the door as he chatters at Toffee “Wool or fleece? What do you think little one...or wool wrapped in fleece….now we’re talking.” The door shuts.
Sasha rubs Paige’s back “July 1st….that’s really soon.” He exclaims. “Wow.” He looks back “I’m not sure you’re going to get Toffee back from him...but he’s fucking awesome.”
Paige nods and smiles at her father. “Alright … Thanks, Dad.” he watches as he and Toffee go inside and then looks at Sasha. “A week … I know.” she looks back at the house and again at Sasha. “Grandparents, right?” she giggles and kisses him softly. “So … I’ll have my own room …” she bites her lip. “My own bed… to share...”
All she had to say was bed to share, and he was kissing her again so hard he almost tipped them both back off the steps. He pulled back and steadied them “Sorry...that got me really excited…” He laughed “I want that….so much. I don’t want to rush you but honestly the second you’re ready and wanting...I’ll just drop my pants and make love to you wherever we are….so a bed and privacy is probably good.” He admits.
Paige understands the kiss perfectly. “I ant it too … and I feel ready .. it was just … finding a space.” she swallows and blinks. “I don’t want to in a car .. never again…” she sniffs and then bites her lip. “And I am not bold like Iris .. I’d be so afraid to get caught I think I’d be dry as a desert.”
Sasha wraps his arms around her and holds her both tightly and gently “My father offered me our family tent.” He laughs “But I wasn’t sure if you liked camping. We still could...Seamus told me a good spot in the woods.” He kisses her again and lingers a bit seductively before murmuring “And I promise to make you wet….”
Paige smiles. “Your father rocks.” she giggles. “I’ve never been camping … I don’t know if I could.” she partly melts into the kiss. “I’m keeping you to that promise.” she smirks. “After you help us move…” she kisses him again and stands holding his hand. She glances into the house and starts. “Oh my god It’s almost eleven ….”
Sasha kisses her hungrily and lets out a “Mmm” at the holding to the promise and then when she says it’s conditional on helping her move he chuckles and dramatically flexes a bicep “At your service.” He kisses her back again when they stand and briefly adjusts as he had let his mind race a bit “Mmm sorry.” He blushes and then groans “Dammit I have a job interview first thing.” He sighs “I actually have to go too.” He starts into the house with her, wiping his feet before walking through.
Greyson is curled up on the couch watching TV with the volume on low. Toffee the puppy is nestled in his chest and the two are both fast asleep.
Sasha sees them and points with a that’s adorable expression and then tiptoes to the front door and quietly pulls on his trainers before leaning in to quietly kiss Paige goodnight.
Paige agrees with Sasha. They’re adorable. She kisses him at the door, then opens it and lets him out with another kiss and a whispered “I love you.” before watching him walk towards home.
Sasha had whispered back “I love you.” with a last stolen kiss before he walked off into the cool air of the Alexandra night. It was the quiet and wonderful end to his adventure as a doggie detective. Case closed.
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