“He bought a new sound system,” Lena murmured, not shifting from her stiff position. “Cost a fortune. Meanwhile, Ive been scraping together my wages for a new washing machine because ours howls like a banshee. He said I ‘dont appreciate investing in art.’ In art, Vera… Can you believe it?”
The tea in the pot had gone cold, turning into a bitter, dark sludge. The slices of baguette on the plate had hardened, the cheese forming a waxy rind, and Vera couldnt seem to comfort her friend. Lena had come over after yet another fight with her husband and, having cried herself dry, now sat hugging her knees, staring blankly at the wall.
They hadnt seen each other much the past three yearsLenas husband never let her go anywhere alone, and hed never liked her friends. But this time, the brute had raised his hand to her, and the usual restrictions no longer mattered.
To distract Lena from the gloom, Vera offered,
“Lena, want to hear an old love story? A real oneabout loyalty.”
Lena gave a lifeless nod.
“Fine. Just no sickly-sweet fairy tales about princes. Ive had enough.”
Vera stood, moved to the stove, and flicked on the burner beneath the kettle. The quiet hiss of gas filled the silence.
“No princes, love. This happened right in front of me,” Vera smiled. “And it wasnt even about people. Years ago, I worked in a warehouse in an industrial estate. You know the sortguard dogs everywhere, stray mutts roaming about. One day, someone dumped two puppies there: a chubby black bear of a pup named Barney and a little red-haired girl we called Ruby. They grew up inseparable. Barneyloud, cheeky, always stirring trouble. Rubyquiet, clever, with eyes like an old woman whos seen it all. Everyone adored them, spoiled them rotten.”
Vera paused. Seeing Lenas eyes flicker toward herstill distant, but listeningshe continued.
“Then disaster struck. Ruby got caught under a lorry one daydriver didnt see her. We thought she wouldnt make it, but strays are tough. She survived, but her back legs dragged. She still understood everything though. Broke your heart just to look at her.”
“Poor thing,” Lena breathed.
“But you know what?” Veras lips curved. “She didnt give up. She became our best watchdog. The second a stranger stepped foot on-site, Ruby barked the alarm, and Barney and the others would charge where she pointed. They were a proper team.”
Veras face grew solemn.
“Then Ruby grew up, went into heat for the first time. Every stray mutt for miles turned up at our yard. A pack of hungry, brazen dogs. They hounded hershe couldnt run, couldnt fight back. Just whimpered, crawled, hid between our legs. We shooed them off, but they kept coming.”
Lena sat frozen, listening.
“Barney? Where was Barney?”
“Barney…” Vera sighed. “At first, he was lost. Ran around barking, but couldnt bring himself to fight the pack. Instincts, smellsit all confused him. Then… they vanished. Came back three days later. And Barney was different. He walked ahead, hackles raised, a low growl in his throat. Ruby limped behind. And if any other dog so much as looked at her, Barney turned into a storm. Attacked with such fury, youd think hed tear them apart. He *understood*. Knew he had to protect her.”
Lena clenched her fists, fresh tears wellingdifferent this time.
“We thought that was the end of it. Puppies? Impossible. But a month later, Rubys belly swelled. And Barneywould you believe it?never left her side. Brought her the best scraps from his bowl, licked her clean, slept curled against her. So tender, so devoted… We all fed her extra, worried over her. The women especially.”
Vera turned away, voice wavering.
“The labour started on a sweltering day. We didnt notice at first. Barney was the one who raised the alarm. Not a howla strange, gut-wrenching shriek. He ran between our legs, nipping at our trousers, dragging us to where Ruby had hidden under the old porch. But it was too late… She was already dying… couldnt deliver.”
The ticking of the wall clock filled the silence.
“We wrapped her in an old jacket… buried her behind the garage. Had to lock Barney in the storeroom. He thrashed, clawed at the door, howled… That sound… still haunts me sometimes. When we finally let him out, he tore through the yard, sniffing every corner, every crevice… Searching. By nightfall… he was gone. Never came back.”
Vera wiped her eyes. Lena sat motionless, hands clenched.
“God…” she whispered. “Thats… love. And me and Max… were just two strangers sharing a flat. Barely even notice each other unless were arguing. Otherwise, we just… exist in separate worlds.”
“Maybe its just a rough patch? You were head over heels at the start.”
“There was never a ‘start,’ Vera. We rowed from day one. I just wanted a wedding so badly, I dragged Max to the registry office. Didnt think Id spend the rest of my life carrying everything alone. Now Im paying for it. Anyway, I should go. Thanks.”
***
After that night, the friends barely spoke for months. Work, lifethings got in the way. Theyd grown used to distance. Occasionally, a message would pop up: “Hey, how are you?””Alright. You?””Same.”
Then, on a dreary autumn evening, Lena texted: “Vera, fancy tea? Ill bring cake.” Two hours later, she stood on the doorstep, a tall, quietly confident man hovering behind her.
“Vera, this is Stephen,” Lena said, eyes brighter than Vera had ever seen. “Were getting married soon.”
Stunned, Vera ushered them in. Over tea, Stephen won her over with his steady, unassuming warmth. He didnt try to impress, but the way he passed Lena her cup, the way he looked at herit said everything.
When he stepped onto the balcony, Vera gaped at Lena.
“Well? Whered you find him? What about Max?”
Lena smileda new, radiant smile.
“After I left yours that night, I cried the whole way home. Not over Max. Over Barney and Ruby. Because I finally saw the truth about my so-called marriagethat no one ever loved me in it. I realised I didnt want to live like that anymore. That I deserved… normal. Loyalty. Care. If dogs can manage it… Anyway, next morning, I packed my things and left.”
“And Max?”
“Didnt even notice at first. Probably relieved. He knew we werent right either. I wasnt looking for anyoneplanned to just be on my own a while. Met Stephen outside the courthouse. Literally bumped into him. I was a mess, nearly in tears, and he just asked, ‘You alright?’ Turned out hed just got his freedom too. We talked… went for coffee. And… well.” Lena rested a hand on her stomach. “Babys due soon.”
“Bloody hell, you dont waste time,” Vera snorted.
“Didnt plan it. But Vera… its different with him. I finally know what its like to be part of something real. To be protected. Loved. You can see it, cant you?”
Vera looked at her friend, nodding, smiling through her own tears.
