Page 24 of Heavy Petting

“What the hell was she doing walking outside at one-thirty in the morning?” I interrupted.

Irma was even older than Elaine and her dog Precious was smaller than Esmerelda. Neither of them would be a threat to anyone who tried to attack them.

“Irma went to the bathroom and left a plate of enchiladas on the coffee table without thinking. Precious helped herself to some food and got herself some intestinal distress for her efforts.”

“Dogs aren’t supposed to eat spicy food,” I muttered.

“And that’s why Irma was outside with Precious, walking by your building in just enough time to see you coming home with Miss Mabel and her weird little dog.”

“Esmerelda’s not weird,” I corrected. “She just has unusual genetics.”

Elaine rolled her eyes.

“I guess you and Mabel had a late date, huh?”

She gave me a knowing smile.

“Actually, she called me because she heard scratching over her ceiling. I went over to her house and found some rats got into her attic somehow. She was nervous to stay in the house with them, so I brought her home with me.”

Elaine shuddered. “I don’t blame her for being nervous. Rats are gross. But you only have one bedroom, don’t you, Boss?”

“Do me a favor, will you?” I asked, ignoring the subtext of that question. “Call Jimmy at the pest control company and ask him if he can send someone out there today. Give him Mabel’s number if he has any questions.”

“Sure Boss, I can do that,” she agreed. “But just so you know, one of my neighbors had a situation like that and it took several days to get those diseased little bastards out of there.”

Several days with Mabel living in my house? I couldn’t decide if that was the best news ever or a recipe for disaster.

Mabel

Iwoke up to the feeling that someone was watching me. Rolling over, I opened one eye to see Esmerelda standing by the bed, giving me her most earnest ‘I have to pee’ face. With a soft groan I sat up, looking around.

I’d been too tired and freaked out to pay attention to Joshua’s bedroom last night but in the daylight I could see it was exactly what I would have expected. Clean. Masculine. Utilitarian. This place could seriously stand to have a pop of color.

When I reached for my phone I found a key and the note Joshua left me.

Mabel,

I hope you slept well. I have to head to the clinic, I’m on shift until five today. I’ll put in a call to someone I know at the pest control company and see if they can get you in today. Someone will call you. In the meantime, make yourself at home. I’m leaving you a key so you can come and go. There’s coffee on the counter, food in the refrigerator, and Esmerelda can use the backyard for her business, none of the other tenants have dogs. If you want to work here, the Wi-Fi password is DoggyDoc74. Text me and let me know how things are going.

J.

For some reason Joshua’s note made me feel warm and fuzzy. I’d always been an independent woman, but it was still nice having someone taking care of me for a change. I padded out to the kitchen, let Esmerelda outside to do her business, then I got myself a cup of coffee and scrolled through my emails on my phone.

The pest control company called a few minutes later, giving me the good news that they could come out that morning and do an assessment, so Esmerelda and I headed over to the house on foot. When we got there I opened my front door cautiously, as if I’d find a giant colony of rats hanging out in my living room watching TV and eating my good snacks, but the house was quiet and there was no sign of my furry guests.

An hour later I felt less optimistic about getting this problem resolved quickly.

Mabel: The exterminator was here. There are more than the two rats you saw living up there. He says unless I want to deal with dead rats in my walls we need to trap them and wait them out, not just poison them. He thinks it’ll take a week.

Joshua: You’ll stay with me until it’s done.

Mabel: I’ll be OK. I think. Jimmy said it’s unlikely that they’ll eat through the drywall, unless they can’t find food elsewhere. Then they might.

Joshua: I can feel you freaking out from here. Stay at my place. I don’t mind. Really.

Mabel: OK. I really appreciate it. How about I make you dinner tonight when you get home? I make a mean pasta sauce.

Joshua: Sounds good. I’ll be home between five thirty and six unless there’s an emergency.