It was probably one of the worst planned things that Bella could think of, not that she could think of much as she very, almost overly, carefully walked towards the shelter. She was just going to meet the dogs, with juice.
While ordering the juice she got so nervous she ordered four different kinds of juice not even realizing that was what she’d done. Walking to the shelter, well, she sort of overthought every single step. Opening the door she had to take a deep breath in before asking where Chuck was. She got a friendly response and headed in the direction she was pointed.
When her eyes fell on him, well, nothing came out right.
“Juice, I could juice, I mean,” she paused awkwardly. “I have juice.”
A corgi had just lifted its leg and attempted to claim Chuck for his own and thanks to his relatively quick reflexes, he managed to dodge it. The mischievous little dog still needed some time out of his kennel despite the cold. As soon as Bella entered, the corgi charged toward her and began to dance on its hind legs.
Between her awkwardness and the corgi’s awkwardness, Chuck found himself in the midst of a half laugh and half blush. The world was too much with him and so he hid his face in his hands and gave a good cough.
“Uh hey. Rolling out the welcome wagon.”
Bella’s heart skipped a beat and she was really glad that the little dog was hopping about around her, it made her feel a little bit better. Her hands were full so she couldn’t really bend down to pet him.
“Hi,” she greeted the dog before looking up to Chuck holding out one of the drinks when he took it she bent down to pet him. “What’s his name?” She asked looking up blushing a little bit, why she was blushing, well, she wasn’t completely sure.
As soon as he realized the corgi wasn’t making her life any easier he surged forward, grabbing the parcels from her to place out of the way on a shelf. The corgi barked happily, knowing he had a captive audience of two. When he turned back to Bella, he couldn’t help the dorky smile that split across his lips.
“Oh that guy. He’s such a ham. We call him Elvis.”
Bella looked up at Chuck letting Elvis jump her now free arm picking him up a she stood. She awkwardly got him situated as he grinned. “Elvis?” She asked to the dog before looking up at Chuck.
“And no one has stolen him? He looks pretty valu-” the pup licked her face “able.” She laughed. “To me.”
Chuck didn’t want to impose on Bella by mixing the juice in the cups (with muddled mint leaves) waiting for them in the shelter’s refrigerator. But he also didn’t quite know what to do with her standing there looking so sweet with an entirely too proud Elvis.
“Hey it’s not stealing if he follows you home.”
She was a little too focused on Elvis for a second before she looked back at Chuck. “Well, if he follows me home, I guess he’s got a home.” That really wasn’t why she’d come here but she was getting the feeling she was going to be leaving with a corgi called Elvis.
“Did you get the mint?” She asked with no real intention of letting Elvis go.
Her words spurred him into action. With an awkward half smile (as if he were just not accustomed to smiling as much), he nodded and gave her the hand to wait. He picked up the juices and left her in the kennel before returning a moment later -- a bit sheepish. “Come on, then. And bring Elvis with you.”
Crushing the sweet mint leaves against the ice with a muddler, he looked up and squinted. “I’ll put these in cups and you do the mixing.”
Bella wasn’t really sure how she was supposed to react so she turned her attention to Elvis and did her best not to think she did something wrong. It was stupid, and she knew it, but she couldn’t help it.
When he appeared again she carried Elvis with her with a nod and found him muddling the drinks. “I sort of feel like we should cheers,” she said as the drinks were ready.
“ … hey, I’m up for that. What are we drinking to?” Elvis for his own part was happily lapping at a bowl of water with floating ice chunks. He had his own little cocktail, too. “You go first and then maybe I’ll follow.” Chuck had been so taciturn and had lacked the right words for anything that wasn’t war.
But here? Between the barking, when he looked at Bella, all he could do was smile.
“To finally trying mint in a juice,” she paused looking down at Elvis. “And if you approve, for Elvis finally finding a home, but you’ve got to come visit often, Elvis I mean, well, me too, if you want to, but I get the feeling he’ll want to see you often too, or well, he’d miss you.” She rambled awkwardly.
“To finding a home,” he said and lifted his glass. He waited a moment. “And to making new friends?” The end of the statement turned upward like a question in the hopes that she would see it and agree; that his connection here wasn’t the only thing. Elvis let out a howl.
Bella laughed as Elvis let out a howl. “New friends,” she agreed as she blushed looking down at her drink quickly and taking a sip. She paused after she swallowed. “Your Mum was right, mint does add a lot to it.” She was pretty sure she could drink anything right that moment and like it, but the mint was really good.
He took a sip and was instantly transported to one day at the beach. He remembered being called from a ramshackle castle, meeting his mother and father beneath an umbrella to share a simple lunch with them. His mother had provided a thermos not unlike this one and instead of biting down on the memory and letting it fuel him with anger, he smiled. He appreciated it.
“She was a smart lady,” he said simply and ventured a longer drink. After a moment he knelt and called to Elvis, who sat obediently at his knee and allowed himself to be brushed. “Gotta get you lookin’ dandy for your new home, buddy.”
“She had you, course she was smart.” The words were out of Bella’s mouth before she could stop them and she opened her mouth to maybe say something else but she didn’t know what to say so just bit down on the straw a little harder than she meant too. Awkwardly opening her mouth she tried to hide the fact the straw just cut into her mouth.
Instead, she focused on her new dog heading over to Chuch. “I think he looks really dandy already,” she said fondly looking at Elvis.
He arched a brow in her direction -- “That’s up for debate,” was his muffled suggestion as he finished up his brushing and tied a bright green bandana around the dog’s neck. “He does look dandy. You two will make quite the pair …” And as soon as he said it, he realized exactly what he was saying.
Bella was pretty -- no, not pretty. She was beautiful. She was beautiful, she knew a version of home and she was moreover right there. He didn’t know what to do with himself. He just knew he wanted to keep seeing her.
“I think the case is solved,” she said quickly, meaning it. Even though she wasn’t sure what she said was the right thing to say, or if it even got the message across right.
Luckily they both had Elvis to focus on and he currently looked more proud of himself than anything else, Bella didn’t totally get that he meant the pair would look good, she took it more of he’ll be happy. “I think we’ll be very happy, but only if you promise to visit.” She said feeling nervous and bold all at the same time as she caught Chuck’s eyes with her own.
“I promise,” was said eagerly. Chuck knew that he was in uncharted waters here. But with Bella, he felt capable of navigating them. Hopefully, he could do it without too many gaffes. (Hopefully, she was the forgiving type.)
“The staff up front will send you home with his toys and bowls. We can even give you some of his food so that you can mix it in with anything else you get.”
Blushing she grinned looking down as she pushed a stray hair behind her right ear. Looking back up she nodded. “Do you think you might want to help me get my place put together for him? And pick the right food and stuff?” Was she being too pushy? She hoped not.
“ -- well, sure.” Chuck wanted Bella and Elvis to have the best go of it. And he knew all the tricks from his years with Max, besides. He smiled. “I get off in about an hour. You want me to meet you …?”
“Yeah, that’d be perfect,” she said nodding enthusiastically. “Elvis and I can go for a walk and we’ll meet you at my place in about an hour?” She wanted to confirm.
He couldn’t help it. He was beaming. Maybe for the first time in a long time? For the first time ever. Chuck let the smile just keep on shining as he nodded. “That’s perfect. I hope it goes quickly.”
“I hope it does too,” she agreed. “I’ll see you soon,” Bella added as she and Elvis headed out for her walk, she paused long enough to glance back with a smile before turning her attention to Elvis.