Love Hurts [Eternal Flames 12]

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

“He loves you more than he does me,” Timmy said sadly as tears ran down his cheeks. “I think he should be where he would be most happy, and if that’s with you, Flyer, then so be it. I’ll go pack all his things and you can take him home.” Timmy turned to leave as he wiped a hand across his cheek to remove the tears.

“No, Timmy, wait,” Flyer said and grabbed his arm gently, stopping him.

Timmy turned back to face him, and Flyer continued, “That’s very sweet of you to offer, Timmy, and it shows how much you truly love Spike, to want to do what you think is best for him, but I can’t keep him.”

“But, he wants to be with you. He keeps running away and ending up wherever you are. I was so worried when I couldn’t find him last night. We were having a family movie night, and I had everyone in their footie pajamas. We made popcorn and a veggie bowl, then put on ‘Babe’ for all of us to watch, but then I noticed Spike wasn’t here again. I searched everywhere for him. It took me so long that it got too late to watch the movie, and everyone was so disappointed. Charlie even said he thinks Spike should just go live with you.”

“I’m sorry Spike took off and ruined everyone’s night, but I still can’t keep him, little dude. Not that I don’t like Spike, because I do. I’ve actually gotten used to him showing up all the time, but with the way my life is, I can’t have pets. I never know when I’m going to be home or for how long, and that just wouldn’t be fair to Spike. What if I get called out on a mission and have to take off right away, then I’m gone for weeks, who would take care of him?”

Timmy’s eyes widened and filled with concern. “No, no, that just wouldn’t do.”

“Exactly. So you see, he wouldn’t be better off with me. He belongs here with you, York and the others, where he will be well taken care of, have friends around to play with, and be loved. And now that you got that wicked new skill of yours for Christmas, you can now talk to him and know what he’s saying too.”

“You’re right, Flyer, Spike should stay here with us. I’m sorry he just showed up like that. I promise I will have a talk with him. Although, he’s hardly ever around these days for me to talk to. But I promise I will,” Timmy said.

Flyer smiled. “I know you will, and thanks, Timmy. Now, before I’m late and Wade chews me a new one, I better get going. I put Spike in his pen in the barn and put some food out for him already, so he should be okay.”

“Oh, thank you, Flyer,” Timmy said with a large smile.

“You’re welcome. Have a good day, Timmy, and tell York I’ll see him at the station tomorrow.”

“I will. He would have been here to welcome you, but we got a few Emus and purple peacocks in yesterday, and Wally, our wallaby has something against them for some reason. He keeps getting into their pens and chasing them around. The purple peacocks get so scared that they open their tail feathers and run, but some of those feathers keep falling out. Soon they’ll be naked so Yorkie has gone to make sure Wally can’t get into their pens anymore.”

Flyer stood there stunned as he listened to Timmy talk about his and York’s ever-growing family of animals. How the hell York put up with all those different critters was beyond him. Now they had Emus and peacocks? And when the hell did they get a wallaby? Flyer shook his head and chuckled, amused by the whole thing. “Well, you tell York I wish him luck. I’ll see you around, Timmy.” And with that Flyer left and headed back to his truck.

As he walked across the porch and down the steps, Flyer heard a commotion coming from the barn area. Once on the dirty driveway he turned to look at what was going on, then stopped and stared in silence.

York was standing in the paddock or corral or whatever the hell they called that fenced in area, and he was facing off against a pair of really large birds. The birds were about ten feet in front of him, just staring and if Flyer was right, they looked pissed. The bird on the left kept squawking and shaking its ass, then the bird on the right would squawk at the other bird and look back to York and squawk again. Suddenly a small pure white kangaroo hopped over and stood before the birds and started squealing like he was yelling, then began to jump up and down. As he jumped up, he threw out his long rear legs toward the birds in a threatening manner, making the birds take a few steps back.

The whole time, York just stood there staring at the display in front of him, until the wallaby started kicking. Then York moved closer and tried to grab hold of the thing. The wallaby fought against his hold and the birds attacked, nipping at the wallaby, and pushing York with their overly large bodies.

Timmy went rushing over and tried to get in the middle of the craziness as he yelled and waved a pointed finger at the large birds as if reprimanding them. One of the birds faced Timmy and just stared at him for a moment, then turned and walked away, but the other one started squawking at Timmy as the little gargoyle argued back. The whole situation was unbelievable if he hadn’t seen it himself. It was comical to say the least, but Flyer couldn’t stay any longer and watch the show, Wade and the guys would be gathering tonight to go over some things and Flyer was wanted there earlier than the others to go over some aerial shots so he had to get moving.

Flyer turned and headed back to his truck, then opened the door and climbed in. He started the truck, put it in gear, and headed down the driveway. Suddenly a movement came from his lower right, down on the floor of the passenger side. Flyer turned his head to look and found Spike trying to get under the seat. Just his back end was sticking out and he was digging hard with his front paws trying to get beneath it.

Flyer shook his head and sighed before stopping the truck. He leaned down and carefully pulled Spike out, then held him in front of his face as his eyes narrowed at the critter. “I thought I put

you in your stall? What the hell are you doing here, Spike, and how in the world did you get into my truck?”

Flyer just sat staring at Spike as if waiting for him to actually answer. Then he huffed in frustration at his own stupidity. “Now I’m talking to an animal and waiting for answers like he’s actually going to give me one. s**t, I must be losing my damn mind. Okay, buddy, back to Timmy for you. It’s where you belong, so let’s go.

He turned the truck around and drove back up the driveway, then put it in park and climbed out with Spike in his hands. He walked over to the pen where York and Timmy were still trying to control the chaos and cleared his throat. Once Timmy and York turned to look at him, Flyer held Spike up high. “I think you need to have that conversation sooner than you think. I found this escapee just now in my truck.”

“Oh, fudge muffins,” Timmy replied as he stomped a foot, then came to Flyer and took Spike from him.

“You are a bad boy, Spike. You need to leave Flyer alone and let him live his life. Then you and I need to have a chat,” Timmy reprimanded.

“Why don’t you take Spike in and talk with him, while I take care of Frick and Frack, then let all the peacocks out?” York offered.

“Okay, Yorkie,” Timmy said, then turned with Spike still in his outstretched hands and walked to the barn.

Flyer watched them go, then turned to York with an amused look on his face. “Frick and Frack?”

York smiled. “Yeah, these two stay close together acting like twins and are the laziest birds I have ever seen. They are like every definition of Frick and Frack that I have ever heard. It’s perfect for them. So, I heard you had an overnight guest and there was some poking going on in that bed,” York said with amusement.

Flyer could see his friend was trying hard to control the laugh that was threatening to escape. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Yeah, yeah. Make jokes, but let’s see how you react if you wake up to find a porcupine in your bed.”

“Brother, I wake up most mornings with a freaking zoo’s worth of animals in my bed. A

porcupine wouldn’t even be noticed.”

Flyer smirked. “Yeah, I think Jett was a little off when he said you were an animal in bed. I think he was talking about all the animals in your bed.

“Yeah, well, Jett is always a little off.”

Flyer threw his head back and laughed, then walked back to his truck and climbed in, closing the door behind him. He put it in gear and headed down the driveway, literally leaving the crazy farm behind.