Snapshot #24


Ray sighs in utter contentment. This is one of his favorite parts of the weekend. It is Sunday afternoon. Church is over, he and Benny have been to the family dinner, and now they are alone in their apartment, just the two of them. Correction. Just the three of them, counting the furry member of the family.

Ray is lying on the sofa, Benny sitting on the floor right next to the sofa, Diefenbaker is curled up next to the window, and there’s a football game on the television.

Ray is running his fingers lazily through Benny’s hair and up and down the back of his neck. Benny shifts suddenly and turns to face him. “Ray?”

“Yes?”

“Scoot over,” Benny says with a smile.

Ray happily shifts aside to make room for Benny, and after slipping off his shoes, Ben stretches out next to him. His head winds up on Ray’s shoulder, and he is draped over half of Ray’s body, but Ray doesn’t mind at all.

Ray lies there watching the game, one arm wrapped around Benny, the other gently stroking Benny’s hip. He looks down in surprise as a wolf jumps up onto the sofa and curls up on top of his legs.

“I don’t know how to break this to you Dief, but you’re not exactly a lap dog.”

A plaintive whine and a beseeching look from big brown wolf eyes is his only answer.

Ray shakes his head in exasperation and sighs. “Fine. Stay there.”

He looks over at his human companion. “You know, he’s your wolf, Benny, and I really-” He breaks off as he notices that Benny is sound asleep.

Ray looks from Benny, asleep on his shoulder, to Dief, curled up on his legs, and he glares at the wolf. “If you ever breathe a word of this to anybody, you’re never going to get another donut from me for as long as you live.”

Diefenbaker woofs softly and nods his head, then lays back down, his tail thumping gently against the sofa cushion.

Ray settles back into the pillows, one hand stroking Benny, the other hand petting the wolf, the game forgotten.

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