Chapter 22

“You sleep okay?” Hewlett asked.

Perfectly.AC just nodded, rather than share his thought.

“As good as with the man you love?”

AC had no idea what that would feel like. Fortunately, he didn’t have to say so.

“My Benny made me promise him I wouldn’t be sad forever. ‘Two months, Hewie, and then I want you to find something to smile about every single day.’ It’s not hard, AC, if you try. Sure, the sadness isn’t gone, but the world has so many things going on in it to make a person happy. Those blinky eyes looking over at me for one.”

Spud was enthralled.

“Y-yes.”

Hewlett glanced over. “And his owner’s eyes as well.”

AC smiled.

“And your smile.”

AC laughed.

“And your laugh.”

“S-s-stop.”

“Okay. I will.” Hewlett’s smile faded away. “We loved Christmas. Did it up big. My first year without Benny, I didn’t even get a tree. As the second approached, I wanted to do something. Something different. There was an opening with these fellers, so here I am.”