Chapter Four “Ohana"

Chelsea pulled into her loft parking lot a little while later.  It was a big cement structure with cars lined up everywhere.  The trucks stall was next to her yellow Bug.  

Once her truck came to a complete stop I opened the door and hopped out.  Rascal jumped after me.  I could hear the click of his nail on the smooth cement as he ran around the tuck.  If I could understand him he’d be saying something like, 

‘I got a name, I got a name!  I. Got. A. Name!’

I laughed at him and walked to the truck bed, were Kyla and Chelsea were unloading.  I swung a blue duffle over my shoulder.  Then reached for my backpack.  

“Oh!”  Chelsea said suddenly.  I turned towards her.  She had her hands on her cheek while she looked from me to the dog and back.

An apologetic smile crossed her lips.  “Sorry Ash but no dogs allowed in the building.”

I groaned and looked at Rascal.  He didn’t catch it.  

Now what, I can’t leave him in the parking structure over night.

“Ha!”  I said as the lightbulb went off in my head.  I finished my reach for the bag.  Once I had a hold of it, I turned up upside down and all the contents fell out into the truck bed.  I looked at the bag from different angles.  This will do.

It was a black Jansport.  Kinda old, it had stretch in the fabric now.  Really flexible.  Plus this was a short walk from here to the actual loft.

“Rascal”  I called to him.  He stopped his happy dance and faced me.   I looked at him then the bag that was about to become a doggy carrier.  I think he got the message.

His shoulders drooped and he tilted his head slightly back.  I saw the dull, irritated look in his eye.  He was comical.

“This is the only option.”  I cooed.  He walked over to me sullenly.  I wrapped my arms around his rather bony body and plopped him in the bag.  His face didn’t change.  

I zipped it up a good amount and we gathered the rest of the things.  I held the backpack in front instead of in my back.