”What you looking at? Quit standing there like a stuffed mummy and help me. Your dogs or mine?” I feign indignation.

”Do you have to–” she stutters, pointing at what I’m doing. ”Don’t you have a rag or something?”

”Nah, this will do,” acting nonchalant, I wave her off. By then I’ve wiped all the three dogs’ feet, so I get up and encourage the dogs to go estimate the whole place. I turn to Tina and bow before her dramatically with my hand on my chest. ”Well thank you, Madam, for taking part in the process of wiping your dogs’ feet, even if you just stood and gawked at the way I did it by myself.”

”Ugh, shut up,” Tina rolls her eyes before making her way back.

I follow close behind her. ”Where’re you going?”

”To the bathroom.”

I grin. ”I don’t know anymore, Tina… What about inconvenience? What if you spoil something?”

She turns back abruptly and attempts to slap me with her towel, but my reflexes take over and I duck out of the way before the blow connects with my body.

”Oooph! Fiery!” I tease her mockingly and laugh. I can see that she’s trying hard not to smile, but all her efforts are utterly pointless when she is so clearly amused. I keep following her. ”Hey, Tina?”

She enters the bathroom and takes a hold of the door, ready to close it. She fixes me with an impatient look.

”One more thing,” I say and lean against the doorframe, turning all serious and adding depth and sultriness to my gaze.

”What do you need,” she offers as if indifferent and not intrigued, but I know there’s curiosity behind her mask.

I nibble my lower lip as I eye her thoughtfully. ”Forget it,” I then push myself off of the doorframe and pretend to be leaving.

”Oh come on! What were you going to say?” Tina almost cries out to my back with a desperate tint to her voice, which puts a grin to my face.

Quickly erasing the grin, I turn around and walk back to the doorway. ”I just wanted to ask you something…”

”Then ask.”

”Something extremely important…”

She rolls her eyes.

”Do you care about the environment?” I begin.