Erin had barely slept, tossing and turning, clock watching, so she’d got up at six am and gone for a run. The local parks were dark this early on a spring morning, so she stuck to the roads familiarising herself with the suburb she now lived in. Despite the gloominess of her basement abode, it was a nice area, large Victorian three story houses, interspersed with clumps of newer detached houses with driveways filled with sports cars. Things were looking brighter, if only Barney would make it through his op. 

Sprinting she pushed harder, only glad when she saw the end of her street did she start to slow down, to let the cold air rush into her lungs in huge gasps. When had Barney come to mean so much to her? She knew exactly when. The day she’d bought him, the substitute for the baby that Max refused to consider, he was busier than ever at work, and more and more distant. Since their marriage two years earlier, Max had changed from a fun, happy lover, to a virtual stranger. Despite that, she was still devastated when he left her, walked away for some unknown woman who turned out to be younger, prettier and apparently more experienced than her. 

Erin shook her head, the sweat pouring down her body; she couldn’t go back to that, thinking she wasn’t good enough. She was TOO good for Max, and she should have left him way before he made the decision. It had taken her a while, but she had come to her senses, it was Max’s loss, it was Max’s loss. That was her mantra. 

She unlocked the door to her home and checked her watch, they were operating in an hour, she had to get her mind off it.  So she had a shower, then breakfast. Flicking on morning TV she groaned, the news was full of the early kick off in today’s football and Jack Reilly’s face flashed on the screen, a training ground interview previewing the game.  Just as she thought she was being a bit harsh on him, she saw his smug face and was angry all over again.  Normally she’d sit down and watch the game on TV, but not now, not after all that had happened. 

She’d bought paint to lighten up the black walls of the lounge, and knew she’d need several coats of her pale peachy colour to obliterate it. So after a quick phone call to hear that the operation was about to start, and that he was stable, she started the laborious job. 

It was mid afternoon when the phone rang and the time that had passed took her by surprise. Within twenty minutes she was changed and driving to the hospital. The vet said the operation was a success, and Barney was recovering well. 

He was lying on a bed, feeling extremely sorry for himself, he was very groggy, but his tail wagged when he saw Erin and it made her smile. But the post-op instructions didn’t. He couldn’t really walk around for several days if not two weeks, he’d need to be limited to JUST standing outside to toilet, then there was no stairs, and three hourly medication. She could hardly take her second week at her new job off to care for her baby, so she made the decision that when he was discharged she’d take him to her parents. Her father would raise his eyebrows, but her mother had a soft spot for the animal, and they were both retired and had lots of flat floor space. 

When she called them later her father offered to come up to collect him in his Landrover, and the practicality of even that was hell, but at least she could sit beside Barney in the back seat and comfort him.

Monday training after a heavy defeat was never pleasant, and the manager had really put them through their paces. But Jack took it, all the activities of the weekend had taken their toll on him, and he had been below par, as one of the senior players he took the blame, not that the manager accepted that it was down to just one man. So they all trained hard. 

Afterwards he had to go to the stadium to collect some photos to pre-sign for a competition the club was holding. He always got a thrill walking into a football stadium, especially one as grand as this one.  Mia, the wannabe actress and current receptionist smiled at him in a way he was always used to, but more recently he’d com eto despise the ‘I’ll do anything for fame...including you’ look. 

                “Hi Jack! Here are the photos! And a parcel was delivered by courier this morning.” Mia was typical of a temp in these offices, the girls seemed more interested in being seen on the arm of one of the players than doing a job, his teammates were all an avenue to fame for free. He blamed Simon Cowell and Big Brother in equal measures for this quest for ‘being famous’, to him the fame was the downside of his life. But some people wanted to be adored, to be on magazine covers more than anything else, it had never bothered him that much years ago, but he resented it more as time went on. People may not believe it but he’d worked hard to be where he was. Yes he lived a privileged life, but with that came a lot of work. He may not toil nine to five at a computer, but he had his own cross to bear. Two things annoyed him, people presuming his life was a walk in the park, and those who wanted a part of it for nothing.

Like Tina. He cringed at the sound of her name, he wanted to see the end of this month, hell this season. It was early April, in six weeks his season could be over and he could head somewhere nice, Dubai, Florida...all he wanted was sun, relaxation and no one recognising him. Bliss. 

                “Jack?” Mia’s voice cut through his thoughts and he realised he was miles away. She’d been waiting for an answer from him. 

                “A parcel you say?” He looked at the girl, she’d be pretty if she wiped off the inch of makeup and those hideous false eyelashes. But she looked like Tina, and that had been all he’d wanted until he realised how shallow that was. All front and no substance. Unlike Miss Dog Owner. Shaking his head he couldn’t quite believe she’d snuck into his thoughts, saying that he had called the animal hospital several times to hear the op was a success, and the mutt was going home later today. 

Mia held out a large parcel wrapped in brown paper, his name scrawled on it in a loopy handwriting, then addressed to the club. 

Thanking Mia sweetly, he took the photos and the parcel back to his car. Sat in the front seat he opened the package unsure as to what it could be, often fans sent in things, but nothing of this size. Ripping back the paper he gasped to see the coat he’d last left with the nameless woman and her dog. It had a dry cleaning ticket attached, so that he’d know it was clean, along with an envelope. 

Opening it he found a wad of cash and a note. 

                “Mr Reilly, thank you for the use of your coat, though I am quite capable of paying for my own taxi.” 

Damn, no name! That annoyed him, he really wanted to know who this angry woman was. As soon as he processed the cash he was immediately annoyed, he owed her that money at least, he’d paid for her taxi to prove a point, and shit if she hadn’t just gone and beaten him right back! As he started the engine, the fury he felt at her gaining some sort of upper hand over her faded into something far more primitive, it excited him in a way he hadn’t been for a long time. Driving from the car park he formulated a plan. 

Despite Barney being so well the previous evening, he was almost back to himself even though he wasn’t able to get up and about, Erin had still struggled to concentrate that day. She was heading straight to the animal hospital after work, her father was meeting her there. He was driving home so that Barney could recuperate in comfort. She planned to spend the night, but had to get back to Manchester for work the next day, and there was an early morning train, hectic, but at least she could settle Barney in and have a nice home cooked meal.

Her father was stood in the car park talking into his phone. He was an imposing figure. He’d been a footballer when he was younger, playing for Liverpool, and an international star for England, hence her interest in the sport, but he blew his knee when he was twenty five, way before she was born. So his career changed to property developing, and as with everything else in her father’s life, he was very successful at it. She’d been brought up  in a comfortable way with good holidays, her horse, everything a girl could ask for. 

But despite casting so imposing a picture, she was a daddy’s girl and his eyes softened as he saw her approach. The last year had been such a strain on him, she was glad to walk up to him and hug him tightly without him having to worry about her.  

                “Erin!” he pulled her into that familiar hug, and kissed the top of her head. “We’ve missed you the last week!” 

She laughed pulling back, “I’m sure Dad, it’s more that you’ve got no one to entertain Amelia and Liam! You don’t fool me!” 

Her brother Peter’s children were both delightful and full of life, and lived with her brother and his wife Yvonne in a converted barn at the edge of their parents land. So they were regular visitors. When she’d stayed back home, she’d spent hours playing with the kids. 

Her father laughed, “You have a point there, and I think your mother has missed Barney more!” 

Raising her eyebrows she led him into the building. 

Barney was repeatedly trying to stand, and the vet assistants were tempting him back to his bed with ham...the animal was becoming spoilt! As she was reacquainting herself with her big dog, the vet approached. 

                “We fixed the fracture, but it was complicated, he has plates and several wires in there. He needs to be quiet for at least four weeks, if not six. We’ll re X-ray in ten days or so.” 

                “Quiet?” her father asked cautiously, “Barney?” 

The vet laughed, “He is a lively boy, he’s staying with you?” 

Her father nodded, “I’m retired, so I’m there all day.” 

Turning towards Erin he asked, “What’s your thought on sedating him? We can’t put too much into him, he’s at risk of other stuff, but it’ll mean he’ll be lethargic and will probably help with his healing. He’s such a big boy, and it wasn’t the happiest fixation that I’ve ever had.” 

Erin smiled a wobbly smile, “I’ll take any advice you give me.” 

Once Barney was bundled into his car, Erin headed back into the building to finalise everything. She was given sedation medication, pain killers, dressings, advice and lastly an appointment for three weeks time.  As she pulled out her purse, rooting around for a credit card with enough free on it to pay for all this treatment, the receptionist in front of her grinned and pushed it away. 

                “The bill was settled earlier,” then almost with a swoon she added, “by Mr Reilly. He also covered all these meds.” She waved at the bottles of pills in front of her. “So you’re good to go!” 

Erin could feel the anger, the heat, the indignation building in every inch of her being. Furious didn’t come close. She thought that her deliberate snub earlier would be enough, that she’d never hear from this man ever again, but she was wrong. In some unidentified battle, he’d thrown down the gauntlet, had the final say...dare she admit he won the battle? 

Hiding her confusion from the receptionist she stormed out of the reception and into the car outside.  As she sat in the back, Barney’s head in her lap, nodding along to her father’s running commentary on his week in the Cotswolds, she was barely able to contain her anger. Jack Reilly, the bastard! 

As they hit the M6, heading south, her phone bleeped. Looking down she saw a text message from an unknown number. Opening it, the anger overwhelmed her. 

                “Hope Barney’s recovering...I mean Barney! Who calls such a great beast after a purple dinosaur? Anyway, thanks for the coat, but the taxi fare was mine, as was the vet bill. Settled in full now I hope. Bye Erin Thomas, it’s amazing what you can glean out of an over helpful receptionist, I hope your dog starts to feel better soon. Maybe see you again? J.R.”

                 “AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!” The silent scream inside her head was deafening as Barney snored in her lap.