What Goes Around...........

It was a warm and sunny Saturday in north Georgia, and Neil and Lana were lounging in the screen room at the back of their house. They both felt a little guilty because there was always something that needed to be done, but they were really enjoying the weather. Neil was reading a Zane Grey that one of the grandsons had given him, and Lana had her Kindle with her, but she wasn't as interested in the book she had downloaded as she thought she would be. She regretted buying it. 

"Tim and Cindy are going to their son's house for Thanksgiving," said Lana.

"Okay," answered Neil. He didn't look up from his book, and he knew how that irritated her.

"They want us to take care of the dogs," she tried again.

"I assumed that would be the arrangement since we always do when they go out of town." He still hadn't looked up from his book. 

"Can we talk about this later?" he asked and kept on reading.

"I suppose, but I'm just hoping what happened last time we took care of them doesn't happen again."

Lana was getting that whine in her voice. He couldn't understand why she did that. It was so annoying.

"Look, it was a very innocent mistake that will never happen again. Besides, it wasn't my fault that the dogs got out of the house and you tried to handle it yourself. If you would just wake me up when things happen, instead of always thinking you're invincible and can do things that you can't anymore."

"Don't yell at me. I just don't want to be the one who has to go find them down at the lake if they get out again. When you go over in the mornings to walk them you have to go on to work. If they get out while I'm there, I'll be on my own again. So, I'm just saying."

Neil heaved a heavy sigh and put Zane Grey not too gently on the table beside his lounger. Reading seemed to be destined for another time.

"How long will they be gone?" Neil asked her. "If it's just the weekend then I'll be home every day. You won't have to worry, and I'll even go over at night to feed and walk them if you want."

"Don't try to kiss up to me," she laughed. "I'll do my share of taking care of the dogs, and you can bet the farm they won't get out again. I certainly don't need you to bail me out of any responsibility. " 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're so perfect," Neil harped at her, and she just laughed.

"Eat your heart out, baby," she teased. "Oh! I hear the mail man. Be right back." And Lana ran around the side of the house, through the gate on the privacy fence, and to the mail box. When she returned she was walking slowly, head down and shuffling through the advertisements. She sat back down in her porch swing in the screen room and continued looking through the mail. 

"Nothing interesting," she told him. "Want to look?"

"No. I'm done reading for today. I was in the best chapter when you interrupted me, and now it's ruined."

"Poor baby," she cooed.

Neil looked around the yard for a few seconds.

"Did you let the dogs back in the house?"

She didn't look up from an envelope she was reading.

"The dogs haven't been out of the house all afternoon," she murmured to the envelope.

"Yeah, they have. I let them out when I came out with the sodas. But, I don't see them now." Neil began to get a little nervous.

"Oh, Neil. You don't think they went out through the gate, do you? Oh, Neil!"

Neil noticed the whine coming, but more important he was remembering that conversation from a couple of minutes ago.

"Uh, yes, I do think that's what happened. But, you don't think I'm going to bail you out on this and go get them for you, do you? Nooo. I'm not covering for you."

Neil smiled and batted his eyelashes at her. Oh! She hated when he did that!

Lana threw the mail at a laughing man truly enjoying himself and ran for the kitchen to get three leashes. Then, through the gate and onto the street she stopped and listened. Yep. She could hear them about two blocks away barking at all the dogs behind fences. This was not going to be easy. And, in her heart she knew that she would now and forever be doomed to teasing about allowing dogs to get away from her.  Even when it wasn't her fault, Neil always found ways to tease her. And, she always made sure he thought she hated it.