My Sister's Shepard, Ch. 3 by Neosate < Submission | Inkbunny, the Furry Art Community

Keywords male 1181387, female 1070654, canine 187399, bear 48576, herm 43771, otter 35473, christmas 21685, sheep 14193, dalmatian 10639, romance 8905, family 6678, doberman 5679, drama 4561, eagle 4150, chinchilla 2481, australian shepherd 1295, polar 1236, no sex 1236, mature language 2

The Fall of the Roman Empire, Part I:

Friends, Roman, and a Country Man

~~~~~

My Sister’s Shepard, Ch. 3

December 25, 2013

The Zaritzky Residence

Vanessa sighed as she collapsed back onto her bed. She hated the holidays; every year it was the same bullshit routine. Her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins would all come over for Thanksgiving dinner, but no one would give enough of a shit about her to ask how she was doing. She had tried, when she was younger, to bond with her extended family but her futile efforts were met with nothing more than scorn and insults. She had also tried, when she was weaker, to avoid attending Thanksgiving dinner altogether but her father would not allow it, saying that it would reflect poorly on him if she was not present. Things only got worse when her older sister, Valerie, moved out west to Colorado for some stupid career in pediatrics.

Black Friday was even worse; her mother would drag her out to every retail outlet in Marblecliff just so she could purchase whatever useless junk she could think of in a narcissistic attempt to one-up those same relatives. It wasn’t a mother-daughter bonding experience, no. Vanessa was there simply to carry all of the bags until the next trip to the car, while her father slept in late before putting up the Christmas tree. Unlike the families she saw on TV, there was no ceremony to the process, no emotion. It was all an act, for appearance’s sake. There was no uniqueness to, or sentiment behind, any of the ornaments. It was just the same twelve-foot tall, store-bought, pre-lit imitation tree adorned with the same generic, unremarkable, boxed sets of glass balls and tinsel. She fucking hated it.

Then there was Christmas Eve and Day. As if one day of “family” wasn’t bad enough, some sick asshat decided that some dead guy born over two thousand years ago deserved two days of celebration for his birthday. Of course, almost nobody even talked about that dead guy anymore. Instead, Christmas was all about Santa Claus and the presents. Vanessa supposed that a fat, smiling polar bear in a red suit sent a more cheerful message than a half-naked dead sheep nailed to a cross, inspiring the mindless masses to get out there and spend their money, but seriously, one day was enough. And the Christmas music! From Thanksgiving until the New Year, everywhere she went all she heard was the same selection of what seemed like nine songs on a constant loop. It was like Top 40 radio - because really, could anyone list more than ten? - but maddeningly more depressing.

This year was better than last, at least. Valerie had moved back to New Hampshire after taking a job at the same high school she had graduated from. All her life, Val had been Vanessa’s only ally against their parents’ apathy, and the year that she was away had been difficult for the teen Dalmatian. And Val brought a man back home with her, plus his little sister. While she wasn’t exactly on good terms with Nathan and Piper, they weren’t on bad terms, either. Her father, on the other paw, made no secret of the resentment he harbored towards the man that was “fucking my little angel.” Like the saying goes, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” or some shit. Having Nathan and his speech-impaired Mini-Me over this Christmas helped to draw some of Roman’s ire away from Vanessa, and that was the best gift she could have ever hoped for.

Not that she didn’t crave affection from the man. She did, indeed, but she learned a long time ago to not waste her time wishing for the impossible. Her father never referred to her as “his.” Never. While Valerie was “his” baby or “his” princess, she was simply “Vanessa” to him. Whenever she met one of his colleagues, it was always, “This is Vanessa.” Not “This is my daughter, Vanessa,” or “this is Vanessa, my daughter.” Just Vanessa. No matter how much she helped around the house or how well she did in school, she could never earn his favor. The tags on her presents may have said “from Mom and Dad,” but she knew Roman had no clue what she was given, nor did he care, so long as it didn’t cost too much of his money.

Not that he needed have worried about that. Vanessa really didn’t care anything for material possessions. The truth is, she stopped caring about damn near everything a long time ago. The coat, sweaters, jewelry, and shoes she had been given this year were mostly because she was soon going to outgrow her old clothing, and the daughter of a respected city councilman was expected to look the part. The iTunes giftcard was just a not-so-subtle request for her to listen to music and to keep her mouth shut.

She fucking hated the holidays.

Her cell chimed just then, rousing her from her anti-Christmas musings. With a frustrated grunt, she lifted her slender hips up off her bed and slid the phone from her back pocket. She had a text message from her best friend, Kyle. Correction, her only friend. Her thumb danced over her Lock screen, which displayed her favorite picture of Valerie and her, and checked her inbox.

[Kyle - Today 12:52 PM: Hey, how are you holding up?]

The teen Dalmatian would never admit it, but a slight smile formed on her muzzle, thankful that at least somebody else besides Val gave enough of a shit to show some concern. She quickly typed out her response and pressed ‘Send.’

[Me - Today 12:53 PM: Same shit, different day. Only today they slapped a big red bow on it. How about you?]

A couple of minutes went by before she got a reply:

[Kyle - Today 12:56 PM: Not important. Think you can get out of the house for a bit? My grandma says you can come over for dinner if you want, maybe even spend the night. You just need to get a ride here cuz the van is low on gas until Friday.]

While she didn’t want to get her hopes up, Vanessa figured that just about anything would be better at this point than hiding in her room until dinner, at which time she would sit and eat in awkward silence while her father pointedly ignored her. Her slender fingers flew across the screen, forming her answer:

[Me - Today 12:59 PM: Sounds good. Let me see what I can do.]

Rolling out of bed, she paused for a second in front of her mirror to fix her hair before making her way back downstairs to find her mother. Her father was in his den watching the Fox News Channel. She could almost feel the hairs on the back of his neck bristling as she walked past the doorway, but he remained thankfully quiet. She found her mom in the living room talking on the phone while watching It’s a Wonderful Life on low volume, the irony of which did not escape the young Dalmatian’s notice. She herself often felt like George Bailey, believing that everyone in her life would be better off without her. And just like with the movie on screen right now, Claudia Zaristzky tuned her out in favor of trying to maintain her socialite image. Unlike George Bailey, though, she had no Clarence Odbody to brighten her outlook. No, her guardian angel was more interested in drinking spirits than lifting them, sitting there on the couch gently cradling a half-empty goblet of eggnog in her left paw as she prattled on about her life, doing her best to try and outdo whoever she was speaking with.

Vanessa waited politely in the doorway just within her mother’s peripheral vision, enough to indicate that she needed to speak about something but she did not wish to interrupt and would wait until Claudia felt inclined to address her. After what couldn’t have been more than three minutes, her mother said, “Just a moment, Vicki. What is it, Vanessa?”

“I’m sorry for disturbing you, Mom, but Kyle invited me over to her house for dinner, and maybe a sleepover. Would it be okay if I went? I’d just need a ride there and back. Please?”

Her mother sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine, but you’ll have to ask your sister to take you there, and you’ll have to spend the night. You know your father won’t bother to pick you up, and I’ve been drinking.”

“That’s fine,” Vanessa said, fighting her best to contain her smile, then she realized that she hadn’t seen Valerie or her boyfriend since the gifts had been exchanged and she had gone to her room. “Do you know where she is?”

“Oh, she and that man of hers went across the street to try and negotiate a truce with the neighbors on your father’s behalf,” the older Dalmatian woman frowned. “For all the good that will do, bunch of worthless hoodlums, all of them.”

~~~~~

The Dark Rider House for Wayward Youths

Hank groaned as he watched the older of the Dalmatian daughters and her boyfriend walk up the drive, accompanied by a young cub. He sat the turkey fryers down and readied himself for the  impending onslaught of complaints about the house, yard, or even the not-yet-started Christmas dinner  that was sure to begin as soon as they were in earshot. He didn’t really know much about the two, though he could tell that the man with her didn’t look like the type he would expect to be dating one of the Zaritzky girls, considering the hard lines and standards that Roman seemed to force on everyone he had influence over. Plus, the last time he had seen the man, they exchanged a few nods of acknowledgment from across the street. He breathed a sigh of relief as Susan walked out the door with a smile on her face. She moved quickly as she started to introduce the pair loudly, almost as if to save the Otter from having to talk.

“Miss Zaritzky, how nice of you to stop by,” the Chinchilla started off with a more diplomatic demeanor than Hank thought he could muster. “Hank, this is Valerie, the new nurse at Chimera. She started shortly after she moved back from…” She paused for a moment as she looked over at the Dalmatian who was close enough to make it seem more of a casual conversation.

“Colorado,” Val finished with a quizzical expression on her muzzle. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’ve met, Miss…?”

“Shelby, but you can just call me Susan.” She held out her paw as she continued, “You’re right, we haven’t officially met. I’m the head of security for the Mythic school systems. I make it a point to know about the employees, especially one related to our distinguished neighbor.”

Chuckling, Valerie took Susan’s offered paw and they exchanged a friendly shake. “It’s okay, you can go ahead and say it. I know my dad can be… difficult to handle sometimes.” The comment earned a slight chortle from Nathan, but she brushed it off and continued, “But I hear you guys have been giving him just as good as you get.”

As if on cue Alex leaned over the balcony and shouted, “I din’ do it. I wasn’ even dere, and ya can’t prove I was.” The eagle paused for a moment then added, “Can I ge’ my funnel back from your girl?”

The Dalmatian woman looked down at Piper, who just gave her a confused shrug, then up at Nathan. “Sorry, ma’am,” he answered, “but the Mayor has it.” Looking from the Eagle down to Susan, he added, “Nathan Shepard. It’s nice ta meet ya, Miss Shelby. An’ this here’s Piper.”

“Hewwo,” the pup said meekly as she hid behind her older brother’s leg.

“Hank,” the Otter said flatly, still not sure what to make of the situation, as he too held out his paw in greeting.

As the men shook paws the Chinchilla said, “Please, just call me Susan. So what brings you over to our ghetto part of the neighborhood? We haven’t even gotten the fryers set up yet. Surely we haven’t disturbed the peace and tranquility of your Chirstmas.”

“No, no,” Val grinned as she shook her silky black hair. “It’s nothing like that. Like I said, I know my dad can be hard to cope with. Even though he’s been nothing short of a gentleman all day, the tension in the house between him and Nate has been steadily building. Still, I didn’t want to come across as being rude, and we’ve heard so many funny things about you guys, I figured we could step out and get some fresh air and see what all the fuss is about. Dad thinks we came over to try and negotiate a cease fire on his behalf.”

“Cease fire?” Susan questioned with a bit of a snort. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Unless you mean he wants to stop calling the cops every time we sneeze in the wrong direction. Or maybe he wants to stop trying to be a roadblock for our little endeavor here.”

With a shrug, Valerie responded, “If you say so. The cease fire was just an excuse to get out of the house for a bit. I really don’t have any interest in getting in the crossfire; we just wanted to put some distance between him and Nathan and figured we may as well come over and say hello.”

“Doesn’t want the working class at the dinner table,” Hank huffed as he picked the fryers back up and started toward the back yard.

“Lemme help ya out with those,” Nate said as he started after the Otter. “Come on, Piper.” As the trio circled around the house, the Australian Shepherd remarked, “I like what ya’ll did with the landscape. Who does your groundskeepin’?”

“We do. No need to pay someone to do it for us,” the Otter said. “It still needs some work, but I have to wait until the ground thaws to install the irrigation system. Squeaker wants me to do something about adding a basketball court out here somewhere, but that will likely be after I fix the pool.” He glanced at the Canine as he sat down the fryers. “You ever fry a turkey?”

“That’s the only way ta cook one,” Nate replied with a grin.

Hank shrugged, “Not really much of a cook. It all tastes the same as far as I can tell… bland. They want fried turkeys, they get fried turkeys. I’m just doing it so Boomer don’t start a fire.”

“Boomer?”

“Uh, yeah,” the Otter muttered to himself before answering. “The Eagle that was on the balcony. She’s… a bit of a fire bug. And likely one of Mister Zaritzky’s biggest concerns when it comes to dealing with this group.”

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Nathan grinned. “So, I hate ta be rude, but what is this place, anyway? Seems kinda big for three people.”

“Six,” he said simply. “There are currently six people living here. But that’s not really the plan. Kinda surprised you haven’t heard, with how opposed to the project as the Councilman is. It’s going to be a home… safe haven for teens and others that need it. Kinda like a shelter and support center geared toward teens… Really, I’m just here following orders. It’s Squeaker that's really in charge.”

“Yeah, well, Mister Zaritzky’s not too keen on his daughter datin’ a simple ranch hand,” the Australian Shepherd replied. “Mosta what he says when I’m around are poorly-disguised insults, so I just block him out for Val’s sake. Anyway, my Ma taught me better than ta stoop ta his level.” He looked back at the house and continued, “So, a safe haven for teens, huh? Mighty noble. Who’s this Squeaker?”

“Cecily Fargo. Adopted daughter of Sarge… Lilliana Fargo,” Hank started what seemed to be a practiced response. “A young woman that has seen the worst of the systems that are out there to help the youth, and wants to do something about it.”

“If ya didn’t have that accent, that woulda sounded like the intro to the ‘A-Team,’” Nate joked. “So she’s Hannibal. Does that make ya Murdock?”

“If you want to go with that metaphor, I would put Lilliana as Hannibal, Boomer as Murdock, if Murdock could pull off being a successful lawyer. Susan might fit the Face man. If anything I think I would be B.A., mostly fix things around here, but I can figure out how to make almost anything. I think that would put Squeaker more in the client role. She has the plan and we’re here to make sure it happens.”

Chuckling, Nathan remarked, “If ya say so, but I kinda see Boomer more like B.A.. Don’t get me wrong, now, ya know her better than I do, but I pity the fool that ticks her off.”

“I’ll agree with that, and I’m sure Roman’s snout knows the feeling,” Hank said with a bit of a chuckle as he started pouring the oil into one of the fryers.

“So just the six of ya? Ya’ll not open yet?” he asked.

“Not yet. Just finished renovating the house. It was in bad shape when we got it. The ribbon cutting is after the new year. As of now we have room for sixteen in two bunk-style rooms… if we need it. Couple that with the gym, rec room, arcade, movie theater, small library and study area, I think it’s an achievement.”

“Bad shape’s an understatement,” Valerie commented as she walked up behind them. “The place was almost condemned. You all did a remarkable job restoring it.”

Hank shrugged, “If you say so. It was structurally sound, just abused. Some paint and a few vets with nothing better to do is all it really took.”

“I’m sorry,” the Dalmatian woman blushed from embarrassment. “I was raised in a somewhat… privileged environment. I didn’t mean -”

The Otter sighed, “Look, don’t apologize. I’m not good at talking to people. The last five minutes is likely the most I’ve said  all day besides ‘Roger.’”

“What’s up, beautiful?” Nate asked, trying to shift the conversation towards something less awkward.

“Oh, right,” she smiled, “I need to borrow the keys to the truck. Vanessa needs a ride over to a friend’s house.” She looked over at Piper, who despite the fact that she was playing with two toy horses she had received that morning, was fidgeting with boredom. “Piper, do you want to ride along with us?”

“Yes, pwease!” the cub exclaimed, nearly leaping to her footpaws.

Taking the keys from his paw, Val leaned in and gave Nate a quick peck on his muzzle. “I won’t be gone long. Think you can stay out of trouble?”

“Easier here than over there with your Pa,” he answered. “I’ll be fine. There’s somethin’ I wanna talk to Hank about anyway. See you soon.”

~~~~~

The Stout Residence

“Thanks, Val!” Vanessa said as she jumped out of Nathan’s truck, pulling her backpack out behind her. Turning, she looked at Kyle’s house; it wasn’t at all what she had expected, but she checked the address three times just to make sure. Kyle’s house was on the curve of a cul-de-sac, with a single well-worn truck in the driveway. The drive lead up a steep hill that cut off to a small concrete walkway up to the front door. The house had a double-wide garage, which took up a good portion of the white, single-story suburban household. Figuring she must be in the right place, she strolled up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A moment later, an elderly Doberman lady opened the door.

“Well, hello! And who are you, young lady? Are you Kyle’s friend?” the woman, most likely Kyle’s grandma, greeted her warmly.

“Hello. I’m Vanessa,” the teen answered, trying her best to be polite. Turning back toward the street, she waved her older sister off. Looking again at the older woman, she continued, “Thank you for inviting me over.”

“Of course, deary. Kyle hasn’t had any friends over since we moved here last year. I’m glad you could make it. Kyle! Vanessa is here!” Kyle’s grandma shouted down the stairs. “My name is Mallory, and don’t be scared to ask if you two need anything.”

“Thank you, uhm,” Vanessa wasn’t sure if she should address the woman as “Mallory” or “Mrs. Stout,” but she wasn’t sure of the old woman’s marital status or last name, and she had been raised to address her parents and their friends respectfully. Instead, not wanting to insult or embarrass herself in front of her only friend’s grandmother, the young Dalmatian just left it at that and bounded down the steps to join her friend.

On her way down, a small Doberman was headed up, taking the stairs two at a time. “Grandmaaa! Do we have anymore chips?” he asked as he nearly ran head first into Vanessa before looking up. “Oh, hi! My name’s Brian Stout! You must be Vannessa Zah-Zarnisky. Are you here to see Kyle? She’s my sister! Are you really staying the night? Are you eating dinner with us? Can I have your dessert? What is-”

“Brian, move!” Kyle barked, coming up the stairs behind her younger brother. She gave the pup a swat on his butt that had been wagging excitedly non-stop, making the boy give a yip and rush off into the kitchen.

“God… little brothers. ‘Nessa! What’s up, girl?” Kyle greeted the Dalmatian.

“Is your house always this lively?” Vanessa asked, feeling slightly overwhelmed. “My place is like a graveyard by comparison.”

“Pfft, I wish it was usually this quiet. Brian normally has a whole group of brats following him. Luckily his little bunny best bud isn’t here today, those two are obnoxious.”

Vanessa wasn’t sure if she thought the liveliness in the household was a bad thing or not. After all, she didn’t have to live in it like her friend did. What she did know what that after her father got home from his office and they ate dinner, she would spend the rest of her evenings up in her room alone. Unless she did something she wasn’t supposed to do, like stay up past her bedtime, no one bothered to interact with her in any sort of meaningful way. She hadn’t been kidding when she compared it to a graveyard, but she didn’t want to start up such a depressing conversation on Christmas Day in someone else’s home.

“Hey, Nana…? Uhm, is Daddy working late again, or…” Kyle asked, sounding positively dejected.

Mallory chuckled. “Your father will be here tonight. I’ve texted him three times today and he should be getting off soon.”

“Yes!” Kyle exclaimed, thrilled by the notion that her dad would be home.

“Now, Kyle, don’t bother him too much. He still has to work in the morning,” Kyle’s grandma warned her.

“I won’t. I just like having him home,” Kyle smiled.

A strange pang of jealousy washed over the Dalmatian girl as she listened to the exchange between grandmother and granddaughter. She thought of her own father, back at their home and sitting on his butt all day doing nothing, and silently wished that he had been forced to work today as well. On the other hand, she saw the disappointment change to elation when Kyle learned that her dad would be home later that night. Thinking back as far as she was able, Vanessa could not recall a single instance where she was actually excited for her father to come home. It was confusing; should she want her father gone more, or should she be eager to have him at home?

“Hey, Nessa! Take off your shoes and we can head downstairs. I’ll show you my room. Just a warning we- uh, we’re still… moving in. so the downstairs is a little sparse at the moment.”

“Okay,” she replied as she slipped off her boots and added them to the impressive pile of shoes beside the front door. She followed her friend down the steps as the tour began.

Kyle lead her down to the basement. The first thing that struck Vanessa was how big the area was… largely due to it being mostly empty. There was a single couch immediately to the right of the bottom step facing an entertainment center that was much bigger and newer than the smaller and very outdated box TV it housed. In front of the couch sat a simple wooden coffee table that had seen some abuse as it had many scratches and lacked a finish around the edges.

Beyond the couch the basement stretched out for about another 70 feet of open area, save for a small counter on the left side that housed a sink and several cabinets, and a darts cabinet hanging on the right wall complete with duct tape on the ground several feet away from it.

“Okay, so to the left you’ve got Brian’s room and my cousin’s room, which are conjoined by their shared closet,” Kyle indicated to the two doors on the left. “And way in the back is my room, which is right next to the downstairs bathroom. My room’s bigger than theirs and where you can spend the night. Eee, I’m so excited!” Kyle said happily.

Vanessa smiled at her friend. She was happy, too, but it struck her as odd that even after moving in nearly a year ago the space would still be so empty. The coffee table and television set would be laughable by her parents’ standards, but Vanessa could sense how much both items meant to the family. She tried to hide her concerns, instead asking, “Should I set my backpack down in there?”

“Go right ahead, better than leaving it out on the couch. The boys touch everything if you don’t tell them not to.”

“So your cousin lives with you, and your grandmother?” she asked as she followed Kyle to her bedroom. It was a different family structure than what she was used to.

“And my aunt and uncle, Steven’s mom and dad. They all live upstairs while we kids get free run down here. Sounds weird, I know, but back in Philly we all lived with much more of my relatives and in a smaller house. Told ‘ya I had a big family.”

Hearing this, the young Dalmatian could only imagine Kyle and all of her relatives living together, forced to squeeze past one another in the hallways and waiting in line to use the bathroom. Perhaps that was why the basement was so wide open, she mused to herself.

“Here we are!” Kyle said, opening up her room. It was by far more impressive than the common area outside, with a stylish metal bed, a sleek modern vanity table that doubled as a desk with her laptop and iPhone charging station. The walls were painted a bold, rich magenta and adorned with decorations ranging from posters to weird metal talismans. Oddly, though, there were still a lot of cardboard boxes neatly stacked against the wall, like they just didn’t have a place yet, and the rest of the furniture seemed much older and mismatched.

“Nice,” Vanessa remarked as she took everything in. She was being sincere, too. Her own bedroom felt almost spartan by comparison, devoid of both color and personality. “I like the medallions. What are they?”

“Remember how I said I had twin brothers? These are some of the scraps they made at their job - junkyard working with recycled metal. Something to remember them by as they finish their apprenticeship and go on to become engineers. I’ve actually go a lot of their old junk.”

Kyle had talked a bit about her family back in Pennsylvania, but honestly Vanessa hadn’t put much thought about what all that meant. She tried to think back to exactly what Kyle had said about her life before moving here, but most of the time Kyle just listened to Vanessa talk or was very broad about her life. A part of her felt somewhat guilty for not paying more attention and for using the Doberman girl as muscle to help push around other kids. Despite numerous invitations prior to today, this was the first time she had actually accepted and it was for purely selfish reasons. Seeing the way her friend interacted with her younger brother and her grandmother, and the way she lit up when she found out that her father would be home later that night showed Vanessa a side to Kyle she had never seen before in anyone. This realization caused some troubling thoughts in the teen Dalmatian’s mind that she needed to get out.

“Kyle, can I ask you a question?”

“Uhh… what’s about?” Kyle asked cautiously.

“Us,” Vanessa said, then realizing how that simple of an answer could be misinterpreted, clarified further. “Our friendship, specifically.”

“Oh,” Kyle answered, taking a moment to think about it. “Go ahead then.” She took a seat on her bed, motioning for Vanessa to do the same.

“You seem like a sweet girl with a loving family,” she explained. “So why do you hang out at school with me? I’m a huge bitch towards everyone.”

Kyle stared at Vanessa for a bit. She gave a single huff before cracking a huge grin. The Doberman girl started laughing to herself which weirded Vanessa out even more. “What? What’s so funny?”

“Nessa, I’ve met a lot of huge bitches before. And you are not a huge bitch.”

Obviously Kyle wasn’t taking her serious enough.

“Whatever. My point is that you stand beside me as I pick fights with other kids that don’t do anything wrong,” she explained. “Jordan, Kaitlyn, and that one girl, the transfer… what’s her name? Winter?”

“River.” Kyle corrected. “And that…” Kyle trailed off as a distraught look crossed her face. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and sighed, “I’m… used to that sorta thing.”

For a second, the Dalmatian girl felt betrayed. “You… you’re using me to scare off any other bullies?” She tried to find the words to express the rage, but faltered when she realized she wasn’t angry. After all, she had already admitted to herself that she’d been using Kyle for her brawn. Instead of snapping, she started laughing, which earned her a confused stare from her friend. “You’re the toughest kid in school, boy or girl, at least from what I can tell! I bet you could kick any of their asses.”

“Tck, girl you know it!” the Doberman girl said with a playful smirk. “But no, I didn’t mean I was using you. It’s -” Kyle paused, taking a look around her room before continuing. “Ah, what the Hell, I know your secret, do you want to hear mine? You’d probably figure it out sooner or later, anyway…”

“What secret is that?” Vanessa asked, suddenly nervous.

“So… Ugh, there’s no easy way to say this, but I came from the ghetto, Vanessa. We were poor,” Kyle tensed up and closed her eyes like she was expecting to get punched. The Dalmatian girl felt ashamed that her friend thought that way about her. After a few seconds, the Doberman cracked open her eyes and gave a weak smile, then said, “Sorry.”

“Ghetto?” Vanessa asked, not sure what she meant. “Do you mean like Oak Crest?” It was the most run-down part of Marblecliff she could think of, full of small homes, many of which were duplexes. It was never on the news for anything bad, but every time she rode past the neighborhood, she couldn’t help but feel disgust towards the people that lived there.

“Oak Crest? Are you serious, Vanessa? That’s not even close! Those people have money; they can afford those fancy homes. I grew up where people can barely afford food, in one of the worst neighborhoods you can imagine! It was horrible; I lost an uncle in the crossfire during a gang fight. We waited for like two hours after school for our aunt to pick us up because we were afraid to take the ten minute walk home… Everything about that place was fucked and sometimes… sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night scared shitless that I might be back there.”

There was fear behind Kyle's eyes, her short fur all on end as she stared off in the distance. It was a side of her friend that Vanessa had never seen before. The entire concept seemed so foreign to her - after all, she was the cause of most of the violence she was witness to. Other than her fights at school, the only other altercations she had seen were her parents arguing and that embarrassing YouTube video of her father getting his muzzle busted on that Eagle woman’s knee. She didn’t know what to do or say, so she did the only thing she could think of. Reaching out, she grabbed Kyle by the shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.

The two girls sat together on the bed, slowly rocking back and forth as Vanessa held her friend close. The silence was punctuated by the occasional sniffle or a reassuring ‘shhhhh.’

Finally, Kyle softly spoke out, still hugging her friend. “I thought you’d be mad.”

“Why would I be mad?” the Dalmatian asked. “You couldn’t help it. Besides, whatever happened, it made you into who you are now. And I think that chick is pretty awesome.”

“Heh, thanks ‘Nessa,” Kyle said as she relinquished the drawn out hug. “I know it might sound stupid… but I seriously thought you’d… I don’t know, look down on me cause we’re not rich or - wow that sounds shallow now that I said it out loud.”

“That’s okay,” she answered, “Be honest with me here - I pick fights with the other kids at school for a lot of shallow reasons, don’t I? It’s okay to say yes.”

“Well. Now that I’ve got a feel for what having money is like, I’d say your actions would, in fact,” Kyle taking on a teasing tone, “be shallow and might afford you the title of a bitch.”

Kyle’s disarming smile made Vanessa roll her eyes once before she continued. “However…When I first arrived at Manticore, I was pretty scared. You know why? Cause back in Darby, any time a new kid came to school he or she was almost instantly picked on. You see, fights were all too common back in my old school, my dad kinda described it like a prison: everyone was a bully to try and protect themselves, forming little gangs to stay powerful. I thought I was gonna be dead meat, and then… you showed up and offered me a place with your crew.”

“And it doesn’t bother you that I just wanted some muscle to back up my words?” the Dalmatian girl asked.

Kyle didn’t answer right away. She took a bit to look at all the little ornaments that made up her room’s decor.

“At first, I was pretty excited to have a spot on the top-dog’s crew, you know? It was nice to feel like I was on top. After I got a better idea of how things worked, it did bother me. But you know what? I still would of done it anyways - cause, you know, you’re my girl, ‘Nessa. And I’ll be there to back you up - right or wrong.”

“Thanks,” Vanessa said anxiously. “I’m glad you told me all of that, but that wasn’t what I was asking.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment before she continued, “When you said you know my secret, what did you mean?”

Kyle blushed and smiled at her friend. “That you're secretly a big ‘ol softy at heart.”

This ‘secret’ brought a slight grin to Vanessa’s lips. “You know, I think you might be right. I think it was even a secret from me, up until earlier today when I realized something.”

“What’s that, ‘Nessa?”

“That the reason why I’ve been acting like a total asshat is because that’s how my dad treats me,” the teen explained. “No matter what I do to try and make him proud of me, it’s never enough. And my mom? I don’t know…” She let out a deep sigh. “It’s like half the time she isn’t even there, she’s so drunk from having to put up with his shit. For as long as I can remember the only one that was ever really there for me was my sister, and then she went and moved across the country and left me all alone. Well, not alone any more, since she moved back to New Hampshire, but she’s got a nice man in her life and they live together. But what I realized is that even though that’s how I get treated at home, it’s not how I need to treat other people at school.”

Kyle smiled at the Dalmatian girl. “So what? Gonna go to school, face all those people, apologize for being a bitch, and try to rebuild all the bridges you burnt? Sounds like a huge pain in the ass.” Kyle elbowed Vanessa in the arm. “Good thing you’ve got me.”

“Hey now, slow down,” Vanessa laughed. “Just because I’m going to be less of a bitch doesn’t mean I’m going to from person to person saying, ‘I’m sorry.’ I’ll just back off, and if anyone approaches me then I’ll apologize. Gradually, things will get better, I’m sure.”

“Sure you’re not gonna want me to punch anyone anymore? Maybe the Cheetah girl who almost ripped out your earring that one day in -”

Holding up her paw, the spotted girl grinned, “I kind of want you to, but I know I shouldn’t, so no, it’s okay. She was just sticking up for her friend, just like you would for me.”

“Just sayin, I’ll always be there to throw your punches for you. If you need to, that is. Cause, you’re my best friend, ‘Nessa. And, you know -”

Kyle’s speech was interrupted with a loud and rapid knock on her door, followed by Kyle’s little brother throwing open the door open full force.

“Kyle! Vanessa! Dad’s home! Let’s go!” The little pup exclaimed, his tail going fast enough to blur. After that he turned around and ran off, sliding off the slick basement floor.

“Sweet!” Kyle said. She practically jumped off the bed. As Vanessa stood, Kyle grabbed her arm. Before she could say anything, Kyle came right up to her face and gave her a quick kiss on the side of her muzzle. “Let’s go!” Stunned by the sudden show of affection, the teen Dalmatian allowed herself to be pulled from the room towards the happy sounds of Kyle’s relatives chatting upstairs.

Kyle ran ahead of Vanessa, slowing down near the top. “Daddy!” she exclaimed, joining Brian in an ongoing hug.

“Hey, kiddo,” the older Doberman responded in a worn out voice. Kyle’s dad seemed worn out; from his face to his posture, he looked like a man who had seen a lot of mileage. It was hard to guess how old the man was; he didn’t look elderly, yet grey fur trimmed the underside of his muzzle and eyes, wrinkles and short hair. His grey suit at least looked fresh, perhaps not as expensive as one of her dad’s suits, but Mr. Stout wore it well.

“Alright, get down, you two. Daddy’s had a rough day, and I’m all sore. Tell you what, though, after dinner I’ve got a surprise for you and your cousin.”

“Oh boy!” Brian cheered as Kyle’s face lit up.

“Now go wash up for dinner, I’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Okay” they said together. “Oh, and dad? This is Vanessa, the one I told you about?”

Mr. Stout looked at Vanessa for the first time, like he only just noticed her presence. The older man stood straight as he approached her, extending her a paw. “Hello, young lady. My name is Joseph Stout.” He had a firm, calm voice of control, but kind and genuine. He looked at Vanessa with unfaulting eyes, giving her all of his attention and interest as he awaited her response.

“H-hello, Sir,” the girl responded as she accepted his offered paw. His grip was firm but kind, so unlike her own father’s. While he had never actually struck her, she could feel the restrained anger in any physical contact they shared. Mr. Stout’s touch, however, was reassuring and offered a sense of protection. Remembering herself, she continued, “Vanessa Zaritzky. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mr. Stout gave her a stern look as he continued to hold her paw. “Well, ‘Vanessa Zaritzky’, you are a guest in my house. Do you know what that means?”

She meekly shook her head ‘no.’

“It means, if you need anything, at anytime, then don’t hesitate to ask. As long as you are invited stay here, you’re our guest and you're welcome to make yourself at home. Now, Do you have any questions?”

Just then, her stomach let out a deep, loud grumble which caused her to blush a deep pink that shone through the white fur on her face. Smiling weakly from embarrassment, she gave a slight shrug and asked, “When’s dinner?”

Mr. Stout gave a deep chuckle, smiling for the first time since he got home. “That’s a pretty common question in this household. You’ll have to ask Mal, she’s been preparing something special since this is the first Christmas we’ve had in this house. Tell you what though; you can get something out of the pantry to hold you over if you’d like. Mal makes some nice snacks for the kids. Just a warning, though, you’re gonna have to share with Brian. Is that alright?”

Vanessa looked over at the boy who was anxiously rocking back and forth on his footpaws, eagerly waiting for her to answer. With a slight grin, she said, “I hope that pantry’s well-stocked, then!”

“Yeeeeeeees!” Brian cheered, jumping up and down and spinning in one place.

Kyle’s Grandma scolded the young pup. “Now, Brian, you know you’re not supposed to have too much sugar.”

“But-but grandma!” Brian pouted. He looked at his dad with big, begging puppy dog eyes for support.

“Eh…” Mr. Sout caved in, “It’s Christmas, Mal. I think one night ain't gonna hurt.”

Mallory sighed. “Alright, c’mon. There’s enough treats for everyone. Vanessa, you’re not allergic to any nuts or anything?” she asked leading them into the kitchen around the corner while Brian celebrated his small victory.

~~~~~

As the family sat and ate Christmas dinner, Vanessa quietly observed them, occasionally chiming in whenever she heard her name being spoken. She wasn’t really listening to what they were talking about; she was more interested in the non-verbal cues being displayed. The sparkles behind their eyes, the width of their toothy smiles, the way their posture seemed relaxed and at ease, the volume and tone of their laughter… It all seemed so warm and inviting, and very unlike meals at her own house. It caused a swirl of conflicting emotions for the girl: admiration, jealousy, happiness, anger -

“Hey, Grandma? Can me and Vanessa be excused? I want to set up my brother’s gift in my room.”

Mallory looked at their plates before deciding. “Alright, you're excused.”

“Thank you, Grandma. C’mon, ‘Nessa, I think you’ll dig it,” Kyle said, breaking Vanessa’s trance. Kyle lead her back downstairs to her room, closing the door behind them. “So, my brothers sent me, Brian, and my cousin a present this year, It looks pretty cool but I haven’t got to try it out yet,” Kyle explained as she opened up one of the boxes in her room. Inside was another metal monolith, about three and a half feet tall. It was hard to decipher at first; a long tall cylinder of welded metal with a weird sphere on top with holes in it. Vanessa quickly figured it out as she saw the long power cord attached to it: it was a lamp.

“Pretty cool huh? They gutted a broken lamp for parts and made a new frame. But that’s not all; hit the lights and come over to the bed!” Kyle instructed as she got the piece of industrial art on her night stand and plugged into the wall.

Vanessa complied, turning the lights off, and became acutely aware of the lack of windows in Kyle’s basement room. The only illumination was the dim glow of Kyle’s phone charger which barely lit her way to the bed. Vanessa gingerly made her way across the room, slowly finding the bed and taking an accidental seat almost right on top of Kyle. Once she had sat down, Kyle turned on the lamp, the 60 watt bulb inside protesting as she did so. Once lit, the bulb shone brightly through the holes in the top and onto the ceiling. Vanessa’s fowl mood melted as she looked at the lightshow. At first it was only a large assortment of dots, but then she saw some familiar patterns. “They’re stars,” she observed.

“They said they tested it, keeping it on for 24 hours straight at room temp and it worked fine. I think it’s an awesome gift. Anyways… You good, ‘Nessa? You were pretty quiet during dinner,” the Doberman girl asked.

“Yeah… No…” With a deep sigh, the teen Dalmatian took a moment to compose herself and explained, “I don’t know. I’m having a great time, really, but…”

Kyle frowned. “Something else? What’s bothering you, is it home?”

“In a way, I guess,” Vanessa answered. “It’s… I’m happy for you, really, Kyle, so don’t take this the wrong way… But, I guess I’m jealous, if that makes any sense.”

Kyle sighed. “That’s kinda sad… in a way. We don’t even have much going on right now. I know you don’t like your folks much, but they’re still family…”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents,” she replied. “But most of the time I feel invisible, and when I don’t feel invisible, I feel unwanted, and I don’t even know what I did to deserve it. I’d give anything to feel the kind of love like you get from your dad and grandmother. All I have is my older sister, and she lives with her boyfriend.”

Kyle stared up at the artificial solar system on her ceiling, kicking her footpaws back and forth over the bed. “It… It’s more complex than you make it sound. My family isn’t perfect; in fact, I think that’s the most I’ve seen my dad talk at dinner in a long while. Most nights he’s either too tired to do anything or just sits in his chair all night. I don’t think we’re nearly as good as you make us sound, we’re kinda just… coping,” Kyle murmured, gazing into the dark room.

“I’m sorry about whatever it is you’re all coping with,” Vanessa said, her voice a little louder than a whisper. “But you have each other to help pull through it. Do you ever doubt for one minute that your dad loves you?”

Kyle opened her mouth to respond. “I -” is all she could say before the words became choked in her throat. A tear ran down Kyle's cheek, which she immediately tried to wipe away.

“*Sniff* D-damn it…*sniff*” Kyle cursed, fighting back as she softly sobbed to herself. “No! Of course not. *Sniff* It just really sucks and it hurts so much to *sniff* - to see ‘im like he is and I just -” Kyle wept, her words gradually being drowned out by her tears until she could no longer speak clearly. The Doberman turned away, hiding her face away from her friend as she was suddenly overcome with grief.

Vanessa lay there beside her best friend, listening to her sniffle and sob. She reached down and took her paw into her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. Minutes ticked by, and Kyle gradually stopped crying. “I’m not going to pressure you, but if you ever want to talk about whatever it is, I’m here to listen. Or if you just need a shoulder to cry on, I have two.”

Kyle gave a snort at the small joke, smiling just a bit. “Thanks… I - oh, man… I *sniff* think I’m okay now… It - um, my Mom passed away a couple years back… None of us has been the same since,” Kyle explained grimly, still trying to wipe her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Kyle,” the Dalmatian teen said. “I can’t imagine what that must have been like.”

“It - It feels like there’s a hole in you, and someone filled it with lead,” Kyle spoke, more to the wall than to Vanessa. “My mom was… Well, she was the most amazing thing ever.” Kyle smiled, still not really looking at anything. “Remember all that awful shit I told you about Darby? She made it seem so insignificant. Everyday she worked, and yet when she got home she was so full of joy and energy she just made you smile. I think she was what really kept us going, despite how bad things were: living off food stamps, wearing old clothes that didn’t fit and weren’t too warm, trying to get three families to share one apartment and two cars… and she still managed to care. I really looked up to her.”

Kyle squeezed Vanessa’s paw, taking comfort in her company.

“She sounds amazing,” Vanessa said softly. “I know it’s sad, and it hurts, but you should focus on what you and she had instead of what you lost. I know those two things go together and it probably doesn’t make much sense, but she’d want you to be happy. I want you to be happy.”

I don’t, ‘Nessa… It’s been almost three years, and it still hurts when ever I think about it,” Kyle wept, tears welling up in her eyes again. “How… How do I even -”

The Doberman girl’s words were cut short when, suddenly, Vanessa pressed their muzzles together and planted a tender kiss on Kyle’s lips. Minutes later, or maybe only a few seconds, she pulled away, panting softly and the skin beneath her fur glowing pink with excitement. “I’m sorry. It’s just I want you to be happy, like I said. You make me happy, happier than I’ve ever been, and I want to help -”

Kyle shushed the Dalmatian with another firm kiss, silencing her. Vanassa could feel moisture from Kyle’s muzzle, still damp from crying. Everything Vanessa was going to say suddenly became forgotten as she slowly wrapped her arms around her friend. Kyle returned the hug, slowly falling over on to the plush bed, suddenly exhausted from the emotional stress.

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My Sister's Shepard, Ch. 3

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