Chapter 123: Over Being Alone

It was harder than I thought to avoid Mom, Dad and Daisy on my way out, but I managed. I did feel a bit wretched about not staying to finish the full clean up, but I just couldn't be in public anymore. Petunia panted next to me as I walked the few blocks home, head down, giant hat in one hand, cake clutched in the other, the loop of my pug's leash around my wrist. Not like I needed to leash her. She could barely run, so even if she did take off she'd make it all of five steps before her fat butt collapsed from the effort. Still, it was comforting to be linked to her like this.

And I needed all the comfort I could get right about now. Pathetic, but true.