Mr. Obermeyer runs over to his bitch. "He's tainted her womb."

"Mr. Obermeyer, she's just a dog."

The old man blinks in shock and I think he just turned a paler shade of white, if it was possible. "Princess is a state champion in obedience."

"Obviously," I mutter.

Mr. Obermeyer regards the crowd, still gathered around. "Someone call the police."

I can just see me being dragged to jail because my dog humped a prized poodle named Princess. "Mr. Obermeyer... please."

"Who's going to pay for the veterinary costs for this fiasco? She's in heat and was supposed to be bred with a stud. Now she'll have a litter of mutts instead of purebreds. It's all because you can't control your animal."

The old man looks like he's about to have a coronary and his wrinkles threaten to crease further into his waxy skin. "I'm sorry," I say, trying to break the tension while thinking the only stud around here is my mutt.

Mr. Obermeyer holds his hands up. "Sorry?" he says. "How is your 'sorry' going to change the situation?"

It can't. "I don't know."

"If he's not a purebred, your responsibility is to have him fixed." Pursing his lips together, Mr. Obermeyer stalks off with Princess strutting beside him.

I don't care if Mutt isn't a purebred. He's mine. And Avi gave him to me, which makes him more valuable than any purebred. Oh, no! Avi.

I run over to Mutt and clasp the leash on him. I walk back home, but stay a safe distance behind Mr. Obermeyer and his bitch, waiting long enough for them to reach the condo before I venture into the elevator with my stud.

I find Avi sitting on our couch, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together.

"Sorry it took so long," I say, releasing Mutt and hanging the leash back on the hook. "There was kind of a commotion at the dog park." I look over at Mutt, who is now stretched out on his back on the floor looking more relaxed and content than I've ever seen him.

What am I going to tell my dad about Princess and Mutt?

"I thought you ditched me," Avi says, the side of his mouth quirked up. "Amy, the more I'm here, the more I realize this was a bad idea."

I step around the couch and sit next to him. "Don't say that. There's just a lot going on right now."

His midnight eyes are so different from Nathan's. They're brooding, just like my dad's. I can tell he's been through a lot just by staring into them. He's worried about something but he's trying not to show it.

"How's the Israeli army?" I ask.

"Sababa," he says.

"What's sababa?"

"It means 'cool, awesome, no problem.'" He talks in that deep, dark voice of his that can melt my own invisible walls I've built around myself.

"You look bigger and more muscular than this summer." Most American guys I know don't look as serious or manly at eighteen years old.

"Survival training will do that to a guy."

I nod. Survival training. My survival training consists of running to the racks at Neiman Marcus on the opening day of their winter blowout sale. It doesn't tone my muscles, but it definitely does hone my skills in sniffing out the best deals before anyone else can get to them. Kinda different than being stuck in a desert with a gun as your only companion. Although Neiman Marcus can be considered a battleground on those winter blowout days.

"I missed you," I say. I omit the fact that I've thought about him every single day since I came back from my trip to Israel. I also fail to mention that I've been having doubts about our relationship...or non-relationship, as it might be. And even though I'm totally blown away with seeing him again, I don't want to be a "friend with benefits." I want more.

Does he? And where does Nathan fit into all of this? Ugh, I'm an emotional mess.

Avi's hand reaches out to mine. As he takes hold of it, the warmth and comfort I've been missing since the summer comes rushing back to me. His other hand touches my shoulder and slowly moves up, caressing my neck and cheek. I lean my cheek into his palm, the warmth of it drawing me in.

"I missed you, too," he says.

I tentatively lick my lips, scared for this first kiss that will tell both of us where we stand in this relationship. We've got a lot to live up to. Our summer makeout sessions were sensual and emotional and made me feel drugged without any chemicals or alcohol.

He leans forward, watching me. His eyes are fixed on mine. "I shouldn't want you so bad," he says, then his full lips capture mine.

It starts off like before. He brushes his lips over mine as if he's painting them... memorizing the shape and softness. I'm totally getting into it, but then my mind wanders. I have no clue why. Thoughts of Nathan, and Mutt's fiasco, and my mom's pregnancy, and the dates I keep bungling and...

When Avi's tongue reaches for mine, the events of the day are swirling in my head. And I have this nagging feeling I'm forgetting something really important, but I can't remember what. Especially while Avi's trying to take our kisses to the next level, concentrating is impossible.

I lean back and break the kiss.

Those beautiful brooding eyes are staring back at me. "What's going on? Is it that guy? Just tell me" he says.

Now I remember! With his lips on mine I couldn't think, but now my brain starts to function again. "I have to go to work," I say and hop off the couch.

18

***

Jonah tried to dis God by refusing to go to Nineveh as God commanded. The poor guy was thrown into the sea and sat in a fish's belly for three days as punishment (Jonah 2:1). Didn't Jonah know you can't hide from God--He knows everything. My boyfriend however, doesn't. (Except when my friends open their big mouths.)

***

Avi insists on accompanying me to work.

When we enter the elevator again, I want to tell him everything that's been on my mind and why I'm confused. But there's no time. My life is spinning out of control and there's no button or switch to stop it. Time sucks that way.

"Avi," I say. I don't really have anything to tell him, I just want him to stop looking away from me.

"Yeah?" he says, turning to me. I wish I could tell what he's thinking.

"I'll see if I can get some time off work this week so we can do some Chicago sightseeing."

"I don't need sightseeing, Amy."

He doesn't have to say he came here for me. The fact that he came all this way to spend a week in Chicago is flattering and overwhelming at the same time.

At the Perk Me Up! counter, I introduce Maria to Avi. Maria smiles wide and drops the cup she's holding so she can shake his hand. Then she giggles, which I've never seen her do before.

When I first met Avi it was a really confusing and awkward time in my life. To be honest, I was rebelling. Avi is the only guy who has ever challenged me. He stayed in the fight long enough to duke it out... mentally, of course. He's as strong on the inside as he is on the outside.

I'm taking care of customers. Avi sits on one of the big cushy chairs and waits. He's leaning back with his arms crossed in front of his chest and I can't believe he's actually here while I'm making skim vanilla lattes instead of spending time with him.

I glance over at him every time I have a free second. And when there's nobody else in the café, I ask Maria if I can make Avi one of my fave hot chocolate drinks.

"You didn't tell me he was visiting," Maria whispers while I'm mixing the drink.

"Yeah, well I didn't know. My dad did, though," I inform her as I top off the cocoa with a triple dose of vanilla-flavored whipped cream.

"And he forgot to tell you?"

"I guess they wanted it to be a surprise." I have yet to tell my dad I hate surprises. Surprises are like having your period in the middle of class. Initially you're shocked and confused, then you're embarrassed and have to deal with everyone staring at you. I'm self-conscious enough as it is; I don't need surprises in my life to make me feel more aware of people gawking at me.

Maria holds out a cup holder for me so I can slip it onto the perfectly made hot cocoa. "I miss my teenage years," she says with a wistful smile on her face. "Boys, school, friends. Enjoy it before you grow up and have more responsibilities than you ever signed up for."

I already feel like I have more responsibilities than I signed up for. And I'm only seventeen.

My specialty drink in hand, I walk over to Avi just as the door to Perk Me Up! opens. It's Jessica.

"I heard about what happened at the dog park today. Amy, are you okay?" Her hair is brown and stick-straight and her eyes look darker than usual because she's wearing a black top. It takes her a second to focus on the guy in the chair, but when she does, a little shriek escapes from her mouth. "Avi?" she asks, totally pointing like a little kid.

Avi stands and I clear my throat. "Jessica, this is Avi. Avi, this is my best friend Jessica."

"Call me Jess," she says, smiling so wide I think her cheeks are going to crack and her lips stretch out so much she reminds me of that elastic woman from the cartoon movie.

"Why didn't you tell me he was coming?" she says through gritted teeth although Avi can hear every word that's coming out of her mouth. Duh! He's standing right here.

"I didn't know," I say back. "It was a surprise."

"Oh."

Jess knows I hate surprises, thus the understanding "Oh" comment.

"What happened at the dog park today?" Avi asks.

I didn't really want to share the disaster so I just say, "Urn..."

"Mutt humped another dog and impregnated her right in front of everyone," Jess blurts out. "The owner of the other dog almost called the cops."

"It was no big deal," I say, trying to blow it off. Well, at least I'm trying to make it look like I'm blowing it off. It actually is a major deal and my dad is going to kill me when he finds out Princess's womb is ruined because of my dog. And the fact that he might be a grandpa to a basketful of puppies in a few months.

"Amy, are you kidding? Everyone knows," Jess says.

Avi leans forward with a confused look on his face. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I... I don't know." It's the truth.

I'd like to give Avi the hot chocolate concoction I made him, but the whipped cream is melting and running down the side of the cup onto my hand and it doesn't look as decadent and appetizing as it did before Jess came in the café. And now my hand is all grody and sticky from the melting, now lopsided whipped cream.

"I'm going for a walk," Avi says, obviously upset I've shut him out. I can't even blame him for being pissed as I watch him open the door and step out into the cold. I wish I could tell him what's going on, but how can I express it to him when I don't even have it all figured out.

So now it's just Jessica and me standing together. "Ooh, can I have that?" she says, eyeing the drink in my hand.

I shove my "Avi peace offering" at her and go back to working behind the counter.

Why can't things go my way? Is this God's way of entertaining me so I don't have a boring life? I swear, for once I'd like to have a calm, uneventful day.

Maria is in the middle of blending the new Tango Mango Crème Blend for a customer. The entire café now smells like mangoes.