It all seemed like a nightmare come to life. Overly theatrical for Matthew, perhaps, yet his endless sneezing, for what, the last 10 minutes, earned him some sympathy. Stupid allergies. And there was his son, happily engaging with the furry white bundle of trouble. Adorable, yet potentially dangerous for him. Despite being bothersome, the puppy was a blessing in disguise.
Today marked Liam's birthday, and the financial strain from bills and groceries, coupled with the meager paychecks, made purchasing a gift quite a challenge... until this dog appeared. Matthew never anticipated hearing an excited You got me a puppy?! when they arrived home. There was the little creature, aimlessly wandering their backyard, devoid of any identification. It was as if divine forces had taken pity... on Liam, at least. Matthew would have preferred a lottery jackpot, but he had to settle for this.
Suppressing another sneeze by pinching his nose, Matthew knew he couldn't toss the dog out, not wanting to crush Liam with disappointment. Maybe he could buy some allergy meds, though the cost was uncertain. Yet, Liam's joyous expression was enough to make him relent. Rising from the sofa, joints cracking, he stooped down to the furry duo, gently lifting the white puff into his arms. He meticulously checked the dog for any parasites, thinking, better give it a wash to be safe...
"Okay, buddy, daddy's about to—"
ACHOO!
Sniffle.
"—bathe the pup."
<p>It all seemed like a nightmare come to life. Overly theatrical for Matthew, perhaps, yet his endless sneezing, for what, the last 10 minutes, earned him some sympathy. <em>Stupid allergies.</em> And there was his son, happily engaging with the furry white bundle of trouble. Adorable, yet potentially dangerous for him. Despite being bothersome, the puppy was a blessing in disguise.</p> <p>Today marked Liam's birthday, and the financial strain from bills and groceries, coupled with the meager paychecks, made purchasing a gift quite a challenge... until this dog appeared. Matthew never anticipated hearing an excited <em>You got me a puppy?!</em> when they arrived home. There was the little creature, aimlessly wandering their backyard, devoid of any identification. It was as if divine forces had taken pity... on Liam, at least. Matthew would have preferred a lottery jackpot, but he had to settle for this.<br> Suppressing another sneeze by pinching his nose, Matthew knew he couldn't toss the dog out, not wanting to crush Liam with disappointment. Maybe he could buy some allergy meds, though the cost was uncertain. Yet, Liam's joyous expression was enough to make him relent. Rising from the sofa, joints cracking, he stooped down to the furry duo, gently lifting the white puff into his arms. He meticulously checked the dog for any parasites, thinking, <em>better give it a wash to be safe...</em><br> "Okay, buddy, daddy's about to—"<br> ACHOO!<br> Sniffle.<br> "—bathe the pup."</p>
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