You, Again

"Watch it!" Screamed out a familiar voice. "Watch where you're going!" The tall man hollered at me the way he did yesterday, in the same place.

"Sorry, I'm sorry!" I stuttered as I picked up the squeaky toys that had dropped out of my hands before pushing up my black glasses.

"You?" He buffed up which prompted his muscles to peek through his light blue shirt. "Didn't we go through this yesterday?" He leaned down getting closer to my face.

"Russ," The man snapped his fingers as Russ huffed and stood up straightening his suit. "No, need for that, she's obviously in a hurry to umm... play with dogs." He picked up a green squeaky toy handing it to me before turning and leaving. "Russ, we're going to be late." 

"Si, boss," Russ eyed me down before scurrying up to the man I bumped into yet again. As I continued down the street heading toward Griffin's Animal Shelter, I threw open the door where I greeted my best friend Ramona. 

"Good morning Ramona," I hold back my laugh noticing her trying to wrestle a beautiful Goldendoodle into the bathtub. She was covered in bubbles and soaking wet, as she noticed me, she slipped and fell halfway into the tub as the dog, Rex ran about the place.

"Good morning, Epperly!" Griffin Hunt greeted me before he bent down rubbing Rex's fur. "Are you giving Ramona trouble?" He softened his voice as Rex barked in return.

"Epperly, we come here every Tuesday morning, can't we go one Tuesday to like the beach or something?" Ramona asked as Griffin handed her a towel to dry off with before tying his long auburn hair in a bun.

"Ramona, could you really have a good time on a beach when these poor souls need us?" I gestured to the animals in cages waiting to be adopted.

"Yes," She stated unbothered by the puppies crying to be let out as she threw the towel into the woven basket in the corner.

"Ramona Lirette!" I stomped my foot, before bending down to ruffle Rex and bringing him back to the tub. 

"Alright, alright" She held up her hands in surrender as she walked over to the caged Pomeranians and put them into the puppy playpen. 

"Good morning everyone!" The door opened as the small bell on top rang out. "Griffin, Ramona, Epperly!" Came the voice of the newly hired girl, Claudia Vanderbilt. "Oh, babe stop it!" She giggled as she pushed the blonde-haired guy off her neck. "I'll see you after work," She rounded the counter and began to put her long mousy brown hair up.

"You know how I mentioned yesterday that a tall guy bumped into me?" I asked Ramona as we got the dog food down from the back room.

"Don't tell me you ran into someone else?" Ramona joked as she grabbed the new plastic bucket to pour the dog food into. "I mean I know you have on your glasses but maybe you need to get your contacts back." 

"Oh ha ha," I fainted sarcasm. "He bumped into me again, the same guy." 

"Seriously?" She asked as we headed back through the swinging door. "Is he stalking you? I mean that's kind of weird."

"What are you guys talking about?" Questioned Claudia as she started to grab a pug and hand it to a couple adopting it. "Are you guys talking about Epperly not having a boyfriend yet?" She threw her head back and cackled before she headed to the back room.

"How childish, if she wasn't freshly eighteen..." Ramona trailed off as I grabbed her shoulder. "You know, we're twenty-five not a hundred and five." She chuckled rolling her eyes.

"Girls, I'm closing shop early today, Greta's got a birthday party." Griffin smiled as he took his vest off.

"Griffin, Greta is your twin sister," I giggled as I walked over to the Pomeranians to put them back in their cage.

"Right, well, I guess it's my birthday too then." He smiled as he tossed me the keys to lock up. He let down his wild auburn hair as it fell into his blue eyes, he unbuttoned his plaid long-sleeve shirt and rubbed his hands together before heading out the door. "See you guys later."

"Where is Griffin going?" Claudia asked as she popped her head out of the back.

"The store is closing in an hour, so if you need to call someone." I shrugged, as I walked behind the counter, flipping my dirty blonde hair behind me.

"Whatever I was going to leave early anyway." Claudia pointed to the red Mustang as it came to a screeching halt in front of the store and the same guy from earlier hopped out. He wasn't particularly tall, he had a very pronounced nose as he fell onto thinly shaped lips. He checked his reflection in the glass door, pushing back his blonde hair, and opened it. "Hey baby, I'm ready to get out of here. Bye girls, good luck you'll need it!" She waved at us with her perfectly polished mint green nails as the guy pulled her close.

"I don't even know why Griffin hired her," Ramona stated as she rolled her eyes watching them get into the car and speed off.

"Who knows?" I laughed as I locked up the till, grabbing the money bag off the counter. "The guy barely remembers his own name, he forgot his birthday today." I continued laughing as I locked up the door. I knew the animals would be fine, Griffin's younger brother, Guy picks up all the animals at six and brings them to his house. "See, you tomorrow, I'm headed off to the bank." Walking down the street I'm knocked on my ass, "Oww" 

"Are you following us?" Came that familiar voice I heard for the second time today. "Who do you work for? Huh? Too many times this isn't..." Russ trailed off before he was pushed aside by the tall man. He reached his hand out to me as he helped me up.

"Russ has a knack for the dramatic," He smiled which highlighted his light brown eyes and mine seemed to be fixated on his dimples. "You should take better care with this." He handed me the red money bag. "Have a good day," He headed off down the street as he put a hand in his pocket.