Gentle Bella
Bella offered no resistance—perhaps accustomed to touches. Yet my heart leaped into my throat. Janet had often mentioned her dislike of strangers handling Bella, especially given she was female. "It's disrespectful to the dog," she'd say. Tom's hand stayed firmly placed, stroking the fur along her hind leg. I hurried over, whispering urgently, "Tom!" He didn't flinch. Louder now: "Hey! Tom!" Only then did he turn slowly, his hand lingering before finally withdrawing.
Initial Intervention
"Don't do that," I said, straining to keep my voice steady despite inner turmoil. "Janet hates it when people touch Bella. She's made that clear." Tom finally retracted his hand fully, stood, and brushed dust from his trousers. His face betrayed no shame, no anger—just cold indifference. "What's the harm?" he replied flatly, dismissively. "It's just a dog. Quit overreacting."
The Neighbor's Rules
"It's not overreacting," I reasoned. "It's about respecting Janet. She's easygoing, but this matters deeply to her. We've always gotten along—why risk that?" Tom ignored me. His eyes drifted back toward Bella, who was ambling away. He snorted faintly, tone unreadable, then marched inside. Left alone in the yard with dripping laundry in hand, that gnawing discomfort swelled. This felt far more ominous than I'd imagined.
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Bella offered no resistance—perhaps accustomed to touches. Yet my heart leaped into my throat. Janet had often mentioned her dislike of strangers handling Bella, especially given she was female. "It's disrespectful to the dog," she'd say. Tom's hand stayed firmly placed, stroking the fur along her hind leg. I hurried over, whispering urgently, "Tom!" He didn't flinch. Louder now: "Hey! Tom!" Only then did he turn slowly, his hand lingering before finally withdrawing.
Initial Intervention
"Don't do that," I said, straining to keep my voice steady despite inner turmoil. "Janet hates it when people touch Bella. She's made that clear." Tom finally retracted his hand fully, stood, and brushed dust from his trousers. His face betrayed no shame, no anger—just cold indifference. "What's the harm?" he replied flatly, dismissively. "It's just a dog. Quit overreacting."
The Neighbor's Rules
"It's not overreacting," I reasoned. "It's about respecting Janet. She's easygoing, but this matters deeply to her. We've always gotten along—why risk that?" Tom ignored me. His eyes drifted back toward Bella, who was ambling away. He snorted faintly, tone unreadable, then marched inside. Left alone in the yard with dripping laundry in hand, that gnawing discomfort swelled. This felt far more ominous than I'd imagined.
NEXT >>
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