We were like newlyweds locked inside the house, making the most of every moment when we didn’t have work. If Samer had his way, he wanted us to not work for a whole month, but I refused. He’s quite lustful, and if I gave in to his desires, I feared I might be taken advantage of too soon.
“We could just stay here at home,” he said to me while we were showering together.
“Well, then you shouldn’t have opened a hotel!” I scolded him because it’s not right to rely on other executives to run Khalifa. Besides, Rhea had texted me several times asking when I’d be back at the office.
“Train Rhea well, and if necessary, promote her too. I just want us to be together always,” Samer said.
“Whoa, your desires are scary! Are you planning to turn me into your secretary?” I teased him while helping him scrub his back.
“Don’t you want to? I might just hire a sexy secretary instead,” Samer replied, as if trying to scare me.
“Try it, and I assure you, no part of your body will be left untouched by my wrath!” I warned him to think carefully about his next move regarding the secretary. “Hurry up, I need to check on Groot.”
“Let Groot be,” he said to me.
“What do you mean, let him be? He’s getting old, and he needs tender loving care from his mother, and I am his mother.” I reminded him that Groot was there before we got together.
“Now it seems like you love Groot more than me,” Samer said, seemingly sulking.
I slapped his shoulder because being insecure about my dog didn’t suit him. “I’ll go ahead outside, I still need to prepare our breakfast.” I informed Samer, but he disagreed. He said we should go inside together since we should go outside together too. “You’re so overdramatic, whereas before, my beauty was worthless to you.” I reminded him of how he used to ignore me.
“I was just scared that our friendship might be ruined. You know how tricky it is to level up from friendship to lovers,” he excused himself, and I nodded because what he said was true.
Even I had doubts about showing him my feelings. I mean, I wanted him to notice me back then, but I didn’t make any moves. After dressing up, Samer didn’t allow me to cook breakfast anymore because he said I looked tired, and we should just eat at the hotel.
“I’ll check on my babies first,” I told him, and he nodded.
My other dogs, including Groot, were on the ground floor. I wanted to have a big dog house made for all of them, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. First, Brent came back into my life, then Samer entered.
So the past few months have been hectic for me. Maybe if he didn’t come to the Claybourne, he wouldn’t have ended up having a one-night stand with the guy. I love all of them, but Groot was my first dog, so my love for him was greater than the others.
“Groot? Groot? Baby?” My forehead furrowed because I didn’t hear Groot’s voice. I was already close to his sleeping area, but he still didn’t come out.
I suddenly got worried because ignoring me wasn’t Groot’s usual behavior. I ran into the sleeping area of my dogs and immediately checked Groot’s deck. He was still lying there. However, there seemed to be something different about him.
“Groot?” I called his name again, but he still didn’t hear me. “Groot?” I called him again, and when he didn’t respond, I got alarmed.
“Jamie, what’s wrong?”
I didn’t even notice that Samer followed me. I was just staring at Groot because I was waiting for his chest to move. I waited for a few seconds, but nothing happened.
“Sam, I think he’s not breathing.” My voice was weak as I told him what I observed.
He approached Groot and felt his chest. I also saw how Sam placed one of his fingers near Groot’s nose. As I waited for Samer to tell me, my heart was pounding.
“He’s gone,” Sam said.
“Sam…” I couldn’t stop myself from crying over Groot’s loss.
He hugged me, but it didn’t seem enough to ease the sadness in my heart. I loved Groot so much, and we had been through a lot together.
Since I returned to the country, I had no family left, except for Samer, who was still in the Middle East. I was all alone, and being alone was lonely. Someone told me I needed to have a dog as a companion at home, so I immediately bought one.
And that’s Groot! He was the first dog I cared for. He was the first dog I loved and took care of like a child.
“Why did he have to leave me, Sam? I wasn’t even with him when he passed away. I didn’t even get to see him breathe his last breath, why?” I sobbed as Sam held me.
“Jamie, stop. Groot was old, and you know he could go anytime,” Sam said, but I still couldn’t accept that he was gone.
I broke free from Sam’s embrace and walked towards Groot’s resting place. I looked at his peaceful face and tried to convince myself that he’s in a better place wherever he is now. Before Sam could stop me, I picked up Groot’s lifeless body and held him for the last time.
“Groot…” I called his name again, but he didn’t respond. “Why did you leave me, Groot? Why?”
“Jamie, what’s wrong?” I heard Sam call my name, but I didn’t look back and returned to the house.
While crying over Groot’s loss, I didn’t even notice that I had told Brent about it. Maybe I was seeking consolation because when Brent called, I immediately answered his call.
“Brent…” I said in a teary voice.
“I’m sorry for your loss, baby,” Brent said on the other line.
“Groot is gone! I didn’t even get the chance to play with him in these last few days,” I said to Brent. I felt so guilty because ever since Samer came, I haven’t been giving attention to my dogs, including Groot.
“I’ll come over to see you,” the man said.