The things we do for love! Maleek had never imagined an animal would ever occupy so much space in his life. Growing up as an African, animals were not part of the family pictures. They were a means to an end. Dogs were for security, cats kept rats away, and so forth with other animals. People didn’t keep animals for emotional support, and the phrases “cat mom” or “dog dad” were not a thing.
However, the universe works in mysterious ways, and Maleek met Shirleen. She had “dog mom” in all her bios on social media. She also brought up in any conversation. In hindsight, Maleek should have seen the red flag, but he was too mesmerized by Shirleen to sniff it out.
Shirleen’s dog was named Trico, and he had her whole heart. She treated him like royalty. He lived better than many people in full-time employment. When Shirleen met Maleek, he underestimated her love for the dog. He wasn’t a dog-hater but wasn’t too fond of them either.
It puzzled him when Shirleen talked about Trico like her child. Her budget, movement, choice of housing, vacationing, and other aspects of life factored in the dog. The dog’s well-being would dampen or uplift Shirleen’s spirits.
“At least it’s not a cat,” Maleek had consoled himself.
It was clear that if he wanted Shirleen in his life, Trico would also be in his life. It was initially a seemingly small price to pay to be with a girl he really liked. Their bonding time included walking the dog around, which was okay because he enjoyed their conversations. Shirleen had a good job, so Trico’s expenses were not Maleek’s concern, but he did have to give up sleeping next to her if he found Trico in bed.
Then Shirleen lost her job. As life has a funny way of kicking you when down, Trico had a fracture that required surgery during the same period. Shirleen was in tears when she called Maleek about the matter. She frantically begged him to help her take the dog to the vet. Since she was financially down, Maleek had to foot the bill.
“Babe, I’m so grateful,” said Shirleen to Maleek.
“Anything for you,” said Maleek.
“Here’s the bill, and we’ll need to buy a few items to help with the healing process and food,” said Shirleen as she handed him the bill.
He gasped once he saw the amount. It was over a hundred thousand shillings. Fortunately, he had the money, so he paid. He told himself that it came as a surprise because he hadn’t been around dogs long enough to know their needs. Helping Shirleen also made it worthwhile.
After the hospital, they went to buy dog food and related supplies. They walked down the aisle picking the products, and that was when the fights began.
“What’s the difference between the two brands?” Asked Maleek as he compared the prices between the two dog food brands.
“Babe, Trico is used to this brand. We can’t change it now,” said Shirleen.
“The difference between the two brands is close to two thousand shillings, and we’re buying in bulk. Do the math babe,” said Maleek.
“Trico has just undergone surgery. We can’t experiment with an inferior brand. I want the best for him,” said Shirleen.
Maleek tried to reason with her, but she got angry. He gave in and bought when she wanted. When he got home, he was angry but consoled himself that it was a one-time thing. Shirleen would get another job, and he wouldn’t have to deal with its expenses again.
Once again, life had other plans. It took months for Shirleen to get another job. She depleted her savings, so she needed to move houses. They decided she should move in with Maleek. There was only one issue: pets weren’t allowed in Maleek’s building.
“Babe, you’ll need to move,” Shirleen told Maleek.
“Do you have anywhere in mind?” Maleek asked Shirleen.
She gave him a list of apartments that were pet-friendly. When Maleek looked at the rent amounts on the list, he felt hesitant. His work was going well, but he wanted to put the extra income to other uses before moving to a more expensive house. As they were having the discussion, Shirleen focused on the dog’s needs. Maleek got to calculating how much he had spent on the dog.
He had taken up the role of buying dog food after the surgery incident. Each time they went to get the food, he either came back home angry at the expenditure or in a fight with Shirleen because he had bought the cheaper brands Shirleen disliked. At that moment, he imagined living with the dog full-time, and he decided he wasn’t ready for that.
“I can’t move houses at this time,” Maleek told Shirleen.
“Giving Trico away isn’t an option,” said Shirleen.
“Your options are limited,” said Maleek.
“Would you ask me to give away a child?” Asked Shirleen.
“That’s different,” said Maleek.
“Trico is like my child,” said Shirleen in tears.
“I know how much you love him, but I can’t adjust my whole life for him,” said Maleek.
“I guess I’ll have to choose between you and him,” said Shirleen.
“Did you just give me an ultimatum over a dog that’s not convenient for you to keep at the moment? I’ll make it easy for you,” said Maleek.
“You know how much Trico means to me, and you’re asking me to give him up, yet we can move to a different house. That’s being selfish,” said Shirleen.
Shirleen’s arguments drowned any willingness Maleek had to accommodate her dog. He broke up with her, and she moved in with her parents. She resented him for not understanding her love for her dog. He was angry at her for prioritizing the dog’s needs even when she couldn’t afford it.
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