Grabbing my coat, I glanced round, giving a nod and smile to the regulars.‘See you later,’ I called out.
As my partner Neil, 49, and I headed outside and the pub door swung shut behind us, I felt excited.
I’d always worked in pubs, and back in September 2018, it was my first trial shift at our local – and I’d been offered the job on the spot.
Everyone had been so friendly, and I even wondered if I’d be able to take my golden Labrador Tequila along with me for shifts.
She’d been brought up as a pub dog – hence the name - and she loved the attention.
Getting home, I gave Tequila a big fuss before turning my attention to dinner.
Ever the loyal Lab, she stuck by my side as I cooked spaghetti to go with our Bolognese, eagerly keeping an eye out for any scraps.
My son Josh, then four, was with his dad for the weekend, so after dinner Neil and I vegged out on the sofa, watching bad Saturday night telly, with Tequila happily snuggled between us.
With her head resting in my lap, I felt myself nodding off.
So at 10pm, we all went upstairs to get ready for bed.
As I got comfy under the covers, Tequila settled in her own bed for the night, at the foot of ours.
I soon drifted off into a peaceful slumber, and I slept like a log – until I woke up at 2am, desperate for a wee.
Our bedroom door was open, so Tequila could roam about in the night if she wanted, and as I got out of bed, I heard her wagging tail before I saw her – she’d moved from her bed and was sprawled out between our door and the landing.
Creeping quietly, I carefully tried to step over her.
Denne historien er fra February 23, 2023-utgaven av Pick Me Up !.
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Denne historien er fra February 23, 2023-utgaven av Pick Me Up !.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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