Spatial Relations.

"Give love, give happiness....' he was murmuring as his lips kissed hers, for that magical first kiss, igniting some long cherished fantasies. Then Marla awoke, startled. She had only been dreaming again. The hot tongue kissing was from her dog, wanting breakfast and a walk. "Maybe it is better like this!" she told herself, trying not to look at the date.

It was that time of the year. Soon Marla was walking her very naughty puppy, a nine month old Rottweiler named Lady. She and her fur baby were supposed to be strolling through a mild midday park, right on Valentine's Day.

Marla sipped her takeaway coffee, as Lady tugged on her leash vigorously. Marla looked at couples sauntering by, keenly clutching hands. Some pairs had arms around shoulders, appearing quite deliriously content. Cupid had been at it again. Vans selling coffees and roses were doing a roaring trade.

Marla sighed, wistfully, ""It's okay to feel emotions, quite normal," she told herself. In her survivor baggage, her ex had never got around to true romance,. Cupid's missiles sending his mischievous chubby toddler's failures in spatial relations had caught Marla a beauty.

Marla. as a gullible young babe, had long ago learnt never to believe ever again the father of her two sons. His name was Byron, dedicated to cheating with other women, spending all the mortgage funds on card games, drinking at bars and even doing drugs. He was now a faded, skinny and conniving millstone around her past. The game of love had played them both wrong.

Marla's adult sons had grown up and matured into reasonable men, not cowards. Their bedrooms were now vacant, so Marla's empty nest contained a home office for her profession as an accountant, and a comfortable gal den, for reading in her best armchair, a few art supplies, and some pot plants. Just as well as Marla enjoyed her own company and 'me time.'

Marla had changed the locks on her home. By the time she was fifty, she was sailing through her tender menopausal years with a puppy. Lady kept trying to bolt away from Marla hauling her owner along because the pooch aimed to rip apart every other dog in the park. Marla told herself, "This is my one true love." She and her gal pals at the church charity group often swapped latest furry companion photos when having a coffee break. It seemed to be a chick thing. Even for the happily devout, grandkids' images really could not compete with cute pets . Marla could hold her own.

Lady the Rottweiler was increasingly larger and stronger by the day. Marla had been reading online and print books, written by optimistic vetinarians, dog psychologists, and even one tome by a dog whisperer. But Lady was still sleeping on the bed, or the couch, sprinkling dog fur and treat crumbs everywhere, as well as stampeding to the front door and leaping all over any stray visitor or courier. To summarize, Marla had decided the canine world was duly glad she was not even attempting to master such high-faluting theories. She had tried bribing Lady with tasty snacks for current ideals about rewarding good dogs with positive wellbeing for dog and owner. Lady took all her treats, even found the stash of snacks in the cupboards, and did not wish to obey. Her barks were louder daily.

Then, on that glorious day of romantic flames in the local park, Lady took off, wrenching her leash from Marla's hand. Coffee spilled over her second best top. so Marla had to jog after Lady, hoping the council ranger was not also there. "Lady, sit NOW! Come back here." No, Lady had found another Rottweiler. Her snarls had changed to a big happy dog grin. It was a much larger male. Cupid had fired instant true love. Nothing about this attractive couple was lady like, as Marla finally found herself hot and breathless, her eyes meeting those of Debonair Drew. He was laughing at Lady and his stud dog, Rambo.

"Should we buy them roses?" th leader of the church plenary group and funding committee said to Marla, "your dog and Rambo have found true love.!"

Marla did not see how hilarious this was, she could just imagine a litter of equally unladylike Rotty puppies trashing her happy days. Then Debonair Drew continued, "By the way, I have been meaning to ask your advice about the church budget. The gossip club have been carping on about their missing nine dollars in the monthly accounts. I have not been able to find it, maybe you can. What are you doing this afternoon?"

Marla was a bit reluctant to visit Debonair Drew at home, she was only too well aware of the tendency of the Christian gossip club. They could make a storm in the teacups over, "Much ado about nonsense!"

Then Debonair Drew reassured her, telling her, "Renee's at home, so do not worry." Marla supposed that Renee was the sleek brunette who had lately been noted accompanying Debonair Drew here and there, so she agreee to take Lady over so she could attempt to settle this mystery of the missing funds.

Anyway, she was several years older than Debonair Drew, they were well regarded in their church community. Despite that, she did change her top and applied some minimal makeup when she hauled Lady away from Rambo, Lady went to sleep draped all over her bed, exhausted by her new experiences in the park, whether Rambo was her Valentine.

Marla was greeted by Debouair Drew at the front door, introduced to Renee. Over coffee and the most delicious chocolate brownies,. she and Renee shared chick recipes for the ultimate chocolate meditation of delights. Debonair Drew produced the spreadsheet for the offending budget, at which Marla efficiently gazed with her keenly trained eye.

"Found it! Stop worrying, this tally was under calculated. Now it all balances perfectly."

"Ah, you're a star! Our hearts and brains must be like vintage wine, maturing nicely here." Debonair Drew smiled again, producing a heart shaped box of chocolates. Marla glanced from him to Renee, more than slightly confused. Renee too smiled, saying, "I know you're my younger brother, but that line is the most corny I have ever heard."

Even then, Marla was still reluctant to trust any male again, given her track record, "Mind...' she told herself, "Stupid Cupid can be very unkind, if not blind."

But Debonair Drew had secretly been admiring Marla for quite some time, as he had been getting over his late wife's lingering maladies. He defied the gossip committee in their church, as for once Valentine's Day took on a whole new meaning for Marla. Not to mention Lady and Rambo.

The new couple's love did ripen like great vintage wine. Their first enchanting kiss was never their last kiss, no indeed, as they loved each other in their golden plateau of adoration. Meanwhile Lady and Rambo were also exploring their natural sins of the flesh. Years shall keep rolling by, as these lovers sleep with their Rottweilers. Cupid's arrows landed, in a tale of spatial relations.