Chapter 14: The Italian Loafer
It was a Tuesday morning, and the house was a flurry of chaotic energy. Arthur was frantically searching the living room, checking his watch every thirty seconds. He had a massive board meeting in less than an hour, and he was missing his left shoe—a custom Italian leather loafer.
"Eleanor! Have you seen my black shoe?" Arthur called out, loosening his tie in frustration.
"Check by the front door!" Eleanor shouted back from the kitchen, where she was packing Lily's lunchbox.
Arthur marched into the foyer, but stopped dead in his tracks. There, lying happily on the entryway rug, was Finn. The dog was gnawing enthusiastically on the heel of the expensive leather loafer. The shoe was entirely destroyed, completely unsalvageable.
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A year ago, a similar infraction would have resulted in a storm of shouting and a ruined morning. Arthur stared at the ruined shoe, feeling a brief, sharp spike of annoyance. But then Finn looked up. The golden retriever dropped the mangled leather, let out a soft whine, and gave his tail a tentative, hopeful thump against the floor.
Arthur closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out as a chuckle. He walked over, knelt down, and scratched Finn behind the ears. "Well, I guess I'm wearing the brown suit today," he murmured.
