BABIES IN TRAINING (flash fiction)

The girlfriend wanted a baby.

Her sister fucked everything up and had one of her own a few years back and ever since, I couldn't land a break.

Rosie and I had talked about it once before and we came to the conclusion that winos like us didn't have babies - just puppies.

Unbeatable Pets was the mall pet shop - the kind of place working stiffs like me got sucker-punched into buying overpriced pooches or as I'd like to call them, Babies In Training.

'Summer' - that's what we called it - happily strutted in front us as I told her how I expected this dog to be treated and if I was satisfied, a baby could be discussed again sometime down the road.

Twelve months later Summer was dead as a result of Rosie leaving it outside during a heatwave and to tell you the truth, I couldn't have been happier.