Vivienne

Vesta Furio is grinding her teeth as she often does in the deep sleep hour before waking. Franz, whom her father named after the artist Franz Kline, sleeps beside her, and the crepuscular sounds emanating from her mouth stir him awake. He leaves the girl be. His dog body, more muscular and furry than her girl body, grasps the morning rhythms. Vesta will wake soon and they’ll go downstairs together. Eat, pee, walk, repeat. He quietly licks his ass, then his paws, as Vesta grinds her teeth.