we'll continue (on...) ;)

“Hey sweetie, I’m back again!” Stella said half an hour later when she greeted her dog, who was already waiting for her at the door of her flat.
“So, tell me, how many burglars and thieves have you chased away while I’ve been at the dentist’s letting myself be tortured?” For an answer, she got an enthusiastic tail waggling. “What, that many? Wow, you’ve been quite a busy dog! Are you hungry, or have you already been nibbling on some intruder, and I’ll find the remains in the kitchen?” Sian barked, and Stella walked over to put down her bags and to strip out of her jacket, chuckling.
“Just what I thought. How considerate of you not to force me to clean up the whole kitchen again from your mess. I’m so touched. Okay, okay, I’ll fix us something to eat… oh, and no, I won’t mix up my lunch with yours, much as you’d probably love that!”
With a big grin on her face, Stella went to prepare their meals, her dog sitting back on her haunches and waiting patiently while watching her with intent eyes.
“Hey, don’t you watch crime series these days? Never sit with your back to a door and your mind in some other place! That’s how the criminals get their victims!” Hey, boss, just in case you haven’t noticed yet, we’ve got some curious thing called ‘lock’ on our door! Besides, I think my ears can be trusted to hear anyone sneaking in here.
Stella snorted loudly. “Yeah, just like the time you didn’t even twitch a whisker when I got a parcel delivery, and went to open the door. I found you still snoring when I returned!”
That was an exception. You know, it’s the exception that proves the rule.
“But if the exception proves the rule, then the rule must have exceptions, just like you, don’t you think?” Stella smirked, satisfied. “Okay, enough of this now, it’s time for lunch!”
While attending to her own meal, she watched Sian greedily wolf down hers, mesmerized by the speed with which her dog accomplished it. She was sure she would choke after her third bite if she ever tried the same.
“You know what, my appointment today wasn’t that horrible, wonder of all wonders! Actually, I didn’t feel anything, mostly because I was hypnotized. I didn’t know that this is now also used in medicine, but as the dentist told me, the success rate at minor procedures is most remarkable. I’ve had a tooth pulled, without analgesic!” Stella pondered on this for a little while. “This might ease my fear of these appointments quite a bit.”
Sian lost interest in Stella’s talking and padded over to her favorite place next to Stella’s sofa to lie down, intending to start one of her afternoon naps.
In the meantime, Stella cleared off the remainder of her meal and sat down at her worktable. She switched on her laptop, starting with the heap of work still waiting for her, already immersed in the topic as her fingertips touched the keyboard.