“I’ll help.”
25
Every street feelslike a hundred miles. We’ve been up and down Wilson Street about seven times with no sign of Kale. I called Kayleigh and asked her to keep an eye out for him. It’s like he’s vanished.
“Where can you be, buddy?” Jimmy whispers this and I don’t want to say anything. He’s frantic. He turns off Wilson onto Central Avenue. “He can be anywhere. What if he gets hit by a car or another animal attacks him? Then what?” His voice cracks as he considers the possibility.
“We’ll find him, Jimmy. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that. Nothing is promised.”
I can’t believe he snapped at me. Well, maybe I can. If I hadn’t gone to his house this wouldn’t have happened.
I take my eyes off the side of the road as he drives. His face is tight, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. “I guess you have committed tosomeone. Kale.”
“I love that dog. He’s everything to me.”
“Home is where your dog is, right?”
Jimmy allows the corners of his mouth to lift into a small smile. “That’s pretty much how it’s been. I know my grandpa left me this house and I know now my dad is in a place he’d be okay if I kept it. It just has some tainted memories, with what happened between them and all.”
“You’ve made new memories since you’ve been there, though.”
This time he turns his head and gives me a full-blown smile that warms my heart. “I have. And almost every single one includes Kale.”
“Then we need to find him.”
The next twenty minutes are excruciating for both of us as Jimmy drives slowly from street to street and we call Kale’s name out the windows. “Maybe it’s time I start knocking on doors and call the Humane Society in case someone brought him in.”
“Wait.” I put my finger up as I squint my eyes to get a better look at the open field to the side of me. “Stop the car. I think I see him.”
Jimmy pulls to the side of the road, and I hop out calling Kale’s name. When he hears his name, he stops, his ears pointed up, and slowly turns around. He definitely sees both me and Jimmy. He doesn’t move, though. I’m afraid of what’s going through his mind. Does he think we’re playing a game?
“I’ll go to the right,” I suggest. “You take the left. Slowly.”
Like panthers, we creep through the field, our eyes never leaving the prize. Kale turns his head between us like he’s trying to make a decision who he wants to go to. The closer Jimmy gets, Kale drops his head a few inches like he’s sizing him up. When Jimmy is close enough to pick Kale up, Kale bolts toward me.
This turns into a game for him. He’s bouncing between us, not allowing either of us to catch him. It’s back-and-forth. Back-and-forth.
I don’t think we’ll ever catch him. We’re basically running in circles until Jimmy and I crash into each other, lose our balance, and fall to the ground.
“Ow!” I shout as I crash, the high weeds from the field catching in my mouth.
“Are you okay?” He touches my shoulder.
“Yeah. I’m fine. But Kale!” I start to sit up and Jimmy stops me.
“Kale is right here next to us, that stinker.”
I look over at Kale and that huge tongue of his is hanging out of his wide-open mouth as he stares at us. “What do you think, Jimmy? Should we ground him?”
Jimmy chuckles then reaches his hand toward my face. “Your hair sure loves to fly away, doesn’t it?” He takes a strand and wraps it behind my ear.
“I guess so. Look, about earlier.”
He shakes his head. “Yeah. About earlier. Maybe I am running away from something, afraid of staying in one spot for too long. You’re right. My grandparents wouldn’t want me selling this house to anyone. They want it in the family.”
My chest fills with joy, bubbling at my happiness. “I’m glad.”
