“I want a refrigerator like yours. That’s the exact one I wanted when we were…you know…back then.” Talking about when they were married, all two weeks of it, was difficult. How did you go back there after so many years apart?
“I know.” The look he gave her said plenty. Was she brave enough to think he’d gotten it because of her?
When they arrived at the SPCA, her stomach was in knots. Luckily, Jordan’s enthusiasm helped distract her from her anxiety. What did she have to be nervous about, anyway? She was only getting a dog. One she’d be responsible for. Have to take care of. Who would rely on her to be fed and walked and…Oh, God. Maybe she wasn’t ready for this.
“It’ll be fine,” Theo said. He took possession of her hand as Jordan took her other and dragged her along. It’s like he could read her mind. Or was she that transparent? If so, what else could he read from her? That she wanted so badly to be back with him the way they’d been before.
Theo took care of the introductions, having called ahead to make sure they had a few dogs to choose from that were appropriate for her.
“You’re fairly petite, Chelsea,” he’d said, “so something too huge might not be the best choice. And nothing too small, since part of the reason I suggested a dog was for protection.”
She had to trust Theo on that, seeing as she had no experience whatsoever with dogs.
The man at the pound, Hank, showed them down a long hallway with cages on each side. Her heart broke seeing the dogs inside, some old, some still puppies. How was it so many dogs ended up here? Although counting the cages, she realized there were only about ten.
Hank stopped at each space and told them the story of each dog. How old they were, why they were here, and any medical information they knew about. This was hard. She wanted to take them all home.
At the last kennel, Chelsea inhaled deeply. The poor thing cowered in the corner, his eyes sadder than any she’d seen so far.
“This is Bandit. He’s a German Shepherd/Sheltie mix, and he’s almost a year old, which means he probably won’t get a whole lot bigger than this. He’s been neutered already and is up to date with all his shots.”
“What’s his story?” she asked, needing to know why the poor thing was huddled in the corner. There had been times she’d been known to do that, especially after Jordan’s birth.
“He was given as a gift to a family who really didn’t want a dog. They took care of him for a while, but a few weeks ago they brought him here and said they couldn’t take care of him any longer. With his anxious behavior, we suspect he wasn’t treated all that well.” Just like her.
Tears formed in her eyes, and she bit her lip. How could anyone do that to a poor, adorable creature? The other dogs half forgotten, she crouched down and spoke softly to this one.
“Hey, sweetie. You’re a handsome boy, aren’t you?” At her hushed words, his ears perked up and his tail swished, but he still remained planted in the far corner.
Looking up, she asked, “Can I get closer?”
“Sure.” Hank pushed a key into the lock. “Let me get him adjusted to someone in with him. He’s a nervous thing but hasn’t shown any violent tendencies yet.”
After a few minutes of Hank chattering away and rubbing Bandit’s fur, he looked at her and nodded. “Come in slowly and stop in the middle. The lower you get, the more comfortable he’ll be.”
“Do you want me to go in, Chelsea?” Theo asked, his eyes filled with concern.
“No,” she answered automatically. “If this dog will be mine, then I need to get him used to me first. But thank you.”
Jordan bounced around near the door of the cage, until Theo picked her up and whispered something in her ear that made her calm down.
Slowly creeping in, she claimed a spot on the floor a few feet from where the dog sat. When Bandit checked her out, she murmured little words of welcome. Finally, after a few minutes of looking all around, he scooted forward until he was right in front of her. Reaching out, she allowed him to sniff her hand and when he licked it, she chuckled. That was a good sign, right?
“You’re such a good boy, aren’t you, Bandit? Aren’t you? Yes, you are.”
The dog wiggled closer and within seconds had climbed in her lap. Immediately, she rubbed his fur and scratched behind his ears, sending his tail thumping so hard it sounded like a heartbeat.
“I think he likes you,” Hank said, still seated in the corner where Bandit had been.
“I like him, too.” She allowed the dog to lick her face. Why had her father made this seem like such a nasty thing? “What do you think, Bandit? Want to come live with me?”
Her gaze automatically moved to Theo. Looking for approval? His opinion? Or simply to see the handsome man he was and assure herself he, and their daughter, were real?
Jordan was bopping up and down in Theo’s arms, andhissmile was huge. Guess that was a good sign.
“What do we need to do to adopt this guy?”
Hank’s grin swallowed his face. It must be nice to see one of their dogs get a new home. “There’s some paperwork to do first, and we’ll need to get him ready to go. Mostly cleaning him up. Do you have everything you’ll need for a dog?”
