Dorothy

Life was good, really good! The sun was shining and I was exploring the park, running around, sniffing whatever I liked. I even had a great roll around the grass. I had managed to break free when Molly was distracted for a moment and now I was enjoying my outing to the full. I could go and do exactly what I wanted without anyone tugging me back or leading me where they wanted to go.

Molly was all right. I liked her, she was really good to me especially after everything I had been through. She gave great belly rubs too. I heard her calling me and I ignored her, I still wanted to enjoy my freedom for a little while longer. I’d go back to her of course, she gave me a good life and I wouldn’t pass up on that, but for now I just wanted to do this on my own terms. I’m sure she would understand, she was always so kind. Although the last calls I heard hadn’t sounded quite so kind or friendly. Hopefully, I wouldn’t be in trouble. But I knew her weak spot I’d just give her my sad look, it got her every time.

Oh, look there is a guy sitting all by himself. He looks so sad, I think that’s how I must have looked before, maybe he needs a friend. Let me go see, I’ll cheer him up. I always know how to cheer Molly up, she’s sad a lot too. There’s something about this guy that I like, definitely worth investigating. Maybe I’ll get a belly rub from him too.

‘Dorothy, where are you?? Dorothy! Crazy dog. Why does she have to do this to me now. I’ve got a meeting soon and I can’t be late. I should have known that I couldn’t just take her for a quick walk first. I really love her and fostering her was the best thing I ever did. She was so scared when she first came to me. Heaven knows what she had been through, but look at her now full of life and confidence. It felt good to have done that for her. We had to still work on the training, but we’d come a long way.

Now if only I could find her. I knew that when I did I wouldn’t be able to scold her, she’d just look at me with those sad puppy dog eyes and I’d just melt. It wasn’t just the meeting making me feel panicky. I just couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. I was thinking that I didn’t want to just be her foster mom anymore. I wanted more, I wanted her to stay with me and to give her a home. I couldn’t imagine life without her. I had to consider though how I would be able to juggle my busy work life and a dog that needed a lot of attention. It was okay for a month or so but could I give her the home she needed?

‘Hey, little dog, where did you come from? Where’s your owner?’. I was staring into space lost in my thoughts. It had been a month since Judy left and still I couldn’t seem to snap out of it. I just couldn’t forget her or the way it all ended. It just kept replaying in my head and I just didn’t know how I would ever be able to start over and get back on track. It had a ll hurt so much. I had always been told that I was too sensitive and I just didn’t know how I could do that anyway. So when this little dog came running towards me and treating me like I was her long lost friend, for the first time in weeks I was able to forget my depression and when she had her belly up in the air I was surprised to feel myself smile. It seemed like a lifetime ago that I had laughed and smiled and this little dog with her antics had jumped right into my heart. I looked, she wasn’t a stray and she had a leash, but I couldn’t see the owner. A crazy thought surfaced, ‘And what if I kept her?’. I wasn’t going to steal her of course, but if no one came for her and she didn’t have a home… Maybe she was just what I needed. She wasn’t leaving, she just kept asking for more cuddles and seemed to know she had won me over.

‘Dorothy, there you are! You naughty dog, come here and leave the man alone.’

Dorothy’s owner was tall and slim with dark brown curly hair and she looked flustered.

‘She’s not bothering me, don’t worry about it. In fact I just wished I could have a dog like her, but it seems she has an owner.’

‘Actually, she’s a foster dog. I’ve been fostering her for a month now and I can see that you’ll understand when I say she has a way to worm herself into your heart fairly quickly. I don’t mean to be forward, but you can give me your number and if I decide not to take her I’ll give you a call. The shelter I got her from will have to do the necessary checks so you really have to be serious about it. But I won’t lie to you, I think I’ll probably end up keeping her.’

I could see that he looked disappointed and I could feel for him. Dorothy had a way to make you fall in love with her. It had happened to me when I first went to pick her up from the shelter so I could understand how he felt.

‘Oh, okay. I’m Mark by the way and here’s my card. Just in case there’s any chance at all. And I am serious. Bye Dorothy, thank you Dorothy, hope you enjoyed the belly rubs.

Did I ever! This guy was great. Couldn’t Molly just take him home like she had taken me? Humans were so funny, they made everything so complicated but these two had at least been good to me not like the others.

I got Dorthy’s leash back and I almost jogged us home. I had that online meeting to attend so I had to get us back home quickly.

I had almost forgotten about the guy at the park until I found his card in my pocket. He was quite good looking in guy next door kind of way and with striking blue eyes and dark hair. There was a sadness to him and I knew he had already fallen for my Dorothy. I probably wouldn’t call him as I really thought I couldn’t give her up.

A month later I got a promotion and had to travel a lot more for work and I just didn’t know what I would do with Dorothy. I shouldn’t have made the commitment to her because I couldn’t do this to her. What was I going to do?

‘Dorothy, what have you got in your mouth?’ I still had to watch her with anything valuable she was still as exhuberant as when she was a puppy, I managed to get her to drop it and I had to laugh- it was the card of that guy from the park. Where did she find it? I thought I had thrown it away. Was it serendipity? Could I call him and ask him to watch her when I had to go out of town. Would he even remember? I was really stuck and I’d just have to try. I didn’t know what else to do.

Life was good people, really good. The sun is shining and I managed to escape my leash and here I am running free in the park. They always think they can control me, but they don’t know that I have my ways to get what I want. There’s a patch of mud, perfect for rolling around in.

‘Dorothy, come here, you naughty dog! Now we’re going to have to go home and give you a bath!’

Bath, no way! They’d have to catch me first. Molly and Mark my mom and dad were chasing me all over the park. They always said that serendipity brought them together, but it was me really. I’m so happy I did because now we’re all happy. Look at them running themselves ragged getting hot and flustered perhaps I’d let them catch me. I do feel a little hungry. Or should I go find a brother or sister?