Chapter 3

He parked his truck in the garage and went into the house.

His two pups came running to him, barking and quivering all over. He and Christine had adopted Lad and Lady from a litter of eight that had been dumped off at the doors of the clinic. DNA testing revealed they had a beagle for one parent and a who-knew-what for the other. They were colored like beagles with black saddles, tan faces and ears, and shaped as you’d expect a beagle to be. They had the distinctive white tipped tails. They were roughly the size of beagles, with Lady being a bit smaller than average. However, their coats, instead of being smooth, were wiry. Out there somewhere was a beagle who’d had an affair with a scruffy terrier of some sort.

When Christine left she’d told Dan she would send for Lady once she was settled. He hoped she wouldn’t. To him Lad and Lady were a set, not to be separated.

“You’re home early,” came a voice from the kitchen.

“Oh, hi, Julee,” Dan said, walking into the room and carrying Lady, with Lad at his heels. Julee was his next door neighbor, who took care of the dogs for him on a daily basis due to his long, sometimes erratic work schedule. He was grateful they had a neighbor who was available and happy to help him out now that he was alone. They hadn’t needed help very often when he and Christine were together. Christine had a more predictable schedule at the small animal clinic, and she was able to care for the dogs.

“I was just going to feed them. Since you’re home, do you want to do the honors?” Julee asked.

“Yeah, I don’t get to very often,” Dan replied, setting Lady on the floor and going to the counter. Julee had already set out their bowls. Dan doled out their kibble and turned to the dogs, who were sitting politely at his feet.

“Sing,” he commanded.

Both Lady and Lad threw back their heads and gave long drawn out beagle bugles, almost in perfect harmony. Their song ended in a couple of terrier yaps. Julee and Dan laughed.

The bowls of food were placed on the floor and the two humans stood and watched the dogs eat.

“Special occasion, your being home so early?” Julee asked.

Dan smiled. I guess it is, sort of, he thought, his mind going to his plan for the evening.

“No,” he hedged. “Just had a light schedule today. “But I’m going out tonight so I could use you to let them out later if I’m late…if that’s not too much trouble,” he added that last quickly, not wanting to make Julee feel her help was taken for granted.

“Not a problem. You know I love taking care of them. I’d have my own if Elmer wasn’t so allergic.”

Elmer was Julee’s husband. Dan wondered if the man was truly allergic to dogs. Dan had seen how the man reacted to Lady and Lad and it was easy to see he wasn’t a dog lover.

“So, where are you off to?” Julee asked as she picked up the dog bowls and put them in the sink.

“Just going out with some friends.” Dan was stretching the truth a bit, but he hoped by the end of the evening the situation would have turned that stretch into a reality. Although, he wasn’t exactly sure what that reality would entail.

“Well, good for you. You know, it’s not healthy for a man to just sit around and brood after he goes through something like you’ve been through. Do you want me to take them for their after dinner stroll?”

“No, thanks. I’m not in a rush. I can do it.”

“Okay then. I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t worry about these little darlings. I’ll see they get out tonight before I go to bed.”

“Thanks again, Julee,” Dan said.

After his neighbor had gone, Dan looked at the two pups. They were sitting before him, tails swishing the floor. He knew that they knew what was coming.

“It’s time,” Dan said.

The magic words had been spoken. Immediately the dogs got up, ran to the mud room off the kitchen, and returned, holding leashes in their mouths.

“Very good, guys. But, Lad, you’ve got Lady’s leash. You wouldn’t look good in pink. It clashes with your purple collar.” Dan chuckled.

A few minutes later the three were walking down the street of their subdivision. Less than five years before this area had been all farmland. Now it was a sub, with large houses on acre or more lots. There were no sidewalks, so Dan and the dogs walked in the street, which was blacktopped. At least it still has some semblance of country, Dan thought as they walked along.