TWENTY-THREE

Lyra had a contented smile on her face as she walked towards her porch, her arms swinging with her steps. She hummed a soft tune, the melody soothing and familiar. The sound of her humming blended in with the birdsong in the air, and she paused for a moment to listen to the cheerful chirping of the birds perched on the trees near her porch.

Lyra continued humming as she reached the front of her porch, her hand reaching for the doorknob. Her humming grew louder as she pushed open the door, the sound reverberating through the empty space inside her house. As she stepped inside, she paused for a moment to take in the scent of her home, the sweet fragrance of the flowers on her kitchen table wafting towards her.

Lyra hummed softly as she walked towards the kitchen, the sound of her humming mixing with the gentle tapping of th tennis shoes Sarah had lent her on the wooden floor. Her humming grew louder as she reached the kitchen, the melody livening up the otherwise quiet space.

She set down the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and began to sort out the groceries into their respective places.

Lyra started with the fridge, taking out the perishable items and placing them on the shelf, ensuring they were in the correct spot. She then moved on to the pantry, arranging the canned goods and dry ingredients on the shelves. She took her time, making sure everything was placed neatly and orderly.

As she was putting away the groceries, she realized her purse was missing. She searched through the bags, but it was nowhere to be found. Lyra started to feel anxious as her purse contained some important items and her wallet.

She put down the grocery bags and started to retrace her steps, mentally going through the places she had been earlier. Lyra tried to think of where her purse could be, but nothing came to mind. She made a mental note to check her car later and continued sorting out the groceries.

Lyra then turned her attention to the fruits and vegetables. She carefully took each piece out of the bag and inspected them for any bruising or damage. She washed them thoroughly before placing them in the designated spots in the fruit basket.

As she went on, it soon struck her that she must have left her purse at the grocery store. She decided to go back and retrieve it. But before leaving, she noticed that the trash was nearly getting filled up. She opened the back door and took it out to discard it.

As she was returning from taking out the trash. She followed the sound and saw a scruffy dog sniffing around her yard. As she approached, the dog looked up at her with big, brown, pleading eyes. Lyra knelt down and extended her hand towards the dog, and the dog sniffed her hand before giving it a tentative lick.

"Hey there, little guy," Lyra said softly, scratching behind the dog's ears. "What are you doing in my backyard?"

The dog wagged its tail and nuzzled its nose into Lyra's hand. Lyra examined the dog closely and noticed that it looked just like the one on the missing dog flyer. Lyra picked up the dog, cradling it in her arms, and carried it inside her house, comparing the dog's look with the one on the flyer that the woman from earlier had given her. She saw that it was the same dog, Gomez.

"Looks like we've found you, Gomez," Lyra said to the dog, who wagged its tail in response.

She set it down gently on the floor and grabbed a bowl of water for it. The dog drank thirstily, and Lyra watched it with a smile.

"You must be hungry too, huh?" Lyra said to the dog, who looked up at her with a hopeful expression.

Lyra rummaged through her pantry and found a can of dog food. She opened it and scooped out a serving, which the dog ate greedily. As the dog ate, Lyra talked to it.

She then took her phone and dialed the woman's number.

"Hello, I think I've found your dog," Lyra said.

The woman on the other end of the line was ecstatic. "Are you serious?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm sure it's him. I found him in my backyard," Lyra replied.

The woman was overjoyed and asked Lyra . "I'll come over right away, What's your address?"

“Wait, are you still at that place we met earlier?”

“Yes…” she replied.

“Okay, I'll bring him over, I need to pick up something at the store anyway, so I don't mind.”

Lyra took the dog and headed towards the grocery store. As she was walking towards the store, she heard the dog whining. She petted him and said, "Don't worry, we'll get you back to your owner soon."

Lyra met up with the woman in front of the grocery store, and she confirmed that it was her dog, Gomez. She thanked Lyra gratefully and hugged her. "I don't know what I would have done without you," she said.

Lyra smiled and said, "I'm just happy that he's back where he belongs."

After the woman left with her dog, Lyra walked inside the grocery store and approached the cashier.

"Excuse me, did I forget my purse here?" she asked.

The cashier looked up and said, "Yes, you did. I'm sorry, I didn't notice it until after you had left."

Lyra breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."

She retrieved her purse and left the store. As Lyra was crossing the road, she looked left and right before stepping off the pavement. She had her eyes on the traffic signal, waiting for it to turn green, but she didn't notice the speeding car coming towards her.

The driver of the car was a little drunk, and didn't see Lyra until it was too late. He hit the brakes, but the car skidded on the wet road and hit Lyra. She flew over the windshield, and her purse flew out of her hands. She hit the ground hard, and the impact knocked her unconscious.