Forever Home by Rory Wilde

Author:Rory Wilde [Wilde, Rory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-05-07T22:00:00+00:00

16

Jack

“Harold! Good job, you did it!” said Jack, overemphasizing his delight. Harold had finally gone twenty-hour hours being totally potty-trained. He’d managed to wait until they let him outside, and he’d even started to learn how to use some bells on the door to let him know when he needed to go.

The dog was making fast progress. He was a master of sit and stay, and was now learning to heel. It was as if learning one command made it easier to learn another, and so on. He was becoming more and more well-behaved by the day, though he still had an inclination to chew up shoes. Jack had started keeping them in the closet.

Mia knelt down and gave the puppy a hug. He wasn’t as roly-poly anymore. Instead, he was alert and bright-eyed, even a little more athletic. His coordination was improving. Before, when they’d thrown him tennis balls, he’d missed completely. But now, he was able to leap up and catch most of them in his mouth.

And with his growing confidence came Mia’s growing personality. She’d already seemed like a competent, opinionated girl. But now, she was truly blossoming. Jack was learning about her preferences and thoughts more often now, even when there were still times when she preferred to keep to herself.

“That’s a relief,” said Jack. “Hopefully we don’t have to deal with any more accidents in the house, huh, Harold?”

The dog tilted his head at him, wagging his tail vigorously. He was so enthusiastic that his furry butt was shaking too. This dog didn’t just wag his tail; he wagged his entire rear end—an endless source of giggles for Mia.

“Jack?” asked Mia.

“Yes?” He still wasn’t used to her addressing him, for some reason, probably because she so rarely asked for things she wanted directly.

“Can we take Harold on a walk?”

“Of course,” said Jack, pleased and surprised. They’d taken Harold around the block recently, to teach him to heel, but they’d never gone on a proper walk down to the shops on the main road. He’d been too young and too excitable, but now that he was a little older and better behaved, it was about time.

And Mia had decided that for herself. She never failed to surprise Jack, showing him that she was more perceptive than the average seven year old.

He helped her get Harold into the harness they used for longer trips, which he was now associating with fun times. He was becoming more curious about the world, eager to see new things and sniff them—or pee on them. He and Mia seemed to be growing together. Jack hadn’t yet taken her down to the shops, and he knew an ice cream place that would make a perfect surprise.

The weather was good, thankfully—cloudless and sunny—and they trotted off at a brisk pace, passing by the familiar sights of Jack’s neighbors’ houses and yards. Despite the name, the Redwood Station neighborhood didn’t have any redwoods. It was more like a prototypical suburban neighborhood, with wide streets, deciduous trees, and even white picket fences around some of the houses.

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