Zuma was dreaming and the dream was one of those good ones. The ones that are part memory and part future. He and cousin Jethro were at the park with Mommy and Uncle McGee. While Uncle Tim and Mommy tossed around a weirdly shaped brown ball, he and Jethro played hide and seek with the squirrels in the park. It was cool, because the squirrels preferred to hide rather than seek.
He loved going with Mommy and Uncle Tim. After they played with their ball, they would play with him and Jethro. Sometimes, he went with Uncle Tim and Aunt Abby. When Aunt Abby went, she spent most of the time on the ground leaning on Uncle Tim. He liked Aunt Abby but preferred when it was Mommy. Still, he knew Uncle Tim liked to have Aunt Abby there. Most of the time, Zuma could smell Aunt Abby's scent on Uncle Tim. Jethro joked that Aunt Abby was his new mom. She spent more time at his house than her own. Zuma knew Jethro didn't mind. He liked the idea that Uncle Tim was happy.
He could hear Mommy calling him, "Hey, Zuma. Wake-up, sleepyhead." He wasn't asleep. He was chasing squirrels. Mommy could be so funny at time. Against his will, his eyes blinked open and then shut. That was weird, Mommy was sitting on his bed in his room. Mommy… Zuma bounced awake. Mommy was home. Eagerly he greeted his favorite person in the world.
"I'm so glad to see you, too." Tony scratched the ears that were freely offered. "Daddy and I have a surprise for you. You have a brother and sister. I know you are going to love them as much as Daddy and I." Zuma wagged his tail in ecstasy as his ears were scratched perfectly; paying little attention to his Mommy until he noticed the tears in Mommy's eyes. "See, a wonderful woman couldn't care for them so she sent them to Grandpa, Daddy, you and I so that we could all be a family."
Zuma looked at Mommy in confusion. The sad face was at odds with the happy tone and playful hands. "Come on, lazy bones. Let's go see Daddy." Excited to see his other favorite person, Zuma leapt from the bed and headed for the door, looking back to be sure that Mommy was coming along. Didn't Mommy say there was a surprise?
On his way to the living room, Zuma stopped to investigate his bowl. He was pleased to find a Rocky-shaped treat. Mommy made the best treats in the whole world. After his treat, he had a nice drink and then headed for the living room, where Daddy called out to him. "Hey, pup."
The Victoria was here. Daddy was holding her. Wait. It was too small to be The Victoria and it wasn't puffy. The pup stared at the Victoria-like thing in Jethro's arms. He moved forward when Mommy encouraged him. He watched Mommy step around and go to grandpa. Grandpa had The Victoria. Wait. It was too small, also. Mommy took the Victoria-like thing and went to sit by Daddy.
"Come on, silly thing." Jethro said to the pup. "Come here."
Obviously, he needed to have another talk with Daddy. He was not a silly thing. Mommy told Zuma, he wasn't. He was a good boy, even if Mommy felt he was growing up to fast. Zuma felt a pang of sadness with the thought of his Agent Zuma carrier. How he had loved Mommy or Daddy carrying him in it. Unfortunately, it was just too small for him.
"It's okay, Zuma."
Well, it might be okay for Mommy but he was totally confused. Zuma didn't know they made Victoria's in different sizes. The one that Mommy held opened its eyes and made a noise.
"She wants to meet you. Come on."
Well, if it wanted to meet him, he could be polite. Cautiously, Zuma approached. He stretched out his nose until it met with a tiny foot clad in a soft baby onesie. Zuma jerked back when the foot moved and then he woofed softly.
The woof caused the other thing to open its eyes. Zuma watched as another little foot moved towards him. He sniffed the thing that Jethro was holding and then sniffed the other. The thing Daddy had begun to fuss softly. Zuma relaxed a bit, he knew what to do when The Victoria fussed. Carefully Zuma rubbed the foot with the side of his face. Like The Victoria, it quieted and looked towards Zuma.
Zuma ignored the adults' conversation. He kept rubbing his face on the thing's legs. It moved a bit, Zuma knew it was enjoying the attention. Aunt Abby handed a bottle to Daddy and Zuma watched in awe as the thing began sucking greedily.
As he watched, Mommy's thing began to fuss. This time, he realized that the thing must be hungry. Aunt Abby had pulled the bottle from the bag like Mommy took to the park. Zuma whirled about and leapt over Daddy's feet to reach the duffle. He nosed it but couldn't open it.
Undeterred, he began to drag the duffle around the coffee table, until he pushed it up against Tony's legs. "Aren't you a good big brother? You are so good helping your sister." Tony praised him as he dug out a bottle and mirrored Jethro's actions.
"Big brother? Sister?" Zuma moved back to his previous position. When Mommy woke him, what had he told Zuma? That he and Daddy had a surprise, they had gotten Zuma a …. a… a brother and sister. Which was which?
He looked at the thing on Mommy's lap. He carefully rubbed its foot and told it he would take care of it. No, not it. What had Mommy called it? Brother? sister? Yes, Mommy called it a sister. That must mean Daddy's was the brother.
He was sure Cousin Jethro had talked about those. He called them babies. Jethro had told him The Victoria was a baby. Zuma made a note to ask him for more details the next time he visited. After all, if Mommy and Daddy had gotten him a brother and sister to play and snuggle then he should know how to care for them, like he did Rocky.
While his brother and sister ate, he sat in front of the couch moving his head from Mommy's knee to Daddy's and back. Occasionally he would rub a foot carefully and offer tell the babies that he would take good care of them. He would take them on walks to the park and would snuggle them in his bed.
Zuma was a bit worried. Rocky might be jealous that Daddy and Mommy had gotten Zuma two babies to play with but Zuma would just assure his raccoon that he loved him as much as ever. Mommy always said the more love you gave away the more love you had.
As he watched his babies, Zuma couldn't wait to go to the park. With two more players, he and Jethro would be sure to find those squirrels. While rubbing their feet, Zuma breathed deeply. He wanted to be sure to remember his babies' scents. Just in case his babies wanted to try hiding. Contentedly, Zuma spared a glance for Mommy and Daddy. Tonight, when they cuddled in his bed, Zuma would make sure they knew how grateful he was for them getting him the babies. He was the luckiest puppy in the world.
