Sammy and Ilna, lovies, you're amazing and make every day better by being such incredible friends.

REALMcRollers and Readers, love to you all for the wonderful feedback and support.

Sammy's under the weather this week so you get another one from me. Send her some love at realmcroll at yahoo dot com

This one's for Sammy's Bernies, Minkus & Milo (bonus points if you remember where you heard those names before) and my German Shepherd Mix, MacKenzie of whose blended heritage Cammie was sprung.

Peas in a Pod

Out on the beach behind the house, as Angie toddled a few steps off the blanket and over the sand, Cammie stood and moved closer to her littlest human, coming between the toddler and the water, even though it was a good 25 yards away. She stood firmly, then stepped forward and back as Angie tried to skirt around her body unaware that thousands of years of genetic history would ensure getting around a 110 pound herding dog with a mission was never going to happen.

Distracted when the dog playfully licked her cheek, Angie leaned in to hug her furry best friend who huffed an approving 'woof' when the little girl finally plopped herself into a sitting position.

"Caameee, ahh ana baaa dee ah Dada," Angie said conversationally and pointed as she looked out over the water before grabbing two handfuls of sand and letting it sift through her fingers.

Catherine smiled. "Good job, pretty girl." She ran a hand over the soft coat and bent to kiss the furry head. "Cammie's looking out for you, sweetheart," she told Angie who offered some sand to the dog, who sniffed the tiny hand before lying down on the shady blanket next to her charge.

"Caameee," Angie repeated softly and leaned against the dog's flank contentedly and smiled. "Mama." She patted the blanket and Catherine moved to lie down as well.

"Do you want to take a nap?"

"Mama, Caaameee, abbb." She made the patting gesture again, copying one her parents often made when they wanted her to sit or lie down.

"Ohh, I see, you want Cammie and Mommy to take a nap with you?" She kissed the little cheek and tapped her daughter's nose. "Okay, let's all take a nap." She shook her head in wonder as Angie snuggled down and leaned into Cammie who, in an oft repeated move, licked the tiny hand that reached to bury itself in her fur.

A minute later Angie's eyes were fluttering closed and Cammie's head rested on her paws. Catherine rolled slightly to retrieve her phone and snapped several pictures, smiling broadly at the image the little girl and large furry dog made as they snuggled in a cocoon of contentment.

Cammie looked at Catherine's expression and sighed happily. Catherine was happy, so she was happy. She'd always been so loving, even on that first day when her humans weren't her humans yet, she knew. Something told her the tall human with the strong, controlled movements and the one who'd come up to her making her feel safe were going to be hers, and she was right.

She'd started out in a noisy place with lots of other dogs and some cats that she could smell and hear but not see. The people were nice, but they didn't have much time with her and there were lots of different ones who fed, walked and talked to her. Then she was in a big house with two humans who got loud with each other. She was fed and exercised but they didn't pay much attention to her other than that. And the place smelled of … death. It permeated the rooms and confused her as the one human carried the scent of decay even though he was alive.

Cammie rarely thought of those weeks after she came to live in the bright house near the big water. She loved her humans and was so very proud to protect them and keep them safe and happy. When the little one arrived, she made sure the big ones knew she took her extra duties very seriously and loved her brand new human just like they did.

Now that Angie, as they called her, was moving on her own, Cammie found in her a new playmate and source of fun as well as unexpected treats. She'd often been the recipient of some dinner or snack food and while she always waited for permission from Steve and Catherine before eating it, she was blissful to oblige Angie as soon as it was granted.

Raising her head slightly when Steve stepped out of the water and jogged over to sit beside Catherine, Cammie thumped her tail to signal she was happy to see him, but wasn't getting up because, well, Angie was sleeping.

As Steve sat next to Catherine who passed him her phone, he whispered, "Ahhh, that's why she came up here mid swim. Good job, Cammie. Go to sleep, we've got the watch," with a grin. Thumbing through the images, he smiled softly. "Your mom's right, you know." He gestured at Angie and Cammie.

"She usually is," she said with a grin. "What's she right about this time?"

"Angie and Cammie. She called them two peas in a pod."

Elizabeth often noted how Cammie was so in tune with the baby. She'd been one of the first to see the dog help Angie learn to walk. She'd told more than one friend how when Angie would stand, Cammie was suddenly at her granddaughter's side to provide a hand-hold for balance as they moved along together. When the family was waiting with excited anticipation for Angie's first steps, the proud grandma teased that Cammie was enabling the clever toddler who was teasing them all with when she'd finally walk on her own.

While Cammie understood a lot of human words and phrases, including many of Angie's, she wasn't sure of that one. Regardless, she knew it was good because of the way it was spoken and how Catherine readily agreed.

The large dog took another glance at all three of her humans, yawned and closed her eyes contentedly. With one paw draped gently over Angie's tiny feet so she'd know if her charge moved, she settled into a well deserved nap.

# End thanks for reading

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