"No."
"But Jean..."
"No!"
Lucien and Jean were standing at the edge of the Botanical Gardens and a small, scruffy terrier was looking up at them.
"He looks scared, we can't just leave him here. He followed us all the way across the park."
"He looks very well cared for and he will probably head back home on his own."
The terrier whined.
"Aww look at that. He needs someone to look after him." Lucien did his best to look charming. Jean looked unimpressed.
"He's livestock. Livestock do not belong in the house. And since it isn't herding sheep or being raised for slaughter, it's not coming home with us."
"You don't know, maybe he can herd sheep."
"Well we don't have any sheep. Or are you going to pick some of those up on your way home too? Maybe they can all live in the surgery together."
Lucien bent down and scratched the dog behind the ears. The dog leaned into him appreciatively. "You know I used to have a dog as a little boy. Her name was Rosie."
Jean cut him off, "Yes and your father gave him away. It was all very sad but it was forty-five years ago and it's time to move on."
Lucien stood up and looked affronted. He straightened his waist coat. "We could name him Badger."
"Badger? There aren't any badgers in Australia."
"Well there can be one now."
"No, there isn't. If you want I'll call the dog catcher when we get home. I'm not having a filthy animal wandering around the house. I don't need to take in every lost and homeless stray that comes wandering through Ballarat. "
"What strays? Surely you don't mean me?"
Jean looked away, suddenly fascinated with a nearby tree.
The dog barked and rolled over onto its back. Jean sighed and kneeled down, rubbing the dog's belly. Lucien looked at Jean expectantly.
"See Jean? I think he likes you."
Jean gave Lucien a dirty look. The high pitched voice of a child yelling sent both of them looking back towards the park.
"Sparky!"
A boy of about seven and a girl a few years older came running over. The dog stood up and ran happily over to the children.
"Sparky we have been looking everywhere for you!" The boy bent over and attached a collar and a leash to the small dog.
The girl looked up at Lucien and Jean, "Thank you for catching him!"
Jean smiled, "You're welcome. Now you two get him back home."
The children ran off with Sparky trotting beside them. Lucien watched them walk away, looking defeated. Jean was smug. "See? A nice home for a nice dog. No worries. Come on, let's go home."
They headed down the block together. It was several minutes before Lucien spoke again. "You know Jean, we have a nice home."
Jean slowed down her pace and gave him a suspicious look. "Yes, why?"
"Well, we could get a different dog."
"No."
"But Jean..."
"No!"
To put a definitive end to the conversation, Jean sped up and walked ahead of him. Lucien sighed. "Ok, ok. Wait up for me."
