"Silly, Buttons!"
Mindy remembered many of those adventures. The lollipop, the kitten, the clown car. She wondered often why she hadn't been afraid at that age. But when she looks at Buttons laying at the foot of her bed, his back leg twitching happily in his sleep, she knows why. His muzzle has greyed in age, and he isn't as quick on his feet as he used to be, but his spirit is as strong as ever. To Mindy, Buttons was more than her dog. He was her best friend, her guardian, her comfort in a broken home.
She calls for him. She sees Buttons rise to his feet from his doghouse and trot to her, tail wagging excitedly.
He barks.
Mindy bends down to rub his head, telling him to be good while she was at school.
Mindy walks down the sidewalk to the bus stop. Several of the neighborhood children are there and they snicker to each other. Mindy's grin doesn't waver. She ignores what she overhears. She knows its about her, but she doesn't care. She knows Mother truely tries to be a good mother and wife, and Father does his best to provide for the family, being the sole income. So what if her best friend, and only friend, was a dog? Buttons would never steer her wrong. Okay, he had a couple of times, but he had the decency to admit when he was wrong. Did any OTHER of those kids' dogs have Buttons level of intellegence? She didn't think so.
At the familiar sound of barking, Mindy turns her head to see Buttons across the street, her lunch box in his mouth. She must have forgotten to grab it off the counter! And of course, Mother sent Buttons to catch up with her. Buttons was always ready to take care of Mindy.
Buttons crosses the street with lunch box in tow. A honk and brakes began to screech. A screech of terror, then of pain.
The school bus is parked and the bus driver exits. Mindy is already at Buttons side, his head in her hands.
Mindy calls his name over and over, but he doesn't wake. She fears he will grow cold, but his chest moves slowly, spasming every few minutes. Sirens arrive and blue suits pull Mindy away from Buttons as others bend over him. Mindy fights, but finds it of no use. The distance increases and Mindy results to more violent actions. Her first surprises the men, but she is soon being dragged away again.
Now she is home, locked in her bedroom, staring out the window in hopes that Buttons will walk up the street, perfectly fine. It wasn't Buttons that got hit, it was some other kid's dog. But the empty doghouse said otherwise. She fears for Buttons. What happened to him? What was wrong with him? Was he okay? Why can't she see him? Where is he? The questions flooded her mind, but no answer was ever given.
A light knock on the door and the lock releases. It's Mother. She says they can see Buttons now.
Mindy jumps to her feet, running for the car. Mother drives to the pet hospital, barely braking before Mindy slams the door behind her. She runs inside, demanding, to see Buttons.
Nurses lead her back to the holding room. Other pets sat in cages: dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, lizards. And Buttons.
Mindy falls to her knees at the dog's side, wishing so much she could hold him. Instead, she strokes the fur that isn't cut up or shaved off. She tossels his ears back and forth. He liked that, always wagging his tail when she did so. But not this time. He lays there, as if in a deep sleep.
Mother walks in, gasping at the sight of the poor dog at her daughter's knees. It's not long after that Mother pulls Mindy back to the car.
No! She didn't want to leave! She wanted to stay with Buttons! Buttons was hurt!
Mindy's cries of outrage are ignored as much as possible. And now Mindy sits in her room again, glaring into the fibers of her wooden door. School isn't even a possibility right now, and thankfully Mother knows that. But soon, if Buttons still wasn't home and okay, she would be forced there, too. Why couldn't she just stay with Buttons? She wouldn't be in the way. She's small anyway. She wouldn't take up much room.
What was that? Mother said something...something about Buttons? Hospital...Buttons...hurt...put down?
Those two words sent Mindy into another frenzy. She pounded on her door, screaming to be let out. Only when her voice went hoarse did she stop. Mother had tried to console her, but nothing she said helped.
That night, Mindy dreams of Buttons, of their adventures when she was little. She wishes to be so blissfully unaware again. Then Buttons wouldn't be hurt...
The following day, they visit Buttons again. This time, he's awake. Mindy is overjoyed, doing her best to hug him without hurting him. He licks her face and hands eagerly. He noses her where he can reach, making sure she isn't hurt. Mindy assures him she is fine.
Buttons lays his head down, closing his eyes with a smile. Mindy strokes his leftover fur again, calming him to sleep. Mother comes in again, telling Mindy it is time to leave. She doesn't want to leave, but at least she saw Buttons awake. She leaves willingly.
Again that night, she dreams of Buttons. This time, she is her current age, but Buttons is as energetic and young as he ever was. They enjoy their time together.
In the morning, Mother gets a call. She seems neutral about it, maybe a little caught off guard. And then Mindy is told the news.
Buttons had passed on in his sleep last night.
Mindy bursts into tears, clinging to Mother. It isn't long before she's coughing on her own sobs.
Later that day, Mother brings Mindy to the pet hospital one last time. The decision had been made beforehand. Mother had called ahead of time, asking Buttons to be prepped for their arrival. Mindy is given a moment alone with Buttons cold, lifeless body before the procedure. Her face is stone cold, revealing no emotion. She has none left, although her face is still red from her tears.
Mindy leaves the body with the nurses. She waits with Mother for several hours before a nurse returns, a beautiful orange cream colored vase in hand. Mindy takes it, holding it close to her chest for safe keeping.
She sits in her room willingly now, her door no longer locked. The vase sits in her lap, her thumb runs over the rim time and time again. She knows she'll never open it, to see what is inside. It's the closest she can get to Buttons while awake.
In her dreams, Buttons is often there, waiting with never ending patience for her. Always, Mindy will run up and hug him, and he will return the hug in his own doggy manor. Then, the two will play, relax, and just enjoy being together. Because that's what friends do. There are there with you to the very end.