Chapter 3 - Sheridan's Story, and Barbara

It wasn't long before Peter came home, when Lois had told him about Vinny bringing Sheridan home with him.

"So, he did exactly what Brian did for Barbara?" Peter replied. "Boy, I bet that pretty soon, flying pigs are going to play croquet over the whole situation."

Cutaway: We are on a cloud where a couple winged pigs held croquet mallets and played a game of croquet.

"So," one of the pigs addressed, "did you hear the news that Vinny Griffin brought home a girl dog with him?"

"Sure did," the other pig replied. "Maybe if he treats her right, she'll stay with him for a long time."

Back to the living room.

"So, Vinny," Peter addressed, "what made you decide to bring Sheridan home with you?"

"Well, you see..." Vinny started to say.

"Actually," Sheridan interrupted, "I should be the one to tell my story."

Everyone in the room, even Meg and Chris, whom Peter brought home from work, gathered around.

"My father, a grey Border Collie wearing a maroon kerchief, mated a girl Collie, my mother, some time ago, and conceived a litter of three. Those three were me and my sisters, Anna and Bella. We lived a happy life, until one day, while my mother was looking for food for us, when that jerk of a mad man captured me, my father and sisters. He brought us to the dog fights that day, when we were still puppies. It was awful, being kept in wooden cages, stuffed with other dogs there. We were separated from our father, who was kept in another cage. That jerk wouldn't feed us, and made us fight the larger and older dogs. It was every dog for themselves. That was before...she stood up to him. Her name... was Barbara." That bit of information widened everyone's eyes; Vinny's ears perked. "She used to take care of me and my sisters, and even befriend my father, when everyone else ignored us. She'd give up her food for us, and said that she'd always take care of us." She began to break down then. "One night, she was taken out to fight...and she never came back. I kept on hoping she'd return for us since, until that jerk was arrested, and we were all freed. Soon, my sisters and I were reunited with our father, until that maniacal redhead baby genius came and captured my father and sisters. I ran for my life, but I never saw them again."

Everyone else was speechless.

"Gee," Peter responded. "We, too, had a grey Border Collie with a maroon kerchief. He was chopped up and put in the garbage in an act of suicide, on account of his demons killing him from the inside."

"I assume that he couldn't have been your father, Sheridan," Lois added.

"No," Sheridan agreed, crossing her arms. "I guess not."

"Uh, Sheridan," Vinny began, "quick question. This Barbara... she wouldn't happen to be a Basque Shepherd, would she?"

"Yes, she is," Sheridan nodded. "You know her?"

Vinny gulped. "Crap," he thought. "It's no wonder she fought so hard before she died." He then said aloud, "I did know her."

"What happened to her?"

"She...died recently," Vinny sadly answered.

Sheridan gasped, horrified. "H...how?"

"Heart attack," Vinny replied. "It was out of grief because of her missing her mate, Brian, after he got run over and killed. He was the Griffins' previous family dog before me, and my older brother."

"The dog who was there for me mated with a family dog, and died out of grief?" Sheridan shuddered.

"That and her overeating," Vinny admitted. "When I came to fill in the void, she and her first litter didn't like me at all, when they were alive. Her second litter, Janet and Jonathan, however, adore me, and I'm doing my best to be a good uncle to them."

Sheridan shed even more tears, and tried to avoid choking up. "Where is Barbara buried?"

Vinny drove his Taurus over to the pet cemetery where Brian, Barbara, Briana, Ollie, Jenny and Marcus were buried. After Vinny got her out of the car, Sheridan held back as she saw the grave markers. Vinny nodded as Sheridan turned to him. Sheridan ran to Barbara's grave in tears.

"Oh, Barbara," she said. "Why? Why did you abandon us after all this time? Why did you abandon me? I thought you were killed, but I later found out that you were married with pups of your own! It's just not fair!"

As Sheridan broke down, Vinny could tell how understandably sad she was. He then walked closer to her, slowly, and laid a paw on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sheridan," Vinny assured. "I'm here for you now, and would never abandon you. I promise."

Again, Sheridan slowly smiled at him, as those words made her feel better. She then hugged him.

Author's Note: Most of Sheridan's story is from "Grow Up".