Chapter 11

August was unseasonably warm in Denver. They'd continued with the dog's training classes and quickly found Gryffin & Raven graduating from their beginner class. Shane was proud of them when they tied for top dog for reaching all their goals. They took the graduates with them to eat at Joe's after their graduation ceremony.

Joe had fired up the grill and was putting the food on as they arrived. Shane excitedly showed him pictures, "Look Dad the doodles graduated. They were top in their class."

"Are those graduation caps?" Joe asked looking at Oliver who was rolling his eyes behind Shane's back.

"Yes, and there was graduation music," Oliver snorted shaking his head.

"So, are they going on to higher education?" Joe asked jokingly.

"They start their intermediate class next week," Shane answered seriously still looking at her fur babies' pictures.

"What might that entail?" Joe asked chuckling.

"That was good." Oliver laughed.

"Hey. They worked hard." Shane said.

"Mostly on chasing squirrels and eating." Oliver teased. "Most of the other dogs in the class didn't have a head start with Bill."

Shane acknowledged, "They did know some of it before starting. The next class may be a bit harder." She turned to the dogs now hanging by the grill hoping for something to fall, "You're both smart you'll ace the next one as well."

Oliver shook his head again, "I'm going to get the rest of the food out of the fridge."

"I've enjoyed hiking with them," Joe said. "I wouldn't mind taking them out fishing now they're a little older. Bill said we could take his boat out with them to give it a whirl and see how it goes next week if you don't have a problem with them going."

"No, it's been a huge help knowing they're getting out sometimes during the day. I thought we'd have to put them in daycare because of their energy level. With you taking them out occasionally they seem to have been fine with us walking them twice a day. Oliver was pretty resistant to the idea of daycare for a dog, but I told him we might not have a choice during the holidays."

"I can always take them over night if your schedules get bad. Oliver said you'd picked up another CBI case with Dale?"

"Usually I get pulled in at middle or the end as they're prepping things for arrests or trial and I'm not involved with a case that long. This one I got contacted at the beginning. Mostly because they have nothing to go on and local authorities bounced it to CBI pretty early."

"What type of case?"

"Auto theft."

Oliver came out with the condiments, "We're having car school later this afternoon if you want to join."

Shane rolled her eyes, "You act like I know nothing about cars. I just need to learn more about some of the security systems as well as the different models that have been involved."

"Between the DLO and the CBI, I would think you guys would make great trivia team members," Joe mentioned. "Too bad I go on Thursday nights."

"Oliver's busy with choir but I could go with you." Shane said. "Sounds like fun. Norman and Rita would love it."

"When did you start going to trivia nights?" Oliver asked.

"Some of the guys from my fishing group mentioned it and I went along a couple times. It's not that competitive and it's fun. It's just once a month."

After lunch they both helped quiz Shane on different car models.

The next Monday, Shane talked to Norman about trivia night. "I love trivia. I know so many things I don't know what to do with the information."

"Here's your chance Norman. It's once a month on a Thursday night though, what nights are your foster care classes?"

"We've been going Monday and Wednesdays. They finish up at the end of the month. We started them after we passed the background checks."

"What do you think Rita?" Shane asked.

"Sounds like fun."

"How are the classes going?" Shane asked.

"It's a lot of information. There's a lot of things we didn't know or haven't thought about."

"Such as?"

"How many children in the system have special needs either medically, physically or mentally. We didn't think about needing a crash course in education or medical needs."

Trivia night happened to be the next Thursday. When Oliver got home, there was a shiny new trophy on the mantle over the fireplace. Oliver kissed Shane on the head when he found her in front of her computer in the guest room. "I gather tonight was a success."

Shane grinned, "One of the other teams was a little upset Dad brought in three ringers. I've never gotten to be a ringer before. Several of his fishing buddies couldn't make it so we didn't break any tournament rules replacing them."

"Mrs. O'Toole not breaking rules what's going to happen to your reputation as a revolutionary?"

Laughing she said, "Speaking of revolutionary I think Dad has a crush on a lady at trivia night. I don't know that hanging with his fishing buddies is the real draw. There were several long drawn out gazes between the two."

Oliver looked concerned. "How long has he known her?"

"I don't think he does. That's the whole point he'd like to get to know her Oliver." She said rolling her eyes.

"What's she like?"

"Maybe a few years younger than him. Pretty, smart, and evidently has a nice laugh. According to the appreciative gazes I noticed every time she did," Shane answered.

"I don't want to see him hurt again," Oliver sighed.

"Oliver, he's ready to get back out there. I know he got hurt before, but doesn't he deserve to have someone?"

Oliver sighed, "So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, So, long lives this, and this gives life to thee."

Shane stood up and wrapped her arms around him. Leaning her head back to look him in the eyes, "Instead of quoting Shakespeare, why don't we pray he can share his life with the right someone at the right time. I found out the morning we got married my mother had been praying for years I'd find a man to share my life with that would treat me the way she thought I should be treated. She was thrilled when she got to know you. The oven finally dinged."

"Excuse me?" Oliver said.

"Remember Rita's mom giving the advice to not open the oven door too soon. You have to wait for the ding when things are done cooking."

Smiling he leaned his forehead down to hers, "Have I told you lately how grateful I am you were misdirected to the DLO and how much I love you?"

"It's always good to hear," Shane said with a smile.