Chapter 13 Tiny
"This feels odd," Shane commented getting out of the car while she was looking around.
"I know what you mean. We've become accustomed to the O'Toole Foundation Board doing these things together, but there always seems to be a wedding emergency lately." Shane and Oliver were arriving at the dog training center Shane had researched after they'd heard about it in a lost letter they had delivered. Norman had set up the appointment with the director but had gone with Rita to meet with their minister.
"The emergencies do seem to be piling up," Shane agreed. She saw a few roses planted around the outside of the building and couldn't hold back from commenting while trying to hide a smile, "Oliver you may want to refrain from imparting any gardening tips while we're here."
"Gardening tips?" Oliver asked confused at the change in subject until Shane nodded at the roses as they got closer to the building. Oliver chuckled, "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
"Suggesting I bury a dead pet to make my roses look better." Shane said laughing, "Oh come on, not in this lifetime." She glanced away not catching the thoughtful look on Oliver's face. He wondered if she assumed they'd be together that long.
They heard dogs barking announcing their arrival as they approached a building. The door opened before they reached the edge of the walkway. A Great Dane the size of a small horse brushed past the man that opened the door, leash trailing in the breeze, as he ran towards Oliver and Shane. Oliver stepped in front of Shane and the dog slid to a stop rearing back to put his paws on Oliver's chest, placing his nose against Oliver's. "Tiny sit and shake."
Oliver could hear Shane snickering behind him, "Tiny? Seriously?" The dog looked back over his shoulder at the man, huffed a bit and sat, holding a paw up towards Oliver to shake.
"You must be Oliver O'Toole. I'm Justin. Sorry about Tiny. I didn't realize he was that close to me when I opened the door. He's young yet and we're still working on his greeting skills."
Oliver introduced Shane while she leaned past Oliver to shake Tiny's paw noticing it was about as big as her hand. "Was his name someone's idea of a joke?" Shane asked curiously while they followed the director inside.
"Shockingly he was the runt of the litter. It didn't take him long to catch up and surpass the rest of the litter in size. By that time, the nickname had already stuck."
The facility wasn't at all what they were expecting. It was a combination of offices, apartments, and large living facilities inside with all manner of obstacle courses and what looked like disaster sites outside. Justin took them on a tour inside explaining that they worked with a combination of staff and volunteers to run the center. During the tour Tiny kept close to Oliver leaning against him every time they stopped.
"We're involved in a lot of different types of training. We started out strictly training seeing eye dogs for the blind. After placing several dogs with veterans that had multiple challenges in different areas we started branching out. Now we have different teams of staff paired with different volunteers to train for whatever our applicants need so we can customize the dog's training more for the individual."
Oliver asked questions as they went through different areas and were introduced to different people. Justin continued explaining how the facility grew to where they currently were operating. "A lot of our volunteers and staff were involved in search and rescue operations in their off time and it was a natural progression to branch out into that training area about five years ago. We've managed to lower our dog's attrition rate in the training programs as we've branched out. It's been easier to redirect dogs that fail in one area to an area they may excel in more. Tiny is a good example. Once we finish his training, he'll be great for an active veteran. He was originally sent to us for search and rescue. When I talked to Norman on the phone, he mentioned you found us through Jacob Richards. How did you two know him?"
As they toured around the training facility Shane had been taking notes on her tablet. Oliver nodded at Shane to explain. "Actually, we didn't get to know about Jacob until after he passed. We work in the Denver branch of the post office in a unique task force with the Dead Letter Office. Unfortunately, a box of letters his friend Mark put together made its way to us and we learned about Jacob while investigating and returning the box to his son David. Oliver had concerns that you may have had to change how and where you acquired dogs after Jacob stopped flying."
"Luckily when Mark finished up his stint in Alaska he moved back here and was able to take over the role," Justin said updating them.
Shane exchanged a quick glance with Oliver smiling slightly knowing how he viewed luck before she commented, "That was certainly fortuitous. After researching what you've managed to accomplish it's amazing the way in which the facility has grown in a short amount of time. It's remarkable what you've managed to accomplish."
Oliver chimed in, "We'd like to discuss if there are opportunities that you've maybe had to pass on due to funding. My father and I were camping last year and unfortunately had the experience of needing a well- trained search and rescue dog. Norman happened to purchase a dog to return to his handler earlier in the day when we needed one the most."
"Our search and rescue teams are the newest area we've gotten involved with and the ones needing the most help currently. Not just in funding but in sourcing different training areas to get the dogs trained in the widest variety of situations."
"We find that between our day jobs at the post office and people we meet through the O'Toole Foundation we sometimes have an eclectic network to connect people." Shane commented thinking they'd always been blessed to have the right contact show up at the right times.
Justin continued the tour outside where they start most of the search and rescue training while the three talked on how they might collaborate in the future. They eventually made their way back inside where Shane got distracted talking to one of the trainers & playing with a Labrador. Oliver turned when he heard Shane laugh at the dog goofing around and rolling over. He smiled at her fondly watching the joy on her face when she leaned over to rub the dog's belly.
Justin seeing the look on Oliver's face asked, "Shane is your…"
"Girlfriend and colleague." Oliver answered with a little bit of pride. The two men continued talking for a little while before Shane eventually returned laughing as she saw Tiny was now laying across Oliver's foot snoring.
"We'll be in touch." Oliver said as they walked out. Getting into the car Oliver asked Shane, "Would you like to go to Ramon's restaurant tonight. He's having a blues evening."
"That sounds lovely. Would you like to stop by your place to clean up first?" Shane asked while handing him a travel pack of wet wipes out of her purse.
"How did you know?" Oliver looked at her sheepishly wiping where Tiny had stuck his nose in his face before wiping his hands off.
She brushed a little dirt off his suit jacket before she said laughing, "I know you. It's not every day you go nose to nose with an enamored Great Dane named Tiny."
After stopping by Oliver's for him to change, they talked about everything they'd learning visiting the center and brainstormed ideas for how to help on the way to Ramon's. Sitting down at a booth they ordered food. As the music started, Oliver gently brushed her hair behind her shoulder as he slid an arm around her. "I thought you'd enjoy the music tonight."
"I'm sure I will." Shane said leaning against his shoulder pleased they got a booth instead of a table. They listened to a few songs before their food arrived enjoying the down time together after a busy couple of weeks.
Half-way through dinner Oliver glanced up to find Shane had stopped eating and looked a little upset. Reaching his hand over to take hers, "Shane?"
"It's the song," Shane said softly. Oliver had only been half listening wrapped up in a feeling of contentment sitting next to Shane with good music, good food, after a productive day. He started listening to the words as the group was playing "Hand it Over."
"This song was played towards the end of the night when Norman asked Rita to marry him," Oliver recalled. "They're good words to live by." He squeezed her hand, "The next day brought you back to me."
"I've never thanked you." Shane said looking at him tenderly.
"For?" Oliver replied confused.
"During my time away, there were moments I was discouraged, so many moments I was lonely, and moments I was completely terrified." Shane explained starting to tear up. "Oliver, I wouldn't have made it through that time without you having taught me how to hand it over. Before meeting you, I wouldn't have known how."
Oliver wrapped his arm around her, and she laid her head against him reveling in the feeling of being safe in his arms. The day she had come back they'd talked late into the night while she read what she'd written to him while she was away. After that night, she'd rarely brought that time back up. Oliver had been hesitant to mention it knowing it was a rough period for them both. Wondering if she'd told him everything about her time away, he leaned back to look at her, "Shane you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem."
Shane started giggling, "O'Tooley did you really just quote Winne-the-Pooh?"
Oliver looked a little uncomfortable, "Surely not. It was on a card the other day that Norman rerouted. I thought it appropriate for the moment."
"Did the card have a little Pooh and Piglet?" Shane asked trying not to laugh.
"No, it did not." Oliver said a little stiffly before he thought back. "Actually, we never opened it to look inside. Norman ended up getting the address that bled through off the back of the card with one of his solutions."
"Oliver, did you never read Winnie the Pooh as a child?"
"Not that I can remember." He thought musingly.
Shane patted his cheek. "There were many pearls of wisdom that came from Christopher Robin, Pooh and his gang."
They separated starting to eat again, listening to the next song, enjoying the rest of the evening together.
Later when he dropped her off at her house, she leaned into him as they hugged good-bye. He lingered for a moment running a hand down her back sensing she needed to be held. "Shane, if there are things you need to talk about, I'm here whenever you're ready. While you were gone, you went through some rough experiences. It wasn't easy." Shane fiddled with his tie uneasily. Oliver lifted her chin to look her in the eye before leaning his forehead down to hers. He said softly before kissing her good night, "Sometimes it's easier to hand things over together."