A Day For The Dogs

(Dream sequence)

Syd walks in from a long day at work.

"Honey I'm home..." she called to an empty home.

She looked around.  The house had looked like a hurricane went thorough it. Plants were tipped over, the coffee table disturbed etc…
            "Owen?!" she screamed as she turned to head upstairs.  As she reached the first step, the thunderous nose of a stampede of elephants made her shudder in fear.  She slowly backed down the stairs as a herd of dogs tore down the stairs to greet her.  She shrieked  as she turned back towards the door.

"Ahhhh…" Syd woke up with a start.  Panting she scanned the room remembering it was all a dream.  Owen, noting the disturbance from the bed, sat up beside her.

"You OK?" he asked, a look of concern crossing his face.

"Yea, it was just a bad dream."

"Well, I got to get ready for work," he replied as he gently kissed Syd on the forehead and stomach acknowledging the baby within as he headed to the shower.

Syd went downstairs to make breakfast.  She was putting the cheese omelets on a plate as Owen came down the stairs.

"Morning," he replied as he sat down to his omelet.

"I have a client meeting today at lunch so I will have to postpone our lunch arrangements."

"That's OK.  Tina invited me to lunch with her and Nick.  She wants my opinion on something at the B&B.  I believe Joanie and Hannah are coming too.  It should be fun."

"I'll see you tonight then," Owen replied as he kissed her goodbye as she headed off to the ER and Owen to his office.

Owen got in his car and headed to work thinking of what he could bring home to make up for missing lunch.  Owen had just merged onto a little country road he liked to take, (He enjoyed the scenery, not many country roads in Providence.) He looked down to get his coffee when something made him halt mid-action. He looked up just in time to see the  car in front of him slam on his brakes in an effort  to avoid hitting something.  Owen slammed on his brakes and swerved to the left, slowly falling into the ditch and nearly hitting a tree. His airbag went off and threw him back in his seat.  As soon as he stopped, he leapt out of his vehicle to see what happened.  A hysterical women was weeping uncontrollably  as she stared at the lifeless animal in front of her.  Owen went over to where the dog lay; it was absolutely still.  There was nothing he could do.

He walked over to where the lady stood,

"Come on, it's alright.  I'll take care of this. Let's get you to a hospital."  He helped her into the passenger side of her car.  As he turned to get in to the driver's side, he noticed a noise, so he turned to look at the ditch.  There, two puppies, all dirty and banged up, sat crying.  Knowing his new father-in-law was a vet; he slowly crept over to the puppies.

"Come here little guys," he murmured as he scooped the puppies up.  He walked over to the car and handed them to the woman who was settling down. He then proceeded to get in to the driver's side and make his way to the hospital.  When he got there he gently placed the puppies on the back seat and helped the lady out of her car.

"Thank you," she replied. "I'm Alex, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Alex.   I'm Owen and I'm glad to have been of service."

As he helped the lady into the ER Syd rushed to them.

"Owen, what happened?" Syd questioned.

"There was a little accident on the way to  work.  Don't worry, I'm fine," he replied as he saw a look of worry leave her face.   Syd got Alex into a room and looked her over.  Owen waited in the lobby for Syd to finish.  He didn't realize how late it had gotten until he saw Tina come in carrying baby Nick in his navy blue car seat.  He explained to her what happen. 

"I'll give you a lift back to your car and can check it out for you."

"That would be great," Owen replied. " I knew having a mechanic as a sister-in-law would come in handy."

"Don't get used to it," was her reply as she started to feed Nick.

"Just let me tell Syd what's going on.  I'll be right back."

He turned to find his wife.  Moments latter he and Tina were walking out in to the parking lot when it suddenly dawned on Owen.

"I forgot about the puppies," he cried

"What puppies?" Tina inquired 

He ran to the lady's car where he found the two pups sleeping next to each other. He picked them up and showed Tina.

"These puppies!" was all he said to her shocked but joyful expression.

"I guess we'll be taking a little detour to dad's clinic."

Jim greeted his "kids" (daughter-in-law and son in law) gratefully as he took a look at the pups.

"They look OK to me.  Just a little scuffed up.  Heather and I will clean them up and get them up to date on their vaccinations.  They look a little young to be off milk so we'll have to bottle-fed them.  (A Momence's pause) You know, Syd' s always wanted a dog, and Golden Retrievers make really good family dogs."

"I never knew Syd liked dogs," Owen said understanding what he was implying. "I'll have to think about it.  Tina's going to take me to get my car.  I'll come back after that."

While Tina was giving Owen's car a quick look, Owen was leaning against Tina's Van, cuddling the tiny, premature, child tenderly in his arms. 

"I can't wait for our little one to come," he said softly rocking the baby and thinking about his wife and the puppies. Nick started to fuss so he picked up the bottle Tina had put on top of the van and placed it in the baby's mouth. Nick quieted down, nosily sucking the bottle, content to lie in Owen's arms.

"Every kid had to have a dog, right?"  he questioned Nick looking into the baby's big blues clueless eyes, thinking back to what Jim had said.  After Tina had finished with his car she came up the ditch to where Owen and her son where.

"It should work now," Tina replied matter-of-factly. "I'll hook it up to my van and pull you out."  She approached the road and walked over to where her son lay happily in Owens arms.

"How is he doing?" she asked.

"Great! We're having a blast!" Owen said with excitement in his voice. "I never knew these guys could be so much fun."

"Yes they are," Tina whispered. "Just wait 'till your little one gets here." She reached over to take her son from Owen.

"I can't wait." Owen replied gently kissing the baby on the top of his peach covered head, reluctantly giving the boy to his mother.

Tina placed Nick into his car seat. As she closed the door, she reassuringly said, "Don't worry, Owen, I know you will make a good father."

"Thanks," he replied as he walked over to his car as Tina climbed Into her own.

After Tina had pulled his car out and left, Owen headed over to the nearest pet store he could find.  There he filled his car with everything two puppies could ever need.  On his way back to Jim's clinic, he called Syd and asked her to a picnic dinner on the beach.

He arrived at Syd 's house (their second home)(Jim's clinic is in the basement) and walked in to the clinic.  He couldn't believe what he saw on the table-- two of the cutest little puppies he had ever seen, so soft, fluffy, and clean.    

"I barely recognize you guys," he said.
            "Girls," Heather corrected.

"What are you going to name them?" asked Jim, knowing he could never give up the puppies now.

"Annica, and this one's Auggy."

"Well, Annica and Auggy, welcome to the family."

Owen talked to them for a couple more minutes then took the puppies with him to the car. 

He then proceeded unto the beach.  He let the puppies run around as he laid down the blanket and stated setting up food for the picnic.  He placed a towel inside the wicker picnic basket and placed Auggy and Annica Inside.                       

"You two be good now," he scolded the pups who settled down to a nap.  He quickly closed the lid of the basket as he saw Syd approaching.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized. "We had a massive trauma come in and they needed everyone they could get."

"That's all right," he replied as he gave his wife a gentle kiss.

"Did Tina get your car fixed OK?"

"Yea, she just had to reattach the bumper."

"Well, that's good. We couldn't afford it, if you had crashed the car again, " Syd laughed.

"Well, we all know how crazy you get when you drive," Owen replied.

"Yea, yea, yea," was all she had to say to defend herself.  "I'm starving. What did you bring for dinner?"

"Sandwiches. With all the fixings," Owen replied as they sat down to eat.

After they finished Owen gently kissed Syd as the sun began to set.

"I brought you a surprise," Owen said as her hinted towards the picnic basket.

"What is it?" Syd asked.

"Go look," Owen replied, his voice getting mysterious.

Syd opened the picnic basket to find two sleeping puppies in there.

"Your dad told me how you had always wanted a dog.  These were the pups left from this morning's accident. In all the excitement I forgot to tell you about them." 

Syd tried to cover up her shocked face with excitement as she picked one of the puppies up. She cuddled it to her face covering up her expression as she remembered this morning's dream. Owen came over and picked up the other pup.

"This one is Auggy and the one you have is Annica." He reached in to the basket and pulled out two bottles  "They still have to be fed," he said as he handed one to Syd. She took the bottle and started to feed her pup as she and Owen sat and watched the sunset in silence.