Sarah lay sprawled across the grass, her book clutched in front of her face and her brown hair cascading down around her. Her faithful companion, Samson, lay beside her with his face next to hers. Every once in awhile he would reach up and touch her with his nose, earning a smile and a scratch for his efforts.
Finishing the last page in her book, Sarah rolled onto her back and let the afternoon sun wash over her. She relished the warmth and the quiet,something she rarely got to experience anymore. Every single day was spent taking care of her brother after school while Elizabeth was working. And even if she got her schoolwork done before Elizabeth got home, there was always something else to do.
It wasn't all bad, she had to admit. Little Michael was a sweet baby and not all that spoiled, at least not as spoiled as most kids nowadays. But it was so hard to sacrifice so much for something she hadn't even asked for! Thankfully Dad had had the day off so she was able to do something she wanted to do for once. Though she would pay for it later.
Groaning, she buried her face in Samson's soft fur, already dreading tonight. It was Dad and Elizabeth's weekly date night, so she'd have to be home by five to watch Michael. Hopefully he was in a better mood when she got home because he'd been quite fussy when she'd left.
The only consolation she had was the new book she had gotten at the neighbor's yard sale. If she could get Michael to sleep, she'd have enough time to make quite a dent in it.
All of a sudden Samson's wet nose gently nuzzled her face, pushing her back from him as his tail beat happily against the ground. "That's right, I have you two." She reassured him by planting a kiss on his snout.
One of the few battles her father had sided with her on was Samson. Elizabeth had wanted him exiled from the house when she moved in, but her father declared the dog be allowed inside. Elizabeth only relented when it was pointed out that he would be an excellent security measure.
As she petted Samson, Sarah's phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she read the text from her father. Sighing deeply, she stood up. "Oh well, looks like our time out is over. Guess we need to head back home."
Samson cocked his head and got up, tail still wagging. They began the trek across the park towards the house when something in the trees caught the large dog's attention. Breaking into a run, he stopped under a massive oak, barking and jumping.
Rushing to him, Sarah peered into the branches. She caught sight of a huge white owl nestled deep in the branches. "Come on, Samson. It's just a barn owl. He's still got a few hours before it's dark, let him get some sleep."
Grasping the dog's collar, she lead him away, not noticing that the owl seemed to be watching her intently.