The next morning, the entire Bush family, and several of the White House Staff gathered on the Lawn, right next to the monument. George was holding the ashes, Laura was holding a single rose from the Garden, Jenna was holding a picture of Hunter, and Barbara was holding his favorite tennis ball.
"We are all gathered here," George began, 'To say goodbye to our dear friend, and to thank him for saving all of us, not just once." He quickly turned to a friend of his who was a Priest. "Father, is there a blessing for a dog who's passed on?"
"There's a blessing for everything," the Priest explained. Quietly he said a prayer and made the Sign of the Cross over the urn.
"Thank you, Father," George said. During that time, Jenna noticed a woman come into the Lawn out of the corner of her eye. This woman was dressed entirely in black. An attractive black dress was her main attire, but on top of her head was a black hat with a dark veil covering her face. Jenna couldn't see even a part of her. But she could certainly hear her quietly sobbing her heart out.
She noticed the woman's black gloves were holding an already wet tissue, which she was constantly bringing up to her hidden face. She felt a bit insulted over this, she had never seen this woman before, and yet she was making all this fuss..and it was JENNA'S dog who died! The woman was even standing far away from the crowd, Jenna couldn't make her way over to confront her.
Her mother nudged her a bit and whispered, "Pay attention, Honey," causing Jenna to face forward. Now, very slowly and formally each family member stepped forward. George stepped forward first and laid the urn containing Hunter's ashes on top of the monument. Laura came next and laid her rose tenderly in front of it. Jenna then quietly put her framed picture of Hunter to the right of the urn. Barbara then stepped forward and gentily put the tennis ball to the left. But Jenna noticed the woman was still sobbing. "WHO ON EARTH IS THAT?!" She thought.
'Now," George said, 'We all say one nice thing about Hunter. Who wants to go first?"
Maggie the maid stepped forward. '"He had very good manners."
"He always ate everything I cooked," the Chef said.
"He was a great ball player," one of his handlers said.
"I never had too much trouble giving him a bath," The housekeeper said.
"He had a sense of humor," one of the aides said.
"He slept on my feet sometimes to keep them warm," another aide said.
"He would greet us when we got home from college," Barbara said.
"He would play with us all the time," Jenna said.
"He always was there to listen to you," Laura said.
George let out a sigh. "He was the best friend a guy ever had." After a moment of silence, George turned on the tape player and 'Amazing Grace' came on. They all thought of their good old dog while the song was being played, but Jenna kept noticing the woman in black. She was still sobbing, and she hadn't even said anything all throughout the service!
Did she know Hunter that well, who was she, from the Animal Control Force? Why was she here? George touched the monument after the song was over. "Good-bye, Hunter. We'll never, ever forget you. And I know one thing for sure. If there's a Heaven for all good dogs, I know there's a special place for you." Jenna could see the woman tense up at hearing this, but at least she stopped crying. Then he turned away. One by one the people touched the urn and began to leave. The little service was over.
The woman dressed in black blew her nose quietly and waited until everyone else had gone. Once she was convinced she was truly alone, she looked to the left and to the right just to be sure. When she was finally convinced no one was around, she knelt down in the dirt near the monument, for once in her life not caring if she got messed up. Slowly she lifted the black veil, and reddish-brown hair tumbled down along with her two short ears, which stood straight up.
Colleen carefully pulled out a smaller urn from the pocket of the black dress, opened the bigger urn, and quickly began to scoop some of the ashes from the big urn into the smaller one. Quickly, but carefully, she filled the smaller urn halfway with the ashes, then closed it. Slowly she took from her pocket some petals from the rose Hunter had given to her, and which she had cherished in her doghouse.
She gentily laid some of the dried petals around the urn..then her gaze fell upon the ball. Hunter's ball..his favorite one. the one he always held, always carried. Out of impulse she reached out and took it, staring at it. The ball was all she had left..it HAD to come with her..she just HAD to have it. The last part of Hunter..she didn't know if she could go on without it. You were always too good to me, Hunter, she thought, feeling her heart break all over again as she kissed the ball tenderly. She put both the ball and urn in her pocket, then returned to Headquarters for their own funeral.
The Main Room of headquarters were filed with flower arrangements for the service. For the rest of her life, Colleen realized, the smell of flowers would remind her of death. the Master had informed not only the Rovers and Confuse-Us of the ceremony, but almost all of their friends they had helped over the months. She was standing in the wings, to the left of the Main Room, peering out from the door at the more than two hundred people gathered for the funeral.
Members of the United Nations were there, as well as the people of Katzenstock and Eisneria, Luka, Oso, his mother and friends, Sport, Olivia Peru, as well as the Space Rovers. All of them were sworn to secrecy about the location of Headquarters, which Master was planning to move now anyway, there was no taking anymore chances.
Colleen couldn't believe how many people made it. She knew Hunter had been popular, but she had never before realized how much his life had touched SO MANY people. She tried to listen to Blitz as he was speaking onstage. The rest of the Rovers were sitting in the front with the Master, and Starbright, who he had flown in from Wyoming, all of them on the edge of tears.
"He was truly a wonderful friend..a helping hand in a time of need.." Blitz was saying before sobs overtook him. 'And…I know I wasn't always very nice to him..but the truth is..I couldn't have asked for a better leader..none of us could. He was brave and fearless..right up to the end.."
Colleen mouthed "THANK YOU," to Blitz as he stumbled backstage, his face as white as the magnolia flowers someone had brought and left on the stage. She hugged him gently. Seeing has how she now was the Leader, she felt it inappropriate to start teasing him. besides, they were both far too sad to be doing that. As long as Blitz could be civilized, so could she.
Blitz went by her and began sobbing quietly as Exile came forward. He squeezed her shoulder. 'Be brave, Comerade,' he said before he stepped on stage. He moved to a blown up picture of Hunter that was next to the small urn. In front of it he laid a bouquet of roses tied with a red ribbon he then stepped to the mike. 'I am not too good at public speaking," he began. "Not like Hunter was. Hunter could talk to anyone, about pretty much anything. He was a born Leader..and that is good thing, because Leader is just what he was. He was so kind and full of life that no one could resist him. They wanted to be around him. We all wanted to be around him..."
Colleen wanted to hear the rest, but knew she would burst into anguished sobs if she did. Instead she pulled out a tear-stained paper from her black dress on which she had written her own contribution to the service, a poem to Hunter. It wasn't until she heard the applause that she realized Exile was finished and it was now her turn. Exile went backstage and hugged her again. As she pulled away she saw the shoulder of her dress was wet with his tears.
She squared her shoulders and walked to the front, calling on Hunter's courage and confidence to see her through. She laid some English roses in front of the picture, and some more dried rose petals, kissing them tenderly, before stepping to the mike. "I'd like to read a poem I wrote for Hunter," she began. "It's called, 'Soul Mate'", she took a deep breath and began reading.
"Soul-mate, lover, sweetest friend,
Golden heart, caring to no end.
You loved life and living, it's true.
Part of what I am is you.
Your trusting smile, your helping hands,
Helped save so many countries and lands.
God was with you many a roam,
And now we see He's called you home.
Tender friend, Leader brave,
On many nights the world you saved.
May this night end, and day begin,
And bring a sweet soul to Heaven again."
In the front row, Starbright was sobbing as the Master was tearfully holding her. The sight of their sorrow was more than she could stand. She gripped the podium to try to compose herself. 'I love you, Huntie,' she whispered, clutching her ring. 'Forever and ever," then she limped offstage, blinded by tears. Confuse-Us, who was performing the ceremony, stepped forward to say the final prayers.
Colleen continued sobbing as Starbright came to her. "That was beautiful, Colleen," she barked. 'I know Hunter loves it from where he is now." Colleen nodded sadly. 'Dear,' she said, putting her paw on Colleen's, 'I just want to say that even though I don't know you that long, I hope you can come visit soon. All we have is each other." Colleen nodded. She might not have too much in common with Starbright at all, but she knew their love for Hunter could untie them through anything. She hugged Starbright tenderly. "Believe me," Starbright said, " I'd be proud to think of you as a daughter."
"Thank you."
Groomer knew it was dangerous to be at Hunter's memorial service, but she had no choice. Certainly Parvo couldn't resist such an event, and she had to find Parvo..before Parvo found her. She stayed behind the huge computer in the darkness where she knew she couldn't be spotted. She could hear every word spoken, could see all the people, all crying and moaning for Hunter! He didn't deserve their tears. She laughed at the thought that SHE was the one being strong in front of two hundred sniveling fools!
She saw Colleen speak at the podium, in front of the flower arrangement Groomer brought. Somehow she felt compelled to bring flowers, it made sense. it had symmetry. She heard the words from Colleen's poem and tried not to laugh. "SOUL MATES!!" she laughed. What sentimental nonsense! In the end, we are alone, the voice told Groomer. Life was better that way.
"That concludes the funeral service," Confuse-Us said. "The procession will now move to the beach, for burial at sea." Tenderly, as they all sang 'Amazing Grace', Colleen picked up the urn and everyone left the building and made their way into the beach. The Rovers, the Master, and Starbright moved near the sea. Exile pushed a button on the tape player, and a song Starbright picked, "Take me Home, Country Road', came on. They all thought of Hunter as the song played, Colleen wiping tears away.
After a moment of silence, Master whispered, "Would you like to say one last thing to Hunter?"
Shag barked, "Good-bye Hunter! I know you're happy now."
Blitz whispered, "You were not a bad Leader. in fact, you were the best. Good-bye."
Exile said, 'We will never forget you, Comrade. You were one in a kind. You were a wonderful friend."
Starbright barked, "I couldn't have asked for a better son. I'll always be proud of you. I love you, Son."
Master said, "You were a very special dog. You will be greatly missed."
"I love you, Huntie,' Colleen whispered. 'What we had can never be broken. Good-bye, Luv." Slowly she took off the lid of the urn and sprinkled some of the ashes into the ocean, being careful not to empty them all. She then gave the urn to Starbright, lifted her up, and helped her sprinkle the ashes. She then moved to Muzzle, helped him hold and sprinkle the ashes. Exile then took a turn and sprinkled some. Blitz then took it and shook out some. Master then took a turn before handing it to Shag. Shag sprinkled out some, leaving just a bit left. He then gave the urn back to Colleen, who finished sprinkling the rest.
They stared for a while, then turned and began to leave..all but Colleen. She just stared at the water, then slowly knelt down in it, not even caring if she messed up the dress.
"Colleen, are you going to come?" Exile asked, concerned.
"I'd like to be alone with Hunter..for just a few minutes, Exile,' she whispered. He nodded, understanding. Her face was ashen and streaked with tears, he had never seen anyone so miserable in their life.
Colleen just knelt there for a while, remembering her Huntie. Did she finally get him only to lose him a few days later? It just wasn't fair! Slowly she trailed her hand in the water…the water that was now the resting place of the only dog she had ever truly loved with all her heart. She saw some droplets drip into it…to discover it was her own tears mixing in with the ocean. She began to sob again. She knew once she went inside she would have to take up her new responsibilities as Leader…but she wasn't ready to go in…not just yet. For the longest time she stayd there with her head bowed. Exile wondered when he should call her back in, surely Master was wondering what was keeping her! Just then, she froze with a gasp, and her head snapped up, looking at the sky, her eyes wide.