Further Down The Road

(Chapter Thirteen: The Birds And The Bees)

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Elliot hung up the phone and looked across the desk at Olivia. "Nobody has seen her. I cannot believe this shit. Hannah will be back from Kathy's tomorrow morning. How am I going to tell her I lost her dog?"

"You put up the posters at the park?" Olivia asked.

"I put up posters all over the city. Nothing."

"I still don't understand how this happened, Elliot."

"There was a stray at the dog park and Brownie pulled away from me to run after it. I chased her, but then she was just gone. This is going to kill Hannah. I should have just bought the damn rabbit."

"Calm down. Did you try the pound?"

"The pound," Elliot said snapping his fingers as he dialed the number for information.

An hour later Elliot and Olivia arrived at the shelter to bail Brownie out of doggie jail.

"I am so glad that we found her. I didn't want to have to tell Hannah her dog was gone."

"Elliot do you realize that it just cost more to get her back from the pound than what you paid for the dog in the first place?"

"I couldn't leave her there, Liv. She is trained and usually behaves much better than that. I can't believe she ran off like that."

"Well, she is back now. And she stinks. Maybe you should give her a bath before the girls get home."

"Good idea."

Later, Olivia leaned against the bathroom door watching Elliot struggle to give the dog a bath in the bathtub. The cute little mixed breed puppy that the man had told Elliot would stay small had grown to be quite a large dog. The vet told them on her last visit that Brownie was part Golden Retriever and part Chocolate Lab. Basically she was a chocolate colored Golden Retriever with amber colored eyes. And Hannah adored her.

When Hannah returned home she suspected nothing. Elliot did quite well at hiding the fact that the dog had escaped him and run away for nearly two days while the girls spent the weekend at Kathy's playing with Eli.

That evening Hannah sprinkled goldfish flakes in the top of her fish tank and then climbed into bed. Elliot pulled the blanket up around her and handed her their book as he moved to tuck Abby in. Hannah read the biggest part of the story with very little help, then kissed her daddy good night and turned off the light.

ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS LATER

Olivia watched the dog as she circled the kitchen and whined. "Elliot, I think she has to go out again."

"You are kidding me! I took her for a walk less than an hour ago!"

Brownie whined again and stared up at Olivia.

"El, she has to go."

"Okay," he said grabbing the leash. He clipped it to her collar and took her for yet another walk.

Half an hour later he returned with the dog.

"Liv, I think I'm gonna call the vet and make her an appointment. She peed about seven times while we were out there. It think she had a bladder problem or something."

"Sounds like it. Popcorn is in the microwave. I'm gonna go check on Hannah before we start the movie."

Olivia returned a few minutes later.

"Everything alright?"

"Yup. Abby and Landon are sound asleep in their beds. Hannah is laying across our bed watching one of her movies. I told her she could stay up, but she will be asleep before too long."

"Sweet," Elliot said as she sat down beside him on the couch.

She grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl in his hand as he stretched an arm around her and pressed play. When their movie was over Olivia headed to the bedroom to move Hannah into her room as Elliot shut things down in the living room.

As she got to the bedroom she saw her daughter asleep in their bed and noticed the closet door standing open. Olivia walked to the closet and pushed the door shut. As she turned to walk away she heard the dog whining from inside the closet.

"Brownie, what in the world…." Olivia opened the closet door and turned on the light. She looked down at the dog as she laid in the floor and appeared to be licking herself. "What are you doing in here?" She asked leaning down to take the dog by the collar. But as she did, she noticed something strange. "Elliot, can you come in here?"

"Just a minute, babe."

"No El, I need you in here now."

"What's up?" Elliot asked as he appeared from the other room.

"Look at her."

"What the….oh my God."

"Well, it looks like we figured out what was wrong with the dog." Olivia smiled and walked toward the bed. "Hannah, wake up."

"What are you doing?"

"Waking her up. I don't want her to miss this."

Hannah sat up and rubbed her sleepy eyes. "Mommy?"

"Hannah, come here. I want to show you something," Olivia said leading her by the hand to the closet. "Look. Brownie is having puppies."

Olivia sat down in the floor of the closet holding her daughter in her lap and watched as their dog gave birth. Elliot watched about three of the little miracles then gave up and went on to bed.

Hannah, however was fascinated.

"It is kind of gross, mommy."

"It is kind of gross."

"Is it gross when people mommies have babies?"

"Yes. But it is also very special when babies are born. Like magic."

"Where do the puppies come from?"

"They are inside her belly."

"But mommy, how did the babies get in her belly?"

Olivia wrinkled her brow. Obviously she hadn't thought this all the way through. She never dreamed that her six year old would be asking her how babies were made while watching the family dog deliver her puppies on Olivia's favorite pair of Jimmy Choo's.

"A few weeks ago when you went to spend the weekend with Eli, Brownie ran away. While she was gone she found a boyfriend."

"Brownie has a boyfriend?" Hannah looked up at Olivia. "Like daddy is your boyfriend?"

"Yes! Just like that. And when a boy and a girl love each other….and they are grown ups….sometimes the have babies together."

"Where does her boyfriend live?"

"He lives somewhere in town with his family."

"Brownie isn't a grown up."

"Well, honey. Doggies grow up a lot faster than people do. Remember she used to be just a little baby when we got her. Now she is a big dog. She grew up. And now she is becoming a mommy."

"Why is she licking them mom?"

"That is how the mommy dogs give the babies a bath. They don't get a bath in the bath tub until they are bigger."

"Oh. How many babies do you think are in her belly?"

"Not many more, I hope." Olivia looked down at the newborn brood and took a quick head count. They were now at five puppies and Brownie. "But Hannah, we can't keep the babies."

"We can't?"

"No, honey. We don't have enough room. They are all going to grow up and be big dogs like Brownie. They all need big homes with a yard. And someone to take them to the park to run."

"Yeah and play ball with them," Hannah said nodding her head.

Olivia combed her hand through the little girl's dark hair.

"They will live with us for a little while. Until they are about the size that Brownie was when she came to live with us. When they start eating dog food and she doesn't have to feed them. Then we will have to find them all new homes."

"Brownie feeds them?"

"Yes. The mommy dog makes milk to feed her babies until they are big enough to eat regular food."

"Do people mommies feed their babies milk, too?"

"Yes, they do. Mommy used to feed you milk when you were very little. And Abby and Landon. Then when the babies get bigger they eat baby food. Baby puppies eat puppy food. And that is when it is time to send them to their new homes."

"I remember when you used to feed Landon milk. And sometimes I got to make his bottle. But mommy, will Brownie be sad if we take her babies away?"

"She will for a little while. But she will be okay. We can explain it to her and she will understand. And she will still have us."

"Do you think Eli can have a puppy?"

"I think Eli will have to ask his mommy. But until it is time for them all to go to new homes Eli can come over here and play with them."

"That will be fun."

"Are you getting sleepy?"

"No, mommy. I want to stay and watch the babies be born."

"Okay, we'll stay a little longer." Olivia said with a yawn. "Tomorrow you can call Eli and invite him over to see the puppies."

"Okay, mommy."

Hannah and Olivia sat in the closet for a few hours watching the puppies be born. It was just after four in the morning when it appeared Brownie had finally finished giving birth.

Olivia scooped up her sleeping child and carried her off to bed. She tucked her in and kissed her forehead. She headed down the hall yawning as she checked on Brownie and the puppies once more, then climbed into bed beside Elliot.

"So what's our count?" He said softly slipping his arm tightly around her.

"Nine."

"She had nine puppies and we had no idea she was even pregnant?"

"Yup."

"How did it go with Hannah?"

"Well, we had our first basic birds and bees talk. And I explained to her that we are not keeping the puppies."

"How did she take it?"

"She took it well. I am very proud of her. She asked a ton of questions. I explained it the best I could without getting graphic with our six year old."

"What did she ask?"

"How the puppies got in there? She wanted to know how they were made. And If it is gross when mommies have babies. Then she sat and explained to me that Brownie's puppies are all brothers and sisters. Like her and her brothers and sisters."

"How did we get such a smart kid?"

Olivia smiled. "I think she got it from me."

"You do huh?" Elliot laughed kissing her. "Nine puppies," Elliot repeated in disbelief.

"Five girls and four boys. Four brown, three yellow and two black."

"We have got to find some homes for these dogs."

"Yes. And we have got to get her in and have her spayed. Never again. I know it will break her heart to have to give them all up. I know it will be a good learning experience for her. But I don't want her to have to go through that again. Not to mention the poor dog."

"Liv, she is a dog."

"She is also a mother, Elliot. I would go completely insane if someone took my kids away from me. Think about it."

"True. I think you are right. It is better for everyone involved if we have her spayed as soon as possible."

"We should try and get some sleep. Because the moment her eyes pop open she is going to be in here wanting to see the puppies. And call Eli."

"Call Eli?"

"Oh, yeah. She can't wait to call Eli and tell him all about the puppies. She wanted to do it tonight."

Elliot laughed. "Our little girl is growing up so fast."

"Yeah. And she now knows a lot more about life at six years old than I knew until about junior high."

"I think it was an amazing idea to let her watch it. Something she may never get the chance to see again. And it was perfect that she got to share it with her mother and that you were able to explain life to her."

Elliot kissed her tenderly.

"I love you El."

"I love you, too baby."

He tightened his arms around her as she nestled her cheek in against his chest and closed her eyes.