I would like to thank everyone for their reviews and alerts. Once again I apologise that it's taken me so long to update. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
Chapter 28
Two weeks had gone over and the kids had returned to school, except for Josh who had to do his home school work at the office. He was doing amazingly well...the beauty of home schooling was that he was able to work at his own pace. It was looking very like he may be able to join the others by the next semester. Finally it seemed like they'd behaved long enough to deserve an award.
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Breakfast had been rushed to say the least as both kids and adults alike anticipated the day. All the kids knew was that they were going somewhere...not where and not why...their folks wouldn't tell them anything, no matter how much they begged. They could tell though that it was something special and something big...
"Why can't you tell us where we're going?" Chloe said when they were finally in the car and on their way. Mac felt as though they were heading out to get a new baby...in a way they were. This dog would be another piece of their family puzzle...one she and Harm hoped would bring them all together.
"The movies?" Josh asked. He was clutching at straws. He had nothing, he knew it was bigger than the movies but it was all he could think of.
"Nope." Harm said grinning at Mac. They both knew how pleased the kids were going to be...
"Amusement Park?" Mattie asked.
"No not this time." Harm said although it was one to put on the list for another time.
"Bowling...is it bowling?" Chloe asked. Another one...Harm thought...they didn't do enough of those fun family activities.
"No it isn't bowling." Harm said. "Now shush...you'll all find out soon enough. If they didn't stop guessing one of them was going to get it and totally ruin the surprise.
"An ANIMAL SHELTER!" Chloe squealed a while later.
"We're getting dog?"Josh asked. "Really?" He'd love to have a dog. He imagined a big dog with a sloppy tongue bounding all over the back yard with him licking his face.
"Are we Harm?" Mattie asked. Harm smiled.
"Yes we're getting a dog. One dog and we all have to agree." Mattie saw herself with raggety bitsa mutt with a friendly face and kind eyes.
"We'll agree!" Mattie said happily. "Won't we?"
"Can we get a puppy?" Chloe asked. "A little fluffy puppy?"She would love to have a puppy that was small enough to fit in a purse. She could make it all pretty with a bow in her hair.
"We have to see what's there Chloe." Mac said.
"Ok, but if there IS a puppy?"
"We'll have to see what everyone wants."
"EVERYONE likes a puppy Mac..."
"Chloe...enough." Harm said.
As they entered the office of the shelter, they could hear the sounds of dogs barking behind the heavy doors. The woman behind the desk suggested the kids go and take a look around while they filled out some paper work. They didn't have to be told twice and they bounded through the doors...each heading to the sound of the dog they thought was calling to them.
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"Do you think that's such a great idea Harm?" Mac asked. "You KNOW they're all going to pick a different dog."
"And they're probably going to fall in love with the dog they've chosen."Harm said. He knew though that the key to them all finally finding peace once and for all was going to be in the art of compromise. They had to agree on one dog or have no dog at all...it would work, he was sure of it.
"Uhhuh. That's the problem."
"Mac...this is just the start of lots of things they're going to have to compromise on..."
"I guess."
"I know...give them the benefit of the doubt...you never know they make make this really easy for us." He tried hard to believe his own words but the odds weren't really with them...these kids could argue about anything.
"Uhhuh." Mac said. She was not convinced...not at all.
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Mattie walked towards a cage and a medium size dog leapt at the metal that was between them...he was barking and panting and licking her fingers as she put them through the bars.
"You are sooo cute...yes you are...yes you are." she said to the sweet dog. She didn't want to leave him but out of the corner of her eye she could see the dog in the next cage waggin it's tail excitedly as he waited for her attention.
Josh walked towards a different cage where there was a very large black dog. He ran over to the bars and threw himself onto his back.
"Are you smiling at me? Really...I think you are...We could do with a canine comedian at our house..." he laughed, putting his hand through to tickle the dog's belly. Like Mattie though, he had to drag himself away so he could give some more dogs a chance. He knew there were probably lots of dogs like this one that were just as cute and just as desperate to find a home and people to love them. He wanted to take them all. It wasn't long ago that he was a homeless waif just like these dogs...just the human kind.
Chloe walked past several cages stopping at a few to pet the dogs and talk to them. This was so sad...it was gonna be impossible to choose she thought. Hey were all so happy to see them and so willing to love, even though they were just strangers to them.
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"Ok." A girl called Mandy said. "Forms all filled out...all you have to do is go join your kids and choose..."
"Ok then." Harm said with a smile. He took Mac's hand and they went to join the kids.
"Any luck?" Mac asked Mattie.
"There's so many...I want all of them...I don't want to leave any here."
"I know honey but we can't take them all and you know that people are through here all the time...someone will be along to choose one of these dogs soon if we don't pick them."
"You really think so?"
"Yeah I do." Mac said. God she hoped so...she was very aware herself of all the sets of eyes following her.
Both Chloe and Josh found Harm before he found them.
"I can't choose!" Chloe wailed. "They all want to come with us Harm I can just feel it."
"I didn't think this would happen squirt but I agree...so hard."
"I know...let's take a look together." Harm said.
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It was a long morning and by lunch time they'd been through the place several times. They just couldn't choose. In the end Mandy came in to try and help.
"Can't choose?"
"What's through there?" Mattie asked. She pointed to the only other door they hadn't been through. Mandy didn't know what to say exactly. That was the last place that dogs went before they finally had to...well give up on them...it was the worst part of the job.
"That's where our oldest dogs are...most of them are older than ten years...some have been orphaned because their owners have...passed." The sad truth was...that like children...most people wanted a young dog.
"Awww... that's so sad." Chloe said.
"Can we see them?" Josh asked.
"Can we please?" Mattie asked. Mandy looked at Harm and Mac who both nodded.
"Ok." she said. Her heart pounded through her chest...it was against the rules for her to try and push any dog towards a potential owner but she hoped...she herself had a soft spot for these dogs. At the moment they only had three. Maybe one of them could get a reprieve.
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Mandy opened the cage and they all filed were three very soft and comfortable dog beds and three very different dogs. The funny thing was that they had chosen to all squeeze onto the same bed. Two were on the large side...and one was tiny and possibly one of the ugliest dogs Harm had ever seen. Although her tail was wagging, her teeth looked to be caught on her lip in a permanent snarl... her hair was more like wire and extremely thin...parts of her were bald all other two didn't move but they moved closer to their small friend to protect her.
"It's alright." Mattie cooed. "We won't hurt her." As if he'd understood, one of the other mutts stood briefly and licked her hand. The other jumped off the bed and went and sat on Harm's foot.
"Awww geez." he said. He had a terrible feeling his plan nad just gone awry. It wasn't only the kids that had fallen in love...or in guilt or what ever you would call it. He looked at Mac that was petting the ugly little dog in Chloe's arms and they knew...they couldn't leave any of them to this uncertain fate...they would have to take all these waifs.
Harm looked at the three desperate faces. The fact that not one of the kids had actually asked was in their favour.
"They have to stay outside..." Harm said. Mac giggled as the kids all whooped and yelled.
"Is it ok if we take them all?" Mac asked Mandy. Mandy's eyes were full of tears.
"You would make my year." she said.
"Now I need you kids to understand..." Harm said as he drove home with a car full of dogs and kids. "Having one dog inside would be bad enough...but we really can't have three dogs in the house."
"Ok Harm." Mattie said.
"Chloe? Josh?"
"Yes Harm." they both said.
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It had been a long day and they'd finally settled the dogs and had dinner. Harm lit fire and Mac put on a movie while the kids got drinks and made popcorn.
The kids got a pillow each and laid on the tummies as Harm and Mac settle on an arm chair. Before long the room was filled with heavy snores...three sort of ugly, elderly dogs had found the larger sofa so comfortable that they couldn't keep their eyes open.
TBC
Just a short note. I have just had a book published by Blushing Books. It's called Becky's Last Chance. The name I'm writing under is Constance Masters. It is a little racier than I write on here but if you're over eighteen, I would love it if you took a look. Thanks :)