Elizabeth was walking back from the library with Jack. Elizabeth was excited that Jack was slowly learning to read. Everything had been going smoothly. Their house was being built on Jack's land. Nathan spent every free moment working on the house but always came home in time for supper and putting the kids to bed.
Elizabeth opened the door to the house. Jack ran immediately over to his blocks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Allie pass by slowly. Elizabeth looked around the corner and saw Allie carrying a bowl of water.
"Allie? What are you doing?" Elizabeth said before Allie entered the bathroom.
"Nothing." Allie said blushing.
"What's with the bowl?" Elizabeth asked.
"I guess I'm just thirsty." Allie said.
A bark came from inside the bathroom.
"What was that?" Elizabeth asked.
"A new friend?" Allie said hoping that would be a good enough answer.
Elizabeth burrowed her eyebrows and opened the door. Sitting a bath tub of water was a dog.
"Oh, my goodness." Elizabeth said.
"I found him wandering in the woods. There was no one around so I just brought him home." Allie said.
"Doggie!" Jack said excitedly.
"Allie, we can't keep the dog. Someone is probably looking for it. Let's get him dried off before your father gets home." Elizabeth said.
"I'm home!" Nathan shouted as soon as the door slammed.
The dog barked and ran out of the tub. Once he was out of the tub, he ran straight towards Nathan and jumped up on Nathan and licked him.
"Well, that was a welcome home." Allie said.
Once the dog was dried of and Nathan had changed out of his wet clothes, he sat Allie and the dog down in the living room.
"Of all the things to bring home with you Allie, you had to bring home a dog." Nathan said.
"He was out there all alone. I couldn't leave him." Allie said.
"We aren't keeping him." Nathan said.
"Why not?" Allie asked.
"First, there is no room here. And second, he is someone's dog." Nathan said.
Allie's face fell and she nodded her head.
"I'm going to my room." Allie said. The dog followed behind her. Jack was standing behind Elizabeth. He had his lower lip out.
"I'm going to my room too." Jack said.
They watched as both of them went to the same room. Elizabeth tried to stifle her laughter.
"What?" Nathan asked.
"Why you being so harsh?" Elizabeth asked.
"There is no room here! We have bathroom schedule for heaven's sake!" Nathan said.
"There's more to it." Elizabeth said with a raised eyebrow.
"Okay. Maybe I don't want them to get hurt." Nathan said.
"How?" Elizabeth asked.
"I had a dog growing up named Boone. He was my best friend. When he died, it tore me up inside. Those two children have been through too much lose already." Nathan said.
Elizabeth rubbed his back.
"I didn't know. But you have happy memories with Boone, right?" Elizabeth asked.
Nathan nodded.
"And even though you had pain for a short time, it outweighs the happy memories, doesn't it?" Elizabeth asked.
Nathan sighed.
"You're pro dog too?" Nathan asked.
"It would make things a lot cozier but I know it would make our children happy." Elizabeth said.
"Fine. But first, we are going to put up flyers saying we found a dog. We'll post it all over the valley." Nathan said.
"Agreed." Elizabeth said.
Flyers went all over the valley. It looked like they were keeping the dog until a man had phoned Nathan inquiring about the dog. He said that it might be his father's dog who lived in Eagle Creek.
The children were disappointed but understood that this dog belonged to someone else. Nathan, Elizabeth, the kids and the dog waited outside for the owner. A car pulled up and a man dressed in a suit came out of the driver's seat.
"Scout!" The man exclaimed.
The dog barked and ran over to the man.
"Your traveled far from home." The man said.
Nathan went over to introduce himself and his family.
"Thank you so much for taking care of him. My father would have been sad if something had happened to the dog." The man said.
"We were going to take him in if no one found him but it looks like he has an owner." Nathan said.
"Had an owner. My father passed away. We have been moving his belongings out and someone must have let the gate opened.
"I'm so sorry." Nathan said.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with Scout. I live in a small place where dogs aren't allowed." The man said.
"I have an idea. Why don't you adopt Scout?' The man suggested.
"Can we? Please." Allie pleaded to Nathan.
"Please." Jack pleaded.
Nathan looked at Elizabeth who smiled at him. And finally, Nathan looked at the dog who cocked his head at Nathan. As Nathan looked at the dog, all he could hear in his head is his laugh as a child as he played with Boone.
"Scout. Welcome to our family." Nathan said. The dog ran over to him and licked him.
The man thanked him and left. As they were walking in the house, Elizabeth put her arm around his waist and his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder.