Chapter 2

The following weekend, Seth woke one morning to a strange sound. It sounded like an animal of some sort or a small child. Whatever it was, it did not sound in distress, yet seemed to be talking if that were possible. Grumbling under his breath, he got up, wrapping his robe around him to investigate.

When he went downstairs, he first checked the front and back doors, to make sure there was not someone waiting. Seeing no one, he peered out the windows, looking for any sign of life. He was surprised to see a dog on his back porch, whining.

Opening the door, the dog started to wag their tail.

It looked like a cross between a golden retriever and perhaps a labrador. He was a medical doctor, not a vet, but the dog appeared to be in fairly good health, and by looking at the underbelly, he quickly saw it was a female and must have a litter of puppies somewhere, as she was clearly nursing.

No collar though and she was in need of a good bath.

"Where are your babies?" he asked her, as he scratched her head.

It was as though she understood him, as she wagged her tail and walked to the end of the porch, looking back at him to follow.

"I hope you aren't going to lead me far, old girl. I'm still in my robe," but follow her, he did.

She jumped down from the porch, still wagging her tail at him, proudly showing him her litter. There were three of them. Little balls of fur, huddled together, against his porch, trying to sleep. He guessed they were several weeks old already, perhaps ready to wean even. They were certainly not newborns. But this was the first he had seen them, and he crouched down to check each one.

There were two boys and a girl, all breathing well. Their hair was longer than their mom's, one of them was all black, and the other two more golden. Asking permission from the mom, he moved each puppy up to the porch, telling her that he would be right back with water and some food. She seemed to understand and plopped down next to her puppies, continuing to beat her tail against the wooden boards of the porch.

Finding a large bowl, he filled it with water and took that out to the porch first. The mom drank her fill, before lying back down.

Going back inside, he found some deli meat and broke it up into small pieces. When he took it all to her, she ate in seconds.

"That's all I have for now, but let me get dressed, and I'll see what else I can do for you."

Going back upstairs, he showered and shaved, trying to decide what to do. He really couldn't care for a dog and a litter of puppies, no matter how well-behaved they seemed to be already. But he could take them to Jack, the town vet, and see if homes could be found for them. Someone would want them.

Twenty minutes later, he loaded the dog and her puppies into his car, and drove them to the vet's office. The puppies were wiggly, but he was able to hold them, as he walked inside, and the mom followed easily, keeping a watchful eye on Seth as he held her babies.

Heather, the tech, greeted him when he walked in.

"What do you have here, Seth?"

"Well, I found this mom and her puppies this morning on my back porch. I wondered if Jack could look them over and maybe find a home for them?"

Anyone else and the tech would have said no, they could not hold onto four dogs for an undetermined length of time. She may not be the boss, but she had worked for Jack long enough to know what his reaction would be. Unfortunately, unwanted dogs and cats were common and Jack would go under if he took in strays every day, but this was Seth. She would let Jack make that decision.

She told Seth to sit down and she would go talk to Jack.

A few minutes later, she asked Seth to follow her into an examining room.

Jack came in and shook Seth's hand, after he sat the puppies on the table.

Seth told him the story of finding them this morning.

"Well, let's take a look at them." Listening to their hearts and lungs, looking in their eyes and ears, he pronounced the puppies in good health and guessed they were five or six weeks old already.

They were fully alert now and beginning to play with one another, causing Jack and Seth to chuckle at them.

They put the three puppies on the floor, so that Jack could look over the mom, and after a few minutes, he said she needed a bath to get the fleas off, but otherwise, she was in fine health.

"Seth, Heather said you were wondering if we could find homes for them."

"Ayuh, I know it's a lot to ask, but I can't really have four dogs around my waiting room. Too many people with allergies these days."

"I understand. Listen, the puppies are cute and healthy. I can find homes for them easily. Probably before the weekend is out. But the mom is a different story. She is already two or three years old and people tend to want puppies."

Seth looked over at the mom. She had trusted him this morning. She looked at him longingly and wagged her tail, before walking over to him to lick his hand. His heart broke. He couldn't walk away.

He sighed. Glancing back up at Jack, he made a decision, "Alright, will you give her a flea bath and all her shots, and I'll come back later for her? I'll pay you, of course. I suppose she will need to be spayed as well."

"Yes, I can put her on the schedule for next week if you'd like."

Seth nodded. It was the responsible thing to do.

He said, "I'll keep her until I can find her a home."

Jack smiled, saying she would be ready in an hour.

Driving to the diner, he sat down to coffee and pancakes and tried to figure out what to do. Slowly a plan formed in his mind. He didn't know if he would get away with it, but it was worth a try.

S/J

Picking up the dog an hour later, Jack had tied a red handkerchief after her neck, and Seth thought she was a pretty girl after her bath.

She wagged her tail in greeting at Seth, when he led her out of the door on a leash and collar that he suspected Jack did not charge him for. She looked back at the door as they left, presumably wondering where her puppies were, as she whined at him.

"Old girl, I'm sorry. It's the way of the world, I'm afraid. But Jack will find them good homes, I promise. Just like I will find you a good home. Alright?"

She licked his hand in reply and his chest tightened. Dogs were so trusting of humans. Way more than they probably should be, if the fact that this well-behaved dog was likely abandoned at some point in the recent past.

They drove to the store, so he could buy her some dog food, a bed, crate, treats, a chew toy, and food and water bowls. This day was turning into an expensive one, but as the dog continued to be so trusting and happy to be with him while she rode in the passenger seat with her tongue hanging out, he could not begrudge her.

Pulling up in front of Jessica's house mid-day, Seth scratched the dog's head, speaking to her in a low voice, telling her his plan. She looked at him with adoring eyes, as though she understood completely.

He walked up to Jessica's back door, with the dog at his heels. Going through without knocking as usual, he called out, "Jessica?"

"In here, Seth!"

Following her voice, he walked into the living room, where Jessica was wrapping up the cord around her vacuum cleaner, clearly just finishing.

When she turned, seeing Seth and the dog beside him, she asked, "Where did you get a dog?"

"Is that a way to say hello?" he grumbled.

"Oh Seth, you have never walked into my house with a dog on a leash. Aren't I allowed to be surprised?"

"I guess." This wasn't going the way he hoped.

"How about a cup of coffee and you can tell me what is going on?"

They walked into the kitchen and she turned the coffee pot on.

Seth watched as Jessica crouched down by the dog and introduced herself as only she can, making sure she let the dog smell her hands first, before she tried to pet her, speaking to her in a low voice.

Seth watched her, beginning to have hope again.

"Who's dog is she, Seth?" she asked, looking up at him, while still petting her.

It was now or never. Finding his courage somehow, he answered, "Yours, Jess."

"Mine! I can't have a dog!"

"Why not?"

"Because I travel…" she started to say, even as she trailed off. That was no longer an excuse, as she knew Seth knew after her new contract.

"You have always said you would love to have a dog if you didn't travel so much for work. Well, now you don't. And when you still do, I can take care of her. Or if I'm traveling with you, she can come with us or we can find a good sitter."

He watched her swallow. He knew she was looking for any excuse possible, always somehow afraid of commitment, even though once she did commit to something or someone, no one was more loyal or trustworthy than Jess.

When she stayed silent, as she continued petting the dog, he said, "I took her to the vet this morning. She had a litter of puppies at my house and Jack will find a home for them. She has had a flea bath and her shots, she will be spayed next week, and I stopped and got her food and a bed. She has everything she needs, except a name and a home."

Jessica had a pained look on her face as she moved her hand across the dog's back, before softly saying, "Did you lose your babies today? I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

Seth stared into his coffee cup. Jessica's grief over never having children was never far from the surface, and somehow connecting to this dog who had babies, but would no longer be able to care for them, had just won her over. He knew his plan had worked, even if she did not yet.

"Morag," she said quietly.

"Hmm?" he asked, feeling confused.

"Morag. Her name is Morag. It means 'Star of the Sea.'"

"That fits her."

"Yes. Seth, will you go out and get her things for me? Then, perhaps we could take her for a walk together?"

Smiling, he said he would be happy to.

Half an hour later, they were walking Morag along the coast, and when they went down to the shoreline, Morag ran into the water, splashing in delight, causing Jessica to laugh aloud even as Seth grumbled that she would need another bath.

"Oh, Seth, look at how happy she is! Don't begrudge her."

He knew she almost added something about the puppies, but she held back. Instead of focusing on Morag, he turned to look at the delight on Jessica's face watching Morag play.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are, Jess?" he breathed in a whisper, immediately wishing he could take the words back. Not because they weren't true, they absolutely were, but because he was not prepared for the consequences. Startled, she turned to him.

"No, you haven't," she answered in a low voice.

He made his voice gruff, before he added, "Well, you are, woman."

What had come over him? He didn't know, but he could feel her eyes on him. He could not make eye contact again, instead watching Morag run back and forth, chasing the waves. He felt Jessica reach for his hand, holding his with her own. She squeezed it tightly and it felt as though she was also squeezing his heart and lungs.

Leaning towards him, she said, "Thank you for Morag, Seth. I have never had a dog before."

"Never?"

"Never. We had a couple of cats over the years, both my parents and later, Frank and I. And a few birds, of course. But never a dog…She is the best gift anyone has ever given me."

"You just wait until she wakes you up barking one night or has an accident in the house. You just met her today. Maybe you will think differently in a week."

Shaking her head at him, peeking at him out of the corner of her eye, she responded, "Didn't you just convince me less than an hour ago to keep her?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"But you are uncomfortable with praise and compliments…"

"Guilty."

Squeezing his hand again, she said, "Just accept it this once, Seth. I love her already."

And I love you, he thought, but was careful not to say it aloud.

Finding a stick by the edge of the coastline that had washed up at some point, Jessica leaned down and picked it up, getting Morag's attention.

Alert, Morag watched as Jessica threw it into the surf, and Morag sprung into action, understanding the game of catch immediately. Picking the stick up in her mouth, she trotted over to them, dropping it at their feet, looking up at them both expectantly.

This time, Seth reached down to pick it up and throw it, obtaining the same ecstatic response from Morag. After five or six times, she slowed down, running off into the grass to relieve herself.

"Alright, Morag, come here girl!" Jessica called a few minutes later and watched with delight as she raced over, wagging her tail, while Jessica reattached her lease to her shiny new collar.

Scratching her ears, Jessica said, "Let's go home, sweetheart." Looking up at Seth, she asked, "Ready to go home, Seth?"

"I'd follow you anywhere, woman," he answered softly.

Curiously, Jess tilted her head at him. Something appeared to have shifted between them since the day she signed her new contract, which was exactly what she had been hoping for. She wanted him to draw some of the same conclusions about their relationship that she had been grappling with for some time.

While time will tell, she also vowed to consider ways she could help him along.