Chapter 9: The Moment Part One

(two months later)

Shaun wakes up to the sound of his alarm clock but doesn't want to get out of bed because he knows what day it is today. He turns to his other side, covers himself with the blanket, and tries to fall asleep again.

"Shaun! Time for brekkie!" Chilli yelled out.

He sat up on his bed and sighed, before standing and brushing his fur. Before leaving his room, he walks to his desk, picks up his sketchbook and flips to the page where he drew his Step-uncle and mother.

"Happy birthday Mom." He says putting his hand on the page and shedding a small tear. Shaun wipes his eyes, puts the sketchbook back and heads to the Kitchen.

"Good morning sweetheart, how did you sleep?" Chilli asked Shaun as he entered the room.

"Alright." Shaun replied looking down.

Chilli knew from the tone of his voice and his demeanor that something was troubling the Husky, her motherly instincts kicked in. "Shaun? Is something the matter?"

"It-it's just that… Today is my mom's birthday…" He responded, with the tears starting to resurface.

Chilli put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh Shaun…" She then pulled him into a hug, and he accepted it. "I understand how you feel. I lost my mother when I was around your age too." She said, starting to cry as well.

Shaun ended the hug and spoke. "Y-you did? What happened?"

"She got sick and the doctors tried to help her, but they couldn't save her." Chilli explained and wiped her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He replied feeling bad for making her tell him.

"It's okay Shaun, it's not your fault. Just remember to think of all the good memories you made with her. She wouldn't want you to stay sad." Chilli said looking into his eyes.

Shaun thought about what she had just said, smiled softly and nodded. "Thanks Mom. By the way, where's dad and my sisters?" He asked, just noticing the house has been strangely quiet.

"Oh, they got up a bit earlier and Bandit took them to the monkey bars. Now go ahead and eat. I made toast." Chilli responded while setting a plate of toast on the table for Shaun.

As they both sat at the table and ate their breakfast there was a knock on the door. Knowing it couldn't be her husband and daughters, Chilli got up to answer the door and Shaun followed behind her. She got up to the door and opened it to reveal her neighbor Wendy with her daughter Judo next to her. Judo looked at Shaun who was standing next to Chilli and quickly looked away at nothing in particular.

"Oh, hello Wendy! What brings you and Judo over?" Chilli asked.

"Well, it's been a while since we've hung out, so I figured I would see if you wanted to talk and go out for lunch later." Wendy replied. She then looked next to her friend and saw the Husky. "You must be Shaun, it's nice to finally meet you. Chilli has told me so much about you. Judo really likes you, you know." She said with a smirk.

Shaun and Judo felt their faces turn red while Chilli chuckled a bit at their reactions.

Chilli invited them in and while she and Wendy sat outside on the porch, Shaun and Judo were out in the backyard, trying to figure out what they should do.

"So what kind of games do you usually play?" Shaun asked his friend.

"Oh um, I kinda just play whatever games Bluey or Bingo choose." Judo replied, scratching the back of her neck.

"Do you not play any games with your friends at your school? I know you don't go to Calypso's school because I've never seen you there." Shaun asked a bit abruptly.

"I go to a private school, and I don't really have friends there. Well, there is one girl, but she is a year older than me and doesn't really play the games I play with your sisters." Replied Judo as she played with some blades of grass.

"Oh, I didn't mean to force it out of you, I'm sorry." Shaun responded.

"Don't worry, but are you okay? You seemed a little sad when I saw you at the door." She asked, worried about her friend.

"I was sad, It's my mom's birthday today but she's not… here anymore. However, after Chilli talked to me and seeing you now has made me feel better." He explained with a slight smile.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, but I also feel good hanging out with you." She said with caring eyes.

A small shade of red showed up on Shaun's face before he spoke. "U-uh I have an idea! Why don't we draw?" He suggested, trying to hide his feelings.

"Yeah, let's do that! I don't know what else we could do."

Shaun and Judo asked their mothers if they could go into Shaun's room and draw, and they both said it was okay. The two kids ran upstairs while Chilli and Wendy headed back inside. Inside Shaun's room, he left the door open, grabbed his sketchbook and took out a page from the back to give it to Judo along with some pencils.

"I must admit, I haven't drawn in a while, so it won't look so good." Judo confessed.

"It's fine, I wasn't that good when I started, but you get better with practice." Shaun replied.

He then showed her his drawings, starting with when he first got his sketchbook and his newer drawings.

"Wow Shaun, these are really good." Judo said shocked at how good he is at drawing.

"I'm alright, mom helped me a lot." He said with a smile.

They both started drawing. After they were done, they showed each other what they made, Judo went first.

"I drew me and my mom." Judo said while showing Shaun the drawing of her and her mom standing next to each other smiling.

"Hey, that's pretty good." Shaun told her, that made her wag her tail.

"What did you draw?" Judo asked trying to get a peek at his drawing.

"I drew you!" He turned his sketchbook around to show her a detailed picture of herself. Judo's tail wagged even more.

"Wow… that's amazing! I love it!" She replied. Shaun's tail started to wag as well.

Before Shaun could say anything, Chilli walked inside the room.

"Hey kiddos, we are heading out for lunch." She told Husky and Chow Chow.

"Okay Mom!" Shaun replied.

"Shaun's Mom look what we made." Judo showed the red Heeler her drawing and Shaun also showed his.

"Wackadoo! You kids are so talented!" She exclaimed, happy for the kids. Especially Shaun for how much he has improved. "Wendy and I will be waiting downstairs so don't take so long coming down you too." She said as she walked outside the room.

She stopped on the stairs to text Bandit that she and Shaun would be out getting lunch with Wendy and Judo while also sending him a picture she had taken earlier of the kids' drawing.

Shaun and Judo were about to leave the room. "Here Judo, you can have my drawing." He said, handing her the picture.

"Oh, are you sure Shaun?" She replied, wondering if it was okay.

"Yeah, it's fine. I want you to have it." Shaun said scratching his neck. Judo looked at the drawing and looked back at Shaun and gave him a small kiss on the side of his muzzle. He froze in place as his face turned a bright red.

"Race you downstairs!" Judo yelled as she left the room.

"H-hey no fair!" Shaun yelled out, running out of the room to catch up to her.