Chapter 23: Dog's Best Friend (Epilogue)

My eyes opened and I immediately lifted my body upwards, looking around. I find myself in a familiar setting…it's my bedroom…our bedroom.

D-does this mean…I'm back in my world?

Everything looks like it's "normal" it doesn't look cartoonish anymore. I look down to see my hands: they're soft and pink again…no fur. I-I'm human again, I'm myself again!

It appears it's morning…the sun is just coming up with blue light just starting to show against the blinds of our window.

I sighed deeply as if relieved, but suddenly a disturbing thought filled my mind. What if everything I went through these past few weeks: waking up in Bluey's world, meeting the Heelers, living and learning with them…then leaving…was all just a dream?

No…I refuse to believe it was all fake…it felt too real!

Before I could think more about the matter, I heard bedsheets moving and a soft groan as if somebody was waking up. I look to my right and see the person of my life on her side of the bed: Julie. I softly lay a hand on her shoulder, and she looked toward me with a soft (half-woken) smile, "morning."

"Hey" I smiled back before finally getting out of bed. I went into the bathroom and turned on the lights. Looking into my reflection I see a man in his early thirties: light brown eyes, tan skin, stubble on his face…age slowly catching up to him. It's a completely different look than the one I had in my "dream."

I had to face the facts…it was a dream…there was no way that was real. H-how would I even explain it to Julie, seriously? Speaking of her, she entered the bathroom to join me in the double vanity.

"You look like you had the best sleep of your life" she giggled.

I scoffed, smirking back, "yeah…I feel younger" I chuckled.

"Well if you went back to the gym, you'd feel that way every day, Dustin."

"Then I wouldn't have time to spend with you."

"Consider getting a home gym then" she smirked.

"Sure, let's borrow the machines from Fit4Less, it's 5 minutes down the road."

She just rolled her eyes at that.

We both got ready for the day: brushing our teeth, showering, all that stuff. Not long after, we made breakfast, and thoughts from my "dream" came back after I glanced over to Julie (who was making coffee.)

I thought about all the things I had learned or was told by the anthropomorphic canines. Whether they were real or not, it didn't matter…it all had a point.

"J-Julie…" I opened as she set down the coffee mug and looked toward me, "I didn't mean what I said before…"

Pregnant Julie looked at me, I had her undivided attention, so I continued, "I want to be there for Kailey…for you…always." I said, leaning closer. Julie said nothing at first and initially, I anticipated the worst coming, but all she did was smile and walk across the counter to hug me. We embraced and I sighed.

"You'll do great, Dustin."

I knew everything would be alright.

…

It's 2019…a few years since Julie gave birth to Kailey…she's roughly four and a half years old now. She's doing great, learning a lot in junior kindergarten and at home. There's hardly a time when I see a frown on her face, and if she does: Julie and I are always there to cheer our little angel up!

I've done my best to raise her right, being the loving father that I was inspired to be (thanks Bandit.) It's been a bumpy ride, but certainly an enjoyable one to say the least.

One day, after picking up Kailey from school, we sat down to watch some of her favorite cartoons while Julie folded clothes next to us (I helped of course, but if I'm honest yeah…I got distracted on my phone a bit.)

A few minutes after the show ended, I went to get a beverage from the fridge, "I'll be back, girls."

"Okay!" Kailey smiled as she hummed a song out loud…laying on her belly while drawing something on her sheets.

As I entered the kitchen, got my favorite soda: I heard it…it sounded like a high pitch song…one I heard before and never forgot. I can't wrap my head around where it's from…oh well.

After leaving the kitchen, and the music getting louder…I heard the voices…four of them…all VERY familiar to me.

Once I caught sight of the four colorful creatures my heart stopped…in fact: it felt as though the world around me grinded to a halt. My eyes widened upon realizing who they were.

It…it can't be…but…it's true!

On the television screen, being broadcast as a show was the Heeler family! Bandit, Chili, Bingo, and Bluey…all dancing…taking part in musical statues…very similar to how we did it before I left. As soon as it's Bluey left and she jumps in the air…a white logo appears on her head. It's her name.

I am left in silence…appalled by what just happened, but soon every begins playing out as if it were just a Saturday morning cartoon show…

I-I don't understand this…how can this be!? They look EXACTLY like they did when I last saw them…

I don't remember ever seeing this before having my "dream…" so was it actually real? It all felt too real…it couldn't have been…but I remember everything vividly even though it's been years!

"Oh, what show is this?" Julie asked, smiling. Our daughter looked behind her and smiled widely, "it's on Disney Junior, my friends showed me!"

"It looks adorable, a bunch of adorable cartoon dogs!" Julie giggled.

"So adorable!" Kailey added, screeching in delight.

Now that I thought about it, the way Kailey acted reminded me a lot of Bluey…or Bingo…maybe both?

"Dustin…are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost"

I snap myself out of my trance and shake it off…deciding to join them, "y-y-yeah, just thought about something at work, is all."

I decided to investigate further, watching some "episodes." Every character and every setting is exactly how I remembered them. The only difference (and it's a big one) is that I wasn't there. It's as if I never went to Bluey's world in the first place but everything is the same otherwise.

Kailey was drawing the Heeler family on her sheets. I smiled at them, "those look good, you should consider drawing more often, kiddo!"

"Thanks, Dad!"

As we watched a few episodes that aired, I went online on my phone to check…yup, there it was…on Wikipedia, etc.

"What's it say about the show?" Julie asked, leaning towards me.

I stuttered, looking back and forth between her and the phone, "um…it's an Australian show…"

"That explains their accents."

"Can we go to Bluey's place someday!"

"Oh honey, sure one day!" Julie playfully agreed.

I sat there, scoffing a bit: so…the world I supposedly ended up in…was just a cartoon show made for kids made by a company in Brisbane. Inside I felt sad…thinking maybe by sheer coincidence I thought everything up…that I subconsciously dreamed about this show. In a way, I suppose at least Bluey, and the others exist in one form or another than not at all.

W-wait a minute…when I left for Bluey's Universe the year was 2015…and it says on my phone the show came out in 2018…with the pilot being released just 2 years before in 2016! What does this mean…that I'm crazy or something!?

I look away from my phone to see Kaily almost next to the television screen…along with Julie…joining her side. Both are imitating Bluey and Bingo's movement and speech…already invested in the characters.

"Bluey's my favorite!" Kailey hopped up and down.

"He reminds me a bit of Blue's Clues."

"She" I added, still seated in my chair…correcting her…knowing this fact for so long about Bluey. Julie looked at me with a raised brow. I soon tried to damage control, "uh, it says so here on their wiki."

She chuckled, "oh…okay."

"Hey dad! Look at what I drew!" She ran up to me with her paper so I could see. I looked at the sketch she had made, and I smiled widely, "oh wow, hun, that's great! You need to teach your old man how to draw as well as you!"

"Hehe!" She gave me the drawing and returned to "mom" by the television set. I set the artwork beside me. Heh, maybe I should honestly start drawing again…

My attention is soon turned toward Bluey and Bingo hugging…as if they were apologizing to one another in one of the episodes.

Then…something unexpected happened. Both cartoon dogs looked at me…right at me…as they hugged. I don't mean they just looked at the viewer as if they were animated to…no, I mean, I looked right at me specifically. I looked into their eyes and knew it was meant for me. I matched their stare, and it felt like the whole world around me stopped again. Soon enough, I couldn't help but smile…as if I understood their message. They're real…everything that happened to me was real. I nodded to them before the two girls nodded back.

You guys saved me, I thought to myself.

I think at that moment I understood the importance of everything and how important Bluey and her family are to me…and now Kailey. In that brief moment, I kept my head high for Julie and our daughter.

Not a second later, Bluey and Bingo are interrupted by Judo…who shouts, "ring, ring" offscreen…and everything follows on-script shortly afterward.

I sighed as I looked at my family, they didn't seem to notice what had happened…as if it only happened to me…and me only.

And so, the episode continued, and I kept watching Bluey with my family…thankful that I learned the Lesson of Family from the Heelers. Now I felt happy knowing they will hold a special place in not just my life, but my daughter's life as well…and for millions of people around the world too.

Thank you Heelers…for the lesson.

The end.

...

Holy freeholy! And that's a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it! It was quite the long journey since writing this last year and now it's completed.

If you loved this story, be sure to check out my other stories on my profile: "You and I" "The Wild Robot" "Brothers" and "50,000 Volts."

I appreciate you all taking the time out of your day to read my story. Take care!