Page 6 of Black Dog

“Heard that.” Ram smiled smugly.

“Of course you did. Just look at the size of those ears.”

“I happen to know you like the size of these ears,” Ram said.

“Great Paddy, do no’ start this,” Helm said. “The two of you have a room on the premises for carryin’ on.” He shook his head, but secretly loved the fact that his parents had so much affection for each other that it constantly spilled over. “I see no’ much has changed.”

Elora pivoted to a new subject without warning. “We’re having your stew and soda bread.”

Helm grinned. “Right now? Excellent. ‘Cause I’m starvin’.”

“’Course you’re starvin’,” Ram said. “You’re fourteen. But no. We’re eatin’ dinner at dinner time. You can stuff your face with stuff your sisters made earlier.”

He laughed. “I’m thinkin’ that means they made a complete haymes of it. Where are they?”

He’d barely got the question out when his sisters came running into an already crowded mud room with their own version of welcome; squeals, hugs around the waist, and jumping up and down. Helm was thinking that homecoming wasn’t all bad. It could only do a fella good to be reminded how much he meant to his people.

Charlie Sweeney had told his mother he’d be home for Yule. The widow, Mav Sweeney lived a quarter mile from the Hawking place on a tiny farm that the family had managed to keep through thick and thin. The little house was rustic, white stucco and small; no bigger than the smallest city apartment. Still, Charlie invited his friend and business associate, Jack Doyle to come home with him since Jack had no one and nowhere to go.

The light was failing when they passed the Hawking farm, but it wasn’t so dark that the sight of a large black German Shepherd racing down the hill didn’t catch their eyes.

The two men exchanged a meaningful look before Jack’s face spread into a wicked smile. “Looks like Yule’ll be good to me after all this year.”

After a minute Charlie said, “They’re my mum’s neighbors.”

“Aye,” said Jack. “Your mum’srichneighbors. Bet they ne’er did a thing for her.”

Charlie sighed, silently agreeing that was probably true.

In fact, the Hawkings were generous with their neighbors. They made sure that people in their little corner of the world had fuel for warmth in winter, enough to eat, and help of the amateur veterinary variety, which Ram could manage in a pinch. Earlier that day Elora and the twins had delivered feasts they’d made themselves to several neighboring families.

But the idea of a well-off family being kind to those less fortunate didn’t fit the rationalization that people who lived in a place like the pretty farm and kennel had some bad luck coming to them.

“Did you get a look at that big fucker? Moran might turn loose a commissionanda smile.”

“Bloody unlikely. In any case, we’re doin’ Yule with my mum.”

“Aye. To be sure. That hound’s not goin’ anywhere.”

“That was no hound.”

Jack grunted.

CHAPTER TWO

Elora thought nothing could be more heavenly than the scene in front of her. Rammel, the twins, and Helm laughing and arguing over some board game while Blackie looked on from his braided rug bed by the centuries-old fireplace. He caught her staring at him and raised his head as if to say, “You need me?”

She walked over, squatted down, and rubbed his favorite petting spot behind his ears. “Have I told you lately how much I love you? How glad I am that you’re my dog?”

There were words that Blackie understood, but whole sentences were beyond him. Still, he read the sentiment behind the words loud and clear. He gave her wrist a tiny lick kiss and lowered his head to rest on his paws, all the better for watching Elora fuss with presents under the tree.

Ram rose from the table. “Time to see to the wolves.” Ram never referred to the wolf-dogs as anything but wolves. He gave Helm a pointed look that said, “Home for the holidays means home in every sense of the word, includin’ chores.”

Helm knew there was no point in arguing and, had his soul been bared, it would have revealed that Helm had always liked working with his da, even if he put up a show of complaining. He stopped in the mudroom to shrug on a puffy coat and pulled a knit hat down over his ears.

Once outside and walking toward the outbuildings, Ram said, “’Twas nice of you to come home with gifts for your mum and your sisters.” Helm laughed. “What’s funny?”

“You think I forgot ye?” Ram started to protest, but allowed a sheepish smile to tag him as caught. Helm laughed again. “Got you somethin’, too, Da. Although ‘tis no’ easy to find the right thing for the fuckin’ prince of Irish elves, Hall of Heroes inductee, master of the uni…”

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