Page 28 of Love's Harvest
In the living room, she changed a few things around, replaced other pieces like bowls that had no meaning, added baskets to hold books and other items the girls used, and put a new silk plant in a corner to dress up the room.
While she was working, Luke came inside.Sarah pulled a new dog bed out of a bag and looking at him, she said, “Shall we put this in the kitchen where you can see everything?”
He followed her as she placed it by the stationary end of the sliding-glass door.“There.You have some sunshine.What do you think?”
Luke wagged his tail and sniffed it carefully before turning around and around and lying down in it.
She got out dog dishes for him and filled one with water, putting it in an open space at the end of the counter.She watched him lick some water and then he looked up at her, wagging his tail.
“Oh, Luke.You’re going to have so much love here in your new home.”She rubbed his ears, and chuckled when he gave her a doggy smile.
She went outside with him and watched as he sniffed every corner of the yard.He went over to the swing set near the house and sniffed it too.
“The girls are going to love you,” said Sarah.“I’m going to get them now.Come.You need to wait inside until I bring them to you.”
Sarah cleaned up the mess in the living room, closed the doors to her bedroom, told Luke she’d be right back, and went to the car to pick up the girls.
###
On the way home, both girls were talking at once.“What’s the surprise?Is it big?No, it’s small, isn’t it?
“I want to see it first,” said Mia, uncharacteristically selfish.
“The surprise is for all of us to share.His name is Luke, and he’s a big dog you’ll love.He’s very friendly and very loving.You must be kind to him.”
“A dog!Really?”said Emily, bursting into tears.“We’ve always wanted a dog.”
“He’s ours?”asked Mia.
“Yes, his name is Luke.I’m telling you now so when you come into the house, you’ll allow him time to meet you.He’s lived with someone else.We’re giving him a new home.We need to be very gentle, very kind to him.Understand?”
She pulled into the driveway and looked in the rearview mirror for their agreement.
Both girls were nodding their heads, looking serious.
“Okay,” said Sarah.“Please follow me to the front door.We’ll greet him there.”
“Hurry,” said Emily tugging Sarah’s hand.
The girls stood quietly behind her as she unlocked the door.When she opened it, Luke was at the door growling softly.
When he saw her, he wiggled his tail, licked her hand, and then, eying the girls carefully, he went over to them and sniffed them.
“He’s yellow,” said Mia.
“And big,” Emily said, holding out her hand to him.
Mia patted him on the head.Then Emily.
Luke wagged his tail and pranced around them in excitement as they walked into the living room.But there was nothing threatening about him.
“Why don’t you girls sit on the floor and let him come to you?”said Sarah, content with how things were going.
She stood by, watching carefully to see that the girls were careful with him, and he remained content to see them.
“I love him already,” said Mia, patting Luke’s head.He was lying between the girls, allowing them to pet him.
“I love him more,” Emily said, and Sarah realized she’d been smart to go with an older dog rather than having two kittens, as she’d first thought.
