Page 71 of The Road Home
The area was lined with makeshift cages filled with dogs, all of them who seemed to be barking and begging for attention. "Um, a bigger dog. I've never liked the little yappy ones. I always thought if you got a dog it should be one big enough to protect you." Orson shrugged. "Unless you want a little one, of course."
Jared laughed. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't care what you liked. I agree with you on a bigger dog. I'm not looking for a horse, but something big enough to wrestle around with and not have under our feet all the time."
Orson was relieved to hear that. He had a friend with a little dog when he was growing up and it had been the meanest thing. He avoided the little ones a lot faster than the big ones, which made no sense, but once bitten twice shy as they said.
"Let's look and see what there is." Jared started down one of the aisles.
"Didn't you say you like border collies?" Orson remembered a conversation they'd had about growing up.
"Yeah, they're really smart dogs."
"Then let's watch for one." Orson paused to say hi to a black lab that was trying to get his attention through one of the cages.
"He likes you." Jared smiled, standing beside Orson.
"She." One of the workers came to stand by them. "Calamity's young, only a year old, but she's a good dog."
Orson leaned in close, letting the dog lick his cheek through the chain-link. "We'll keep her in mind. We just got here and want to look a bit more." He glanced up at Jared. "Right?"
"Yeah, we might be back." Jared rubbed the side of the dog's nose.
She dropped her head as if sad they didn't want to pay her more attention. Orson bit his lip. "This isn't going to be easy. It's like all my friends on the street. I want them all to have a home."
"I know. Maybe we should have just gone to the shelter where there are fewer dogs to feel guilty about ignoring." Jared frowned as they continued down the aisle.
They walked up and down the rows, both stopping from time to time to say hi to a dog or listen to someone who worked there tell them about the dog. Orson wanted several, but he didn't get the feeling that Jared had found one he connected with too. They both needed to like the dog they picked. Even if in time Orson was going to move out on his own and leave Jared and the dog behind, he wanted a dog they both got along with because he would hopefully still come around a lot once he moved.
"Look." Jared reached for his hand and tugged him to the end of one the cages.
Orson had no choice but to go with him. When they stopped, Jared was on his knees, his face pressed to the chain-link as he talked to a cute black and white border collie.
Orson stayed back, watching Jared interact with the dog. Unlike the others, she didn't jump and bark, begging for attention. She waited for Jared to call her before standing up and making her way to the fence.
"Hi there, beautiful." Jared scratched her the best he could through the chain-link. "Look at her eyes." Jared smiled.
"This is Tippy, named for the white tip on her tail. She's two years old and came to us through an exchange with a shelter in Idaho. All they know about her is she was found near one of the rest stops. She's fixed and up to date on her shots." A young man stood by Orson.
Orson didn't have to ask. He saw the look in Jared's eyes. This was their dog. Orson smiled at the man. "She's calm."
"She is. One of the calmest dogs I've ever seen. I've had her at home through the foster program. She's a great dog. Loves to cuddle, play outside, and go for walks. I have three other dogs at home and she got along with all of them. She even seemed okay with the cats she's been around if that is an issue for you." The man smiled.
"Jared?" Orson gripped his shoulder.
"Do you like her?" Jared didn't even look up at him.
"I don't know, you're hogging her." Orson kneeled beside Jared. "Hey, pretty girl."
The dog sniffed Orson's hand before rubbing up against the fingers he could fit through the chain-link. "Do you want a home?"
The dog sat, her tail wagging as she stared up at them expectantly.
"Do you like her?" Jared looked at Orson, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
"Would you like to spend a few minutes in the cage with her?" The man asked.
Orson laughed. "I'm not sure we need to." The look in Jared's eyes was all he needed to see. This was the dog. For some reason, Jared felt an attachment to it that happened instantly. He wouldn't deny him that. Tippy seemed like a good dog.
"Can we?" Jared asked.
