Page 37 of Chelsea’s Knight

“Poseidon said tomorrow was soon enough, although I think one of the things he’s got to share you’re gonna appreciate the fuck out of,” he quietly replies.

The noise level is absolutely insane as we move toward the tables where the old ladies are all set up, their newborns all cradled in loving arms until they see my woman. Then, I hear each of my brothers being called to get their daughter as one by one, they rush Chelsea, stopping just in front of her and Smokey.

“Okay, just saying, but that’s the biggest dog I think I’ve ever seen,” Gia states while gingerly moving in to hug Chelsea. Smokey steps to the side, still in close proximity to Chelsea, but it gives the women the breathing room they apparently need in order to approach my old lady.

“Is that even possible?” I question, seeing nothing but arms wrapped around one another, my woman somewhere in the midst of the hormonal pit.

“I’ve given up asking that when it comes to our women,” Poseidon remarks, handing me a beer. “Glad to have y’all back home, brother. Appreciate the way y’all figured out how we can help The Sanctuary, too.”

Atlas overhears him and we both start laughing. “Yeah, well, it was Chelsea’s idea. We just kind of ran with it is all,” Atlas gasps out through his laughter. “Those asses wouldn’t let us pay foranyof our dogs and I know what one like mine and Patsy’s costs.”

“Yeah, Chelsea said her grandparents checked into one for her many years ago, but the cost was prohibitive then. I think we may need to consider reaching out to other clubs to see if we can do a run of some sort with the proceeds going to a fund to train more dogs. So many of our brothers are former military and they could be struggling. A dog like Koba…,” I start to say.

“There’s no dog like him,” Atlas proudly interrupts. “Even Nick said he and the trainers he knows have never known a dog to do some of the shit he does.”

* * *

“You glad to finally be alone, Chels?” I ask, hours later.

After the impromptu cookout and welcome home party.

After directing all of my brothers as to where the many bags we bought needed to go.

After searching through each of the bags to find the gift bags she had started while we were in Texas for each of the babies.

After handing said bags out to each of the new mommas, who ooo’hed and aaah’ed over the little outfits Chelsea picked up for them from Buc-ee’s, then they each cried happy tears when they saw the sparkly, girly-girl ornaments my woman found at Cracker Barrel. She even had bags for the older kids, leaving none of them out in her shopping extravaganza.

“I’m exhausted but strangely exhilarated,” she replies, currently flopped down on the bed as I put away the clean clothes from our suitcases.

She tried to help me, but I could see the tiredness seeping into her face and since I wasn’t inclined to deal with her having an episode that we could prevent, I told her to chill.

“It’s because you’re plugged back into your people,” I surmise, zipping up the second suitcase and pushing it toward the closet.

“You were with me,” she points out, rolling to her side so she can see me.

“I know, sweetness, but I’m never gonna have chick bits so you were missing the estrogen,” I tease.

“Chick bits? I’m kinda glad youwon’thave them, thank you very much,” she jests. “But maybe you’re right. I know I’m a background kind of person and I’m totally fine with that, however, I missed being available to help with the babies and kids, or talk over a recipe with Momma M and Mary. All of y’all have become my family, whether you wanted to be or not.”

Finally done with my self-imposed task, I flop down on the mattress and pull her into my arms. We’re already ready for bed in a sense, with her in one of her fucking adorable pajama sets while I’ve got a pair of lounge pants on. I seem to run hotter than she does, so a T-shirt is not the norm at night unless it’s fucking freezing out and we haven’t hit that kind of weather yet.

Of course, we typically don’t being this far south, but it’s been known to happen.

Hearing a snuffle, I glance over to the bed where Smokey and Cooper are curled up. “They had a big day too, Chels.”

She giggles, sounding sleepy, as she replies, “Yeah, they did. Long car ride, being forced to share their space with Christmas ornaments, then meeting two more dogs, as well as a lot of new people. Smokey did well, though.”

“Yeah, he did.” When I catch her yawning, I pull her close, kiss her forehead then state, “Sleep, Chelsea. I’ll take them out one last time later on, okay? But you need your rest.”

“If you say so.” Her words are slightly slurred but given the fact Smokey isn’t alerting right now, I figure it’s due to her being more asleep than awake.

Both Nick and Patrick both stated that seizure dogs don’t alert prior to a seizure actually happening, they pick up on cues alerting them that something’s not right with their owner and put themselves in the position to help keep them safe.

Having seen Smokey in actual action while at The Sanctuary one day, I want to call bullshit because my old lady was acting perfectly fine. She hadn’t said anything about weird visual issues, or slurred her words, none of the things she made sure I knew usually happened before a seizure hit. That afternoon, though, after they were done training, we were enjoying a rare bit of time alone so went into town. Smokey started crowding her and acting as though he was on high alert about thirty minutes or so before the seizure. By that time, she was in a safe place, and I watched in absolute awe while Smokey used his own body to lower her to the ground, then he nudged her until she was on her side with him pressed against her back. While I called for emergency services, he continued using his body mass to keep her from hitting anything nearby. What was even more incredible, at least to me, was Cooper followed Smokey’s lead and he definitely isn’t a therapy dog of any kind.

He’s more like comic relief, actually. I watch him burrow beneath the blanket he dragged off the bottom of the bed, only his ass end sticking out.

“Silly ass dog,” I mutter, cuddling my woman in close.

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