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by Kris Bryant

  After the kids left, the four of them fell into chairs, exhausted.

  “I don’t know how teachers do it,” Faith said. She put her head on her desk. “Even though this is a great idea, I feel beat up.”

  Natalie took off her hat and ran her fingers through her hair. “We’ll get through this. I think it went well, but yeah. I could use a nap.”

  Both David and Joshua were pumped. Not that Natalie didn’t enjoy her job, but now that she had a family, she was more excited to be done with the day and get home to them. Since she was going to be gone next Monday, Betty was planning to fill in. Natalie never took time off. She always felt guilty or that something bad would happen if she was gone. Disneyland was a big step for her. Four days off was a long time.

  When it was time to go home, she and Henry climbed into the patrol car. “You were such a good boy with the kids. I hope you’re okay with it.” Henry wagged his tail. She knew he probably didn’t understand her, but her tone was gentle, and he always responded sweetly when she spoke softly. It was amazing how much love she’d found in less than a year. First Sarah, then Harley, then Henry. Even her mother was livelier and more involved in her life now that Natalie had a family.

  Seventeen years ago, the most popular girl in high school had kissed her. And it wasn’t a dare or a bet. It was something she wanted to do. And Natalie was surprised at how quickly she’d accepted Sarah’s kiss. She hadn’t hesitated at all. Instinct had kicked in, and she’d kissed her back as though it was something they did all the time.

  When Sarah had slipped quietly back into town, Natalie had known they were meant to be together. Life and love were richer with Sarah and Harley. Everything had meaning, and the world was more colorful. Seeing life through the eyes of a seven-year-old was precious, and Natalie felt blessed to be a part of their lives. And the big furry guy next to her? She had so much love for him, she thought her heart would burst. She gave his head a pat and shook his paw when he offered it. “I’m ready to see the girls. How about you?” She laughed when he licked her cheek. “You are, too. Okay, Henry. Let’s go home.”

  Henry

  Something exploded inside Ellen Connors and woke her from her midafternoon nap. She had drifted off sometime after eating a small lunch and drinking her cup of tea. The pressure in her chest made her sit up sharply, and she dropped to her knees. She hadn’t fallen far, but the tumble shocked her joints, and her hip, recently replaced, burned like fire. She hissed and expelled the air from her lungs and breathed in short little bursts as if she were in labor. The pain was worse than she ever imagined. Damn it, she wasn’t ready to go. Not like this. She had to reach the barn before she left this world.

  Determination kept her damaged heart pumping. She pulled herself up but remained bent over, with her fist at her chest as if the pressure of her hand would relieve some of the ache. She couldn’t find the key to the barn, but she would figure out a way to get inside once she made it to the door. If she made it, she prayed. The throbbing in her chest had subsided, or she had pushed through the sharpness of it. It was as if her body knew she still had one final thing to do. Thankfully, the door was unlocked, and she was able to grasp the handle and push her frail body through it. The golden retriever tied up in the barn looked slightly malnourished and eyed her warily.

  “My sweet, sweet boy. Are you okay?” She hadn’t seen her dog for months, and tears sprang to her eyes when she saw what her son had done to her one true love left in this world. She slowly slid down the stall wall and pled for the dog to come to her. He paced back and forth and eventually slowed when he recognized she wasn’t going to hurt him. She held out a cookie that she had stashed in the pocket of her cardigan. He snatched it from her and crunched hungrily. Ellen dug around in her pockets for anything else for him to eat but came up empty. “Come here, Henry.”

  She’d named him after her late husband, William Henry Connors, and he had been her companion for almost four years. When her son had moved back to the area to take care of her after she fell and broke her hip three months ago, he’d put Henry in the barn. He’d promised to take care of him, and after she healed, the dog would be welcomed back in the house. Even though she begged to see him while she recovered, her son always made excuses. Anger had fueled the last few minutes of her life.

  “I won’t have you living like this.” She clenched her teeth, scooted to the stake that held him a prisoner, and worked hard on the rope around his neck. She accepted his gentle kisses while she struggled to loosen the tight knot. Once he was free, she lay on the straw and looked at him. “I’m so sorry, Henry. Please forgive me. I didn’t know you weren’t being cared for. Go now. Before he returns. Go find a better home.”

  She pressed her fist to her chest again and watched as he struggled between staying and leaving. She shooed him away when they heard a car door slam, and once he escaped, she closed her eyes. Her son was an asshole. How did two nice people like herself and Will raise such a spoiled, heartless, selfish man? Well, the joke was on him. She’d left everything, including the money in the two bank accounts, the house, and the land, to the Oregon Humane Society. She had ensured that the will was iron-clad, and after she’d seen how Henry was treated, the pinch of guilt in her heart that she hadn’t left anything to her only child was erased. She no longer cared that her son got nothing. She relaxed and closed her eyes for the last time. The final prayer that left her heart was that Henry find a family who would love him as much as she did.

  * * *

  Henry learned the hard way to trust no one. He knew his owner wanted him to leave the bad place, so he ran. He wandered through fields and thick woods, not knowing where to go. He never stopped unless he was exhausted. Food came in the form of anything he could find in trash cans, dumpsters, and bags tossed out of windows near the highway. Sometimes begging worked at rest stops and gas stations. Most people assumed he belonged to somebody. Children were good at giving him food. He wouldn’t take it from their hands but would wait until they dropped it on the ground or threw it his way. He had a better chance of finding food and remaining inconspicuous in smaller towns. People didn’t question a loose dog as much as they did in the big cities.

  Once, he found a solitary bag outside a grocery store with a whole chicken that he managed to dig out before somebody chased him away. He liked this town. Cars drove slower, and people talked to one another. And the stores smelled wonderful. They reminded him of his old home, when his owner baked cookies and cakes and gave him samples and asked him what he thought. He always approved. This store smelled familiar. Maybe somebody here would take him home. He was so happy at the thought that when the woman with the big hat approached him, he let her pet him. She was nice and didn’t seem threatening at all. Maybe she was his new person.

  * * *

  Guns scared him. Their loud booming sound made him cower in fear. When the man shot at him, he almost left the town for good. He stopped running when he heard her voice. She was angry at the man with the gun. He almost went to her when she called out for him, but he was frightened. He didn’t want her to get hurt, so he ran. It took days, but he finally found her house in the small town. He knew she lived there because her scent was everywhere. The house was dark though. He would have to wait until morning to see her again. He squeezed through a loose board in the shed at the end of the driveway, found a blanket in the corner of the dry place, and curled up to sleep. He felt safe for the first time. He was hungry, but now that he had found his person, he knew she would take care of him.

  She cooked for him, like his old owner had. And when he sneaked onto her bed to protect her at night, she didn’t make him get down. She snuggled with him instead. The bath wasn’t great, but he liked smelling better than dirt and garbage. He sat like a good boy when she brushed him. She was so gentle with him and made sure all his tangles were gone. She made sure he always had food and fresh water. She was reserved with him, though, and he desperately wanted her to love him. Maybe over time he would show her t
hat he wasn’t going to run away. Not anymore.

  When the little girl went missing, he knew he had to do something. He saw how his new person was upset and distraught. He would help. He knew the woods well after spending weeks in them. There were plenty of places for the little girl to hide, especially if she was scared like he was. His person called out for him, but he kept running, determined to help. When he found the little girl, it was dark, and she was crying. He smelled fear on her and approached her cautiously. He wagged his tail and crawled to her, showing her his belly. He meant no harm. He wanted to protect her until his person showed up. When the little girl put her arms around his neck and cried, he vowed to get her home safely. They fell asleep inside a hollowed tree trunk, and he kept her warm. In the morning he would find his person and get her to safety.

  The birds were singing, so he knew it was going to be light soon. The little girl was sleeping hard, so now was the time to find help. He sneaked away and ran fast through the forest. He knew where his person lived and was going to run straight for her house. When he heard her calling out for the little girl, he barked. She was here, just like he hoped she would be. He barked again. She yelled for him. He raced to her and barked, saying he knew where the little girl was and that she needed to follow him. Once he’d led her to the little girl, he lay down and watched as his person and the little girl cried. He knew he’d done a good thing. He was never going to leave them again.

  When the little girl and her mother moved in with them, he was so happy. He was living his best life. He was always with somebody and never alone or tied up. Most of the time, he was with his person, but sometimes he would walk the little girl to school and stay at the library with her mom. He loved his new life. He had found three people who loved him, a town who accepted him, especially when he rode in the important car with the red and blue lights, and most importantly, a loving place he could again call home.

  About the Author

  Multi-award-winning author Kris Bryant was born in Tacoma, Washington, but has lived all over the world and now considers Kansas City her home. She received her BA in English from the University of Missouri and spends a lot of her time buried in books. She enjoys hiking, photography, spending time with her family, and her dog, Molly (who gets more attention than she does on Facebook).

  Her first novel, Jolt, was a Lambda Literary Finalist and Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention. Her second book, Whirlwind Romance, was a Rainbow Runner-up for Contemporary Romance. Taste was a Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention for Contemporary Romance. Forget Me Not was selected by the American Library Association’s 2018 Over the Rainbow book list and was a Golden Crown finalist for Contemporary Romance. Breakthrough won a 2019 Goldie for Contemporary Romance. Listen was an Ann Bannon Popular Choice finalist and Golden Crown winner. Kris can be reached at krisbryantbooks@gmail or www.krisbryant.net, @krisbryant14.

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