by Joel Baker
It was when Nina glanced over towards the baby, that she saw the giant head of Max, staring through the window at the baby. Oh no, Nina thought. Not again!
“Molly,” Nina called. “Can you come in here?”
When she looked back at the window, Max was gone. Molly came rushing into the room.
“What’s wrong?” Molly asked.
“That dog was back at the window,” Nina said. “He was just staring at the baby again. He’s up to something, I just know it.”
“I don’t think so,” Molly said. “The dogs aren’t like that.”
Molly walked over to the cradle and peered into the smiling face of Jessica Lynn. The baby arched her little back trying to see out the window, now empty.
“The baby seems aware that Max is watching her,” Molly said.
“I don’t like it,” Nina said. “That dog is up to no good, I tell you.”
Molly had talked to Shannon and Matthew the first time she’d caught Max staring through the window at the baby. They had a hard time believing it was even happening. It just wasn’t something the dogs would do.
One night Shannon couldn’t get to sleep. She got out of bed to get a drink of water. She happened to glance out the window to see Max, lit by a full moon, looking into Jessica Lynn’s cradle. It was creepy, how the dog just sat there.
“Max,” Shannon said. “What are you doing?”
Watching, Max said.
“Do you want to come in by Jessica Lynn’s bed?” Shannon asked.
No, Max said.
Shannon grabbed a shawl and walked out on the porch. She felt the cool air and breeze from the north. She looked up at the full moon and the clouds racing across its face. It really was a beautiful spring night. Shannon walked around the side of house, and saw the large black shape of Max sitting in front of the window.
The ground sloped upward towards the side of the canyon. Shannon walked up and sat on the ground behind Max. After a few minutes, Shannon was starting to regret all she wore was a nightgown and the shawl.
“Can I ask you a question?” Shannon asked.
You just did, Max said.
“I guess I did,” Shannon said laughing. “Why do you sit out here by Jessica Lynn’s window?”
She told me to, Max said. It’s to keep her company.
“But she’s so little,” Shannon said. “She may not even know you’re here.”
She knows, Max said.
Shannon remained silent as she thought about what Max had said. She had a mother’s sense that something was different. Something had happened, and they were only beginning to understand the magnitude of what was taking place.
Up till now, everyone had assumed the dogs had changed, and Max was controlling the dogs. Maybe it wasn’t the dogs at all. Shannon felt a chill run down her back. Maybe it wasn’t even Max. Maybe it was the baby…
***
Matthew had been hauling logs off the sides of the canyon for firewood all morning. It was the first of April and spring was alive all over the canyon. The river finally settled back between its normal banks. The spring runoff had been fierce and it looked for a while like the river would overflow its banks.
Matthew pulled the logs over by the wood shed and the crosscut saw. He dismounted, loosened the ropes on the logs and used his cant hook to roll the logs into a pile. One of the logs rolled back on his toe. Matthew jumped around on one leg, holding his injured toe until the pain eased.
He happened glance towards the river and saw Fala, covering her mouth with her hand. It was obvious she was laughing. When she saw Matthew looking her way, she turned and walked quickly away.
Matthew sprinted after Fala, catching up with her a hundred yards downstream. She turned when she heard him and waited by the river.
“Hi, Fala,” Matthew said, a little out of breath.
“Hi,” Fala said looking up at him.
“I thought it was about time for us to talk,” Matthew said, taking his hat off, and looking down at the ground.
“Listen,” Fala said. “I’m sorry I was laughing at your hurt toe. But it was awfully funny.”
Fala flashed her radiant smile at Matthew, and he thought his knees would buckle.
“That smile,” He said, shaking his head with a sheepish grin on his face. “That smile is just one of the many reasons I love you, Fala.”
***
Shannon asked Molly to call a meeting of all the family. It was too warm inside, so they decided to sit out on the porch. They all carried straight back chairs, setting them a semicircle facing the yard.
Molly stood and covered a few things that were a priority. One was that the larder was getting low on staples, and another trip to Pueblo or Alamosa would be necessary soon.
While she was talking, she noticed Matthew kept glancing toward Nate and Nina’s cabin.
“Matthew,” Molly said. “You seem distracted. Is there a problem/”
“No,” Matthew said, blushing a little. “No problems.”
“Listen,” Shannon said. “We’ve all been through the heady days of first love, brother. The good news is both you and Fala will survive. Is there going to be an announcement in the near future?”
“Mom?” Matthew asked. ‘Didn’t you call this meeting?”
“Shannon, leave your brother alone,” Molly said laughing. “I did bring us out here for a reason. Shannon has something she wants to discuss with us. Shannon?”
“Let me start by telling you, there is very little I actually know,” Shannon said. “But I have a theory about why the dogs are trying to pull away from us.”
Shannon looked around the circle and saw she had everyone’s attention. She just wasn’t sure how to begin.
“We all know the history of the dogs and the Colter family,” Shannon began. “We also know the dogs continue to evolve, generation to generation. We’ve marveled at each turn in the road, and felt blessed by the friends of our family.”
Shannon looked at everyone and smiled.
“While all that was going on, there was something we missed,” Shannon said pausing. “The whole time the dogs were changing, they were changing us. When Samson bonded with Matthew and me, he changed us in a fundamental way. He changed us in a way, none of us could comprehend. As a result, I and Matthew were able to communicate with the dogs, and they with us.”
Dalton shook his head and looked down at the floor. These things happened, but it was difficult to hear Shannon talk about it. But there was no turning back now. He looked up and nodded for Shannon to continue.
“None of us knew how this happened,” Shannon said. “We just accepted it. I grew up with Jezebel as my best friend, and then I met a certain strange, handsome man.”
“Oh, yeah. Sure,” Dalton said. “I’m the strange one.”
“Anyway,” Shannon said, waiting for the others to stop laughing. “The dogs changed again and Max emerged with skills, intelligence, and capabilities we can only still guess at. Not long after Max became leader, Jessica Lynn made her entrance into the world. Jessica Lynn, born to someone who can communicate with dogs, is also different.”
“Different? How?” Molly asked obvious concern on her face.
“We know Max was talking with her while she was still in the womb” Shannon said. “For a long time, we had no idea it was even possible. So for almost a year now the baby has been building a bond of her own. Building a bond with the smartest and most powerful animal any of us has ever seen. Max.”
“You’re serious?” Molly said. “You think Jessica might control Max?”
“I don’t think Jessica Lynn controls Max,” Shannon said. “I think she makes suggestions that Max follows without question. The real test will be as the baby gets older. I believe we are at the start of some very interesting times. For now, be glad we’re living off by ourselves, away from other people.”
“Why?” James asked.
“We can just see Jessica getting angry at a little playmate over a doll,” Dalton said. �
�And the dogs ripping the playmate and the doll to pieces.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that” James said. “But I see what you mean. We need to be aware of anything unusual between the baby and the dogs.”
***
Matthew and Fala held hands as they walked along the river. They led their horses by their bridles. Nina had finished the beadwork on the wedding dress for Fala. The wedding was set for September eighteenth. It should be cool by then, because it was hot as Hades now. August in Colter Canyon was like being on a griddle. Fortunately, once they were out of sight from the cabins, the two of them could cool off in the river.
Matthew had proposed to Fala last June. With all that happened, the answer was no surprise to anyone. Matthew and Shannon sat down with Fala, and told her about the dogs, and their relationship to them.
Shannon held baby Jessica Lynn while they talked. The baby was now six months old, and very alert. She watched the exchange between her mommy and the others with interest.
Whenever her name was mentioned, Jessica Lynn paid special attention. She could only understand a few of the words, but she followed all the thoughts. Now her mommy was talking about her. How she was special friends with Max, and the other dogs.
That was wrong. Baby was only special friends with Max. Max loved baby. Baby loved Max. Max would always look out for baby. Max would always do what baby wanted. That made baby very happy.
Where is Max? Baby wondered. I think I’ll call him.
Here doggy, doggy. Nice doggy…
