Hush, Puppy

by Roxanne St Claire

  “Another one of our successes,” Gramma Finnie added as Frank, the dog of many breeds who was also known as the mayor of Bitter Bark, came trotting onto the stage, followed by Connor Mahoney and his fiancée, Sadie Hartman, who were Frank’s chiefs of staff—and the de facto co-mayors.

  A noisy cheer went up for Frank, who stood center stage, flipping a ridiculously long tail, not stopping until Sadie set her orange cat next to him. Then the cat and dog walked over to the side of the stage and settled down for a snooze, earning another raucous cheer and hoots of “Fremi!” from the locals.

  “What’s Fremi?” Summer asked.

  “Frank and Demi, the dog and cat. Our celebrity power couple,” John explained.

  “Yianni.” During the applause, Yiayia leaned very close to John to whisper something only he could hear. “I’m very excited to watch my future great-granddaughter perform.”

  The smile that comment elicited stayed there through the first ten of a total of fifteen performances, which included more than a few locals he recognized from the restaurant and several tourists. All with dogs, all giving decent renditions of some famous songs. One lady sang “I Will Always Love You” with a bearded collie named Seamus who circled her and danced, and a married couple sang “You’re Still the One” while their matching retrievers thumped their tails in a perfect rhythm.

  A few of the dogs barked with the beat of the singer, and one border collie actually performed a trick, but none of them sang.

  “Think she has a chance?” he asked Summer when a young rapper finished, and his Chihuahua took a “down dog” bow for him.

  “I just want her to get through it.”

  “She’ll get through it.” He took her hand between both of his and squeezed. “She’s made of much tougher stuff than you give her credit for.”

  Biting her lip, she looked up at him. “Since she could talk, she’s been singing,” she said softly. “This really is her dream. I know she’s young, but she’s got something so special. I don’t want her stutter to keep her from…anything.”

  “Did you see that girl on the way over here? She’s so ready.”

  Her look said she didn’t agree. “I just don’t want her to go out there, freeze or have some other horrible experience, then never sing again.”

  “That’s not going to happen.” He hoped.

  “Who do we have next, Sadie?” Connor asked into the microphone.

  “A very special guest,” she replied into her own. “This young lady and her Lab puppy are—”

  “Oh God,” Summer squeezed his hand so hard he thought he felt bones crack.

  “—visitors to Bitter Bark, but I have no doubt we’re going to want them back every year!” Sadie finished.

  “Ladies and gentlemen and our esteemed judging panel…” Connor nodded toward the five local business owners who sat at a table in front of the stage. “I give you Destiny Rose and Maverick, singing—get this—original lyrics to what is sure to be a big hit, ‘You Are My Mavvie.’”

  A whimper escaped Summer’s lips as an excited hush fell over the family in the bleachers.

  John tried to breathe and ignore his heart, but all that was forgotten when Des and Mav walked onstage, and the whole audience gave a collective, “Awww!”

  “What about the karaoke machine?” Summer whispered on a gasp. “They can’t possibly play a cassette back there.”

  “Never fear, lass.” Gramma Finnie patted Summer’s hand. “Cassie told me they have ‘Sunshine’ on the playlist. She’ll be just fine.”

  Destiny picked up Mav and stepped to the microphone that Connor had lowered to her height.

  She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and belted out the opening lines. “You are my Mavvie! My little Mavvie. You are the doggy made just for me.”

  When she ended the next line, Mav gave a howl, and throughout all of Bushrod Square, those two voices were all you could hear. Destiny’s clear soprano tone, with not so much as a quiver when she hit a high note, accompanied on certain parts by the crazy wail she’d trained Mav to do.

  With each line, John could feel Summer relax. With each finished chorus, someone else cheered. And by the time she reached the flawless crescendo of her little homemade song, every person in the bleachers rose to their feet with thunderous applause.

  Except John and Summer, who sat stone-still next to each other, finally exhaling.

  They turned to each other, neither trying to hide the tears that welled up. Wordless—maybe speechless—they shared one quick, secret kiss of victory, then popped up to clap with the crowd as Des and Mav took a little bow.

  “She should run off the stage,” Summer said through gritted teeth. “They’ll ask her a question.”

  But she didn’t move. She stood right there, taking in the appreciation and enjoying the moment. And when the applause died down, she leaned into the microphone and said, “Thank you.”

  She didn’t whisper. She didn’t sing. And she didn’t stutter.

  Right at that moment, John could have been flying supersonic with the afterburners on, and he wouldn’t have been any more thrilled.

  * * *

  The multigenerational clan that ranged in age from a few months to near ninety piled into Bitter Bark Bar—which apparently the locals called Bushrod’s—and nearly filled the place, which had been fairly quiet on a Sunday evening. It wasn’t quiet anymore, Summer noted, as one big genuinely happy family filled the tables.

  A dozen different rearranged tables were occupied with couples, grandmothers, children, a few high chairs, and at least three dogs. At the bar, Billy, the owner, poured wine, beer, soda, water, and a few shots. Cassie put in orders of fries and onion rings for the kids and dessert for anyone who wanted it.

  The emcee mayors, Connor and Sadie, moved from table to table as if they were the hosts of the event, the two never far from each other’s side, sharing laughs and affection, as Summer would expect from the recently engaged couple. And Ella headed to the jukebox with the tall, handsome Jace Demakos hot on her heels, like Mav panting after Destiny. He wasn’t treated with quite the same tenderness, however, as the gorgeous young woman had turned keeping Jace at arm’s length into an artform that was amusing to observe.

  And, oh, Destiny. Gazing across the table at her daughter, Summer couldn’t remember the last time she saw her daughter glow like this. Her smile lit her whole face, with a gleam of joy in her eyes and a tilt of her head that exuded a confidence she’d never shown anywhere but in the privacy of their home. And, of course, Mav was tucked tight to her chest.

  “Your girl was born to perform,” John whispered as he put a glass of wine in front of Summer and slid a coke to Destiny, currently smiling up at Katie and Daniel Kilcannon as they oohed and aahed over her dog-bone trophy in the middle of the table.

  Summer lifted her glass in a toast. “I pronounce this the best summer she’s ever had.”

  “It could be mine, too,” John said softly, the undercurrent in his tone sending a shiver right down to Summer’s toes.

  “Could be?” She lifted a brow. “What’s going to be the deciding factor?”

  “If you…” He inched closer. “Take down your walls…” He put his lips near her ear. “And give in to what you know you want to do and…”

  All around, the sounds quieted and people faded as every sensation in Summer seemed focused on him. On them. On the flutter low in her belly and the heat in her veins. She managed a breath. “And?”

  “And…”

  Suddenly, a cheer went up, and several people stood. Alex yelled out, “Opa!” and Yiayia put her hand in the air and pointed to the sky.

  “For Papu Nik!” she called out.

  Cassie poked John in the back.

  Smiling at Summer, John whispered, “And dance.”

  In a flash, he was up and gone with Cassie, headed to the dance floor as the first strains of a classical guitar filled the bar, barely loud enough to hear over chairs moving and the whole family migrating to
the same place.

  “What’s going on?” Destiny asked Summer.

  “I think there might be some Greek dancing,” she said.

  “Go, lassies,” Gramma Finnie said, slipping into the chair John had vacated. “I’ll be in charge of the dogs while you watch this glorious dance.”

  Summer stood and reached for Destiny’s hand, both of them caught up in the energy that seemed to electrify the room.

  Ella welcomed them into a circle that was forming around the perimeter of the dance floor, and there, in the middle, Cassie and John stood side by side with their arms around each other’s shoulders, their faces serious as they took a few steps in perfect sync.

  The strains of a classic Greek song that Summer knew only as the “Zorba song” grew louder, and the crowd simmered down, swaying in a circle around the dancers. In the middle, their steps grew more complicated and fascinating as John and Cassie tapped, kicked, swayed, and swept their legs.

  The mesmerizing dance, haunting music, and buzz of excitement somehow felt both ancient and contemporary, poignant but fun. As the rhythm increased, everyone started clapping to the beat, the family calling out encouragement, including Yiayia, who shouted the loudest, and in Greek.

  Summer just stared at the tall, graceful man who moved like the music flowed through his veins and suddenly looked very, very Mediterranean and…sexy. Next to her, Destiny was captivated, concentrating so hard on the steps that she barely clapped, her little jaw loose as the music and a first-time experience washed over her.

  As the melody reached a crescendo, Alex stepped out of the audience and reached his hand toward Yiayia, who gave a formal nod and joined him next to Cassie and John, making the line a little longer but without a single step lost. Katie brought Daniel out next, then Connor, Sadie, Darcy, and Josh started another line behind them, all following—more or less—the steps that John and Cassie were doing.

  Then, as if by magic, all of the people on the outside circle put their arms over each other’s shoulders and started swaying and stepping, one foot forward, one back, in a simple version of the dance.

  Jace stepped into the circle and danced his way down the line toward them, obviously as familiar with the steps as John. He stopped in front of Ella and reached for her, making a slight cheer go up from the crowd, and they did a two-by-two version of the dance. Then Shane and Chloe did the same.

  When the song started again, there were couples and short lines, and nearly everyone was dancing. Suddenly, Cassie and John broke apart as Braden stepped into the circle to claim his wife.

  John turned to Summer with an inviting look and outstretched hand. “It’s easy,” he said. “Just follow me.”

  Vaguely aware of another cheer at this new arrival to the floor, Summer took his hand, stretched her arm up and over his amazing shoulders, and laughed her way through a few mistakes until she got the hang of the deceptively simple steps.

  An inexplicable elation filled her heart, a happiness that had to come from the joyful, uplifting music, the smooth power of the man next to her, and the sheer wall of love that seemed to surround the entire dance floor.

  “Summer,” he whispered in her ear. “Look.”

  He turned her slightly to see Destiny, now face-to-face with Christian, who stood in front of her with his hand outstretched.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered, caught off guard by the unexpected moment, part of her wanting to run and help Destiny, and part of her praying her little girl could rise above her emotions and forgive Christian.

  But she knew instantly from the look on Destiny’s face that she had nothing to worry about. There was no fear, and no anger, on her beautiful features. Just that longing to try something new she already knew she’d love.

  Destiny smiled at something Christian said, then nodded, taking his hand and sliding next to him, arms over shoulders, to imitate what everyone else was doing. Another cheer went up, loudest of all, as Summer looked up to meet Andi Kilcannon’s gaze. The two mothers shared smiles of relief and victory.

  For the rest of the song, Summer split her attention between John, who made her knees almost too weak to follow the steps, and Destiny, who giggled and danced and might just have found yet another thing she was very good at doing.

  When it all ended, Summer turned to John and wrapped her arms tight around his neck.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Best summer ever.”

  He kissed her on the lips, and all Summer could do was hold on and try not to laugh at how loud Yiayia hollered, “Opa!”

  Chapter Twenty

  Of all the nights Summer wanted Destiny to settle down and get to sleep, this one was turning out to be the hardest. Of course. Destiny was wired for sound and nowhere near asleep after her night of victory, dancing, two Cokes, and chocolate cake.

  She jumped on her bed, holding the trophy that was a good third of her size, singing at the top of her lungs, hair still wet from the bath that had seemed to take hours, nightgown flying.

  And as much as Summer wanted to run downstairs—with the baby monitor, of course—and fall into John’s arms, she couldn’t see the end of this particular rush.

  Mav was on no such high, though, crashed at the bottom of the bed, oblivious to the jumping, singing, and squeals of joy.

  “Mommy, did you hear me say thank you?” she asked for the twentieth time since they got home from Bushrod’s.

  “I did, baby.” Summer sat on the edge of the bed, beaming up at Destiny. “It was perfect. Every minute of tonight was perfect.”

  She folded onto the bed, clutching the trophy to her chest. “And did you see me dance with Christian?”

  “Oh yes, I did.” Summer gave her daughter’s hand a squeeze. “I am very proud of you for forgiving him.”

  “He didn’t mean to hit me with that ball,” she said, her face the picture of earnestness. “He just wants to be my friend.”

  “I’m so happy you settled that. Now how about we get all tucked in—”

  “What did you think when they said my name?” she asked with that wistful joy that seemed to emanate from her soul.

  “I wasn’t surprised. No one was. You got a standing ovation and blew the judges away.”

  She smiled, tipping her head, her ringlets falling over the trophy. “I wish D-d-daddy had seen it.”

  An old, familiar pain gripped Summer’s chest. “He did, Des. He saw every moment from heaven.”

  “And been there for the dancing. I love the sirtaki! Yiayia told me that’s what it’s called, and she’s going to teach me all the steps. She said she’ll do it when Tails and Trails is over. Dance camp!”

  Which meant they’d be staying longer, Summer mused, surprisingly okay with that idea. No, not surprisingly. After today? After this whole time? She had no desire to run away from John until she had to.

  “I want to sing again.” Destiny sighed out the words. “And d-d-dance.”

  “You know, Cassie said she has a great video from tonight. We can watch it tomorrow all over again. So now you should—”

  “Did John take a v-v-video of my s-s-s…” She couldn’t finish the word song, a definite sign of exhaustion.

  “No. He was watching with me. Holding my hand.” Summer poked Destiny’s tummy. “I was so nervous, I thought I was going to throw up. But you weren’t nervous at all.”

  She shook her head, pride in her eyes. “Did John like it?”

  “Are you kidding? He’s so proud of you.”

  “Like Daddy would have been.”

  Oh yes. “Daddy would have been so proud,” she assured Destiny, glancing at the clock. “And he’d be proud if you climb into this bed and close your eyes.”

  She shook her head, cradling the trophy. “What did John say?” she asked.

  That he’d wait up for Summer with tea and…more kisses. “He said you were amazing. What everyone said.”

  “And Mav gets food forever and ever!” She threw her arms out, and the trophy slid to the bed.

  “
Why don’t I put this up on the dresser so it’s the first thing you see tomorrow morning?” If you ever go to sleep. “Right here.”

  She centered it on the blue dresser across the room, and Destiny dropped her chin into her palms and stared at it, quiet for a moment. Surely sleep couldn’t be far off.

  “How about some water, hon? A trip to the bathroom? Do you need anything else before we say good night?”

  “Yes.”

  “What is it?” Summer went back to the bed to prop on the edge. “Whatever you want to settle in.”

  “I want a d-d-d…” She swallowed, frustrated.

  “Dog? Mav’s right here.”

  “Daddy,” she whispered.

  Summer breathed out a sigh. “Destiny, I can’t conjure one up.”

  “But that’s why we came here.”

  “No, it isn’t,” she said. “We came to get you a dog.”

  “And a daddy.” She gave a smug look. “I heard Aunt Raven say that the night before we left.”

  “You what?”

  “I’m s-s-sorry, Mommy.”

  “It’s okay.” She hated that the stutter returned at anything that sounded like a reprimand. “I didn’t know you were listening to that conversation.”

  “I just wanted w-w-water, and I came downstairs, and you and Aunt Raven were laughing.”

  And drinking wine. And sharing girl talk. And talking about the possibility of reigniting a romance with Travis Shipley.

  “Well, I don’t think you understood what you heard.”

  “Aunt Raven said a man in Bitter Bark could be my daddy. A man at a restaurant.”

  “Destiny!” Summer was sorry if the scolding tone made Destiny stutter, but she needed to learn not to eavesdrop. “You should not listen in on other people’s conversations, and you should not repeat things you don’t understand.”

  She looked down for a moment, then slipped under her covers, chastised. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as Summer smoothed the comforter over her. “I just l-l-like him.”

  Her heart folded. “I like him, too, Des. He’s wonderful.”

  That hazel gaze shifted up with a question. Maybe a demand. “Then…” She shrugged. “Marry him.”