Chapter Thirteen
Jamie
Daddy and I were so worn out that we didn’t bother to stop for more than snacks and potty breaks during the drive home. I even snuck in a couple of cat naps along the way, and he had to wake me up when we pulled into the garage.
“Wakey, wakey, my sleepy boy. We’re home.”
“Huh, what?” I stretched and looked around. “It’s our garage, daddy.”
Daddy smiled. “Yes, my love. And if you don’t hurry up, I think Henry might pee his pants.”
There was my bestie impatiently dancing around and waiting for me to get out of the car. “Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Those pictures were so awesome!” He squeezed the air out of me as soon as I got out. “Sorry, I’m just so excited to see you. You were gone for like, forever.”
I rolled my eyes at my silly friend. “We were only gone for six days.”
“Whoa,” Henry’s eyes widened when the daddies unloaded the SUV. “That’s a lot of bags and luggage for five days.”
“Help me with my stuffies.” I introduced Henry to each of them as we unbuckled their seat belts.
Both of our arms were filled with a mound of stuffies.
“Let’s put them in the playroom.” As soon as we got them situated, I remembered the prezzies we bought for Henry. “Come on, we have prezzies for you.”
“Yay!” Henry squealed and jumped up so fast he nearly knocked me on my butt. “Where?”
“Daddy has them.” Henry took off running down the hall, “Daddy, where is Henry’s bag?” and skidded to a stop in front of my Daddy. Thankfully daddy had separated all the gifts at the hotel, so it was easier to give them out. Plus, I bet he figured Henry would be super excited for his.
“Here you go. Thank you for helping watch the house while we were gone.”
“You’re welcome, Daddy Timothy.” Daddy handed him the bag.
“What do you say, Henry?” Daddy Jensen said.
Henry hugged my daddy and almost knocked the bejesus out of him. “Oof! You’re welcome, dear boy.”
He plopped down onto the floor and started digging through it. “Daddies, look, I got a Shamu and a Mickey Mouse!” Henry hugged them tightly. “Ooh, and new animals. Can I take them in the tub too, Daddy?”
Mitchell read the package. “Yes, you can, but keep in mind that they won’t float.”
“That’s okay, they can ride in my boat. Thank you, Daddy Timothy and Jamie. I love everything.”
“Alright Henry, time to go,” Daddy Jensen helped him up. “I’m sure they’re both tired and ready to get settled in.”
“Thank you again for checking on the house.” The daddies said goodbye while Henry and I hugged.
“We’ll get together soon,” Daddy said as they loaded into their car.
We walked back inside and daddy fell back on the couch and sighed.
“I think it’s pizza night. I’ll put in a grocery order for tomorrow. ”
“’Kay, Daddy.” I put the rest of my toys away while daddy ordered dinner, then he started the laundry.
“I’m glad I’m off until Monday. It will give us time to unwind from our whirlwind vacation.” Daddy’s words hit me hard when I realized I didn’t have a job to go back to. “What’s wrong with my shiny star?”
“I don’t have a job, and I’ve only ever had the one job. I don’t even have a resume. Where do I even start looking?” So many questions tumbled forth in rapid fire as they hit my brain.
“Well,” Daddy wrapped his wonderful arms around me. Daddy was my happy place, my happy thought when I was down, but failing and disappointing my daddy was the worst feeling ever. “I have a couple of ideas. You can say yes, or not, but I think you’d really like it.”
“Yesss,” I drug the word out, not quite sure what daddy was about to ask. I wouldn’t put it past him to offer to start a chore chart and pay me for keeping the house clean. Silly man, I’d do that for free because I live here too.
“One, you could work with daddy, and before you say you don’t have a degree, you wouldn’t need one for this job. You’d be cleaning kennels and disinfecting the exam rooms after each use, but you’d get to be around animals all day.”
“I’d be very good at that because daddy’s shiny star is daddy’s clean boy.”
“Yes you are,” he kissed the top of my head and I preened. Yup, I had a praise kink and a being daddy’s good boy kink.
“Second one is the shelter I volunteer at is looking for front desk help. I’m not gonna lie and say both jobs are happy-happy, joy-joy, because they’re not. Both will involve injured animals coming in, some of which sadly cross over the rainbow bridge.”
“That’s so sad, daddy.”
“Yes, my love, it is. But both are equally as rewarding when you see happy pets and happy pet parents. At the shelter though, you’d also be contending with people giving up animals they can no longer care for.
I hate seeing that, but I despise the ones who just let them go.
That’s cruel and those animals deserve better.
Both jobs are just a couple days a week, a few hours a day, but that would give you more time to take care of the dog we’re getting. ”
“What?” I jumped up and nearly booped his nose with my head. “Sorry daddy but we’re getting a dog? Can it be from the shelter? Those always look so sad and lonely.”
“It will only be a rescue dog from the shelter. Those lost souls deserve a happy home just like we do. We can go look tomorrow, and then you can assess the place and decide if you want to apply there or not.”
“I’ve never had a pet of my own before. I’m so excited. I get to make a doggy happy just like your shiny star is, Daddy.”
“My love, you make my heart happier than it has ever been and every day with you is a blessing I thank the fates for.”
Daddy always knew the right words to trigger the happy tears.
“Daddy, look, kitties.” A wall of glass separated one side of the lobby at the shelter from the kitty cats. “There are so many.” I felt sad for the cats lounging around in the beds and towers, but the kittens were busy playing with the toys, rolling around and having a good time.
“Yes, and the kittens get adopted before the older cats. With cats come cat boxes and scratching posts. Would you like a cat instead?”
“Maybe both, someday.” All that would be missing from my life is the white picket fence. That’s how perfect it is.
“Okay then, let’s look at the dogs first and if you find one, we’ll get it, and if it goes well, then maybe someday soon we can come back and get a cat. I love both, so I have no issues with it as long as you help take care of them.”
“Deal, Daddy.”
“Dr. Tim,” a lady with a big smile said when she saw us looking at the cats. “This must be your partner, Jamie.”
“Good morning, Jan. Yes, this is Jamie. It’s busy in here today.”
“Saturdays are good days for families looking for furry ones to love. I though you were off today.”
“I am. Jamie and I have decided it’s time to add a pet to our home.”
“Jamie, it’s wonderful to finally meet. We’ve heard so much about you,” Jan shook my hand and daddy actually blushed. Was daddy talking about me to his friends? That gave me the warm fuzzies to know that even when we’re apart he’s still thinking about me.
“You too. I’m so excited.” But I had to remember to call him Tim and not daddy. That was sooo hard to do. “Where are all the doggies at?”
“They’re in the back. They tend to get a bit loud, so they have their own area of the building. Follow me.”
Jan led us to the back and as soon as she opened the second set of doors we walked through, I understood what she meant.
“Each kennel has a doggie door so they can lay in the sun in their own little back yard.” While I appreciated that, I hated how cold and concrete each kennel was.
They did have a bed, blanket, and a couple of toys, but it was so sterile, and she must’ve read that on my face.
“We do the best with the donations we get, and thanks to vets like Dr. Tim, we’re able to offer free shots, spays, and neuters with each adoption. ”
My daddy was the best!
The doggies barked as we passed their kennels, but I made sure to say hi to each one. I didn’t want them to feel ignored or sad that I didn’t choose them. But so far all of the ones we’d seen were so big they’d drag me if I tried to take them on a walk.
“I love all these doggies but they’re bigger than me.” Daddy and Jan laughed.
“We have some mid-size and small breeds as well.” Through another set of doors we went and into the more Jamie sized dog area.
“Most are mixed breeds. The full breed rescues tend to pull those as soon as we get them. One secret about mixed versus full breeds is that the mixed tend to live longer lives.”
“That’s interesting to know but still so sad too.” It was overwhelming and I wanted to take them all home with me.
“I know that look, Jamie,” Daddy smiled and rubbed my back. “It’s the same one that led me to be a vet. I love all the animals too, and want to take them home, but that’s just not realistic.”
Sad as it was, Daddy was right. “What about this little one?” I read the bio on the kennel. “Sancho. Five-year-old neutered male terrier-cocker spaniel mix.” He was brown and white with a couple black spots and his hair stood up all over. “He’s so fuzzy.”
“He is,” Jan said as she opened the kennel and brought him out. “Let’s go into a meet and greet room so we can see how he reacts to you.”
I finished saying hello to all the other pups as I followed behind her. Daddy sat on the bench next to Jan while I sat on the floor. It took a few minutes for Sancho to come over to me and when he did, he gently licked my hand, then crawled up in my lap just like I did with daddy.
“I think he likes you. Sancho’s owner passed away and the family didn’t have the time to care for him, so sadly, they had to give him up. They said he’s house broken and gets along with other dogs, yet they still gave him up. But it’s better they did that if they didn’t have the time for him.”
“Da, err, Tim.” My eyes teared up as I stared down at the sweet soul who’d claimed me. “Sancho likes me.”
“Yes, he does, sweetheart.” Daddy came and sat beside me and rubbed Sancho’s head. “What do you say, Jamie?”