Chapter 1
“MOM, I DON’T think a dog is a real good idea.
How are you going to take care of it?” Tyler Lemieux was worried that his mother was going to get in over her head.
“You’re in the middle of chemo at the moment, and I can’t be here every day.
You know that. A dog is going to need to be walked multiple times a day, and sometimes you can barely get out of bed. ” He worried about her constantly.
Tyler picked up the glass of water from the side table and helped her drink before setting it back in place. His mother’s cancer had been aggressive, and so had the treatment. The doctors were hopeful that with the tumor now gone, this would be the last of it once this round of chemo was over.
“But I get so lonely. Couldn’t you find me a small dog?” she asked.
“Even small ones need to be walked. So how about this? Once the chemo is over, I will get you the dog of your choice. You can go with me to pick out the one you want. That way we can be sure of a great fit.” He took her hand, and she half smiled.
“Okay. That’s a deal.” She closed her eyes, and Tyler left the room, closing the door.
Knowing she would sleep for a while, he took a few minutes to clean up the kitchen and get the dishwasher running.
He also did a load of laundry and wiped down the sinks and counters in the bathroom.
His mother had always been a fastidious housekeeper, so the counters would have driven her crazy.
Maybe they still did, but she just didn’t have the energy to do anything about it.
Through the last six months, she had her good days and her bad days. Unfortunately, the bad days had been coming more often, but with only two more treatments left, he hoped that she would soon get some of her energy back and actually start to feel better.
He made a quick lunch for her and went into the bedroom. His mom was awake and ate a few bites before handing him the plate. “Everything tastes like sawdust.”
“Then how about one of your shakes?” he asked and handed her one. She drank half of it before setting it aside. That was an improvement over the past few days, so he was pleased.
“I’ll be fine. You need to get home, and I need to sleep for a while.
” She took his hand. “Tyler, I’m going to be fine.
I know you’re worried, but the doctor said that everything is looking good so far.
Two more treatments and then this part of my life will be over and I can go back to living.
And you know I’ll make sure that you keep your promise.
” She smiled and for a second looked like the mother who had chased after him on the playground and read him bedtime stories.
“Okay. I’m going to go home for a while, but I’ll stop in tomorrow if I can. There’s some soup in the refrigerator.” His friend Lily had made it and sent some for Mom knowing she loved it. “It’s the chicken noodle you like so much. There’s also some more crackers and the meal shakes.”
She patted his hand. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.
I’m going to rest for a while and then watch television.
You go and have some fun. Stop worrying about me.
This is almost over, and I’m going to kick cancer’s ass or die trying.
” She grinned at her little joke, and Tyler did the same.
“Carolyn is taking me for my next treatment at the end of the week so you can have a little time off.” He’d gone with her to each one and sat with her as the damned machine pumped chemicals into her body.
Tyler had hated seeing it, but he kept that to himself.
There was no way in hell his mom was going to go through this on her own.
It was bad enough that his father had taken off two years ago to start a new life with a woman two years older than Tyler, leaving his mom alone.
He wasn’t going to have her abandoned again.
“You call me if you need anything,” he told her before leaving the room. He pulled on his winter coat and left the house. Snow was just beginning, so he started for home, hoping it was just a few flurries and not the start of something worse.
Tyler got into his truck and slowly backed out of his mom’s driveway before heading to his home on the edge of Carlisle.
The way was very familiar. He had driven this route so many times, and he knew he each bump and every turn.
Tyler was still thinking about his mother’s request for a dog as he approached the dog rescue that he passed each and every day.
Usually he just went by, but today his mom had gotten him thinking, so he pulled into the lighted yard and came to a stop near the well-kept barn.
He got out, thankful the snow had stopped, and went inside. The barn was warm and smelled clean. He hadn’t known what to expect, except maybe the overwhelming scent of dog.
“Can I help you?” a man in his mid-thirties asked.
“My mom has cancer, and she keeps asking me to get her a dog. She had a pug named Bowser for years, and he passed away just after she was diagnosed. She asked me today about getting her another dog.”
The man bit his lower lip. “I’m sorry, but we usually don’t allow dog adoptions as gifts. A dog is a real responsibility, and….” He trailed off.
“I understand, and I wasn’t in favor of just picking one out for her.
” He looked around. “Gosh, Mom would love this place. I remember when I was nine….” He leaned slightly on the counter.
“Mom and I were on our way home from Grandma’s, and we got a flat tire.
While we were changing it, she found two puppies on the roadside.
They had to be six weeks old, and it looked like they’d just been dumped there.
Mom brought them home and fed them, and we had Frick and Frack until I graduated from high school.
They were beautiful German shepherds. After they died, Mom got Bowser… .”
“Charline? Is that your mom?” he asked, and Tyler nodded. “She got Bowser here. He was an older dog, and your mom fell in love with him. I knew your mom was perfect for him and would give him a good life.”
“She really did. Those two were inseparable, and after Bowser passed, she wasn’t sure that she wanted another dog, and now she’s asking for one. And as much as I’d like to get her one, I know there is no way she can take care of it. Maybe in a month or so.”
The man held out his hand. “I’m Mitchell. I own and operate the shelter in addition to the veterinary practice just up the road.”
“I’m Tyler, part-time caregiver, full-time computer geek, and all-around good son. At least I try to be.” He was so tired.
“Even though I know your mom, I can’t let you pick out a dog for her. Too much can go wrong. But if you want to look around, you are more than welcome. Who knows? You might find a furry friend of your very own.”
Tyler laughed softly. “My mom is the dog lover in the family. We always had one growing up, but they always bonded with everyone but me. There was Trooper, a beagle mix we got when I was nine. He was supposed to be my dog. I fed him and walked him… and he loved my mother best of all. That dog would follow her around the house all day, and then he’d sleep on the floor next to her bed.
He could have slept on my bed and I would have loved it if he had been my best friend, but it didn’t turn out like that.
After that, I figured that I wasn’t meant to be a dog person. ”
Mitchell shrugged. “If you want to take a look around, go ahead. We have some wonderful animals. There are a few that are not ready to be adopted. They’re in the back.
We found them last month, running wild in the woods to the west of town.
They’d been there awhile, so we’re trying to get them accustomed to people once more.
But the rest are available.” He seemed so nice that Tyler wandered through the shelter, looking at the various dogs.
At first he was just making a show of it, but after a while, he found himself really looking.
What if he did get a dog? Or better yet, what if he got a dog and kept it at his house until his mom was feeling better?
He could bring the dog over to her house to visit and keep her company while she was feeling badly.
This was a good idea. He’d have a dog, and his mom would have company a day or so a week.
A dog would be the perfect Christmas gift for her, and this way there was no pressure. He started looking more in earnest.
There was a small terrier with bright eyes and a tail that wagged like crazy.
He stood on all fours, as excited as anything.
He might have been too high energy, though he was cute.
There was a small collie mix who sat right near the door.
As soon as he put his hand near the door, the dog leaned against it, then turned and licked his fingers.
“He’s a real good dog. His owner passed away, and his daughter is allergic, so they brought him here,” Mitchell said.
“Though he needs a yard and space to run. He’s about three and still has a lot of energy.
” He opened the cage and let Ralphy out.
He sat next to Tyler’s feet and leaned against his legs.
“He’s really nice.” Tyler knelt down and ran his hands down Ralphy’s back, gently petting him. He was beautiful, but way too much animal for his mother—or him, for that matter. Mitchell put Ralphy back in the cage, and Tyler continued on. “Who is this?”