Chapter 10 Moose #2
“Oh, no, no we don’t.” The door had opened, and a nurse wearing Christmas tree scrubs came into the room. “Pets aren’t allowed in patient rooms.”
Moose shook his head, cleared his throat. “Ma’am, this is Caspian, certified search and rescue dog. He’s part of the patient’s therapeutic recovery team.”
The nurse cocked her head at him. “Don’t give me that, Moose Mulligan. We’ve never met, but trust me when I say I’m not intimidated by you.”
His mouth opened.
London smirked.
Moose looked at his coffee. “Please?”
She stared at him, gave a huff. “Okay. Fine. But you leave, you take him with you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She took Dawson’s pulse, blood pressure and even gave the dog a pat before she left.
“Nicely done,” Dawson said. “But I’m not keeping him.”
“We’ll see,” Moose said.
“Therapeutic recovery team?” London said. “This is why I’m going to miss working with you. Pure creative problem-solving.”
He looked at her. “Then you know Shep talked to me.”
“I knew he was going to.” She sighed. “We’ll miss this.”
“I know.”
She stood up. “Take care of yourself, Dawson. Be nice to the dog.”
She patted Caspian on the way out.
“I’m really not keeping the dog.”
“Mmmhmm,” Moose said.
“Maybe you should keep him. Didn’t you say Hazel wanted a puppy for Christmas?”
Yeah, that. Felt a little far away, now. “Hazel will be fine.”
“Oh—wait—Moose, I’m so sorry. How’s Tillie.”
“Still pregnant.”
Dawson stilled, then… “Oh, that’s—”
“Thanks, couz, for bringing her in. The bleeding could have gotten worse, and maybe displaced the placenta and…well, anyway, thank you.”
“Dawson makes a nice name.”
“For a dog.”
Dawson laughed, then winced. “Okay, I know it’s my leg, but even laughing hurts.”
The door opened again, and Moose turned to see Tillie in the doorway.
“Hey Tillie.”
She smiled at Dawson. “How’s our hero this morning?”
“Apparently I’ve been adopted.” Dawson indicated Caspian, who had somehow managed to position himself on the bed.
“Smart dog.” Tillie’s laugh was musical, full of the joy that had been missing for a month.
Moose’s heart grew ten times its size.
She walked over, patted Caspian, then Dawson’s good leg. “He knows good people when he sees them.” She gave him a soft smile and something passed between them. “You going to be okay?”
“Yeah. I’m going to be okay.”
And maybe, for the first time, Moose believed him. Weirdly, Wilder’s voice landed in his head.
Sometimes the storm isn’t trying to destroy you. Sometimes it’s trying to clear away everything that doesn’t belong so you can see what does.
Huh. Well, maybe God had plans for Dawson they couldn’t yet see.
She turned to Moose “Ready to go home?”
“Please, take me home.”
She wove her fingers through his and they headed out into the hallway.
In the hallway, Christmas Eve morning was in full swing. Families moved between rooms carrying presents and flowers, nurses wore holiday pins on their scrubs, and somewhere a radio played soft carols.
Silent night, holy night...
Hazel was waiting by the elevators, with London. Her hair was braided but already coming loose, and she clutched a small stuffed reindeer that someone had obviously bought from the gift shop.
“Daddy!” She launched herself at him with eight-year-old enthusiasm. “Is Uncle Dawson going to be okay? And is Caspian staying with him? Because if he is, that’s good, because I think Caspian loves him and that’s more important than Christmas presents.”
Yes, yes it was.
Still. He’d wanted that for her. He crouched and embraced her. “Yes, sweetheart, Uncle Dawson’s going to be fine. And yes, I think Caspian is staying with him.”
“Oh no he’s not.” Nurse Christmas Tree came down the hallway, her hand in Caspian’s collar. Poor dog skittered beside her. “You are taking this animal with you, Mr. Mulligan.”
Caspian blinked at him with sad eyes.
Moose took the dog’s collar. “We’ll keep an eye on him until Dawson gets out.”
Moose knelt to her level. “I know you really wanted a puppy for Christmas. I need to tell you—”
“Daddy, it’s okay I don’t have a puppy. I’m going to have a baby sister, and that’s way better.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Tillie knelt beside them, gathering Hazel into a hug that included Moose. They stayed like that for a moment. The three of them—soon to be four—in the middle of the hallway, surrounded by the controlled chaos of Christmas Eve morning.
Warmth expanded in his chest until it seemed too big for his body to contain.
Crisis stripped away everything nonessential, leaving only what truly mattered.
Family. Love. Faith.
The knowledge that even in the darkest storms, you weren’t walking alone.
Lord, I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but thank you. For bringing us through. For keeping us together. For this family you’ve given me.
“Excuse me.”
The elevator dinged and they stepped into it.
“By the way,” Tillie said. “Flynn and Axel stopped by the room to bring Hazel back. They said they’ll be over to the house tomorrow morning.”
The elevator opened onto the main lobby. A large tree stood in the corner, strung with lights and paper snowflake ornaments that looked handmade. Probably contributions from the pediatric ward.
“There’s Uncle Axel!” Hazel pointed across the lobby toward the small coffee shop tucked into the corner. “What’s he doing?”
Moose followed her gesture and his breath caught.
Axel was indeed there, on one knee beside a small table, a ring box open in his hands. Flynn sat across from him, both hands pressed to her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
Even from across the lobby, Moose could see her nodding. Vigorous, enthusiastic nodding.
Bam. And that’s how it was done.
“Oh my, he’s proposing.” Tillie said.
Axel stood, sliding the ring onto Flynn’s finger and she threw herself into his arms with enough force to make him stagger backward, and the few other people in the coffee shop burst into spontaneous applause.
“Attaboy,” Moose murmured.
“Are Uncle Axel and Flynn getting married?” Hazel’s voice carried clearly across the lobby, making several people turn and smile.
“Looks like it, sweetheart.”
“Good. I like Flynn. She laughs at my jokes.”
“High praise indeed,” Tillie said. She took Hazel’s hand.
Moose took the other.
They pushed through the lobby doors into the Alaska morning.
Beautiful.
The parking lot sparkled under brilliant sunshine, fresh snow creating a landscape so pristine it looked like a Hallmark movie. Icicles hung from the building’s edges like crystal ornaments, dripping steadily as the sun worked its warming magic.
The sky stretched blue and endless, the kind of profound clarity that only came after nature had exhausted itself with fury and settled into peace.
The kind of day that made you believe in new beginnings and second chances. The kind of day that whispered promises about hope and healing and the faithfulness of a God who never abandoned His children in the darkness.
Into our stormy world, He sent a great light.
“Come on, family.” Moose opened his arms wide, gathering his wife and daughter close. “We have a Christmas Day to prepare for.”
Yes, they’d made it through the storm.
All of them.
Together.
And it was going to be a glorious day to welcome the Savior.