Chapter Six
Josh had no idea what was going on, but helping this service dog relax and lose some of his fear was the most useful he had felt since the day the convoy exploded.
He was just about to turn Raider around to return inside when the vet tech called out, “That’s probably enough. He needs to build his strength slowly.”
Just as he had thought. With a nod, Josh and Raider inched their way back inside and to the kennel.
Unlike before, the towels and blankets were gone, and a canvas fabric with long poles at the sides, rested on the ground.
Tired from his few minutes outdoors, Raider barely sniffed the fabric before pretty much collapsing in place.
“Now what?” Josh stood at the front of the kennel and faced the tech.
“Now,” the woman smiled, “you take him home. Is your vehicle ready?”
Kade nodded. “I’ll take one side of the stretcher.”
It took a second, but Sara Sue jumped in, moving forward beside Kade. “I’ll take the other side.”
Everything in him wanted to say, no, I’ll do it.
But the risk of moving too fast, or too clumsily, and losing his grip on the handles and dropping the dog, was too great.
There was nothing about having Sara Sue step in that sat well with him.
As careful as he had been with his steps and efforts, and as good as he seemed to feel today, all it could take was one wrong turn and it would be over.
It simply made sense for someone else to help Kade. Still, Josh didn’t have to like it.
“What can I do?” Katie looked to the adults gathered by the kennel.
“I guess,” Sara Sue looked up from where she stood near Kade watching Raider, “get the door for us and be ready if we need a hand.” Without hesitation, she turned to Josh. “You too, but stick close, Raider may need to hear your voice once we start moving him or jostling him into the Suburban.”
He nodded. At least, though it was a crumb, having a job made him feel a fraction less useless.
Even though Kade was speaking softly to Raider, the moment he and Sara Sue approached him, despite clearly being exhausted from his brief effort outside, the dog lifted his lip and snarled.
“Okay.” Kade blew out a sigh. “Looks like you’re going to have to come close now and reassure our future houseguest so he doesn’t literally bite our heads off.”
Without nodding, he eased his way up to the dog and since he couldn’t lean over without risking imbalance, he carefully squatted. “I bet you’re tired.”
The dog’s upper lip stopped twitching, though his teeth were still very visible.
“I get that way too. Especially now. Just sitting around doing nothing seems to make me more tired than when I was up at the crack of dawn and going all day.”
Raider’s lip fell, covering all his teeth. Good sign.
Josh took a chance and extended his hand in front of the dog. It took a long minute before the dog diverted his gaze from Josh’s face to his hand. Another few seconds and the dog gave him a long lick, then another. When Josh looked up, all three faces were grinning at him.
“Let him know we’re going to try again,” Kade urged.
“These nice people are my friends.” Josh moved his hand as he spoke, taking a chance on touching the sweet boy.
“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t bite them.
” The dog huffed what sounded an awful lot like a resigned sigh.
Daring to scratch the scruff of the dog’s neck, Josh was delighted when the dog seemed to lean his head into Josh’s palm. “I’d say we’re good to go.”
Grabbing onto the side of the kennel, Josh carefully eased himself to an upright position as Kade and Sara Sue lifted the dog.
The interesting thing was, the dog never looked at anyone but Josh.
He didn’t look at Kade or Sara Sue, or anyone else inside the busy clinic.
The dog leveled his gaze with Josh’s and kept it there as if his life depended on it.
Not till he felt the weight of the dog’s head against his hand did Josh realize he’d been scratching the dog’s neck the entire walk to the Suburban.
Katie hurried in front of them, quickly opening the rear doors of the SUV.
At this particular moment, Josh was very thankful that this model didn’t have a hatch door but two doors that swung open.
This allowed them more room to maneuver the dog into the back.
Staying as close to Raider as he possibly could without getting in the way, he locked his gaze with the dog’s and watched his friends settle the animal onto a comfy blanket.
All set to step aside and join Katie in the back seat, Josh stopped short at the pressure on his arm. Still gazing at him, Raider lifted his front paw and almost seemed to be grabbing Josh, pleading for him not to move.
“Well, I’ll be.” Kade ran his hand across the back of his neck. “I haven’t a clue what it is, but this dog really likes you.”
“What do you mean you don’t know what it is?” Josh put his hand to his chest as though the comment were an affront to his character. “I’m a very lovable person.”
Kade burst out laughing. “As long as Raider thinks so.”
“Comedian.” Josh shook his head. “I’m going to ride in back with him.”
Kade shrugged and Katie opened her mouth as if about to say something and then snapping it shut again, seemed to change her mind.
Hanging on to the side, Josh sat at the back then lifted his legs up and inside.
He hadn’t dared crawl up and in the way he might have only a month ago.
The moving might have upset his equilibrium, or lack thereof.
Thankfully, he wasn’t any taller or he’d have had to duck while seated inside.
Making himself at home beside the dog, he continued to scratch him, all the while hoping the drive home went by faster than the ride into town.
Katie couldn’t help but keep looking over her shoulder at Josh and Raider.
The dog seemed to be perfectly still and actually looked comfortable.
Josh was slightly hunched over the dog, scratching its neck and murmuring soft words she couldn’t quite hear.
Whatever he was saying seemed to do the trick as the dog kept his eyes closed.
When they finally rode over the cattle guards under the gateway to the ranch, Josh had stopped talking, but the dog appeared to still be sleeping.
“We probably need to rethink our plans.” Kade eased his foot off the gas and Katie wondered which part of the plan he was talking about.
“Raider?” Sara Sue shifted in her seat to see behind her.
Kade nodded. “I know we initially thought the calving barn would be the best place for him to recover, but I’m not so sure.”
Now Josh lifted his head and looked to the front seats. “I could stay with him. Your new barn has plenty of space for man and beast. Just leave me a sleeping bag and we’re good to go.”
“This isn’t Kabul.” Kade rolled his eyes. “If you need to stay with him, there’s no reason you can’t stay in your own bed. But that is sort of what I’m thinking.”
“In my room?” Josh asked.
“Yeah.” Kade nodded. “The floors in the guest wing are vinyl so that’s good for any accidents. There’s a private entrance so it won’t be a long walk to get Raider in and out to relieve himself.”
“And keeping him calm will help him heal faster,” Josh added.
“And,” Katie jumped in, “stop him from ripping out his stitches again.”
“Exactly,” Josh said.
“Then we’re all agreed?” Kade glanced up at the rearview mirror to see his passengers.
“The question is how will your mom feel?” Josh continued to stroke the sleeping dog.
“Delighted to have someone else to fuss over. That dog is about to become very spoiled.” Kade flashed a grin at everyone.
Josh suddenly frowned. “What about Brady?”
“Good question.” Kade sighed.
“I think,” Sara Sue turned to face them again, “Brady will be fine with Raider. He’s proven to be a good K9 mentor with Samson. How Raider will react to Brady is another story.”
“Guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Sara Sue pointed to the front porch where Alice stood waiting with Brady faithfully at her side.
Doors opened and the three adults in the seats hopped out. Kade made his way around to the back and opened the doors.
Katie stood at Kade’s side, eager to help, though she didn’t have a clue how.
Watching the continued tenderness with which Josh treated the dog, a complete antithesis to the image of big bad soldier armed to the hilt and ready to fight the world, had her feeling safe and warm all over even though none of that attention was directed at her.
Easing back from petting the injured dog, Josh stared at him a moment before deciding he wasn’t going to wake up quickly and scooted away from the pup until his legs hung over the tailgate.
His feet dangling, Josh took a deep breath and hanging on to the side, slid out of the truck and onto his feet.
If anyone asked Katie, she’d say the man looked surprised to notice he was standing firmly on his own two feet. She sure hoped that meant he was getting better.
Alice slowly approached. “How’d it go?”
“So far so good.” Josh smiled at his hostess.
Brady moved closer to the vehicle, one paw lifted high as his nose twitched with interest. Raider was still sleeping, so much so that Katie wondered if the vets had given him something for the ride after all.
Brady sniffed at what he could reach of Raider.
A back paw, a front paw, the tip of his tail, then Brady lifted his head and sniffed the air inside the Suburban before taking a step back and sitting at Alice’s side.
All the adults were standing perfectly still, watching the family dog, Kade’s former military K9, sniff and evaluate his new charge. The dog seemed to bob his head at Alice’s side, as if he understood his new mission. Help this dog heal.
“Okay.” Kade stepped forward. “Let’s get this show on the road.” He turned to his mother. “We’re going to take Raider into the house.”
“My room,” Josh added.
“Is that all right with you?” Kade asked his mother.
“You know it is. Whatever is best for this boy.”
With a nod, Kade grabbed hold of two corners of the blanket under the dog and tugged just enough for Sara Sue to grab the other corners. As they tugged a little more, the dog lifted his head, gave a low growl, but as soon as Josh spoke to him, the dog stopped.
Balancing the dog in the blanket swing, the two walked briskly into the house.
Alice was already rushing ahead. “I’ll get a small mattress from the storage room.”
Katie felt like a third wheel. Everyone seemed to have a purpose, except her.
She wasn’t quite sure what to do, but she wanted to stay close, so she continued to follow behind them.
They were barely inside when Alice rushed across the kitchen dragging what looked like a mattress for a camping cot.
From where she stood, she looked over to them.
“Katie, would you be a dear and run to the barn a minute. Ask Benny for the dog bowls we left for Raider.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Delighted to feel useful, she dashed to the barn, found Benny, and a minute later was hurrying back to the house.
No surprise, Alice was scurrying about gathering old linens and towels for the dog.
“Where shall I put these?” Katie asked.
“At the head of the bed,” Sara Sue responded. “This way he won’t have to go far if he’s hungry or thirsty.”
Gingerly walking around the people standing back, she inched closer, nibbling on her lower lip. She’d seen the dog’s sharp teeth and didn’t want to do anything to raise his hackles again.
“It’s okay, boy,” Josh’s voice was soft and soothing. “She’s a friend.”
The dog’s eyes tracked her every step. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to put one foot in front of the other.
She was setting bowls down for a hurt and frightened animal, she wasn’t walking the plank.
Too bad her stomach didn’t quite believe it and continued to roll and pitch with every nervous step.
She was only a few inches away from the dog when its lips began to twitch, causing her to slow her steps.
“It’s okay, Raider. All is well.”
The dog stopped twitching and laid his head back down on the bed, his nose hanging off the edge.
Katie managed to breathe more easily. Squatting, she set the two bowls at the side of the bed.
Before she could ease away, the dog stuck out his tongue and caught the back of her hand.
Not in a vicious bite, but in a slow lick.
The rough sensation along the back of her hand almost had her toppling over from the surprise.
“At least we know one thing.” Josh smiled at her. “The dog has good taste.”