Chapter ThirteenChicken SoupWhen they arrived back on the farm, Ed carried Billy from the Jeep into the farm house in his arms, as Kaye held the kitchen door for him. Dodger and Benny were barking long before they had come through the door, they both stopped barking and started hopping up to have a better look at what Ed had in his arms. Benny began to growl then Dodger joined in.“Get down you two!” Ed snapped. The dogs b...

Chapter Twelve The NurseryAll dogs begin as pups, of course; Billy was no different except his arrival was harder than most puppies. His birth began on a cold day in January about five years ago. He was born on a neighboring farm near Old Tom Brennan's farm. Something very special took place on that day; that would change the old farmer's life and his."Mom!- Mom!" A ten-year-old girl her bouncing blonde braided pigtail tr...

Chapter 11 Jam Jams It was almost one pm by the time Ed and Kaye made their way into town. Kaye had used the free time to make good on part of her debt to Barb. The fruit of her efforts was placed in a large baggie on the Jeep's front seat between Ed and her . He made yet another attempt to open the plastic bag holding the newly baked cookies. He had been teasing Kaye about the two dozen jam jams all the way into town. Fo...

Chapter 10 The morning afterIt was morning, and Kaye had been awake for some time. Her normal drive to start her day early wasn't there. She wanted just to lie in bed a little longer. Sleep had evaded her during the night. The winter storm had passed, and the sun now shone through her bedroom window. Kaye rolled over in bed and pulled the quilts tightly up around her.She found the warm spot on the bed again and curled her...

Chapter 9 For Better or Worse  Ed was in the yard snow blowing out the driveway trying to stay ahead of the winter storm. He had been stewing over Kaye's sudden need to take care of yet another stray dog that didn't belong to them. He didn't want to see anything suffer either, but in his upbringing his parents were more practical in dealing with this kind of situation. He went over it in his mind and couldn't let it go. H...

The Barter system Kaye had dozed off. A couple of nudges from Barb made her stir. “Kaye … Kaye... I’m done.” Barb nudged her a second, then a third time. Kaye’s eyes opened slowly and looked up. She squinted when Barb turned on the table lamp beside the sofa in the clinic's waiting area. Kaye had fallen asleep on it. As she came out of her daze, she looked up showing concerns about her adopted pet. She swung he legs off t...

Chapter 7 A Lost Soul Meanwhile in another part of the county, there was another patient, who was recovering. Tom wanted to go home too. The private room was silent except for the hissing sounds from oxygen fed to the room's elderly patient. Get well cards filled the room. There were some taped to the walls and window frames. A large vase of flowers had been placed on his nightstand. A few family snapshots were scatted ar...

Chapter 6 A Beacon of Hope Kaye fought to keep the car on the snow covered road. The car's wipers made dragging sounds, as they ran over the bits of ice, the Jeeps frozen blades failed to do much. The wipers wore away at the sheet of melting ice. Bits of ice broke away from the main body slowly but left a wet sheen behind. The snow stuck to it, as they swiped across it, leaving it blurred, then clear, then blurred again....

Chapter 5 The Advocate Billy lay there not moving, the woman had pulled him up on her lap blocking him from the snowfall . Both dogs now were lying beside him, Bennie the smaller of the two Huskies was still whining from time to time sniffing the collie. Her soft voice and fingers relaxed the collie; it had been a long time since he had felt this sort of affection. Her name was Kaye Smith; she was in her late 20's, an imp...

Chapter FourThe Last Homey House The morning slowly turned into late afternoon. Billy's progress was slowing, his feet and shoulder throbbed. The pain in his side was unbearable. He had to stop often now. He needed to find shelter and soon. Evening was coming, the sun dropping in the sky, almost as fast as the temperature. There was no place for shelter here with no homes or sheds or barns. He sniffed the air looking then...

Chapter 3 Billy had traveled all day through fields, crossing busy highways down wood roads and was now trying to find a way across a river. He stopped there looking over his surroundings. He sat for a while took a quick drink then wandered back up the riverbank. Picking up a human scent, he followed it down a path that leads him to a crossroad. His coat was beginning to show signs of his off-roading. He was covered in mu...

Billy chapter 2 Billy missed Tom's kind, soothing voice that made him feel safe. He dreamed of his pillow where he would lay between the table and stove. Tom would talk to him as he cooked, washed dishes or drank his coffee, as his read the paper at the table. Billy's food bowl and water were close to Tom's chair. He missed the warmth and the sounds of the fire in the cook stove and the meals, oh the meals. Toms cooking o...

Chapter oneThe December morning sun rose slowly over the town, lighting the tops of the buildings while bathing them in the morning soft yellow light. Traffic began to increase, the start of another busy weekend. Steam rising from the sewer grates huddled close to the ground as passing cars caused it to swirl and then settle down again. The plumes of exhaust from the home and factory chimneys were making their way up thro...

The InheritanceAlice Parker sat in the diner drinking a morning coffee that had just been poured by the departing waitress. She sat by the window that read Tommie’s Diner, she was peeking through the letter O as he walked by. He was tall and had broad shoulders. The man was in a suit that needed mending, a good cleaning, then given to The Good Will. He was carrying a guitar case in his right hand, he slowed his pace, turn...

Is the truth so hard for you? I wish you would just say good byeIt would be so much better than living with this lieYour hands seem warm and caring. But there’s no magic in their touchYour lips have lost wanting, missing that loving touchYour eyes for me have lost their luster - no twinkle like beforeWas it something that I did that made you start to stray Was it something that I lacked that made you turn awayI have alway...