Sunlight shone into the room and shimmered on the beige, silk bedspread. The matching drapes at the windows were tied back with brass, flower carved fixtures and blended well with a slightly darker, brown carpet. Katie felt the early morning sun warm her skin beneath the cool sheets, as she stretched one last time before getting out of bed. She lived alone since her husband died five years ago in an automobile accident.

Katie put on her long yellow robe and tied it at the waist. She brushed her curly, auburn hair rapidly and with a sigh, put down the brush and went downstairs for coffee.

While she waited for the coffee to perk, she took a quick peek at the puppies in the large box in the corner of the kitchen. There were three puppies, two males and one female. All three were gray and white but the female's feet were solid white, as though she had on little boots. The two males were huddled together while the female was curled up in the corner by herself.

Katie fed them when necessary, but made a point of not holding or caressing them. Tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks as she thought about Missy, the mother of the puppies. A friend had given her to Katie four years ago, when she was only six weeks old. Katie could remember that day vividly.

It had been raining all day. She had slept late, had a leisurely breakfast, and then spent most of the day reading and watching television. After dinner as she was clearing the table, Katie thought how much she enjoyed her kitchen, it was small, but well decorated. She was at the window watering her carefully placed plants when she heard a car in the driveway.

It was her friend Carol, who was soaked to the skin, because she had taken her jacket off and had thrown it over the box she was carrying. Katie, look what I have for you,' Carol said. Katie looked inside the box. In it was the cutest little ball of fur, lying nestled in the corner trembling.

Carol said, she is a small dog and will require special care."
Hold on, Carol, I'm not sure I want this puppy."
"Katie please let me leave her here. The two of you will be fine, and you will no longer be alone."

Katie was not too pleased with Missy at first. She dirtied up her shiny kitchen floor and chewed on the furniture. But soon they became the best of friends.

A few months after that, Katie entered the hospital for a couple of days. She had a friend take care of Missy for her. A few weeks after she came she noticed that something was wrong with Missy. She wasn't very active, and she wouldn't eat normally.

Katie took her to the vet, who checked her over. Missy is pregnant, Katie, and she is a very small dog. She will have a difficult time delivering her babies.

Katie took Missy home and watched her closely. As her stomach grew bigger, she became clumsy, and wanted to sit on Katie's lap most of the time. She took her back to the vet. Missy seems alright, he said, just to be safe, bring her in and leave her a week before her delivery date.

Katie watched the calendar carefully. When the day came to take Missy to the vet, Katie was a bundle of nerves. She bundled up Missy, grabbed her favorite toy, and left.

The next day the vet called and asked Katie to come to his office. She drove to town as fast as she could. Katie, said the vet, Missy was a small dog." What are you trying to say? Katie, Missy died giving birth, but there are three little puppies.

Katie took them home, but she blamed them for Missy's death. Today she was finally getting rid of them.
Katie was upstairs making the bed, when she heard a car in the drive. The couple had arrived to get the puppies, and Katie led them into the kitchen to the box of whining fur. May I hold one, the lady asked. yes ,go ahead, Katie said. Oh, by the way," man said, we won't be taking the female." "Why can't you take her. 'My sister was going to keep her, but she is moving out of town and won't be able to have a dog."

After the couple left, Katie thought, 'what am I going to do with this puppy.' This was not in her plans. The puppy whined, she pretended not to hear.

Katie sat down at the glass-top, kitchen to think. She noticed it was starting to rain as she sat there stirring her coffee and tapping her long nails on the table.

The puppy was crying louder as Katie went over to the box. "please be quite, puppy. You can't make me hold you. Absent-mindedly, Katie stroked the puppy who nuzzled against her hand while Katie thought, only once will I pick her up.' When she lifted the puppy out of the box. she stopped whining, and gently nibbled Katie's fingers. Katie smiled and held her close to her cheek. I'll have to find someone to take her soon,' Katie thought, 'but just for a while I will fix her a soft bed in my bedroom. This is so I can hear her if she cries at night. But that will only be for a little while, puppy. Do you hear me?' Katie was thinking of a name for her temporary resident as she walked up the stairs with the puppy.

Copyright © 2004 lois thurman