The Christmas Dog (17 page)
“So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I’d better call the shelter. I’ll explain everything to them, and I’ll ask if we might possibly purchase Ralph back from his new owners. The shelter people care about animals, and I’m sure they’ll understand that Ralph came looking for us, not the other way around. Ralph is more than welcome to stay with us, Avery, but I do think we need to go about this the right way.”
Avery looked disappointed, but at least she agreed. Betty went to make the call. She carefully explained everything right from the beginning until how the dog had shown up of his own free will this afternoon. “I’m sure his new owners must be worried,” Betty finished. “If I knew their phone number, I could give them a call.” Betty decided not to mention her ulterior motive about wanting to purchase Ralph back from his new family.
“I can understand your problem,” the woman said. “We’re a little shorthanded here today. But if it will help to reunite the dog to his family, I think it’s okay for me to give you the name and phone number of the dog’s owner.”
“Thank you so much!”
The woman shared the information, and Betty thanked her and hung up.
“So?” Avery was waiting expectantly.
Betty just stood there, staring first at the dog and then at Avery.
“What’s wrong, Grandma?”
“The owner . . .” Betty shook her head. “It’s Jack.”
“Our Jack?”
Betty nodded.
Avery sighed. “Oh.”
“I had no idea Jack wanted the dog.”
“He didn’t.”
“Well, to be fair, neither did I.” Betty sighed. “Not at first.”
Avery was clearly disappointed, but she just nodded. “Fine. I’ll take Ralph back to Jack. Just let me run and use the bathroom first.”
Betty reached down and patted Ralph’s head. “It was nice of you to pop in to say hello,” she said. “At least we’re neighbors. And you’re welcome to visit—”
Just then there was a loud knock on the door. Betty opened it to see Jack standing there. “Come on in, Jack.”
He came in hesitantly. “Sorry to disturb you, Betty, but I’m, uh, looking for—” His brows lifted slightly when he noticed the dog. “Looks like Ralph decided to drop by.”
Betty nodded. “And I just found out that he belongs to you now.”
Jack looked slightly sheepish. “I just couldn’t bear to think of him at the pound.”
“He’s a good dog.”
Jack actually smiled now. “He is a good dog. But he seems a little confused about where he lives today.”
Avery came into the room with her parka and bag over one arm. “Jack!”
“Avery!” Jack looked even happier to see her than she was to see him. “What are you doing here?”
With half sentences tumbling over each other, Avery explained about not going home, her new job, and her decision to stay in town. “Which reminds me, I want to pay you back the loan now.”
He waved his hand. “That’s okay, you—”
“No way,” she said quickly, reaching for her bag. “I’m trying to do the grown-up, responsible thing. Remember?” She counted out the money into his hand. “Sorry about all the change, it’s from tips. And you’ll have to trust me for that last twenty. I had to use it for a city bus pass.”
“Well, I better get out of your hair.” Jack reached down to pick up Ralph. “Sorry to have bothered you.”
“It’s no bother,” Betty said quickly. “In fact, we wanted to invite you for Christmas dinner tomorrow.”
“Grandma got a turkey and all the trimmings.” Avery smiled. “And I’m going to make a pumpkin pie.”
“Do you have plans?” Betty asked.
“No . . .”
“Then we’ll expect you at two.”
Jack nodded. “All right then.”
“And bring Ralph too,” Avery said.
Jack chuckled. “My guess is that he’ll beat me over here.”
Jack guessed right. Shortly before noon on Christmas Day, Ralph came over to visit them again. “He must’ve smelled the turkey cooking,” Avery told Betty. She led the little dog into the kitchen, then returned to where she’d been rolling out pie dough.
“Merry Christmas, Ralph.” Betty plucked a turkey giblet out of the dressing she was mixing and tossed it to him.
“You’re too early for dinner,” Avery told him.
“Should we take him back?” Betty asked.
Avery paused with the rolling pin in her hand. “I suppose that’s the right thing to do, Grandma. Although I’ll bet Jack can guess where he is.”
“How about if I take him,” Betty offered as she wiped her hands on her apron. “That way you can finish the pie crust before it dries out. And I wanted to give Jack another cookie plate anyway.”
Betty put together a generous goodie platter, but instead of putting the red bow on the plastic wrap like she usually did, she stuck it on Ralph’s head. “Come on, boy,” she called as she went for her coat. Acting as if he’d received top honors at doggy obedience school, Ralph stuck to her heels as she led him out the front door and down the walk.
Betty smiled as the little dog took the lead, trotting about a foot in front of her like he knew exactly where he was going and why. He turned the corner and headed straight to Jack’s house just like he lived there. And, well, didn’t he? Still, as Betty followed him, she couldn’t help but wonder how a little stray dog like that had wandered into their lives, or how he had attached himself to not just one person in need, but two. Make that three. And she considered how this little dog had brought them all together. Really, in some ways, it seemed nothing short of a miracle.
“Merry Christmas,” she told Jack when he opened the door.
“Hey, I was just looking for you, Ralphie.” Jack grinned to see the red bow on his dog’s head. “You’re like a real party animal.”
“He’s a very special dog,” Betty said. She handed Jack the cookies. “I think he just likes bringing people together.”
“I guess so.” Jack’s expression grew thoughtful. “You know, Betty, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to give Ralph to Avery for Christmas. I know how much she loves him and everything. But then I got worried that you might not appreciate that—you might not want a dog in your house. And I sure don’t want to rock your boat again.”
Betty just laughed. “You know what I think, Jack?”
He looked slightly bewildered now. “What?”
“I think Ralph is a Christmas dog, and I think he’s going to give himself to whoever he feels needs him the most.”
Jack nodded. “I think you’re right. Kinda like share the love?”
“And maybe we’ll just have to share him too.”
“Tell you what, Betty.” Jack nodded toward the backyard. “I’m going to rebuild that fence—right where it’s standing now, where my grandparents built it—but how about if we put a gate between the two yards?”
“And a doggy door too?”
“Absolutely.” He stuck out his hand. “Deal?”
“It’s a deal.” Betty firmly shook his hand, then opened her arms to hug him, nearly toppling his cookie platter. “Welcome to the neighborhood, Jack!”
“Thanks, Betty. I think I’m starting to feel at home.”
Betty patted Ralph’s head again. “I thank you, little Christmas dog, for bringing us all together. And now I have a turkey to baste.”
“We’ll see you at two,” Jack called. “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas,” she called back. As she walked toward home, it occurred to her that her old neighborhood—which looked more spectacular than ever in its clean white blanket of fresh, fallen snow—was getting better all the time.
Melody Carlson
is the prolific author of more than two hundred books, including fiction, nonfiction, and gift books for adults, young adults, and children. She is also the author of
Three Days
,
The Gift of Christmas Present
,
The Christmas
Bus
,
An Irish Christmas
, and
All I Have to Give
. Her writing has won several awards, including a Gold Medallion for
King of the Stable
(Crossway, 1998) and a Romance Writers of America Rita Award for
Homeward
(Multnomah, 1997). She lives with her husband in Sisters, Oregon. Visit her website at
www.melodycarlson.com
.
“Make sure you have a tissue nearby,
because you are going to need it!”
—T
ERRI
B
LACKSTOCK
, bestselling author
A
YOUNG BOY’S PRAYERS,
a shoebox full of love letters, and an old wooden soldier make a Christmas that will not be forgotten. Can a gift from the past mend a broken heart?
 | Available at your local bookstore |
