by Kristen Otte
Peach and the squirrel crash in the snowy grass. The impact causes Peach to lose her grip on the squirrel. But the squirrel is stunned. He doesn’t move. I approach slowly as Peach rolls over, shakes off, and stands up. I can tell she is stunned.
I am less than a pug length away when the squirrel awakens from his daze. He looks at Peach and me and then bolts to the front yard. I chase after him, but he runs under the fence on the side of the yard.
I can’t believe what just happened. I thought our plan was perfect. Peach was magnificent, flying through the air and grabbing the squirrel. But we forgot the landing would be tough.
We were so close! Those pesky squirrels.
11
The House Guest
“When is Norman coming over?” Ben asks.
Norman?
“Soon.” Hannah says.
Norman is a family friend. He was my best friend until Peach came home. Norman is much bigger than Peach or me—I think seven pugs put together equal one Norman. His head is almost the size of me, and it is just as wrinkly as a pug head. We have lots of fun playing together, even if he is seven times my size. Norman comes to visit us with his family, and sometimes we go to his house. But I haven’t seen Norman in a while—Peach hasn’t met him yet!
I don’t know what to do with myself while I wait. I walk around bringing toys to everyone in the house, but everyone is busy. I find a bone and start chewing. Chewing always makes the time go by fast.
A door slams outside; I jump on the couch to look out the window.
Norman is here!
I run to the front door and wait. Peach senses my excitement. She barks a few times before joining me at the door. She starts barking as Norman’s scent approaches. We can’t see a thing through the door. Finally, Hannah opens the door, and Norman runs inside. He slides into the wall, but he keeps running. He checks out every room in the house, upstairs and down, before he greets me in the living room.
Peach approaches Norman cautiously. Norman lets her sniff him, and after a quick meet and greet, it’s off to the races. Peach grabs a toy, and Norman chases after her. I wait for them to return to the room before I jump into the fun.
I realize a few hours later that Norman’s family left him at our house. They didn’t stay like usual. When the darkness comes, I expect for his family to take him home, but they never arrive. Instead, Norman, Peach, and I head upstairs for bed.
“Where is Norman sleeping?” Ben asks.
“We haven’t worked that out, but we are guessing on the floor in our bedroom,” Nate says.
“Can he sleep in my room?” Ben replies.
“Sure, but you need to keep your door closed. We don’t want him roaming around the house at night,” Nate says.
“Okay!”
I am happy Norman is spending more time with us and even happier that he won’t be sleeping in an already crowded bed with Peach, Lucy, and me.
When I wake up, only a faint stream of light is peeking through the window. Peach and I walk to the back door to go outside. Norman must be sleeping still. The sky is gray, the air is cool, and water is falling from the sky. Peach and I hurry so we can get into the dry, warm house.
Norman bounds into the living room a few minutes later. He grabs the nearest toy and starts a round of chase with Peach. I watch from the couch; I could use a few more hours of sleep.
The day is filled with many more games of chase in the house. Peach and I team up in tug of war against Norman, but he wins every time with his huge mouth. By the time the darkness comes, Peach and I are exhausted. Norman, on the other hand, could play for another five hours straight. He is an energetic dog. I don’t know how he does it all day.
After a full day with Norman, I also notice the consequences of his huge mouth. He drools and slobbers on everything. All of our toys now are slimy and slippery. He also loves chewing and destroying our toys. I don’t think he means to do it, but our toys are designed for pug-sized mouths, not Norman’s gigantic face. It makes me realize how glad I am to have Peach as a sister since we are similar kinds of dogs. Even if she doesn’t have the curly tail or as many wrinkles, her face is still half-smashed, and she’s the same size as a pug.
* * *
The next day I wake up to bright light. I run downstairs, and Hannah lets me out into a bright, sunshine-filled day. It’s a little cold outside, but warm enough for all three of us to play outside.
We spend the morning inside, mostly napping and chewing. We wore Norman out more than I thought. Maybe he isn’t used to chasing one dog around, let alone two!
After a morning of naps, I wait by the door. Peach follows my lead.
“Can I let the dogs out?” Ben asks.
“Just Zelda and Peach,” Hannah says.
“Why not Norman?” Ben responds.
“All three of them will play in the backyard together.”
“So? I don’t understand the problem, Mom.”
“I don’t want them to come inside a muddy mess. It rained all day yesterday.”
“Oh. Let me go check the yard. It may have dried enough with the sun. If it’s dry, can I let Norman out with us?”
“Okay. Just make sure there’s no mud,” Hannah says.
A few minutes later, Ben lets us outside. I wander to the back fence and accidentally sink into a puddle. I turn around to investigate a drier area. Ben walks out the door, says a few words to Hannah, and then yells for Norman. Norman comes running outside and straight for me at a full sprint. I run the other direction, and the game begins. Peach joins us in the second lap. I am the slowest of the three but the only dog who can maneuver sharp turns without tumbling. Norman is super fast with his long legs, but he doesn’t have good control of his body. Peach is almost as quick as Norman, but she can’t corner as well as I can.
Somehow I end up in the lead of the chase. I lead them toward the back, then turn sharply before the squishy puddle area. I run the other direction. I hear Peach following behind me and turn my head in time to see Norman. He tries to make the quick turn but loses his footing. His paws slide out from underneath him, and he lands on his back. He slides for a few seconds before he regains his footing, gets up, and runs toward us. He is covered in dirt and mud and water. I stop and stare. Ben starts laughing. Norman slows down and approaches us, panting with his tongue hanging out.
“Ben!” Hannah is standing outside now. “I thought the yard wasn’t muddy!” she yells.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t think that would happen. Can you get me a towel? Maybe two or three?” Ben says. After Ben cleans Norman, we spend the rest of the day inside. Norman is pretty tired; I think he got a little banged up from his tumble. When the dark comes, Norman’s family arrives. Peach and I say good-bye to him. Even with the mud and slobber, it was a fantastic weekend.
12
The Easter Egg Hunt
“C’mon, Ben and Lucy,” Hannah says. “It’s time to go, we don’t want to be late.”
“Can Peach and Zelda come to the Easter Egg Hunt with us?” Lucy asks.
“Nate, do you think it’s okay to bring the dogs?”
“It’s outside at a park. I’m sure it will be fine,” Nate says. I look at Peach. Her ears are standing straight up. She wants to go to the park, too. We both jump off the couch and sprint for the door.
“Dad, I think Z and Peach want to come!” Ben says, laughing.
“I’ll go grab some treats and water for the dogs. Then I’m ready to go,” Hannah says.
When we step outside at the park, I feel a warm breeze rustle through my fur. I know pugs aren’t warm-weather dogs, but after the long winter, the warm air feels great.
The park is crawling with people. I am so overwhelmed by all the scents that I don’t know where to start.
“Hannah, why don’t you take the kids to the Egg Hunt area. I’ll find a good spot to watch with the dogs where they won’t cause too much trouble,” Nate says. I smell something tasty to my left. I try to pull Nate left as Peach
heads the other direction.
“Okay, dear. Let’s go get some Easter eggs!” Hannah says. Hannah, Ben, and Lucy walk in the direction of all the people.
“Okay, pups, why don’t we find a place to sit on the hill over there?” Nate says. Nate steers us away from the crowd of people. I don’t mind; I have plenty of smells to investigate before I will even think about meeting new people. We end up on a hill and looking down on the crowd. We aren’t too far away; I look for my family, and I find them on the edge of the crowd. I see a smile on Lucy’s face, and I know they are fine. In front of the crowd is a wide-open field of grass. Small balls or maybe toys are scattered everywhere on the field.
Strange.
I turn my attention back to my area. Peach and I use as much leash as we can to explore. I smell dogs, squirrels, and even a cat or two when I hear a high-pitched whistle.
I look down below. The crowd is dispersing into the field of balls in a hurry. I spot Lucy and Ben moving together; they are picking up as many as they can. Hannah is still on the edge of the field.
I want to help!
I look at Nate. He has relaxed his grip on the leashes.
Should I go for it?
I am ready to bolt when Peach sits down next to me. I look at her and then shift my gaze to Lucy. Peach barks. I bark back. We go for it.
I use all of my pug strength to put force into my run. I expect to be yanked backward at any moment, but it doesn’t happen. I keep running. Peach is right beside me, and we are flying down the hill toward Lucy. I don’t see Ben; they must have separated. We reach them within minutes.
“Hi, Peach. Hi, Zelda. Want to help collect Easter eggs?” she says.
Yes!
I grab the closest ball I see. It’s a little big for my tiny pug mouth, but I get the right grip and bring it back to Lucy. I drop it in front of her.
“Thanks, Z Bug,” she says, unhooking my leash.
Freedom!
I’m running for the next ball when I remember Peach. I turn and look back at Lucy. Peach is by her side, chewing on the ball. Or egg, or whatever it is.
I guess I am on my own. I better get moving.
I race around the field grabbing as many eggs for Lucy as I can. I avoid the outstretched arms of other kids and adults. I hear my name being called, but I ignore it. Peach gives up chewing on her egg and runs with me the next several times. Her leash trails behind her. After a few minutes, we have brought Lucy eight eggs, but I see Nate approaching Lucy.
Oh, no.
“Zelda, Peach, come,” he yells. I don’t want to go to him. I’m having so much fun. Peach looks at me and then walks to Nate. Nate grabs her leash.
“Good girl, Peach.”
Now I am really in trouble.
I run in the opposite direction for one more egg. I hear Nate yell my name again, but I don’t care. I snatch an egg and run back to Lucy in a matter of minutes.
“Thanks, Zelda,” she says. She bends over and pets me. I lick her face. Nate walks over and leashes me. He doesn’t say a word.
“How did Z and Peach get away?” Ben says as he approaches with his mom.
“I don’t know,” Nate says. Ben laughs.
“So you weren’t paying attention,” Hannah says.
“Maybe. But I didn’t take Z’s leash off her.” Everyone turns to Lucy.
“She was helping me!” Lucy says.
“It’s okay. They didn’t do any harm to anyone,” Nate says.
“You weren’t on the sidelines with all the parents,” Hannah says. “You would have thought two bears were running through the field with the comments I heard.”
“Mom, I won a special prize!” Lucy says. “Look!” She handed her mom an egg.
“Yes you did! You need to go see the Easter Bunny to get it. C’mon let’s head that way,” Hannah says.
“Hold on tight,” Nate says to Ben, handing him my leash.
We wander over to another section of the park and wait. After a few minutes, a stranger arrives.
“Congrats,” the stranger says. “Oh, and look at your cute dogs. I heard a dog was running through the Easter Egg Hunt. It definitely couldn’t have been these two cuties.” She bends down and pets us. “Okay, you get to pick out something from the big chocolate bunny box.” Lucy searches through the box and pulls something out.
“And now you can go meet the Easter Bunny. You should be next, right around the table,” the stranger says. We walk around the corner, and I freeze in my pug tracks.
I am staring at a giant rabbit. The rabbit is bigger than Nate or Hannah. It is standing on two feet, not four. It’s the strangest sight I have ever seen. Lucy starts walking toward it.
Noooooooo!
I bark furiously at Lucy to get her attention. I lunge toward her, but Ben is holding on tight. Peach isn’t making a sound. In fact, she is busy sniffing the ground. While I am barking, Nate scoops me off the ground into his arms. I squirm, but he is too strong.
“I think Zelda has fear of the Easter Bunny,” Nate says. I resign to watching the terror take place. Lucy stands next to the rabbit. The rabbit puts his leg or maybe his arm around Lucy. I am terrified about what is going to happen next.
“Smile, Lucy,” Hannah says. And then it’s over. Lucy walks away from the mutant rabbit unharmed. We walk away from the rabbit, away from the people, and back to our car. I never want to see that rabbit again! I think it could eat me.
“Did you have fun, Lucy?” Hannah asks.
“Yes, I loved it!”
“And Ben?”
“Are you kidding me? It was hilarious watching Zelda and Peach!” Ben says.
“Yeah, it was pretty funny,” Hannah says. “Hopefully they still invite us to the next neighborhood party.”
“And if not, oh well,” Nate says. “At least we have a great story to tell.”
“We sure do. It’s always an adventure with Zelda,” Hannah says.
“And Peach!” Lucy says.
13
Zelda’s Fourth Birthday
Today is a big day for me—it’s my fourth birthday. My fourth birthday marks two years since Hannah and Nate brought me home to their family. I can’t believe it’s only been two years. I feel like I’ve been here forever. I barely remember my life before Hannah, Nate, Ben, and Lucy. Honestly, I am not sure I want to remember those days anyway.
It’s a little strange because I haven’t heard my family mention my birthday much. Usually I catch snippets of conversation and listen to the plans for me. But not a peep. I hope they didn’t forget about my birthday! Last year I had a feast on my birthday–new toys, bacon with dinner, and a new bone.
My birthday starts like any other day. Peach and I wake up and slowly make our way downstairs. We go through our morning ritual of going outside, eating breakfast, and a round or two of the mouth game. When we grow tired, we snuggle with each other on the couch. We lounge around the house for the day while Ben, Lucy, and Nate are away.
When Lucy and Ben arrive home with Hannah, Lucy runs straight to me.
“Happy Birthday Zelda pug!” she says, giving me a big squeeze. “Sorry I forgot this morning,” she whispers. I lick her face, happy someone remembered my birthday.
“Mom, can we take the dogs for a walk?” Lucy asks.
“Sure,” she replies. “Ben, can you come, too?”
“Yeah, I can do that,” he says. “Can we go now though? I wanted to go over to Jack’s house before the party later.”
“Okay. C’mon, Lucy, let’s get the dogs harnessed,” Hannah says.
Since it’s my birthday, I decide to show the family my pug best. I walk right to Hannah and allow her to put the harness on me without a fight or running in circles.
We take our normal route around the neighborhood. Surprisingly, the street is pretty quiet. We don’t see any squirrels, only a few people, and no other dogs. I try to prolong the walk by resting under a tree. But after a minute, my family is dragging me forward again. Peach walks beside me trying t
o catch birds. I never go after birds; it seems silly since they can fly. Peach thinks she is quick enough to leap and catch one, but she hasn’t come close yet. Being on a leash definitely hurts her chances, too.
When we return home, I stick my head into the water bowl. I gave up long ago trying to drink water without getting my head wet. It’s impossible because of my flat face and small tongue. I just take the plunge.
“Happy Birthday, Zelda!” Nate says, walking into the house. He gives me a few pets before greeting the rest of the family.
“Oh, good, you are home just in time for dinner,” Hannah says.
“Dinner already?”
“Yes, we are eating early so we can make the meet up,” she says.
“Oh, yeah, of course. How could I forget?”
The family files into the living room. Peach and I follow them and resume our normal spots during dinner. Peach sits under the table while I sit in front of Nate’s chair, waiting for table food.
“Oh, wait, don’t we have some special treats around?” Nate says.
Treats! I love treats!
“Yeah, check the cabinet of dog stuff over there.” I follow Nate, jumping on his heels as he checks out the treat closet. He fills my bowl with deliciousness, and I chow down. The treats are moist and meaty, and I can’t get enough. I finish the bowl quickly and look up. I see Peach eating her portion next to me.
Hey, it’s my birthday, not Peach’s!
I try to squeeze my way into Peach’s bowl, but I realize it’s too late. She has finished her bowl, too. I lick the remaining crumbs dry before returning to my spot by Nate’s feet in the dining room. Nate slips me a piece of chicken under the table. I knew he would give me table food on my birthday.