Laurel fought back a giggle. Juniper was one unique girl! And though she had to strain to make out all her words, it was also as if Juniper were shouting in her ear. Without making a sound, Laurel began to back the rest of the way out.
Gem turned her head, and she and Laurel locked eyes again. Laurel nodded. They didn’t need words.
Outside, the fog had cleared, and so had Laurel’s clouded mind. As the sun warmed the earth with a rosy glow, Laurel felt better than she had since she’d arrived. She remembered that day, the grilling she’d gotten from Juniper. She understood why now. Juniper hadn’t wanted Gem to leave. It wasn’t about her at all—it was about the special pup.
She understood how the kid felt, probably better than Juniper would ever know. And what Juniper had said about only having Gem for a little while reminded her that she wouldn’t have given up a single second with Bluto, even now, knowing how it all ended. The same would be true of Gem, no matter what happened or how long they had together. Life didn’t come with guarantees. Maybe the Lyme would come back. Maybe it wouldn’t. It didn’t really matter. Either way, Laurel was sure now: Gem was the dog—and SAR partner—for her.
Gem wagged and wagged at the small group of people in the Sterling Center parking lot. The door to the car she would soon be traveling in sat open, but she wasn’t ready to get into the passenger seat. Not even close!
She and Laurel had worked hard at training every day for the past week. Gem loved the clarity of her handler’s directions, the actual searching, and the praise the humans always offered in the form of treats, pets, and games of tug. And now Gem had a lot of goodbye licks to give before she and Laurel drove away.
Martin and Georgia and Morgan and Forrest and Shelby all gathered around, a tangle of human arms and legs as they crowded in to stroke her fur. Gem licked each and every one of them in turn, thanking them and wordlessly letting them know that she hoped she’d see them again.
Roxanne was next, and stepped out of the cluster of Sterlings and Pedro to crouch down and look steadily into Gem’s eyes. “There’s nothing stopping you, Gem,” she said. “You will be an official SAR dog before you know it. The rescue world awaits.” Gem gave her a big lick right on the cheek and then leaned her head down to nose the little ball of gray fur who’d been weaving in and out of her front legs … her kennel companion, Bud. Bud stopped weaving long enough to nose Gem back, then licked the dog’s damp snout with her rough pink tongue. All around them, a loud chorus of human “Awwwwwwws” drifted in the chilly air.
With no warning, Juniper sniffed loudly and hurled herself forward, landing on her bottom in front of her favorite dog and one of her favorite cats. She threw an arm around each, squeezing their three heads together. She sniffled as tears sprang from her eyes and ran down her cheeks. They were happy tears, in a way, but also sad.
Martin watched his youngest, his heart swelling. He pulled a rumpled but clean tissue from his pocket and held it out to her. She took it, wiped her eyes, and turned full on toward Gem. Juniper leaned in until their foreheads touched and whispered something so softly into the dog’s floppy golden ear that nobody heard what it was. Martin and Georgia exchanged a surprised look, which soon extended to the rest of the group. Juniper was many things, but quiet was definitely not one of them.
When Juniper pulled back, Gem felt something tug at her insides. She was sad to leave Juniper and the purr-motor Bud. All the people on the ranch had been good to her, but these two had really made her life better! Her tail thumped on the ground at the thought of seeing them in the future … she hoped it would happen before too long. With a final wag, she hopped up into the passenger seat of Laurel’s Prius and took a seat with a forward view out the windshield. Laurel smelled like good things and good places from the moment she’d arrived on the ranch, and Gem couldn’t wait to see where they were going!
“Looks like she’s ready!” Pedro said with a laugh. Laurel nodded, feeling ready and also not ready herself. She went around the circle hugging everyone goodbye and getting squeezes in return. By the time she got to Pedro, her eyes were glistening.
“Thank you so much for matching me with this glorious dog,” she said. “And for your patience with me and my decision-making process.” The corner of her mouth rose in a crooked smile.
Pedro stroked his salt-and-pepper goatee and smiled back. “Thank you,” he replied, “for giving our golden girl a shot. And you certainly exhibited some patience of your own …” he finished with a chuckle. He reached out his arms, and they hugged. After that, there was just one ranch member remaining.
Laurel turned to the youngest Sterling, who was standing next to the open car door still looking a little teary.
“Thank you for everything, Juniper,” she said. “I’m not going to lie—you were a force to be reckoned with. But I’m honored that you trust me to take care of Gem.”
Juniper nodded, then raised her head toward the tall woman. “If you think I was tough on you, you should see me with Bud’s agent!” Her lips spread outward into a grin, and she rose up on tippy-toe and threw her arms around Laurel’s neck. “I just know you’ll take good care of her!”
Laurel choked up a bit. “I absolutely will,” she vowed. They smiled at each other through their glistening eyes for a long moment, and then Laurel walked around the back of the car, closed the trunk, and climbed behind the wheel.
“Goodbye!” the Sterling clan called as they pulled out of the parking lot. “Stay in touch!” Gem leaned toward her partially open window and let out a series of goodbye barks. Then with a final honk, they were off.
“The drive is about four hours,” Laurel said as they turned onto the two-lane highway a few minutes later. “We’ll stop halfway to take a break and give our legs a good stretch.”
Gem had no idea what she was saying, but liked the view out the windshield. She liked the way the houses and cars and trees and fences whizzed by. After a while she stuck her head out the window and let her tongue loll, her eyes blinking in the wind. Her heart was filled with happiness. She hadn’t been left behind this time. For the second time in a row, she was the one being taken somewhere new by someone she loved. By Laurel! Laurel, who was always clear with commands and quick with praise. Laurel, who smelled like salt water and sunscreen and sunshine.
Laurel, who made Gem feel happy … and safe.
The drive didn’t feel long. Laurel kept her promise, and Gem was still sitting up and taking in all the sights when the Prius pulled off the highway and rolled to a stop in a small parking lot. A minute later Laurel was opening the passenger-side door for Gem.
“How about a little leg stretch?” she said.
She didn’t have to ask twice. Once out of the car, Gem’s nose quivered madly. The whole area smelled like pee … human, dog, and a few other kinds, too! Laurel led Gem to the edge of the pavement where a path meandered into a scrubby forest. Patting her thigh with her palm, she started to jog at a mellow pace. Gem followed along behind, sniffing the air and eventually adding to the smells that permeated the area. Back at the car, Laurel poured Gem a small bowl of water, which Gem lapped up happily. Then it was time to get back on the road.
When they arrived at Laurel’s little house in Carpinteria, a small town near the ocean, the sun was already low in the sky. “This is it, Gemmy,” she said as she once again opened the passenger door for the pup, then went to the back to unload their stuff.
Gem bounded up the four short steps to the house and waited patiently for Laurel to catch up. Laurel unlocked the door and held it wide. Inside, Gem immediately got to work checking the place out with her nose. The house was a cozy, one-story bungalow with big windows and wood floors. It smelled of ocean and long-ago pup, and it only took Gem a few minutes to sniff out a dog bed tucked under the sofa. Laughing and sighing at the same time, Laurel pulled it out, inviting Gem to try it. Gem sniffed the edges, circled, plopped down, and immediately sprang back up—this was no time for a nap. The bed was extra large and had a thic
k cushion. It would definitely do!
Laurel opened the back door to complete the tour, and they both walked out into the small rear yard. There was a little patch of grass and a couple of raised beds for vegetables and flowers. A fig and an apple tree were tucked into two corners. Everything was fresh and green and growing because winter in California was warm and moist.
There was a smell in the air that was new to Gem, too, a salty briny smell. And the wind seemed to breathe, in and out, never stopping completely.
“I’ve got one more load to bring in from the car,” Laurel told her. “And then we can go to the beach!” Her trip to the Prius was quick, and after filling a big bowl with water for her new roommate, she threw on a pair of shorts and a long-sleeved T-shirt and grabbed a leash.
Out on the sidewalk, Gem knew which way to turn. She could smell and hear the destination! Plus, the setting sun was calling them to the beach. When they reached the long stretch of wide sand, they raced each other toward the water. Gem had never seen so much water before! It was bigger than the lake, and like the breezes it never stopped swirling in and out. It lapped at the shore, splashing and gurgling. Unable to resist, Gem threw herself into the foamy breakers, getting wet up to her stomach fur. She backed up as the wave retreated, sucking at her paws, then rushed back in. This big water liked to play!
“What do you think, Gem? You like the ocean?” Laurel said. Gem loved it! She lapped at the salty water, which cracked Laurel up. “It’s not good for drinking, silly dog!”
Then Laurel showed Gem what the beach was really good for. She began to jog beside the waves. Gem quickly matched her pace and they ran along the shore on the damp, hard-packed sand that the outgoing tide had left behind.
For the first time in a long time, Gem longed to race ahead, to run as fast as she could. Maybe it was the expanse of sand. Maybe it was the ocean. Maybe it was her arrival in her new forever home. Maybe it was Laurel. Whatever it was, her heart soared right out of her rosy chest, and she launched herself forward, taking several galloping strides. Panting, she stopped and turned back to wait for her new human and took the rest of the run at Laurel’s pace. Her ears flopped while her paws pounded, and she inhaled surf and sand and seaweed.
The twosome jogged to the end of the beach and back, finishing up just as the sun descended on the horizon, igniting the sky in orange and yellow hues. Laurel tugged off her shoes, and they raced into the surf for a brief two-armed, six-legged swim in the cool, salty water. This time Gem went in until her feet no longer touched the bottom and paddled beside Laurel. When they emerged from the water together, they shook droplets from their hair and fur … Laurel had forgotten her towel again! Fortunately the air was warm even without the sun in the sky, and they found a thick driftwood log several yards from the water where they could sit together and listen to the waves. They watched the sky continue to change from blue to orange to pink while Gem leaned into Laurel, tasting the salt on her whiskers and feeling the soft shifting sand under her paws.
As she felt the sand move, Gem’s body twitched. She looked down. Sand! Under her paws! In an instant she was on her feet, digging into the forgiving earth and sending the tiny grains flying. When she got so deep she couldn’t stand on the edge, she started another hole. Then another. And another. And the amazing thing? Gem wasn’t searching or longing for anything while she dug—she had everything she needed. She was digging to dig. Digging for pleasure. Digging because she loved it!
Laurel watched, her eyes alight. She hadn’t even realized that Gem would be in digging heaven here … her house was just a few blocks from the beach!
Satisfied with her work, Gem licked Laurel’s damp arm, which was salty from the ocean. Both of them felt it. The sand, the sky, the ocean, themselves. They were all signs. They were meant to be here, together.
Gem loved everything about her new beach home. She loved the b-i-g bed that used to belong to another good dog. She loved waking up early with Laurel and running on the beach. She loved their other walks, their swims, and digging in the sand for the pure joy of it. She loved working alongside Laurel. Gem was an honorary Bark Ranger at Point Allende State Park, and when they worked Gem wore a special vest and Laurel wore a collared shirt, badge, and hat. On their days off Gem wore a different vest, for search and rescue training. The only thing Gem loved more than work was training days.
Every Saturday she and Laurel got up earlier than usual, went for a shorter run than usual, and drove south to meet up with three dog-human handler teams: Chip and Roger, Diva and Luke, and Opal and Meg.
When they first met, the four dogs circled and sniffed one another cautiously. Gem liked Diva instantly. She was a dainty Doberman with a prancy walk and a stub of a tail that was almost always moving. She and her handler, Luke, were already certified. Chip was a giant rottweiler-Labrador mix who smelled a little like fish. Like Gem, he was working to get SAR certified for urban search and rescue. Chip made the hairs at the base of Gem’s tail tingle, but it didn’t take long to realize that the massive rottweiler-Lab mix’s big stance and deep bark were all bluster. He was actually very gentle and friendly … not to mention a search machine! Opal was a German shepherd mix who was also certified and had been deployed all over the country … her time in the field would be ending before too long. Still, she and her human handler, Meg, had a lot of knowledge to share with the newer recruits and never missed a training day.
Today, on their way to their session, Laurel pointed the Prius in a direction that wasn’t familiar. Gem swallowed a whimper and lifted her nose to the crack in the window. They had turned inland, away from the ocean and away from the abandoned military base where they usually trained. As the smells of the things Gem adored got fainter and fainter, a whimper escaped her throat. She wanted to see her pack! She wanted to run drills! She wanted to track scents and find “victims”!
Gem pulled her head away from the window to look at Laurel, and a whiff of something really unusual hit her snout. It was reminiscent of the dark bonfire holes left on the beach, but with other scents mixed in—smells of charcoal and wood and grass.
As the odors got stronger, Laurel pulled off the road into a turnout. The area was black and nearly devoid of undergrowth, but the still-standing trees loomed straight and tall over it, their trunks and branches scorched and blackened.
“It’s okay, Gem,” Laurel assured the pup. “We’re in a controlled burn area.” She turned off the car and let Gem out.
Within minutes a couple of other cars pulled off the road, and Gem’s tail wagged in relief. She recognized the SUV, the wagon, and the banged-up truck. The handlers all popped out of their vehicles—along with a couple of extra folks Gem didn’t know—and soon the dogs were circling, sniffing, bowing, and tussling. Gem gave Diva a good long sniff, followed by a play bow and a soft bark. Opal received a friendly ear lick.
The blackened area looked desolate and smelled strange … being in it was unsettling, if also essential. They’d come here to train because fires were a regular hazard in California, and the dogs needed to learn how to discern the smells of people when they were immersed in the overwhelming acrid, smoky odors left by flames.
The two strangers—a round man who smelled like potato chips and a woman who smelled strongly of coffee and cream, walked off into the burn area. The dogs tussled a bit longer, then were called to their handlers.
“We’re going to start with some simple finds,” Luke said. The dogs were all used to (and skilled at) locating hiding victims. “It’s the usual drill, but a bit harder in this environment.” Since Luke was certified, he was the designated leader. He and Diva would watch all morning while the others trained.
Gem was eager to get to it. There were so many smells her nose was on overdrive … her paws were antsy. She didn’t like the waiting! She needed to move, to search! Finally, Laurel strapped on Gem’s red SAR vest, making her wag. When the vest was on she knew what was coming next! Laurel asked Gem to sit and there was a little more waitin
g while Chip and Opal got themselves situated with Roger and Meg. Then, after making eye contact with Laurel, the word Gem was waiting for came in a chorus of voices. “Find!”
The dogs were off. Initially they clustered tightly together as they sniffed the ground. After a few minutes, they separated a bit, making ever-widening circles, choosing the scent path of one or the other victim and beginning to track. Gem followed her nose to an open area to the right of the pack and quickly moved along as she deciphered smells. She was tracking potato chips.
Gem found potato-chip man quickly, barking her alert as Chip approached. Laurel and Roger both arrived a few minutes later and awarded their dogs with liver treats and pets.
The next drill was similar, as was the one after that. The group ran drills all day and all over the burn area. Gem was successful, though in some areas it was harder to separate smells than in others. After a search in a particularly intense spot, the pups’ paws started to feel hot and uncomfortable. The still-smoldering ground was scorching their footpads! All three handlers paused the search action to dig into their backpacks.
Gem stood still while Laurel strapped protective booties on each of her feet. It felt strange to have a barrier between her paws and the ground, and since they were new, they added another smell to the myriad already inundating her nose. She didn’t like them!
“I know,” Laurel said. “But you need them to protect your paws.”
Gem had no idea what she was actually saying, though the meaning was clear. The booties were staying.
For the next couple of hours, Gem and Chip went neck and neck on their finds, taking turns being first to sniff out coffee and potato chips. Opal managed to find first a couple of times, too. Treats, pets, and games of tug were plentiful.
“Okay, let’s take a break,” Luke called after Gem bested Chip for the second time in a row. They gathered in an open space surrounded by blackened scrub pine. “Our guest victims have to head out, so for the rest of the session the four handlers will take turns hiding while the dogs search in a pack.”
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