The Unexpected Shelter

by Abby Tyler

  Yes, this was going to be a better day for sure.

  When she opened the door to the kennel room, a chorus of barks drowned out everything. She was a little behind schedule due to her extra primping, and the dogs definitely wanted to be let out.

  She bent down, releasing all the latches, and hurried to the back door to spring it open.

  Sergeant strolled out from his bed and followed the pack outside. Savannah knew she could count on him to keep them fairly corralled until she could feed the cats, come back around to the puppies, and haul in that day’s bag of kibble.

  She felt supercharged, despite her middle-of-the-night feeding with the wee ones. She wouldn’t have to do that much longer. Tom and Jerry were growing fit and strong. Maybe tonight she’d slide their latest feeding to bedtime and stretch them all the way to the next morning. Since they were experimenting with their first solids, it was probably time.

  She also ought to call Dr. Black out to check on Tom’s leg. At least the puppy was her only current health crisis, although she still worried about the Chihuahua who wouldn’t leave his kennel. Maybe she would have time today to work with him a little bit on that.

  She hauled down a bag of cat food and filled the bowls along the wall of the sunroom. That accomplished, she headed to the kennels, peeking out at the dogs, who all seemed to be behaving, and grabbed two bottles of formula from the fridge. She propped her phone on the side of the sick-bay kennel, glancing through a list of her emails as the puppies drank greedily.

  They were mostly the usual things. Delivery reminders. A bazillion sales solicitations as if she could afford fancy new dog beds or the highest rated organic dog food. Just the formula for Tom and Jerry was killing her budget. Thank goodness they’d be totally switched to solids in the next week or two.

  She spotted an email from Delilah about adoption day, and set down a bottle for a second to open it.

  Apparently, Delilah had been getting quite a few inquiries about pets. Delilah knew that Savannah had been overwhelmed lately and figured that an adoption day would be easier to manage than sending a bunch of random people out to the shelter.

  Savannah sighed. The hard part about adoption day was for her to be gone from the house. She had to time it just right, when the animals she left behind were mostly settled and could manage without supervision. And there was always Boone. There were days when she didn’t feel like she should leave him either, but he didn’t do so well if she brought him down to the Square. He had a tendency to wander, and he didn’t always discern the difference between walking on the sidewalk and down the middle of Main Street.

  The day Delilah was proposing was a Saturday, of course, the day most people would be going through her shop. But Savannah didn’t know if she would have Luke’s help. Maybe she could call out Gayle. She sometimes volunteered on weekends even though Savannah hadn’t seen her much over the summer.

  Tom finished his bottle but wasn’t the least bit sleepy. She stroked his fuzzy little head, straightening one of his short little ears. She hated that Rottweilers had such a bad reputation. These were so cute.

  When Jerry finished his bottle, Savannah picked up both of the pups and carried them outside, one in each hand. The pack was roaming the yard under the watchful eye of Sergeant. At first she tried to set the pups down near the door, but immediately, several of the dogs ran over to sniff out the babies.

  Savannah picked them back up. She bumped her hip against the latch that separated the main yard from a smaller enclosed section where she kept aggressive dogs when they came her way.

  She passed through and bumped it closed, and the other dogs lined up along the chain-link fence to get their eyes on the puppies.

  Savannah set them down. The ground was still soft from the rains, but this area, which saw a lot less use, had tufts of grass.

  The moment she set down Jerry, he toddled over to one of the patches of green to pee.

  “Good boy,” Savannah said.

  Tom was a lot less certain. His little cast was heavy and dragged along behind him as he tried to navigate the ruts in the dirt.

  Eventually he managed to make his way to the same bit of grass, sniffing it where his littermate had relieved himself. He angled his body to squat, but that put pressure on the hurt leg. He gave a little yelp.

  “Poor pup,” Savannah said. She stroked his head and lifted the little cast from the ground to help. A tiny stream of pee hit the grass.

  “Get it all out, mind you,” she said. “We’re not going to be doing this for every nook and cranny of the yard.”

  The pack ran to the other corner of the fence, a chorus of barks and yapping alerting her that someone was approaching.

  She stood up and smoothed her shirt down, tucking the back into her waistband. It had to be Luke. She told him yesterday not to ring the bell in front, but come on around back. This would bypass Boone.

  She was right. Luke reached over the chain-link fence to unlatch the gate. When he stepped inside, the dogs all jumped over each other to greet him.

  He knelt down, giving each one a bit of attention.

  That was enough for most of them, who were willing to resume wandering the yard. But Luigi immediately flopped down on his back for more of the belly rubs he got yesterday.

  “He’s spoiled now,” Savannah called out.

  “I reckon he probably could use a bit of spoiling,” Luke said.

  Savannah could not smile any bigger. What was it about this man that made her heart beat so fast?

  He patted Luigi on the belly and stood up. As he headed toward her section of the yard, Luigi trotted along behind him. Luke had made a friend for life in that one.

  Luke leaned against the fence that divided the yards. “You got the pups out.”

  “Tom here is trying to figure out how to lift his cast to pee.”

  “How long is that gonna be on there?”

  “Doc Black said probably another week.”

  “He must’ve been pretty hurt.”

  Savannah nodded. “He couldn’t use it at all when I first got him.”

  Luke glanced around the yard. “You need me to do something inside, or should I get to that fence straightaway?”

  “You can haul in a bag of kibble from the food shed,” she said. “I need to rotate the stock in there. The newest is currently on top.”

  “How about I go ahead and rearrange it. Then I’ll hit the fence.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He hesitated. “I was thinking, if you wanted to add the amount of food you give each dog to those little whiteboards on their kennels, I could probably feed them. Since the amounts are currently only in your head.” He gave her little wink.

  That was actually a really smart idea. “I’ll write it down today when I feed them.”

  He walked along the pavers to the shed, and Savannah had to force her gaze back to the puppies at her feet. Tom was already trying to wiggle beneath the gap to get into the main yard with the big dogs.

  She rushed over and picked him up. “You’re getting ahead of yourself,” she said. “Those dogs would trample you in a New York minute.”

  She turned and lifted Jerry as well. “Let’s get you guys back inside.”

  Savannah had emptied out the rest of yesterday’s bag of kibble and fed about half the dogs when Luke made it back inside with the fresh bag.

  “Did you have enough to finish the feeding?”

  “Not quite. But I wrote down everyone whose food bowl is already filled.”

  Luke set the bag on the floor. “Why don’t you finish writing them out, and I’ll fill the bowls. What’s on your agenda today?”

  “The cats are next. I need to clear the litter boxes and check on Tuxedo, who got neutered last week.”

  “I didn’t notice any cones of shame when I peeked in yesterday.” Luke leaned against the line of cages, and Savannah had to drag her eyes away from his strong forearms beneath the rolled up plaid sleeves.

  “He only needed
it for a couple of days. He’s a healthy cat, and healed up quickly.”

  “All righty then.”

  Savannah kneeled with her dry erase marker and quickly wrote out the amounts of feed she gave each dog on their whiteboards. She felt Luke’s eyes on her, and she warmed all over. It had been quite a while since she met somebody new.

  She hadn’t really dated anybody since Billy Ray, and that was right around when Boone got diagnosed. Since then, her life had become increasingly focused. Doctor visits, hard conversations, and putting out all the little fires that came with trying to run an animal shelter on your own.

  Not that Boone was totally useless. He often sat in the sunroom and played with the cats. He could also be counted on to watch over the tiny puppies. As long as he didn’t do any of the riskier chores, like cooking on the stove or handling power tools, he could manage some of the quieter, easier tasks that they faced daily. When he wasn’t grumpy, anyway.

  She stood up, all the feed amounts documented on the boards. Luke moved along the kennels, filling bowls with the prescribed amount.

  “If you can refresh their water, that will be a help,” she said.

  “Will do.”

  She checked on the puppies. Tom had sacked out, his little cast buried in blankets. But Jerry hopped around, begging for attention.

  Savannah opened the sick bay door and pulled him out. This was a good job for Boone.

  “I’ll be right back,” she told Luke, and headed into the main house with the puppy.

  Boone still sat at the kitchen table. He’d managed to eat a good portion of pancakes, but quite a bit was also on the table, with more falling to the floor.

  She walked to the sink and wet a dish towel. “Hey Boone, can you take care of this puppy for a bit? He needs some attention.”

  The chair scraped back as Boone stood. She held Jerry in one hand while she wiped off the sticky syrup from Boone’s hands with the other. When he was clean enough, she led him back to the living room and the big armchair. “Now don’t let him on the ground. We don’t want to lose him.”

  She settled Boone in the chair and put the footrest up to discourage him from taking off. She laid the blanket on his lap and set the puppy in the middle. Boone’s large wrinkled hands closed around the puppy, fondling his little triangle ears. “Rottweiler,” Boone said.

  “That’s right, Boone. His name is Jerry.”

  Her eyes sparked a little as Boone lifted the pup to his face and planted a gentle kiss on his head. Her father had always had a tender soul.

  When she was sure they were settled, she headed back out to the kennel room. Luke had just emptied out the bag and was folding it up.

  “There’s a whole set of trash cans at the side of the house,” she said. “We haul it into town every Tuesday.”

  Luke nodded. “I assume the tools in the shed that I spotted are what I should use on the fence.”

  “Sure. There’s more in the garage though. You can cut through the house if the side door is locked.” It probably was. She was more careful now. Not that she thought someone would get in. But she wanted to make sure Boone didn’t get out.

  “I’ll go get started.” He gave her a quick smile and headed out the back door.

  Morning sure had gone smoothly with Luke’s help.

  She could get used to this.

  Luke whistled to himself as he knocked out a rotten section of board and replaced it with a fresh piece he’d scavenged from behind the shed.

  He enjoyed tasks like this, simple and satisfying. Savannah kept the dogs in a smaller part of the yard while he worked. He caught glimpses of her as she went about her own chores, mucking the yard and adding to the compost in the field beyond the fence.

  He guessed the shelter probably used to hold three times the number they currently had. He wondered where those animals went now, and if he could do something to help make sure they weren’t being sent to any kill shelters in the area.

  But looking at how Savannah handled herself with the pack, cooing and clucking and calling each dog by name, he figured she wasn’t going to let that happen to any of the animals in her care. He admired how she managed to keep things running even when life seemed to be throwing one curveball after another her way. She had a good deal of fortitude.

  The sun made quick work of drying out the ground from yesterday’s rains. He patched up the most critical parts of the fence and put away the tools. As he came out of the shed, Savannah squinted up at the sky and said, “Looks to be high noon. You want to come in for lunch?”

  He wondered if she fed all her volunteers. He’d tossed a couple granola bars from T-bone’s convenience store in the passenger seat of his truck, but he figured after the way she made him sandwiches yesterday, she might be willing to do it again.

  “You got yourself a date,” he said and smiled a little inside when her cheeks turned pink. He definitely liked the girl. He liked her a lot.

  When Luke made his way into the kitchen, Boone was sitting at the table. Luke was glad T-bone had let him know about the situation, so he was better prepared than he had been when he arrived yesterday to a confused man who let him inside the house without question.

  In fact, he ought to talk to Savannah about that. If her dad was going to let just anybody in the door, she might want to think about how much freedom he had to open it.

  Or maybe she already knew all that. He’d only known her twenty-four hours. He probably shouldn’t interfere.

  He sat down in the chair. “Good afternoon, sir,” he said.

  Boone paid him no mind.

  Savannah stood at the counter, adding ham and cheese to hoagie rolls.

  “I feel like I should bring lunch for you guys one of the days,” Luke said.

  “Nonsense,” Savannah said. “It’s the least we can do for all the time you’re volunteering. You’ve been a huge help.”

  “You get a fair amount of volunteers?” Luke asked.

  Savannah set plates down in front of him and Boone. “Lately we’ve been a little short.”

  Boone picked up a sandwich and took a bite. He looked at both of them with big innocent eyes as he chewed.

  “I couldn’t help but notice you have a lot of empty cages. Are there not a lot of animals, or do you find other places for the ones that come around?”

  Savannah sat down with her plate. “I’ve been able to find foster homes for a lot of them. It’s better that way anyhow. They get more love and care. I currently have about all I can handle when I’m working by myself.”

  That’s what Luke had figured.

  “It’s a remarkably well-behaved pack,” he said.

  Savannah nodded. “My German Shepherd Sergeant is really good with them. Every once in a while a dog will try and challenge him, but for the most part, he manages the dogs as long as he’s not too outnumbered.”

  “It’s always great when you have a dog like that around.”

  They ate in silence for a few minutes, and Luke glanced around their kitchen. It was more or less tidy, a few dishes stacked in the sink. He wondered how she managed it all.

  “What’s the plan for the afternoon?” he asked.

  “Delilah wants to have an adoption day this weekend,” Savannah said. “That means I need to make sure I have enough carriers to transport them, and dig out the portable fencing to set up outside her shop. And I’ll need to decide who gets to go.”

  “Is that a hard decision?”

  She sat back in her chair. Wisps of hair framed her face. “Always. Do I take the cute ones and pretty much guarantee they’ll get adopted? Do I take the ones that have been here the longest?”

  “I think Luigi would win over the hearts of a lot of people,” he said.

  Boone spoke up unexpectedly. “You should take Lady out for a walk.”

  Savannah patted his hand. “I’ll be sure to do that.”

  “Which one is Lady?” Luke asked.

  Savannah smile turned a touch sad. “Oh, Lady was a bird dog we h
ad when I was about five years old.”

  She collected the plates at the table and walked to the sink.

  Luke stood and gathered his and Savannah’s cups. Boone grabbed his suddenly and held it close to his chest. “Mine.”

  “Yes, sir,” he said.

  Savannah watched him from the sink. “We can talk about him later,” she said. “He was diagnosed two years ago.”

  “T-bone gave me the short version,” he said. “I’m just here to help.”

  She turned to stare out the kitchen window. “You don’t know how grateful I am for that.”

  He was pretty sure he did.

  Chapter 6

  Saturday morning dawned bright and clear. Delilah had assured Savannah that there were at least three families serious about taking a dog. Savannah just had to decide which ones.

  She wouldn’t be taking any cats. Mrs. Fresno had fostered the latest kittens that had been brought to the shelter. They were at the stage where it was easiest to adopt them out, so Savannah was letting her handle that.

  She would take four or five dogs.

  Savannah headed into the kennel room. Franny had come to help her. Before she could even ask Luke about his availability, he had let her know that several members of Applebottom were bringing their cars to him Saturday morning. Gayle hadn’t been available either, but Franny was willing.

  When Savannah entered the kennel room, Franny was sitting cross-legged on the floor in jeans and a flowered blouse. Her hair was a riot of light brown and gray curls. She looked up at Savannah in utter despair.

  “They’re all so sweet,” she said. “I can’t decide who we can part with, even if they will have a good home.”

  Savannah kneeled down next to her. “ I was thinking of taking Pixie, the shy Chihuahua. Delilah said that one of the families had a very quiet little girl, and I think she might fall in love with him.”

  Fanny nodded. “You’re so good at this. I don’t see how you do it.”

  “Boone always said to fill ‘em up with love and send them with your heart.”

  “He’s such a good man. What about Luigi?”