“Yeah! And dog biscuits for Puddles! I’ll go get him.”
“This time make sure you have his leash fastened to his collar before you let him out of his pen. Okay?”
“Okay, okay.” Muttering to himself, the unhappy child left her.
Krista was still mulling over everything her son had said about his father as she drove toward the Brody farm fifteen minutes later. She remained concerned, yet she wasn’t sure it would be wise to discuss the problem with Hannah. Len’s accidental death had hit the older woman hard. Still, who better to give advice about a boy like Bobby than a woman who had raised his father?
She pulled up in front of a quaint old wood-frame house. Bobby jumped out of the car and hit the dirt running, Puddles at his heels. The Brody home had always radiated such a sense of welcome. It made Krista feel as if she were coming home.
Hannah met her at the door and opened her arms to share a hug. “Well, well, I thought I heard a car.” She peered at the yard. “Where’s that little boy of ours?”
“Headed for the barn. Probably looking for Grandpa. He’ll be in as soon as he gets hungry or thirsty.”
“I ’spect they both will,” Hannah said, chuckling. “Come on in, honey. You look like you could use a cup of tea. Hard day?”
“So far. It’s been quite an afternoon. I’m glad it’s Friday.” She plopped into a chair at Hannah’s kitchen table and sighed. “I’m glad I have the weekend to convince Bobby to go back to school on Monday.”
“Goodness. What happened?”
“It’s a long story. Puddles ran away. Then, while we were out canvassing the neighborhood looking for him, we ran into an old friend. You remember Mark Vanbruger, don’t you? He and Len used to be buddies.”
“’Course I remember. Real nice fella.”
“Exactly,” Krista said. “Only Bobby has decided he’s dangerous.”
“What? Where’d he get such a notion?”
“One of his new friends told him Mark was really mean. When Bobby and I found Puddles at Mark’s house, Bobby jumped to the conclusion Mark was a dognapper. Now Bobby insists he wants to move back to the city.”
“You’re not going to, are you?”
“Of course not. I’m just worried about living so close to Mark. I appreciate the reasonable rent you arranged for me but I may have to move to keep peace in the family.”
Hannah was shaking her head. “I wouldn’t do that. The Good Lord fixed you up where you are and that’s where you ought to stay. Mark’s a good man. It won’t hurt you to be a couple doors down from an old friend like him.”
Krista’s eyes widened. “A couple doors down? Wait a minute! You knew where he lived when you found me that house?” Her jaw dropped. “Shame on you, Hannah Brody. You set me up!”
CHAPTER 6
Trailing behind Bobby, Puddles ran as fast as his short legs would take him.
Hey, wait for me! I’m coming.
A yellow-and-black butterfly flitted past, diverting his attention.
Ooooh... Look! Look, Bobby! We need to go chase that funny-looking thing. Don’t you see it? Don’t you care? Maybe it’s a sheep. Bobby? Hey, where’d you go?
Fascinating odors and unfamiliar sights distracted the pup further.
What a wonderful place this farm is. It’s so smelly my nose can’t decide where to start. Look at that mushy mud. And all that straw and stuff in that big pile. I’ll bet there’s a sheep in there. Yessirree. There’s gotta be. My mother said I’d find my true destiny if I just followed my heart. This must be what she meant.
He looked up, suddenly remembering Bobby.
Now where did that boy get to? You’d think he wasn’t paying attention the way he wanders off and gets himself lost. No wonder humans need to stay with their mothers till they’re practically grown up. They need to be watched all the time. Not me. My mother said I’d do fine on my own, almost as soon as I could walk.
Plunking himself down in the shade of an enormous barn, Puddles rested, panting and reminiscing.
It was a place like this where I last saw my mother. She was so kind, licking my ears and teaching me stuff I’d need to know when I grew up. Being on a farm again really makes me miss her. Bobby’s lucky. He can stay with his family for years if he wants to. I don’t know why he acts so unhappy all the time. I try to get him to play so I can cheer him up but he must want something else. He’s already got a mama. Maybe he needs more friends like me. Then we could all play and have fun together.
Yawning, the puppy rested his chin on his paws.
Too bad Bobby doesn’t have a daddy like mine, somebody brave and strong, who’s not afraid to face a hungry wolf and protect the flock. His would have to be a human daddy, of course. That’s too bad. Sheepdogs are much more loyal than men. My mama told me so. Still, humans are used to their own kind so Bobby’d be okay if he had a regular people dad.
I heard him talking to Krista about it. They had a daddy once. He went away. She told my Bobby that everything would be okay but she had salty cheeks afterward, when she and I were alone. Got my fur all wet, too. That didn’t bother me. It was worth it to get all the extra hugs from her. I licked her under the chin and she laughed. Said something about doggie kisses, I think.
In the distance, Puddles heard his master calling his name. He stood, stretched and yawned, looking in the direction of the voices.
Sounds like the boy found another human, the one they call Grandpa. He’s sort of like a daddy, only really old. I thought he’d do, though, till we left here and moved to town. Guess Bobby and Krista didn’t like him enough to keep him.
His tail started to wag as he sensed someone approaching.
The man with the tasty house might make a good father, Puddles thought. Bobby doesn’t seem to like him much but Krista does. And I know he likes her. I wish my mother had explained more about people to me. I know how to keep a flock of sheep happy and calm but I don’t know nearly enough about humans to take proper care of them.
“Puddles!” Bobby came around the corner of the barn, dropped to his knees and held out his arms. “I thought I lost you again!”
No way, kid. You couldn’t lose me if you tried. Here I come!
The pup leaped and landed on the boy’s chest, rocking him back on his heels. They fell backward into the dirt. Bobby was giggling.
That’s better! I missed you, too. You should’ve stayed with me. I found all kinds of great stuff to taste and roll in. And a yellow thing that I thought was a sheep till I remembered my mama said lambs couldn’t fly.
I was real tired, too. But I feel much better now that you’re here. I missed you bunches. More than my chewy toy. Well, almost. And I figured out how to make you happy. Mama said to always follow my instincts so I will. You’ll see.
CHAPTER 7
Krista would have asked Hannah to clarify her reasons for practically plunking her down in Mark Vanbruger’s lap if Bobby’s boisterous return and wild story about losing track of Puddles again hadn’t interrupted their conversation.
When Hannah invited Bobby to spend the whole weekend at the farm, dog and all, Krista readily gave permission and drove home alone. This respite from motherhood would give her a perfect opportunity to finish unpacking. Once her son was surrounded by familiar objects, she hoped he’d settle in and accept small-town living without too much more fuss.
Except that the poor kid believed an arch villain lived practically next door. Maybe that was where she should begin. She certainly owed Mark an apology for the sore shin!
This time, she brushed her hair and touched up her lipstick before heading down the street. Not that she was primping. “Yeah, right,” she muttered, disgusted. If she didn’t care to impress him, why was her heart beginning to thump like a pocketful of rocks tumbling in a clothes dryer?
Krista chuckled. Leave it to the mother of an eight-year-old to think of an analogy like that!
As she approached Mark’s house she thought seriously of turning tail and heading home. That
notion was so out of character it dismayed her. In two years of widowhood, she’d learned how to face anything life threw at her—with the help of prayer. She’d stopped going to church after being widowed but perhaps it was time to start attending services again. Bobby could use a serious dose of Christian love—and so could she.
Before she could climb the front porch steps, Mark appeared, startling her. She smiled. “Oh, hi.”
“Hello again.” He leaned to one side to look past her. “No bodyguard this time? No attack dog?”
“Nope. You’re safe. I’m all alone. They’re visiting Grandma.”
“Poor Hannah,” Mark quipped. “Oh, well, half the time she has a house full of foster kids so I suppose she can cope with your Bobby.” Seating himself on the top porch step, he gestured to a spot beside him. “Join me?”
“Sure. Thanks.” She settled herself as far away from him as the narrow stairs would allow, then asked, “Have you lived here long?”
“Not really. After I left St. Louis I worked in California but the pace was way too fast for a country boy like me. The more I thought about coming home, the better it sounded. So, I took a pay cut and here I am.”
“At least you had a position lined up. I’m still looking. I did manage to get my Emergency Medical Technician certification and do some volunteer rescue work for the fire department after Bobby started school, but that isn’t considered real job experience. It’s harder for me to find work because I never finished college.”
“That’s Len’s fault. He talked you into marrying him and then got you pregnant.”
Krista smiled. “Bless you. You’re just about the only person, besides Hannah, who hasn’t assumed I had to get married because I was already expecting.”
“I know you too well to ever think that.” Mark reached for her hand.
“Thanks.” His comment made her feel good. His touch made her feel even better. Realizing how much better, she pulled away. “I don’t suppose you know where I might find a waitress job.”
“I might. What’re you doing later tonight?”
“Going to bed,” she said without thinking how her comment might sound to him. A blush warmed her cheeks. “I meant I’m exhausted. As soon as I unpack the rest of my kitchen stuff, I expect to collapse in a heap and sleep till morning.”
“In that case,” Mark said, “why don’t we go out for coffee and homemade pie right now. There’s a little café on the Serenity Square that can usually use an extra hand. If you decide you’d like to work there, I’ll introduce you.”
“I’ll have to change first. I’m not going out in shorts and a T-shirt.”
“You look fine to me just as you are.”
Getting to her feet and hurrying down the stairs so he couldn’t see how deeply his compliment had made her blush, Krista called back, “Give me ten minutes.”
“I’ve given you nine years,” he said wistfully. “I think I can manage to wait a few more minutes.”
CHAPTER 8
Bea’s Family Café was almost deserted by the time Mark and Krista arrived. The waitress greeted Mark with a broad smile. “Hi, stranger! The usual?”
“Not tonight, Annie. What kind of pie do you have?”
“Fresh, or just any old pie? The apple’s fairly new.”
He laughed and looked to Krista. When she nodded, he said, “Apple’s fine. And two cups of coffee, please.”
Guiding Krista to a table in the corner, he seated her then took a chair opposite her. “Annie’s the one you’d be working for if you decided to apply here. She has an odd sense of humor but folks seem to like it. And the food’s good. She was kidding about the pie. They don’t serve anything that’s not first-rate. Her mother does most of the baking. She and her husband handle the rest.”
“She’s married?”
“Yes. Why?”
“It looked to me like she might be interested in you. That’s all.”
Mark was smiling. “Trust me. Annie and I have nothing going except that she keeps me from starving to death. I never did like to cook.”
“Hannah’s a great cook. She can get Bobby to eat all kinds of things besides hot dogs and burgers—even vegetables.”
“He’ll be more open-minded as he gets older.”
“Which reminds me,” Krista said, lowering her voice for privacy. “I want to apologize again for the way he kicked you. I’ve never seen him get violent like that before. I hope it didn’t hurt.”
“Only my pride. I don’t like being beat up by an eight-year-old.”
“He still swears you kidnapped Puddles. He even wanted to move again because our new house is so close to yours.” Her brow furrowed. “Did you know Hannah had a hand in finding me that place? She seemed awfully smug when I questioned her about it. I think she threw us together on purpose.”
“Would that be so bad?” Mark asked.
“In my case, yes. My son is all I have left. I don’t want him to think I’ve turned against him.”
Mark reached across the narrow table and took her hands. “You said you were worried about being both mother and father to him. I can understand that. But I think you’re making a mistake if you try to be his friend, too. Kids need strong parental guidance. If you let Bobby make all the decisions, who’s he going to look up to when he needs an authority figure?”
“Me, of course.” She pulled her hands away and clasped them in her lap. “I may not have a degree in education like you do, Mr. Vanbruger, but I know my own son. He might be a little headstrong but he knows I’m the one in charge.”
“Glad to hear it. Considering what’s happened already, I’m not looking forward to having him sent to my office for discipline.” He shot her a wry smile. “I’m afraid his mother might hold it against me.”
Before Krista could reply, Annie arrived with their pie and a steaming carafe of coffee. “Who’s holding what against who?” the waitress joked.
“That’s whom,” Mark said quickly. “And never mind.”
“Oh-ho! So that’s how it is. Well, well. What a surprise.” She filled their cups then grinned at Krista. “You have your work cut out for you, ma’am. This guy’s about as slippery as a greased pig. I don’t believe I’ve seen him pay serious attention to any of the single gals in town. How’d you get him to take you out?”
“This is not a date,” Krista insisted. “My son and I moved to Serenity to be near my late husband’s parents.” She stood and offered her hand. “I’m Krista Brody. I’m an experienced waitress. A hard worker. Never late. And I need a job.”
“Sounds good to me. We’re closed Mondays. Come in then and I’ll show you around.”
Krista could hardly believe how easily she’d gotten the job. God must have had His angels working overtime. She’d just started to relax when Annie added,
“You’ll like it here. Mark usually shows up for at least two meals every day.”
CHAPTER 9
Puddles jumped out of Hannah’s car the moment Bobby opened the door.
Race you to the house! Ha-ha. I win!
Bobby almost tripped over the dog as he dashed into his mother’s open arms. “Gramma drove me home. She took me to Sunday school, too. It was awful!”
That’s because you didn’t let me go with you. Serves you right for locking me in the barn with all those nasty-tempered chickens. I could have starved to death if I hadn’t figured out what was inside those boxes the hens were sitting on. I don’t know why everybody got so mad at me. All I did was bite them open and eat the runny stuff inside. How was I supposed to know it was wrong? Mark broke some and cooked them for me when I was visiting his house.
Startled, Bobby’s mother bent to look him in the eyes. “Whoa. I thought you loved Sunday school.”
“Not the one at Grandma’s church. The teacher is that guy who stole Puddles. But I showed him. I didn’t talk at all. Not once.”
Well, now, that’s interesting. Why didn’t you say so? No wonder you came back to the farm and hollered at me. I shou
ld have known it wasn’t really my fault.
Sighing, Krista said, “That wasn’t very nice, honey. I think Jesus would have talked to Mr. Vanbruger, don’t you?”
Bobby’s lower lip quivered. “Not if he stole his dog, too.”
Right on, kid. Nobody should get away with puppy-napping. But you’re wrong about that Mark guy. I like him. Matter of fact, as soon as I grab a little dinner I think I’ll head over to his place and see what’s up. I can still taste that leather stuff in his closet. Yummy!
“Speaking of dogs, it’s time to feed Puddles and put him in his pen.”
Food? Yes! Wait a minute. Did she say to put me in my pen? No way. Not again. It’s lonesome out there. I’ll be good. I promise. Just give me a bowl of kibble and I’ll never touch another shoe or flower or little white hen ball. Well, maybe one of those, but only if my buddy Mark gives it to me.
Bobby made a face. “Okay. C’mon, Puddles. Time for jail.”
I think we should go back to Gramma’s farm instead. She let us sleep together. It was like being with my brothers and sisters when you cuddled up under the covers with me. And I didn’t do one bad thing, did I? No sir. Not unless you count the mess in the kitchen—and that wasn’t my fault. I told you I had to go outside and I couldn’t get the door open, but you wouldn’t hurry, would you?
The rattle of dry dog food in the plastic scoop was too compelling to resist.
Okay, okay. Here I come. I’ll eat that because I’m half-starved. Just remember, I like table scraps best so be sure to save me some. Hey, if you left the scoop in my pen it might make a nice toy. I’d like to taste it, anyway.
Bobby opened the gate to the dog run and dumped the kibble into Puddles’s dish, then knelt beside it. “Here you go, boy.”
Thanks. Want your face washed again? Yeah. I thought so. Don’t look so worried. I’ve got it all figured out. Just leave everything to me. I’ll have a better family rounded up for you and Krista in no time. Which reminds me—have you seen any sheep lately?
A Puppy's Tale Page 2