Saved

Chapter 33

Alex POV

Once Sawyer and I finish up her work, we head downstairs to go to a final prep training.

On the bus, I see Sawyer with Charlie sitting on her lap and them both watching Turning Red on the iPad.

Bree turns in her seat, "Hey, want to talk to her?"

I smile and nod. I grab a headphone and pull it out of her ear, "Yeah, momma?"

"Can Bree and I talk to you?" I ask.

She nods, "Um sure, what about?"

I look to Bree, "Okay, so Sawyer, I think Alex and a few others have noticed that you seem calmer when you have Blue with you. Do you feel that way?"

She thinks about it and nods slowly, "Yeah, he lays on me and just petting him seems to relax my brain when I'm amped up."

I smile, "Okay, so how would you feel about a service dog? They'd be young so trained to be your specific buddy and they'd go everywhere with you. Be able to sense when you're upset or getting overwhelmed. Kind of keep you from having meltdowns like you did at school the other day."

She bobs her head up and down, "Can it be Blue?"

I shake my head, "Unfortunately, no baby. They have to be younger so they bond with you and are trainable to your specific cues and needs."

"Okay, yeah that makes sense. It'd be like my dog?"

I nod, "Yeah. Your responsibility."

Bree speaks up, "Would you think you could take care of a dog? I mean, I think Alex and Serv could help a little, but you'd have to be on top of it mostly."

"I think maybe? Could you help me with that? Like be better about it?" She asks.

"I think we could get you there. Rachel knows someone who raises service dogs. I could talk to her. I think Bree here could recommend you for one." I say.

"I think you'd really benefit from the dog Sawyer, you just need to work on a few things. But you'd have to wait a bit for the dog anyway, I think if Alex and Serv are okay with it, I could recommend one now, you could go pick a puppy and they start training it for you."

She nods and looks at me, "What do you think, momma?"

"Pops and I are in for anything that benefits you, baby."

She smiles, "Okay. Then I'm getting a puppy."

She then puts her earbud in and tunes back in to the movie.

I look at Bree, "My house is going to be a small zoo."

She laughs, "Yeah. Goodluck."

We get to training and I leave Sawyer on the sideline with Charlie, still watching the movie.

Kate walks up to me, "Hey, they seem chill."

"Yeah, they're good. Snacks and juices in the bag, water for Sawyer. They both might be tired from swimming and then Sawyer worked with me."

Kate smiles, "Okay, great."

I start doing drills and look over, see Sawyer and Charlie fast asleep, the iPad, no doubt still playing the movie.

Kelsey comes up next to me, "They're really cute. Like blood siblings."

I nod, "Sawyer's the best big sister."

"You're gonna have to beat the boys off with a stick."

I laugh, "Actually, the girls. And I'm confident that Serv will."