Neurosistale

Chapter Twelve

FADED GOLD

(June 29, 2013) (Tamuz 21) (Saturday)

"Marshall! No! Get back here!"

Austin looked over to see his friend running around, chasing after a very young puppy. He got up to help, "Marshall!"

"What's going on?" Chara asked, turning around to look toward the park.

"Zach lost his puppy," Kade answered.

"Oh. We should go help."

"Okay."

"Marshall!"

"Marshall, come back!"

The four kids ran around the entire park countless times, just trying to catch the puppy with a yellow aura.

Austin lunged, grabbing the animal and hugging it tightly. "I got him! I got him"

Zach ran over, panting, before clipping the leash on the puppy's collar. "Thank you, Austin."

Austin stood, keeping his hands on his knees as he tried to slow his breathing. "What friends are for."

"His name is Marshall?" Chara inquired, breathing much more normal than any of the boys. She was used to a lot of running.

"Uh huh. Our family got him a few days ago. He's a Labrador and German Shepard breed."

"He's very pretty. And he'd make a good guard dog."

"How can you tell?"

Chara looked at Marshall, looking at his washed-out hazel eyes, and smiled. "Just a feeling."

Marshall barked happily.

"I finished Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites."

"Yeah? How was it?"

"I liked it. My dad did, too."

"Oh, good. Do you need another book to read?"

"I'm planning to to check out some of the encyclopittyas."

"Ah, those are good ones."

"They're realistic."

"Dad, I'm back."

"Ah, good." He smiled and hugged her tightly. "What books did you you get?"

"I got two encyclopittyas because I couldn't hold three of them very well."

He laughed and hugged her again. Chara hugged back as tight as possible, burying her smiling face in his worn-out plaid shirt. Oh, how she loved when her father was happy. It reminded her of the beautiful farm, when her father radiated pure joy.

She stayed in his lap, books set gently on the cushion next to them.

"So, you're planning to read the library out of encyclopedias, eh?"

Chara took quick note of how her father had said it, wishing someone had corrected her earlier. "Yeah, they have a lot. I figured it would take a while to read them all. Which is good because then I won't have to decide what my next book will be. Also they have a ton of knowledge about everything."

He nodded thoughtfully, "that's very true."

Chara curled up, glad to be with him. "Dad?"

"Yes, Chara?"

"Will we ever go back to the farm?"

He sat there, running calloused hands through her soft hair. The farm question was no longer when. If was if. And Jakxon had to admit that Chara was no longer a baby, or even a toddler. She was growing older and was staring to figure things out on her own. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "One day we might go, just to see what's happened to it," he continued stroking her hair, "but if we do, it won't be for a long time."

"Okay," she whispered, feeling tired. Her father started to sing a quiet, gentle hymn.

There is a green hill far away,

Without a city wall,

Where the dear Lord was crucified,

Who died to save us all.