Milo's Journey

Chapter 13: Just Another Day At School

Milo woke up to the poke of a cold wet puppy nose on his chin, followed by a low pitched arrff and enthusiastic licks to the face. He opened his eyes and saw 2 large brown eyes in a adorable brown and grey face staring back at him.

"Hello little one, yes I know it is time to wake up." Milo said scratching the puppy behind the ears. Piyelito leaned into the attention closing his eyes in pleasure.

Arrff, the little dog barked looking at Milo.

"Ok, ok, yes we will go see your girlfriend. Give me a minute to get dressed." Milo laughed at the puppy's attachment to Cachita. Milo had watched them yesterday as he did his chores and took care of the animals. The puppy bounced and ran around with Cachita, and Cachita as big as she was, was so very careful to make sure that she didn't step on Piyelito. Piyelito and Cachita were become very good friends.

Milo finished tying his sneakers and started to head for the bedroom door. He whistled and Piyelito jumped off the bed and followed him into the kitchen.

Milo gave his mother a kiss and went to the fridge to get some orange juice.

"Good morning Mijo, good morning little prince." Natalia said to the puppy who was sitting by his bowl patiently. Natalia brought over some leftover chicken from last nights dinner and put it in his bowl. Piyelito looked up at Natalia. "Yes Piyelito, that is for you, enjoy." The little dog barked once and began to eat. "You are welcome." Natalia said smiling.

After breakfast, Milo headed out to the barn to do his morning chores before he went to school. Piyelito raced out ahead of him and slipped through the slightly opened barn door. Milo opened the door and watched the little dog race to the back stall where Cachita was. He sat in front of the stall and let out a little yap. Milo heard an answering moo. and then the little dog slid through the slats of Cachita's stall gate. When Milo got back to the stall. Piyelito was ensconced on Cachita's hay with the cow gently licking him as she would a calf. Piyelito was in heaven as he lay there and let Cachita give him a good grooming.

"Ok you two, come on, time to go out in the sunshine." Milo said opening the stall gate for Cachita. The puppy looked up at Cachita and gave a little yap before jumping down and racing out into the pasture. Cachita followed Milo out and trotted to the end of the meadow where the other cows were waiting for her. Piyelito was laying in the grass watching the cows as if he was their protector. Milo went and finished the rest of his chores leaving the little dog and the cows in each other's company.

When he had finished his chores, he returned to the pasture fence and whistled for the little pup. Piyelito raised his head and saw it was Milo and came racing over to him.

"Ok, little brother, I have to get ready to go to school and see your master. Will you be ok without me today?" Milo said scratching the little dog's belly as he lay in the grass by Milo's feet.

Rrrff. The puppy responded rolling over and sitting up.

"Ok great. Stay with Cachita and if you get hungry or thirsty, just go to the house and mama will give you food and water." Milo said looking into the puppy's eyes.

Rrrrf the dog said before he ran back into the meadow and flopped down in the grass by Cachita and the other cows.

Milo got off the bus and waved to Jose who was waiting by the school steps for him. Jose waved back and walked over to meet Milo halfway as he walked up the walkway to the school.

"Hola querido." Milo said taking Jose' hand as the walked the rest of the way to the school.

"Hey mi amor, how's my baby?" Jose said squeezing Milo's hand.

"Piyelito is fine." Milo said teasingly.

"Milo, you know that I meant you." Jose said hitting Milo softly in the arm. Milo started laughing.

"I know querido. I just couldn't resist." Milo said as they entered the school. Jose smiled at Milo and then shyly he said. "Ok, how is Piyelito, you are taking good care of him, yes?"

"Piyelito is fine, Cachita and mama are babysitting him, in fact he slept on the foot of my bed last night.

"i'm glad he is doing ok. I had terrible dreams last night and Piyelito was there, he saved me in my dream, but he wasn't a puppy. He was a huge flaming dog with a collar of skulls and burning red eyes. I should have been afraid but I knew he wouldn't hurt me in fact I knew he was there to protect me. It was a weird dream." Jose said shaking his head.

"Sounds terrifying querido, are you ok?" Milo said stopping and giving Jose a closer look. Jose knew what Milo was looking for. So he waited quietly for Milo to speak. "Ok, Campanita says that you are fine and I shouldn't worry. She and the prince will watch over you today and if anything goes wrong they will come find me." Milo said speaking softly almost to himself.

Jose understood this about his friend, Milo stood with one foot in the spirit world and one foot in the human world. He had straddled both worlds since the day he was born and Jose and Diego had stood beside him as friends when others were cruel and called him crazy. Now that Milo was his, he promised himself that he would never leave his side again, even if all the spirits of the dead stood in his way he would fight to be at Milo's side. impulsively Jose hugged Milo and whispered in his ear. "I love you Milo and I'm never going to leave your side, no matter what!." Jose pulled back, tears glistening in his eyes.

"I love you too querido, never doubt that." Milo said smiling and wiping away the tear that was rolling down Jose's cheek. "Lets get to class before we are late." Milo and Jose walked down the corridor towards their first class.

Later that day Milo saw Adriana in the courtyard at lunch, she and Diego were sitting in the shade of a Palm tree having lunch. Milo walked over and sat down with them.

"Hey Milo, where's Jose?" Adriana said greeting him.

"He should be here in a few minutes." Milo said kissing Adriana on the cheek. He reached over and shook Diego's hand. "How are you hermano?"

"Good Milo, y tu?" Diego said smiling.

"I'm good, just worried about Jose. He told me about a dream he had last night and it disturbed me in my spirit and I didn't know why. I don't want to let Jose know I am worried, so please don't mention it." Milo said as he waited for Jose to show up.

Diego looked over and saw Jose crossing the courtyard towards them.

"Diego, Adriana, mi amor." Jose said sitting next to Milo. Milo reached for Jose's hand.

"Querido, how is your day going?" Milo said taking out the empanadas that his mother had made for his lunch. He handed two to Jose and began to eat the other two.

Jose took a bite and smiled as he was transported to culinary heaven savoring Natalia's homemade empanadas. Milo had to laugh looking at Jose's face.

"If I didn't know better I would say you are only with me because of my mother's cooking." Milo teased.

"No mi amor, I love you for you! But your mother's cooking is icing on the cake." Jose leaned over and kissed Milo.

"Ok, ok. I believe you." Milo said taking a bite of his empanada. "Adriana, can you ask your parents to come to my house this evening for dinner? I think we should tell our parents what the grandfathers told us about our heritage." Adriana nodded, "Yes, my father is home this week so I can definitely ask him and mama to come over this evening."

"Querido, can you and Diego come as well?" Milo said looking at Jose and Diego.

"Sure, Milo I will call my dad and tell him I'm eating at your house." Diego said pulling out his phone.

"My mom already knows I'm going by your house to see Piyelito. She is happy I have a dog but she is even happier that he is staying on the farm." Jose said rolling his eyes.

Milo began to laugh. "Well I think Piyelito is happy there as well, I don't think he would want to leave Cachita, the two of them are become an item."

Milo and his friends finished lunch laughing and joking. As the bell rung for them to return to school. Milo kissed Jose and Diego kissed Adriana. Everyone promised to meet in front at the end of the day and go back to Milo's together. They broke up and went back to class.