Hold My Hand

24

*VANESSA*

I was so distracted by a Bluenose Pitbull named Lyla that I almost didn't notice a ball of fur in the corner of the room.

I approached it and a small head look up at me, and then rested on the ground again. I kneeled down next to what looked like a Yorki and called for Daisy, the worker who was in the room with Juwany, my mom, and I.

"Is this one ok?" I frowned.

She sat down and started rubbing the small dog's head.

"Yeah, his health is fine. This is Benji. He's a 1 year old Yorki Terrier. He was returned two weeks ago, he's been pretty upset ever since. He's really sweer and playful, he just wants to be loved."

"Why did the last family bring him back?"

"They just couldn't take care of him. The parents worked a lot and their daughter didn't want to take care of him. They felt it was right to bring him back because at their house he spent a lot of time just in a cage."

"Hmm." I nodded. "I think they made the right choice."

"So do I." Daisy agreed. She stood up and went over to Juwany, who was being hugged by a huge German Shepard. "Onix! Get down!" She hollered, and the dog dropped back down onto 4 paws.

"Hi Benji." I said quietly. "Hi buddy." I rubbed the top of his head and he looked up at me and started sniffing my hand.

I pulled it away and patted my thighs. "Come here buddy." I made kissy noises and ended up attracting a pug and a chihuahua. Benji watched me rub the other dogs and slowly approached me.

"There ya go." I patted my thighs again. "Come on."

He placed his first two paws on my thighs and I leaned forward, inviting him to lick my face. After another kissy noise, he did.

"Well aren't you sweet." I laughed.

He barked at me, but not in an aggressive way.

"You are a sweet boy aren't you?"

He barked again.

"Good boy." I layed him down and rolled him over so I could rub his stomach and for the first time, his little stump tail started wagging, or vibrating I should say. It moved so fast it just looked like a tiny black blur attached to his butt.

When I stopped rubbing his stomach he jumped up and started nudging my hand with his nose, asking me to rub it again. I could finally see his character, and I knew at that moment that after another belly rub, he was coming home with me.

A worker named Nathan carried the cage containing Benji to the car and Juwany carried a medium sized bag of dog food. I put some bags with stuff like leashes and food bowls in the trunk and we all got in, ready to go home.

Benji's cage was in the back row, Juwany and I sat in the middle row. Before putting on my seatbelt, I took Benji out of the cage, apparently he has spent enough time in there already. I buckled up carefully, being sure not to get him caught in it, and I opened my legs so he could sit between them.

"He's so cute." I smiled, kissing the top of his head. "I'm gonna take such good care of him that he won't even remember he usef to be sad."

"I know babe." Juwany said to me.

Benji hopped over my leg and layed down in the space between Juwany and I.

"Hi Benji." Juwany smiled.

Benji stuck out his little tongue to lick Juwany's finger, and then closed his eyes to take a nap.

"I like him, he's chill."

"Not chill." I laughed. "Tired."

It made me happy that he already felt safe enough to let his guard down and fall asleep. Daisy told me he didn't sleep well at the care center and that it might take him a while to behave "normally", and sleep through the night, but I think we're off to a good start.