Heal My Heart

T h i r t y - F i v e : P u p p y

A/N: I just want to take some time to thank everyone who comments and gives me suggestions and shares their thoughts. You are the lifeblood of this story!
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Pic: Jenny

"But it's Saturday," I whined.

Scott just wiped up the table. "I'm aware. Just calm down. This will be fun!"

"Funner than TV time?" I asked, annoyed.

"More fun and yes."

"More fun?"

"Funner is a word."

"You're not a word," I muttered.

He looked at me and I sighed heavily. "Can we bring jello?"

He was putting ice and bottles of water into what he called a cooler. Scott sighed. "One."

"Two," I argued.

"Puppy you'll be kept busy."

"But it's my day off!" I whined. "I get to watch TV remember?"

Scott sighed. "Puppy please," he said softly. "I really don't need this right now."

I bit my bottom lip. Fear took me by surprise. This secret place could have been an excuse to get rid of me. "Are-are you sending me away?"

Scott closed his eyes. "No Puppy. Just behave and you'll find out."

I flopped down in a chair. "Okay," I sighed. "I'll be a good boy."

"You're not being a bad boy Puppy."

"Well then can I have some jello?"

Scott looked at me. "Sometimes all you seem to do is ask for things. It's quite exhausting Puppy. When I say no it should be the end-all. No arguments."

I bit my lip. "But-but you said I can have things?"

"You're right. I did say that. But that doesn't mean you can have whatever you like. When I give you something I want you to be grateful, not demand more."

Tears prickled my eyes. "I'm being greedy?" I realized quietly.

"You are Puppy. Gifts should be taken with gratitude, not immediately wanting something else."

I blinked as water clouded my vision. "I'm like her."

"Who?"

"Misty. She wasn't very nice. And-and I haven't been very nice either huh?"

Scott looked at me. "You get frustrated just like the rest of us Puppy. Don't beat yourself up. And seeing as you didn't get much until now, I'd expect you to really like to get things."

"But-but I shouldn't ask anymore?"

Scott smiled for the first time today. It made me both happy and sad. "I would like that very much Puppy. You'll still get stuff Puppy. I enjoy getting you little treats, but you shouldn't expect or demand that from me. It's rude. Do you understand?"

I bobbed my head.

"Now," he said. "You can have a jello when we get there."

I of course wanted more than that but I nodded my head earnestly. "Okay Scott. Thank you."

Scott smiled again. "Good boy using your manners."

I smiled a bit to myself. Good boy. He hadn't said it much lately and that was because I had really thought about being a good boy. I was much more focused on my toys and what treats I could get.

But I needed to be a good boy. That's what the doctor man said. He said that Scott had had a really hard time with Danny dying and he needed me to help him get better.

Just like Scott was helping me get better!

I suppose that just meant we both weren't perfect which was nice. Before Connor was just so perfect and I was just so...not. That was probably why he didn't keep me.

"Now that I'm being a good boy will you tell me where we're going?"

Scott closed the lid to the cooler and smiled at me. "It's still a surprise."

***

"Scott! Look! Those are real life ducks! Is that the surprise?"

I stared at them as the floated on the water, a tiny trail of ducklings. "Part of it," agreed Scott as he parked the truck. "I want you to meet someone."

"Your family?" I asked excitedly.

Scott faltered. "Uh...no."

"Oh." My face went a bit red. "Sorry."

"It's fine," he said in a rushed voice. Almost too fast for me to understand. "Come on."

He helped me out and took the cooler with him as we walked along the grassy slope. There were people around, taking pictures, reading, sleeping. One couple was on a blanket. We approached them.

A honey haired girl looked up at me. "Hi. I'm Jenny."

I stepped back to press against Scott. Her voice sounded funny. Kind of like a kid. But she was a big-girl. Older than me even. The man smiled at Scott. "Scott King I presume?"

Scott shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Glenn. You got a great spot here."

Glenn laughed. "Thanks. Jenny likes to be by the water but she can't swim so I need to be able to see her at all times."

My eyes widened. She couldn't swim either! Just like me! "I can't swim either!" I told her excitedly.

She toyed with a flower and then frowned. "I can so swim. Papa just doesn't like me to."

I looked up at 'Papa.' "I thought your name was Glenn?" I asked curiously.

'Papa' smiled. "My name is Glenn but to Jenny I'm 'Papa' sometimes. Kind of like how Scott is Daddy."

My face felt really hot and I looked at Scott. "You told on me?"

"He didn't tell on you," Glenn said with a smile. "You're just like Jenny."

Jenny pulled apart the flower and flopped back like I do when I'm mad! "No ones like me! I'm you're special girl--you said so yourself."

Glenn stroked her hair. "Of course honey. Why don't you go play with Puppy by the water? Remember to leave the ducks alone."

Jenny sat up and pouted. "But I wanna touch the duckies."

"Jenny." Glenn said sternly. "I expect you to set a good example for Puppy."

she sighed dramatically. "Okay Papa." She looked at me. "Come on."

I looked at Scott. I wanted to stay with him--was this my surprise? I wasn't so sure I liked it. Scott nodded and I swallowed back my refusal and went with him. "You're not really in a little headspace right now are you?" Jenny said suddenly as reached the waters edge. The waves licked the tips of my sneakers.

I looked at her and scuffed into the soft mud. "What do you mean?"

"Do you have any toys?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah I have lots. Do you?"

Jenny beamed. "Papa buys me toys whenever I'm a girl girl."

"So you don't think it's silly?"

"Nope!" Jenny popped her 'P' and sat down in the dirt. "I have all the Barbies you know. And a plushie named Paula."

"I have a ton of stuffies!" I told her. It was exhilarating to talk to someone who understood me. "And-and a toy train. With little people and trees."

"Maybe one day you can come over and play?" Jenny asked.

"Okay! I'll ask Daddy--I mean Scott."

But Jenny didn't look at me funny. Instead she pointed ducks waddling into some reeds. "Let's go see!" She said happily.

I followed along behind.