Reflections of Light

Early Birthday Present

Today was the best day of young Billy's life, or so he kept proclaiming loudly at every opportunity.

Travelling home in the car, upfront with his mum, his library books had been quickly forgotten in the back seat, in exchange for something far more interesting and precious resting on his lap.

The tiny faerie puppy rested inside the pet carrier in his lap, curled up sleepily, yawning and lazily licking it's fur.
Billy was cooing at it, completely besotted with his new companion, Luci chuckling happily at her sons antics.

Billy had chosen the puppy himself out of the litter, 'an early birthday present' as his mum had put it. The puppy Billy had chosen was hardly the most handsome or strongest out of the group, but had definitely been the most excitable and misbehaved, so of course it had been love at first sight.

Upon arriving home, Billy had taken up residence on one of the comfy chairs with his puppy curled up in his lap having a snooze, and with a writing pad and pen was putting together a list of possible names for the little white dog.

Luci peered curiously over at his list.
"Wow, that's a lot of names from Peter Pan!"

"Not all of dem." Billy said, pointing. "Dose one's I got from my hist'wy books."

Luci read them. "Hmm, Nero's good, I like that.
Sparticus, I'm not so...
Caligula? How do you know about Caligula, young man?"

Billy blinked, gesturing to his Roman empire book. "Dey got a chapter."

Luci shook her head, wondering if whether she should have checked his chosen books more thoroughly, and continued.

"Wouldn't you want to call your dog something more positive, anyway?"

"Like?"

"Uh... Moses."

"Dats a girly name."

"No it's not. Okay, what about..."

"Goliath."

"I don't think so..."

"Voldemort."

"That's a no."

"General Pompey."

"That's a bit long for a dog, Sweetheart." Luci said. "You'd have to shorten it."

"To what?" Billy demanded.

"Well, he's sometimes referred to as Magnus. You could call your puppy that." Luci offered, stifling chuckles.

Billy looked down at the puppy, then up at his mum, expression questioning.

Luci mussed up his hair fondly. "Just pick something you like, it's fine. A Peter Pan name would be cute.
I don't know, who's Peters best friend?"

"Tinkerbell!" Billy crowed happily, ruffling his dog's fur enthusiastically. "Shall I call you Tinkerbell, huh? Shall I?"

"You thought Moses was too girly a name for your dog." Luci said, raising an eyebrow. "But Tinkerbell is okay?"

"It's a dog." Sebastian added from where he'd appeared in the doorway. "It shouldn't be that hard to name."

"I'd be careful if I were you." Luci warned. "Sebastian is relatively common as a dogs name.
Now, don't get bit- antsy that he's sitting on your chair. It's not like you really sleep here anymore anyway."

"Yeah." Billy taunted, then turned to his mum. "Where does he sleep then, Mummy?"

"Uh... Watch out, Puppy's on the move."

Billy's attention turned back to the Puppy that was now properly awake and snuffling his way across Billy's lap.

"Ooh, 'Ello." Billy cooed, smiling happily and cuddling the little dog close, ruffling his scruff and stroking his ears. "C'mere. 'Ello. What'sya name, huh? What'sya name, Puppy?"