Four Paws and A New Tale

Chapter 16: Jacob's Mum

I coughed harshly, work had been busy today, it was good to be home, I locked the car door and walked up the steps. Pixie was lying by the front door, she looked at me sadly.

I opened the door and waited for her.

"Pixie, you wanna go in girl?"

She didn't move, I frowned and walked in, closing the door behind me.

"Jacob! I'm home!"

"In here!"

I walked into the kitchen, Jacob looked up from the cooking and smiled.

"Dinner's almost ready." He said.

"Okay, why's Pixie outside?" I asked.

Jacob froze and didn't look at me, he continued cooking with his head down.

"Jacob?" I asked again, forcefully this time.

He sighed and held up his hand, it was wrapped in tight bandages, I gasped involuntarily.

"What happened?"

"Pixie bit me."

"She bit you?"

"Yep."

"But Pixie doesn't bite, she's always been a good girl."

My son stopped cooking and looked me in the eye, he was sad, and his shoulders were slumped.

"Mum, she's been acting weird lately, Foxes aren't domestic animals, they're wild, I wonder if its time, to let Pixie go."

"Oh."

I couldn't think of anything else to say. As Jacob went back to cooking I could see how upset he was, he didn't want to let Pixie go, but he also didn't want to make her unhappy, this was his decision.

"Well then, it's up to you, you decide what's best."

"But what if I make the wrong choice?"

"Jacob, this isn't a question of right and wrong, this is a question of the heart, and you've got a good one, I should know, I gave it to you."

Jacob laughed sadly and said: "Thanks Mum."

I nodded and set the table.

"Alright, let's eat!"