A squirrel or some other animal chittered in the distance and both dogs leaped up and took off for the hunt. Even the ground trembled a little as they raced off.
Smiling down at Whit, she tweaked his toes and lifted his legs up to pump them and said, “What do you think about that? Two new big doggie friends for you and me.” He gave a soundless grin and then rubbed at his eyes with his balled up fists and yawned.
The sounds of the dogs crashing through the brush made her laugh as they emerged from the wooded area again. “I guess they make their own paths.”
* * * *
Standing with a cup of coffee in hand as he looked out the back window, Kendry’s wide open, satisfying yawn was cut short as he watched Loki and Thor emerge on a tear from the wooded area of the yard. They loped straight at Presley Ann, who was currently sitting out in the yard, playing with and talking to the baby.
Coffee sloshed everywhere as he set the mug on the counter and jerked the back door open.
“What?” Jared asked as he poured a cup of coffee for himself.
“The dogs!”
“Shit!”
He ran out on the porch as the dogs neared her and drew breath to yell their names, but Presley Ann beat him to the punch.
“Good dogs. Sit.” She patted the ground beside her and the dogs vied playfully for the spot closest to her until she raised a finger at them and pointed at the ground. “Sit!”
The dogs obeyed immediately and Kendry chuckled, thinking he’d obey her, too. In his experience, Presley Ann was a soft touch, but he’d seen little glimpses here and there of the steel inside her and he liked it.
“Looks like she’s got them under control,” Jared murmured with wry amusement in his tone as he stirred sugar into his coffee. “Wonder how long she’s been up.”
“Long enough to have her tea,” he said as he brought her mug back inside. Then Jared followed him out onto the back porch and down the steps. She had her back to them, but she looked over her shoulder when Loki and Thor both sat to attention with ears pricked.
“Whatcha doin’, kitten?” Kendry asked as he stroked the back of her head before squatting down beside her. He kissed her and then released her to kiss Jared.
“How do you feel this morning?” Jared asked as he pecked her softly once again.
“I feel good.” She smiled as she looked around them and then down at Whit, who gave her a grin in return. “This…”
Kendry leaned forward, trying to guess her emotions as she seemed to cast about for words. “Yeah?”
She let out a long breath and then swallowed. “I have this moment. All this beauty. Us.” She looked around her, her gaze fastened on the nearby woods which were alive with turning color in shades of red, orange, and brown, before returning her gaze to him. “This is my Christmas memory. Right here.”
Kendry smoothed her hair back and when he saw her eyes well up as she smiled, he said, “Hey, now. What brought this on?”
“You and Jared. The peace. I’m…happy.” Her tone was a whisper by the time she said the last two words and then she chuckled. “I’ve even been getting to know these two giants,” she said, scratching Loki behind the ear and then obliging Thor when he nudged her hand with his nose. “Did you sleep well?”
“Well enough,” Kendry said as he fingered the stiffened fringe of hair standing up on Whit’s head. “I see the dogs have gotten acquainted with Whit-Man.”
“Yup,” Jared said as he gently lifted Whit and his blanket from the towel on the ground and sat down with her. Kendry grabbed up the wet tennis ball and both dogs jumped to attention and froze, eyes on him.
“Get it,” he said as he chucked the ball toward the house. Thor chuffed and they were off again, kicking up clods of cut grass as they chased the ball and each other.
“They act like puppies. How old are they?”
“They’re both three in human years, but hardly puppies,” Jared said. “They’re just really energetic dogs.”
“I can tell you’ve worked with them. They’re very well-mannered, all things considered. And talk about massive. When they sit, their heads still come up to my chest.”
“I’m glad you weren’t afraid of them,” Kendry said as he threw the ball for them again.
Presley Ann shook her head. “My dad has always preferred big dogs and that’s what we had growing up, although none were ever this large,” she said, holding out her hand to Loki when he trotted near with the ball.
Right at the last second before placing it in her hand, he play-bowed and veered away from her and Kendry when he tried to grab him, trotting off with his tail waving in the air as if to say, “Suckers!”