A Lilac Creek Christmas ( a Lilac Creek Dog Story) Read online

  Henry nodded. Looking up at Julia, his raspy voice full of emotion, he spoke again. “I need to say goodbye.” Julia squeezed his old gnarled hand.

  “We’ll be sure to get you there to say goodbye. The funeral is the day after tomorrow, but you’re coming home with me right now, okay? How about we gather up your things and go see Jasper. He wasn’t happy about having to wait in the car so we better hurry before he starts chewing up my leather upholstery just to get even.” A tiny bit of a smile appeared on Henry’s face and a glimmer of light returned to his eyes. Jasper as usual was good therapy. A nurse had already packed Henry’s things and the suitcase was sitting next to his chair. Julia picked it up while an aid helped Henry into his winter coat. The aid offered to push Henry to her car, but Julia declined. It was only a short distance, and she was already dressed in winter attire, which the aid was not. “Thank you, but I really don’t mind doing it. We’ve had lots of practice haven’t we Henry?” she said, patting the old man’s shoulder. “Now, let’s go see Jasper.”

  She pushed Henry easily along, her thoughts already moving ahead to getting him settled and comfortable at home. She was so deep in thought, that she barely noticed that the black dog had appeared again. This time he was sitting in front of their parking space amidst the bushes that edged the parking area. He was sitting very still where he could observe them as she got Henry out of his chair and into the front passenger seat. Jasper was whimpering and trying to lick Henry’s face over the back of the front seat. Henry stroked the big furry head as best he could and let the dog slather him with wet kisses. When Jasper’s whimpers turned to more of a whine, Henry turned in the direction that Jasper was looking and noticed the black dog. The dog looked intently at Henry and a strange little smile lit up his face as he extended his hand out the open car door before Julia had a chance to close it. She was about to say that she didn’t think it was a good idea to call the dog over when the look on Henry’s face stopped her. The old light was back in Henry’s eyes and a soft smile touched his lips. Julia watched in amazement as the black dog crept slowly forward, never losing eye contact with Henry in spite of all the noise Jasper was making from the back seat. When the dog reached Henry, he sat back on his haunches and licked Henry’s outstretched hand. Henry stroked the soft head for several minutes but made no attempt to speak. After a few minutes, the dog gave a short bark and sauntered off, disappearing once again into the bushes. Julia helped Henry swing his legs the rest of the way into the car and closed the door. Jasper had been quite impatient through the whole ordeal and now wanted to reclaim his old master’s attention, thrusting his head between the front seats to get as close to him as possible.

  “Well that certainly was strange,” Julia said to herself as much as to Henry. She wondered if maybe Henry had met the dog on some previous occasion, but since it was so hard for him to speak, she chose not to ask him about it. She settled instead for being grateful for the look of complete contentment that had settled on Henry’s face. Eventually Jasper decided to lie down again and the rest of the trip back to the farm was filled only with the sounds of Christmas music coming from the CD player. Julia hummed along this time, but didn’t sing out loud, figuring she would her spare her passengers that discomfort.

  Chapter Four

  Just as she had expected, the girls were home from school and she could see Brinn’s face pressed against the window watching for them. She waved enthusiastically when she saw them pull into the driveway and in less than twenty seconds, the front door opened.

  “Henry,” she squealed as she ran to the car. “Henry, you’re here!” It was all she could do to stand still while Julia parked the car. Then the passenger side door was thrown open and her arms were around Henry’s neck. Brinn had formed a very close bond with Henry in those first days when she had come with them to visit him at the hospital. It was almost as if Henry had given her her life back when he gave her Jasper. The first words she had spoken after two long years of silence were, “My doggy, my doggy for keeps,” in response to the announcement that Jasper would be coming to live with her and Sam. In the days that followed she and Henry had become the best of friends. She became a little chatterbox and never tired of unleashing her verbal overflow on Henry. As crazy as it seemed, that same endless chatter was the catalyst for Henry’s speech recovery. Over time, he learned new ways to work with his slack muscles and could muster enough words to communicate quite well. Brinn had immediately tuned in to his unusual speech patterns and they could spend hours together chatting and sharing their love for the four footed friend who had brought them together.

  Now Brinn’s Christmas was going to be extra special with her dear friend here as a guest. Once she released her hold on Henry’s neck, she flung open the back door to give Jasper his freedom. After jumping up to give her a big slobbery kiss, Jasper stood to the side while Henry slowly swung his legs sideways. Julia had retrieved the folding wheelchair from the trunk and had it ready beside him. With a little help and support, Henry pushed himself from the car seat to the chair. Brinn was determined to push him into the house herself which allowed Julia to retrieve bags and belongings from the back. Jasper trotted along beside the chair his bushy tail waving like a flag of victory in the air. He was bringing his two masters home, and he couldn’t be more proud.

  Inside, Sam, Emma and Kaylee waited with a bit more decorum than Brinn had displayed. Emma was still a bit shy around strangers, and she had only visited Henry a few times. Kaylee, still a bashful toddler, hid behind a smiling Sam as they entered the room.

  “Look who’s here everybody,” shouted Brinn.

  “Henry,” Sam said offering his hand as Brinn wheeled him in. “Great to see you, and welcome!” Henry smiled as he shook hands with Sam and then looked at the two other girls standing quietly behind him. Not wanting to frighten them off, he did his best to smile and offer as clear and normal sounding hello as he could. His famous smile did the trick, however, and both girls relaxed and smiled back. In no time at all, Kaylee was trying to climb into his lap for a ride in the wheelchair.

  “Okay, kids,” Julia interjected. “I think I’ll take Henry into his room now so he can get settled. There will be plenty of time for a good visit at the dinner table.” Julia dislodged Kaylee from the chair and sent her off with Brinn and Emma to get a cookie and a glass of milk.

  Julia chatted away to Henry as she put his things away, explaining where everything was and what the schedule was going to be like. Henry sat listening but didn’t try to say anything. He nodded when she asked if he would like to lie down for a while and Julia helped transfer him from the chair to the bed. As she turned to leave, he grasped her hand, and working hard to speak, he said simply, “Anna?” with a question in his voice. Julia understood what it was he wanted to know, so she explained.

  “The funeral service is the day after tomorrow at the Wilmot Chapel. Sam and I will take you there and make sure you get a chance to say goodbye.” Julia couldn’t help the tears that threatened to cloud her vision. “Don’t you worry for one second. We’ll get you there.” Henry nodded, and she knew he understood. But the sad look had made its way once again into his tired blue eyes.

  Dinner was anything but a quiet affair. Brinn kept up a constant flow of chatter about school and Christmas and everything else going on in her life. Jasper had spotted a squirrel travelling back and forth across the patio and was barking out a warning, while Kaylee squawked with her usual protest at eating anything that didn’t look like a cookie. It was complete mayhem and just the way Julia liked it. She and Sam just smiled at each other across the table, sharing the same thoughts about how much they had to be grateful for. Henry didn’t seem to mind all the noise either, and the grin on his face was the biggest Julia thought she had ever seen. She was glad that the kids and dog were keeping his mind off his sadness, at least for a while.

  After dinner everyone moved to the living room to sit around the tree and admire the lights. Sam got out his old guitar and played some simple chords to accompany a few carols. Then Julia gave the nod to putting on the TV to watch the Christmas special for the night. Tonight The Grinch was playing, and it was one that everybody loved. Julia had moved Jasper’s bed over beside Henry’s chair and he curled up with a big sigh once everyone got settled. His people were all around him and he could feel all the love and special excitement that came with this time of year, and he was a happy dog.

  Chapter Five

  Snow fell all through the night and the small village of Lilac Creek woke up to an even more magical winter wonderland. The plows had come out when the snow ended and the roads were cleared. The day dawned bright and sunny and the snow sparkled like a garden of gemstones. Julia was glad to see the good weather. It would make for much easier travel to the chapel for Anna’s funeral service. She and Sam had explained what had happened to the girls and where they were going. Brinn and Emma still had one more day of school before the holidays and Kaylee would go to her regular daycare for the day. Only Sam, Henry and Julia would make the trip. When the time came to leave, Henry insisted that Jasper come along as well. In a mixture of broken speech and a kind of invented sign language he got them to understand that Anna had grown quite fond of Jasper during his visits, and Henry thought she would like it if Jasper could be at the service. Julia was reluctant at first, wondering what the pastor and other guests might think, but in the end she agreed. Lilac Creek was a very small town, one of those towns where everybody knew everybody and was always there to offer caring support. When she really stopped to think about it, she couldn’t think of a single person who would object to Jasper being there. And so, dressed against the winter weather they all loaded into the car for the trip.

  Henry was somber in the back, watching the familiar cou
ntryside roll by. Jasper was stretched out on the seat beside him with his big head in Henry’s lap. Henry gently stoked the soft fur, and Julia couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind. Henry had grown up on the old farm where they now lived and this neighborhood was all he’d ever known. He had taken over the farm from his parents, had brought his young bride home to its warm cozy rooms, and raised his daughter Wendy there by himself after his wife passed away. Jasper had been a stray that Henry took in after Wendy got married and moved to the west coast with her husband. Man and mutt had grown old together and had been each other’s best friend until Henry had his stoke and had to move to the hospital. And as much as Jasper loved his girls and his new family, the bond he shared with Henry was deep and unshakable. This Christmas visit would be a special time for both of them. “How unfortunate,” Julia thought to herself, “that it has to be marred by such tragedy.” And although Henry’s spirits seemed pretty good, all things considered, she knew that the service today would definitely be hard on him. Once it was over, he would hopefully be able to relax and look forward to his time with Jasper and the rest of the family. His daughter Wendy and her family were flying in for the holidays, so there would be plenty to keep his mind occupied.

  When they arrived at the chapel, Sam helped Henry into his wheelchair while Julia snapped a leash to Jasper’s collar.

  “Now you have to be a good dog,” she told him, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her. The soft touch of her hand and the look in her eyes conveyed the message perfectly. He would be good…for her and for Henry. He was needed today, and he would not disappoint.

  Most of the guests were already seated as they slipped into a pew at the very back. Julia sat at the end of one pew with Jasper at her side. Sam wheeled Henry down to the front of the chapel to pay his respects and have his own private moment with Anna. When he was ready, Sam parked his chair at the end of the pew opposite Julia and Jasper. Jasper watched his old master intently until he was settled in beside him then he gently put a paw up into Henry’s lap as if to say, “I am here. You have all of my love.” Henry shook the old dog’s paw and laid his hand on the back of the furry head.

  After the service, everyone filed out of the chapel for the short drive to the cemetery. As everyone gathered in a small circle, the pastor said his final words over Anna’s grave. Guests placed flowers and other small tokens of remembrance on the coffin, Henry included. With tears glistening in his tired blue eyes, Henry placed an autographed Yankees baseball that he had kept for years on top of the casket. Anna had been a loyal Yankees fan and they had enjoyed watching many a game together. He hoped she would be able to look down and watch the game from her new home in heaven.

  When Henry signaled that he was ready to go, Sam started to push him back up the snowy path towards the parking area. Suddenly Henry put his hand on Sam’s arm to stop him, and pointed. When Sam and Julia turned to look in the direction he was pointing, they saw a small black dog coming out from behind the gravestone next to Anna’s burial site. It appeared to be the same dog that Julia had seen earlier in the day at the hospital, and then again at the parking lot with Henry. Confused, Julia turned to Henry. “Do you know this dog?” she asked. “Does he belong to someone at the hospital?”

  Henry couldn’t take his eyes off the dog. A strange kind of smile crept across his face again as he silently willed the dog to come to him. The black dog sauntered directly up to Henry and licked his outstretched hand just like before, completely ignoring Jasper and all the humans who stood about. Julia looked at Sam and Sam just shook his head and shrugged.

  “We’d better ask someone about him,” Julia finally said. “Maybe someone in the cemetery office will know where he belongs. He doesn’t have a collar or tags, yet he doesn’t look like a stray either. You get Henry in the car and I’ll go see what I can find out.” While Sam got Henry and Jasper situated, Julia walked over to the little cabin that served both as an administrative office and maintenance building for the cemetery. The black dog made no move to follow her and she wished she had thought to attach Jasper’s leash and collar to him. When she got to the cabin, she was surprised to find all the doors locked and no one in sight. Apparently everyone had left directly after the service. She looked around for any signs of life but the cemetery was empty. She returned to the car, unsure what to do. If the dog was a stray, then authorities should be notified. If it was just someone’s pet who lived nearby, then it would likely return home once they left. The dog looked well too cared for to be a stray so Julia decided on the latter possibility. He was most likely just out for a stroll and would return home once the visitors to the cemetery were finally gone. Sam agreed with her, and started the car. As they drove down the laneway to the main road, Sam said to Julia, “Look who’s following us.”

  Julia turned her head around and there was the black dog following behind the car. Jasper gave a couple of short barks, and Henry turned in his seat to look too. Again the strange smile appeared and a tender glow appeared in Henry’s eyes. “Anna,” his raspy voice whispered, so low that no one else could hear. Jasper turned to him, seeming to understand in spite of his broken ears.

  “Well we can’t let him follow us out to the main road,” Julia said with urgency and panic in her voice. For a moment all she could see were the visions of that day when Jasper had run out onto the road in front of her car. Fortunately, he hadn’t been hurt and it had all worked out for the best, but she still felt a big knot in her stomach every time she thought about it. At her worried tone, Sam stopped the car and waited to see what the dog would do. When the car stopped, the dog stopped. Sam pulled ahead again slowly and the dog followed once again.

  “It appears he intends to follow us home,” said Sam. “What do you think we should do?”

  “I guess we should bring him home and try to find out who owns him.” Sam couldn’t help himself from laughing. Julia looked at him questioningly.

  “Remember what happened the last time you did that?” he joked.

  “Oh, I remember alright,” Julia smiled, looking at Jasper in the back. “But I don’t think we have any choice.” Sam agreed and they both got out. The dog had stopped walking and watched them closely as they approached. He wasn’t at all aggressive, just watchful. Julia put a hand on Sam’s arm as she stopped. She gave her head a bit of a nod toward the car suggesting that they turn around a walk back. “I just want to see what he does.” Sure enough, as they headed back to the car, the dog again began to follow them. When Julia reached the car she opened the back door and stood to the side. Then she made a come on gesture with her hand. The little dog hesitated for only a second and then scampered into the back seat landing directly on Henry’s lap. Julia had never seen a bigger grin on Henry’s face. The black dog was licking Henry’s face, while his whole furry body contorted in ecstatic wiggles. Jasper stuck his nose right into the middle of the fray and Henry hugged them both. Julia and Sam looked on in astonishment.

  “I have no idea what just happened, but I think maybe we’re going to have an extra guest for the holidays.” Since the next day was Friday, and the day before Christmas Eve, she didn’t expect they would have much luck searching for his owner until Christmas was over. “I just hate the thought that someone might be missing their pet.”

  “We’ll do what we can,” Sam assured her. “We can stop by the hospital right now and see if anyone knows anything, and we can contact the local shelter here before we head home. We’ll leave word with them that we’ve found the dog, and give them our number. We’ll drive around the neighborhood for a bit too, and ask any folks who are out and about if they recognize him.” Julia nodded and she turned in her seat to once again watch the happy trio in the back.

  Chapter Six

  Neither the stop at the hospital, the shelter or the neighborhood had yielded any results. No one had reported a dog lost or missing, and no one at the hospital had even seen the black dog hanging around. And none of the people they queried had ever seen the little dog before.