Sandy Ch. 02

*****

They came back out with dog food, bowl, treats, and of course Twinkies. We walked over to the van and loaded everything in and after Anna gave Katie a parting hug, she put her in and I helped her close the door. ""Anna, you're doing a good thing for Katie right now. I promise we'll take good care of her. I'm going to give your mom my phone number, and you can call us if you want."

Turning to the woman I said; "I never did get your name ..."

"Janice Miller; and thank you, this helps a little."

"Well if you go to Tacoma, go to the IBEW hall on South Fawcett, Ask for Dick Durant. He's the Business Agent there. He may be able to get you into the Apprentice program there."

She started crying. Not just a little tear, but a full blown, let everything out silently cry. Katie held her mother's hand, wondering what was happening I'm sure. After a few minutes she stopped, wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands, drew an arm over her face and looked at me: "Why? Why are you helping me like this?"

"A long time ago, I was out of work. I had a wife, but fortunately no kids then. Someone sent me to the union. It led to the good job I have now. If this works out for you, maybe sometime in the future you'll get the same chance to help someone. You go see Dick. Nothing is guaranteed except that he'll see you."

She gave me a hug that almost crushed me, and then kissed my cheek. "Thank you, I'll do my best."

I pulled my wallet out, "Here's the money, for the dog, and this is to help you for a couple days."

"No, I can't take this. It's a hundred dollars. I can't"

"You and Anna can find somewhere safe to sleep at night. Go see Dick. Tomorrow."

*****

I gave them all but one package of Twinkies, then Sandy, Katie and I drove away. In my mirror, I could see them watching us go. Katie was on the seat behind me, whining.

We stopped up the road and quietly shared the Twinkies, and I gave the dog a couple treats. She took them, but reluctantly.

Sandy didn't say anything all the way back to the lake. I didn't feel very talkative myself.

*******

Katie was cautious getting out of the van. I held her on a leash, while Karen came out of the cabin. Fortunately the kids were elsewhere. Sandy stood next to me, both hands on my arm. We waited. Karen looked at the three of us; "I know I said no Twinkies, but ... aah ... what's this?"

Sandy squeezed my arm; "Let me explain." And she filled Karen in.

When all was said, Karen knelt to the dog, stroking her head. "What's her name?"

"Katie." Said Sandy and I together.

"You've got to be kidding."

She stood, looked me deep in the eye, and said; "Mark, you're just a big softie, and I love you for that. The kids will be thrilled when they meet Katie." And then she laid the longest, deepest, warmest kisses I've ever had. Then she turned, took Sandy in her arms, and kissed her too!

That's when the kids came around the corner. Talk about Christmas in July! They ran up and then just stopped. "Dad, is that ours?"

"MJ, Katie, I want you to meet Katie. She's an Australian Cattle Dog; the kind known as a Heeler, because they nip at the cattle's heels to herd them. She belonged to a little girl we met in town named Anna. She couldn't keep the dog because her mother didn't have a job anymore. I promised we would take very good care of her."

"Dad, can we change her name? My name is Katie too."

"Hmm, let's do this; you are Katie. She is Katie Dog. That way we tell the two of you apart, and she doesn't have to learn a new name. Does that work with you?"

She nodded her head vigorously, "Can I take her for a walk?"

I handed her the leash. "She doesn't know you yet, so go easy on her, let her sniff everything, and talk to her a lot so she gets used to your voice."

"Come on Katie Dog, I'll show you where we play."

"Dad?"

"Yes MJ?"

"Is that OUR dog?"

"Hmm, are you asking if she's your dog too, or just Katie's?"

He nodded.

"Since she belonged to a little girl about your sister's age, I wouldn't be surprised if they become tight. Enjoy her though; we'll see how things work out."

*****

We unloaded the van and then I wandered down to the dock, jumping in for a cooling swim. Karen and Sandy sat up on the porch. The kids (and the dog) were off to the side of the cabin.

Life was good.

*****

That evening, while Sandy and the kids made dinner, Karen and I sat on the porch, talking about the kids and the dog, and the rest of the day's events. Then she scootched her chair right next to me, and lowering her voice said; "Yeah ... about that; I'm not one hundred percent sure - maybe about eighty five percent - she's in love with you."

"In love? Who? Sandy?... Karen, I haven't done anything, really, I just treated her normal."

"Relax Big Boy, I know. I've been here all along. I'm suspecting she fell for you before coming to our house the first time. I have to admit she's been pretty circumspect about it, and maybe she isn't even aware of her feelings."

"Well what makes you think she loves me? I know I'm a likable fellow, but loving me?"

"Why not? After all I love you. It is a trial at times, but still ..."

"Maybe, but you've always had strange tastes; I just assumed I'm one of them. So, what makes you think Sandy loves me?"

"Her eyes follow you while we talk, she loses track of conversations, and she lights up when you come near. Oh, and the thought of being away from us for several weeks almost had her in a state. But I think the business with that woman and her daughter in town sealed it."

I was damn near in a state; what was I going to do? What were WE going to do about it? I turned to Karen, I'm sure my face was hilarious because she broke into laughter. "Don't worry, I may have an answer. Do you remember when we'd been together about a year? We had been reading a bunch of books; sci-fi, novels, fantasies? Well, some of those books had multiple marriages or people with several lovers or couples with mutual lovers; and we talked how great it would be if we could live like that? Do you remember? Well, those ideas have been cropping back up over the last six months or so. Even before we met Sandy."

"Well ok, but that was back then; no kids, no responsibilities. How could we do that now? My job? Yours? The kids? Your dad? MY mom?"

"It's funny; you didn't mention jealousy or sex. Or sharing for that matter."

"Sharing?"

"Um hum, I like her. I could easily love her. And there have been times I've wondered how she would be in bed. Not just with you, but me, or us. Either way I think this may be our chance to do something we dreamed about almost twenty years ago."

"Have you mentioned this to Sandy? And what do you mean by us and you? I didn't know you went that way."

"No. Not yet. I wanted to see how things developed up here. Maybe I'm totally wrong, in which case we'll just let it go. Or maybe she'll say 'no', and we'll try to just being friends. I really like her, and I don't want to lose her as a friend. And really, just for a moment, when I kissed her this afternoon, I felt something pass between us."

Sandy joined us, bearing three glasses of wine. "That dog won't leave Katie's side. That's probably the closest thing to security for her right now. I really feel for Anna. That must have been a horrible situation; having to give up your only friend."

"Karen, I was so proud to be with him; he reached out to a friend, calling him at home, asking if there was a way he could help. And then just giving her more money so they could sleep safe ... I could so easily love this man."

Karen's looked over at me before she said; "Sandy, you've got him blushing. It's okay, loving Mark seems to be easy. He often surprises me with some act that most men (and many women) never think of. I've always believed you can't love too much, and anytime you want to love him, well, I don't mind."

*******