Hannah stood in the doorway to the kitchen, her arms crossed. “Benji’s just peed on the floor. Did you get something to clean dog pee and poop with, Grace? I’ll not have this house stinking.”

Later, Grace sat with Amelia on the grass in their front yard and enjoyed watching the puppies romp, tackle, and tumble headfirst over each other. Puppy growls issued from their throats. Grace was thrilled when she called Carole and the puppy came over to her, with Benji hard on her heels. Amelia scooped him up. Carole, Grace thought, is the alpha dog here.

“What is it about this little fellow that I love so much already?” Amelia asked.

“He’s easy to love,” Grace replied. “He looks at you with those big dark eyes and your heart melts. Sadie’s going to adore them. Next thing, she’ll be nagging Miriam to get them a dog.”

The puppy licked Amelia’s face, and Amelia, fastidious about her makeup, seemed not to care. “Hannah thinks you’re nuts bringing home two puppies.”

“I think so too, but I’m glad I did. There were only the two of them, and I couldn’t leave Benji alone in that cage.”

“Speaking of cages, are you sure it’s good for them to stay in the cage, even when one of us is in the house?”

Grace eased Carole from her shoulder to her lap and continued to pet the curly fur. The puppy snuggled, sighed, and closed her eyes. “From what I’ve read, they feel safe in a small space. The book said to put them in and take them out of the cage frequently at first, so they get used to the fact that we’ll always be back to take them out. When they’re in there, they’ll settle right down and go to sleep. If they were underfoot all the time, Hannah would be demanding we get rid of them.”

“That’s true. She doesn’t seem to like them, does she?”

“I don’t believe that for a minute.” Grace stroked the puppy gently. “It’s Hannah’s way to act gruff and then warm up to new things slowly. Wait and see, a couple of weeks and she’ll be vying with us for their attention.”

Carole lifted her head, then shook and raced away to throw herself at the smaller Benji. She brought him to the ground, where they rolled and growled, then licked each other’s face. “They’ve been together from birth. Carole would have been lonely without him,” Grace said.

Unseen by them, Hannah peeked from the kitchen window, a smile on her face, and wondered how it was that they had not gotten a dog years ago. She had had dogs, and had loved and lost them. Over time, she hardened her heart to yet another loss. But it was safe now. At her age a puppy would surely outlive her.

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