“We have to believe that she is always with us. Wherever we are, whenever we speak of her, or don’t speak of her, she’s still with us. She’s here because we remember her being here. We’ll take her with us on that promised balloon ride because we will both be thinking of her.”

*   *   *

Buddy is enjoying himself immensely. This place is laden with new scents. He’s greeted two dogs, both very interested in him. Nice guys, also leash-restricted, but not discouraged from saying hi. Buddy thinks that maybe this is a dance place. Even though it is outside, the people and the dogs here all have that special excitement that emanates from people and dogs doing fun things. Alice and Ed are slipping him treats as they wander around. They are touching, and the worry that Alice showed earlier has subsided, although he can still smell it. They stand still for a long time as one of the objects on the ground begins to move. Buddy growls, but the people don’t seem afraid, so he stands quietly as they ooh and aah as the thing slowly grows huge, making a constant roar. It is finally upright and a stranger takes Buddy’s leash out of Alice’s hand. Unbelievably, Ed and Alice climb into the object, which isn’t a car and isn’t a truck, but it roars with a breathy violence that makes him think of Artie. Buddy locks eyes on Alice, who calls out to him, “Be a good boy.”

Gradually, Ed and Alice rise into the air, so high above him that he can’t see them anymore. At once, the sense of being lost descends on him and he whines softly, all the while keeping his eyes on the balloon.

Ed and Alice didn’t tell him down-stay. Didn’t tell him to be quiet. They handed his leash to this stranger and left him. He can’t see them, can’t smell them, and can’t hear them. He is surrounded by these objects with their noise, by strangers and confusion. The nervousness and fear that living with Alice and Ed has made go away suddenly grip him and he can only bark, a sharp volley of panic.

Chapter 52

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