Cade wore a camouflage jacket and worn blue jeans. He was a good six inches taller than her, which made him about six feet. He was solid and all muscle. His dark gaze briefly touched hers before lowering.
“Happy to meet you, Cade,” she said cheerfully.
Cade nodded, acknowledging her.
“This is only my second week. I’ve really enjoyed the work so far,” she said, trying to be friendly.
“I need to walk Joker.”
“Sure,” she said, unsettled by his lack of welcome. Cade left, and Hope looked to Preston, eager to know if she’d said something wrong.
Even before she could ask, Preston answered. “Don’t be offended. Cade is going through a rough patch. He’s been volunteering a few days a week for a month now. Working with the animals seems to be helping him. Give him time, the same way you would Shadow.”
“Of course.” Cade seemed to want to keep to himself, which was fine by her. Perhaps eventually he’d feel comfortable around her and she with him. It didn’t bother her if he’d rather not be friends. The choice was his. For all she knew their paths might never cross again.
For the rest of the afternoon, Hope worked on the list of tasks Preston had given her when she’d first arrived. Jellybean, a big white Great Pyrenees about the size of a small pony, was collected by Mary Lou Chesterton, a retired teacher. Hope had the privilege of bringing Jellybean out to her.
Ms. Chesterton got down on one knee, so she was eye level with the dog. “We’re going to be the best of friends,” she told him. She barely seemed to notice Hope, who held on to Jellybean’s leash.
“I believe you will,” Hope said.
The woman looked up, and when she saw Hope, she smiled. “My husband and I have had three Pyrenees over the years. We really love the breed. Not everyone is suited to caring for these larger dogs. To us, they’re a perfect fit.”
“I’m sure Jellybean won’t disappoint you.”
“I’m going to change his name,” she said, shaking her head as if finding “Jellybean” over the top.
“I don’t blame you. When the animals can’t be identified or aren’t chipped, the shelter gives them temporary names. Jellybean’s name isn’t one with any significance.” Naming the dogs gave them an identity and a means of helping the shelter know which dog interested a prospective owner.
Running her hand over his thick white fur, Ms. Chesterton stood and took hold of the leash from Hope. “Are you ready to head home, Jasper?”
“Jasper?” Hope repeated, testing the name on her tongue.
“Yes, I decided on the name earlier, after seeing his photo. I took one look at him and knew right away he was a Jasper.”
“I like it.”
With the paperwork finalized and the fees collected, Jasper was free to go to his new forever home. Even with this short acquaintance, Hope felt confident Ms. Chesterton would be a good dog owner.
As if he knew exactly what to do next, Jasper leaped into the rear of the red SUV and lay down, taking up a good portion of the seat.
Hope watched as the happy couple drove off. Seeing these rescue animals find homes was gratifying on several levels. As she returned to the shelter, she passed the kennel where Shadow continued to lie, weak and sad. The poor boy tugged at her heart.
Once again, she hunched down and placed her palm against the kennel. Shadow’s dark eyes met hers. “I see you ate everything out of your bowl. Good boy.” In soft tones, she continued talking, letting Shadow know he wasn’t alone and that when he was feeling better and regained his strength, he would go to a family who would care for him. He need never worry about anyone mistreating him again.
As she had the week before, Hope stayed for the entire afternoon. When she left, she wasn’t able to get Shadow out of her mind. While stopping off for groceries, she wandered through the pet food section and on impulse bought a rope toy for him, thinking he might take out some of his anger on the rope. Shadow had every right not to trust humans. Perhaps with a bit of patience and love he would begin to believe there were good people who would care for him the way he deserved.
* * *
—
Sunday afternoon, Hope returned to the shelter. After signing in, she made her way to where Shadow was confined. Because of his temperament, his food and water were delivered through a small door cut out in the kennel. Again, she noticed that his food dish was empty, which pleased her. With the proper nourishment, he would soon regain his health. Then the real work would begin. When Preston said he wasn’t sure about him, Hope was all too aware of what he meant. If Shadow continued to be a threat to others, the shelter would have no choice but to put him down. Hope didn’t want to see that happen.