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The frozen lake cracked beneath his feet as he made his way gingerly across the ice to Errol, who was splayed out looking scared and a bit perplexed.David could hear him whimpering so he spoke gently, “It’s okay, buddy. I’m almost there.” Once Errol realized that it was the human dad, he started scooching on his belly toward David.Carefully, so carefully, David advanced, and Errol inched, until they were close enough for David to touch him. “Hey, buddy. Whatcha doin all the way out here, huh?”. Errol nuzzled his hand and crept closer. Thankfully Errol was a small dog, so David easily scooped him up and began making his way back to solid ground.&nbsp;Brittney was a tiny speck on the shore, but David knew she wasn't waiting patiently. Errol was her very best friend!Thirty minutes before, she had burst through the back door crying that Errol had run onto the lake and she was too scared to follow him.David grabbed his parka and gloves and reassured her that Errol would be okay. He ran quickly to the shore and grimaced when he saw how far Errol had managed to get.He had grown up on this lake and knew that it was frozen solid, and although he was confident enough about the walk out, he was smart enough to feel a bit apprehensive, as well.He told Brittney, “Wait right here and don’t move a muscle. I’ll get Errol but he will be cold and afraid. He will need you to be calm when he gets back, that way he won’t have to be scared anymore. Okay?”She snuffled a bit and wiped her face, “Yes, Daddy. Please hurry!”&nbsp;As he and Errol made their way back to her and solid ground, he could see her bouncing and hopping from foot to foot. The closer they got, the more Errol was straining to jump from his arms and rush to his little girl, but David held tight until they made it to the safety of the house.He knew that Errol was extremely cold and needed to get warmed up quickly. Brittney ran ahead to open the door for her daddy and Errol. They were all thankful for the fire that was burning brightly in the living room. David said, “Brittney, go to the hall closet and get a couple of towels and blankets.” While she ran her errand, he deposited a shaking Errol onto the rug in front of the fireplace and removed his own cold weather gear.“Daddy! I got them all!”, her voice a high squeal, coming around the corner. He threw his head back with a laugh when he saw his tiny daughter weighed down with all the towels and blankets.“Here, Squirt! Lay them right there and sit beside your buddy.”Brittney dropped the pile and flopped down beside Errol. She watched while her dad used a towel to briskly rub her little dog from head to tail, and then take another dry towel and do it again for good measure.After he was satisfied that Errol was dry enough, he wrapped him in a cozy blanket and placed him in Brittney’s lap. As David was stoking the fire and shaking off the cold, he heard Brittney crying and whispering into the scruff of her pup’s neck, “I’m sorry, Errol! I was so scared that you were going to die like Mommy did!”At that, David stilled and reached for Brittney.“Oh, HoneyBear. I’m sorry that you thought Errol was going to die. That must have been scary for you. But you did all the right things for him and he is safe with you, now. Shush darlin and come sit with Daddy.” The three of them curled together on the rug, thawing out, and watching the flickering fire. Once David was sure that they were sufficiently warm, and his daughter was no longer hiccupping tears, he went to the kitchen to make cocoa.They deserved it for sure. He filled the kettle with fresh water and placed it on the fire on the stove. Shaking his head, he chided himself because he could hear what his beloved would say! “Now, David, you know we use whole milk for the cocoa.”There was a smile behind the thought.“Ha Ha! You’re right, Holly. God, I miss you! You knew exactly what we needed, always. When she misses you or is reminded that you died, I just clam up. All I can do is hold her, and I’m afraid it’s not enough.” David removed the kettle from the flame and replaced it with a saucepan. He took the milk from the fridge and poured a generous amount into the warming pot. While waiting for it to heat, he scooped heaping spoonsful of expensive cocoa into the mugs.Holly had insisted that if they had to live in the miserable mid-western cold, that the least they could do was to have decadent hot cocoa.So twice a year they ordered, and had delivered, the top two winning cocoas, according to the International Chocolate Awards, to guarantee that they always had the best on hand. She had been gone for two years but David vowed that he would continue the tradition for Brittney.Who was he kidding? He loved it, too! David added the now hot milk to the cups, stirred it up, and tossed in a few marshmallows. For an extra treat, he grabbed some cookies for himself and Brittney and a biscuit for Errol. A beat up wooden tray held it all as he carried it into the living room. Errol and his girl eagerly tore into their treats. While he sipped his own cocoa, his mind drifted to that summer evening, shortlyafter they had buried Holly.He had been sitting on the dock, with his wife’s empty Adirondack chair beside him, thinking and missing her. His heart cried that it wasn’t fair that a six-year-old little girl should lose her mother! Grieving himself, he was doing everything in his power to help keep her mother’s memory alive, but also help her to navigate life without Holly. A little breeze came up, ruffling his hair, and for the first time, he heard Holly softly say, “She has so much grief in her little body. Our baby needs a place to release it and only receive love in return.” He was startled at her voice but even more surprised as he Googled: ‘where to adopt a dog’.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Errol's Girl

authorsoniabriggs

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Errol's Girl

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Sonia Briggs

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