Erica and Walter were left looking at the dog.
‘Well, then,’ Walter muttered and went over to the back door of the car and opened it. ‘Come on, Bruce, in you hop.’ The dog leapt in and Walter closed the door as Erica got into the front passenger’s seat.
‘So I take it you’ve been in a car before, then,’ Walter said, turning from his position in the driver’s seat to where Erica assumed the dog was curled up on the floor. She couldn’t see Bruce, but longed to take her in her arms, to tell her everything would be okay, and never let go. This despite just weeks back being definitely in the no pets camp.
‘Thanks, Walter,’ she said, as he started the car and put it in gear.
‘What for?’
‘For taking Bruce.’
‘We weren’t leaving her there, Erica. I don’t think Aiden was joking and most likely wasn’t bluffing. What an intense soul – positively scary.’
‘Yes. It takes all kinds,’ Erica muttered.
‘Yup. Grief affects us all differently, that’s for sure.’
‘Do you think Edith will want Bruce back when things settle down? And did you hear Aiden say she’s moving into town?’
‘Yes, I did hear. Perhaps she’s going into aged care. She seemed a little unstable on her feet. I really hope she’s not being bullied into anything, though,’ he said sadly. ‘And what are we going to do with you, Bruce? Do you fancy being a business mascot? Bit nippy with the sheep is a worry, though, miss,’ he added. ‘You’re a good dog, really, aren’t you? Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out,’ he said, while looking into the rear-vision mirror.
I love you, Walter, Erica thought while she listened to the friendly one-way conversation going on around her. Warmth flooded through her.
‘You’ll be blamed for turning me soft, Erica,’ Walter said as they shuddered and bumped their way slowly back down the driveway.
‘Oh. Sorry.’
‘Just kidding. I will readily and proudly put my hand up to always having been soft in the middle. But, somehow, I’ve managed to never be lumped with a client’s unwanted pet before. This is a whole new bag of tricks. I just hope all and sundry don’t suddenly think we’re the equivalent of the local lost dogs’ home. Not much call for a branch of that around here. Less humane, less expensive methods really are used, I’m afraid, for unwanted animals. Sorry. Takes a bit of getting used to – the brutal reality of life out here. Sometimes it doesn’t feel all that different from the wild west in some ways. Bit confronting. You’ll get used to it. Just try not to react, is my advice.’
Erica sat in silence and hoped she’d never get used to something like that. As they drove, she thought about how strange this place was compared to Adelaide, which was just three hundred kilometres away – not all that far in the scheme of how vast the state was. Eye-opening. Her thoughts went to Renee, budding artist, who always said all experiences, good and bad, were necessary to add to her knowledge bank. Come out here, Renee.
‘Are you going to keep Bruce or try to find another home?’ she asked when they turned onto the road.
‘I’m not sure yet. I think I’m in a state of shock,’ he said with a laugh. ‘But I need to stop and get some food and a bed for the poor thing. Better give her a bath and some flea treatment, too. Who names a female dog Bruce, anyway? That’s strange.’
‘I agree.’
‘Thank goodness my place has a decent fence. There really is a lot to take into account. One thing is for sure, Bruce: your days of living out in the cold are over.’ Again he spoke while looking into the rear-vision mirror.
Erica smiled.
‘I think we need to think this through a bit,’ Walter said, slowing down and then pulling onto the shoulder of the road and stopping the car just before the fifty kilometre speed sign on the outskirts of town.
‘Have you changed your mind? Are you thinking of taking her back?’ Inside, Erica grappled with what to do if he was. She didn’t have any power in the situation.
‘God no! She’s not going back there. Don’t worry, Bruce, I’m not doing that to you,’ he said, turning in his seat and looking back at the dog Erica assumed must still be in place on the floor behind her seat. She thought she could feel the vibration of the thick tail thwacking against the floor, but it might be her own heartbeat she could feel. She relaxed a little. ‘I don’t suppose you know anything about dogs, Erica?’
‘Nope. I’m afraid not. Well, practically nothing. Never owned one.’ A day taking care of Daphne didn’t count.
‘Okay. So, first we’ll need food, water and shelter. We can get food at the supermarket. Hopefully they’ll have a dog bed, too. Though maybe Bruce here isn’t too fussy what she sleeps on. But I would like to make her feel special from the outset. I’m not sure we should take her into the office until we know she’s toilet trained for inside, though.’
‘Are there any health regulations with having her in a funeral home?’ Erica asked.
‘Good question. No, I don’t think so.’
They drove the few hundred metres and parked at the small supermarket with café attached and petrol station forecourt.
‘Do you mind staying here and making sure our new friend doesn’t destroy the car’s interior?’ Walter said.
‘No, not at all.’ Erica watched Walter go inside and then undid her seatbelt and shuffled over so she could look back at the dog.
‘Aww, aren’t you gorgeous?’ she said, looking down at Bruce, who had her head resting on the lump between the two sides of the car’s floor. Now Erica could definitely hear the thump, thump, thump of a tail.
‘You’ve got really beautiful kind eyes. Or are you sad? I hope you’re not sad,’ she said, stretching down and stroking the dog’s smooth head. She felt her back tightening and her neck beginning to crick so withdrew her hand. As she did, she received a lick.
‘Darling girl, you’re going to be just fine with Walter. And me. You’re very well behaved,’ she said, now back in her seat and facing forwards but still feeling the need to keep the dog company by talking. ‘But you’re actually a bit smelly. Is that your normal aroma or did you just fart? Was that contentment on your face not about me at all?’
Erica smiled at picturing how her girls had grinned – more pride than contentment when they had filled their nappies as littlies. She sniffed her hand. Yuck. She couldn’t identify the odour other than labelling it as rank.
I hope they’ve got dog shampoo and Walter remembers to get some. She thought about sending a text reminder, but then noticed Walter’s phone sitting in the front console. By her elbow, poking out of one of the cup holders, was a pump bottle of hand sanitiser. Relieved, she squirted some out. She might have the odour of decaying animal on her hands and all sorts of horrible bacteria.
Walter soon returned carrying a box and what looked like two squishy dog beds tucked under one arm.
‘Stay, Bruce,’ he commanded, having opened the back door. ‘And no peeking in the box – everything is sealed.’
‘Did you happen to get shampoo? Our new friend is a bit smelly.’
‘I tried. There wasn’t any dog shampoo but I got some organic human stuff with no nasties. Probably what I have at home would have been perfectly fine, but Chantelle was keen to help. I think the term “she saw me coming” might apply,’ he said with a laugh as he shut the door. ‘She even insisted on me getting two dog beds – one for the office and one for home. I was powerless, I tell you.’ He got back into the driver’s side and then started the car. ‘Oh, yes, I think our friend has rolled in something a bit ripe. Dead fox maybe. Sorry, Erica, I didn’t think to leave a window down.’
They pulled into his driveway and up to a roller door. ‘Actually, I think we’ll drive in so she can’t escape,’ he added. The roller door in front of them began to rise. Walter turned the car back on and then drove into the garage.
They waited until the roller door behind them was fully closed before exiting the car. ‘I’m sure she won’t run away, but … No, scrap that; I’m not sure of anything right now. This is a whole new ball game for me,’ Walter said.
‘I’ll grab everything and you keep your hands free to unlock the door,’ Erica said.
‘Good plan. Thanks. It’s not heavy: just a bit cumbersome and awkward. Right. Come on, Bruce, there’s a good girl,’ Walter said. ‘This is your new home. I hope you’ll be happy here.’ The dog hopped out of the car and then trotted around the garage, sniffing the floor, zigzagging back and forth and taking in the whole space, before heading out the open door into the garden. Out on the lawn she squatted and did a wee. ‘Well, you’re a good girl to wait. Thank you. I think, Erica, we should be very glad Bruce is a girl and won’t be cocking her leg on everything she comes across.’
‘Yes, that’s one less thing to worry about.’
‘I wonder if we have to worry about her attracting male dogs – and if she’s desexed or not, that is.’
‘Oh dear, yes.’
‘One thing at a time. Stop dithering, Walter,’ he told himself. He opened a glass door into the house beside a fold-up clothesline attached to the nearby fence.
Erica placed the box and dog beds on the top of the washing machine and then washed her hands at the trough.
‘Oh, you’re such a good dog,’ Walter said, looking down to where Bruce sat to attention in the space below them. ‘I think it’s safe to say she’s not going to run away – she’s sticking to us like glue. So, we can relax a little. You wait here, Erica. I’ll just get us a couple of old gardening shirts to protect our clothes from whatever carnage is to come.’
With both attired in navy shirts with their sleeves rolled up, they stood for a moment with their hands on their hips. While Walter had been gone, Erica had got the shampoo out ready and placed it on the windowsill above the large square stainless-steel tub.
Walter opened the cupboard behind them and brought out a stack of beige towels.
‘I think we’ll need a jug or something to pour water since we don’t have a hose type attachment,’ Erica said.
‘Right. Good thinking.’ Walter disappeared and moments later reappeared with a stack containing several plastic jugs of varying sizes. ‘Covering all bases,’ he said by way of explanation. ‘When we get started, we don’t want to have to try to press pause. I hope she isn’t going to mind this. I can just imagine it turning into a National Lampoon style comedy. Yes, I’m stalling.’
‘Do you think I should set up my phone to film us? We might get a viral hit,’ Erica said, grinning at Walter.
‘Don’t you dare,’ he said, grinning back. ‘I’m not so old as to not know what that means, young lady. Okay. Can’t put this off any longer. Oh, do you think run the water and put her in or put her in and then run the water?’
‘Dog definitely in first in case she struggles, I reckon.’
‘Yes. Good point. Right. She suddenly looks very heavy. Okay. Bend the knees. And, here goes,’ Walter said.
Erica had to work hard to stifle her rising giggles at seeing the bewildered look on Bruce’s face when picked up around the middle by Walter.
‘Just make sure her legs go over the edge okay because I can’t lift her much higher. Lordy, you’re a heavy girl. No offence,’ he said, puffing slightly with exertion.
Erica carefully lifted the four feet after which there was a short clatter of claws as the no doubt startled dog got her footing in the shiny tub.
‘You’re okay. Good girl. Just stand there,’ Walter said. ‘You hold her and I’ll get the water running.’
Erica patted the dog, who now looked very disconcerted. ‘It’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you,’ she soothed. God, I hope you’re not going to bite us.
‘Nice and warm but not too warm,’ Walter said, fiddling with the taps and then putting the plug in. ‘We’ll be as quick as we can,’ he said, pouring a jug of water carefully over the dog. ‘Okay?’
Erica wasn’t sure if he was asking her or Bruce. ‘All good my end,’ she answered, just in case. The dog was fully wet when she began to quiver.
‘Aww, poor thing. You’re a good, good girl. Sorry, but this has to be done. You’re smelly and we need to check for fleas. So far so good in that department,’ Walter said.
Both Walter and Erica massaged the soap through her coat, working quickly, and then rinsed twice.
‘Let’s dry her as much as we can so she won’t catch a chill.’
‘Good plan. It’s just like bathing toddlers, isn’t it?’ Walter said, as they both quickly towelled the dog off. ‘Just as wriggly, aren’t you, missy?’
‘I hope she doesn’t mind not smelling like a dog,’ Erica said.
‘Yes. You’re a little bit floral, Bruce. At the risk of undoing our good work, I’m going to let her out onto the lawn and in the sunshine while we get out of our wet things and clean up. Goodness, we look as wet as the dog.’
They took off their overshirts, hung them on the line, and went out into the sun to watch Bruce, who was on her side rubbing her face along the neatly clipped lawn.
‘Oh. I got her a squeaky toy, too,’ Walter said. ‘As I say, Chantelle saw me coming.’ He ducked inside the laundry to the box and then brought out what looked like a green dinosaur. He squeezed it and it squeaked. ‘Ugh. I might have to perform some surgery on that and remove the noise maker. It will drive us batty in the office.’
Erica laughed when Bruce looked up towards the noise with her head tilted, and then resumed her snuffling. ‘I doubt she’ll know what a toy is,’ she said.
‘Yes. She’ll probably recognise a large bone, but the shop didn’t have anything looking like that in the toy department.’
While she watched Bruce, Erica’s gaze was drawn to a round purple object in the nearby garden bed. She moved over to it and realised it was a rock – about the size of her two cupped hands together – painted purple, the same shade as many of the objects on her desk at work. A wave of sadness swept through her.
‘That’s for Mary, as I’m sure you’ve gathered,’ Walter said, now next to her. ‘She’s buried in the cemetery, but I wanted a reminder closer. I talk to her – it – while I garden and when I sit out here when it’s warm enough. Call me mad, but still …’
‘I think it’s lovely. And absolutely perfect.’ Erica thought it might be a nice idea for her and the girls to do the same for her mum and Stuart.
‘I’ll just get her ladyship, Bruce, some food and water and then I think you and I have earnt ourselves a cuppa and a sit down,’ Walter said, moving away.
Erica eased her gaze away from Mary’s rock and took in the rest of the lovely garden.
‘Goodness, I’m exhausted,’ Walter said, reappearing a few moments later with two bowls. One contained some dog biscuits and the other he began filling with water from the outside tap.
‘Bruce, here, girl,’ he called. The dog looked up at hearing her name and then trotted over. She checked out the water, had a brief slurp and then ate a few biscuits before moving away again. ‘I’ll leave your toy here, too,’ he said, placing the squishy green object by the bowl. ‘I guess we can’t really change her name now, can we?’ He stood, hands on hips, looking after her.
‘No, probably not.’ Erica grinned. Walter was a hoot and reminded her so much of her dear dad before dementia had taken hold.
‘We’ll be just inside,’ Walter called to Bruce, who again looked up for a moment before returning to her snuffling.