(This flash fiction story was written in response to the photograph in Writer’s Digest magazine)
Cassie hugged Prince, her heart nearly broken. Right now, with Mom in her bedroom crying and Daddy gone, Prince was her only comfort. In fact, Prince was the one member of the family who was not upset today. Everyone loved him, and he was unquestionably the calmest, most stable, most reliable one around.
Cassie stifled her sobs as she gazed at the frost-covered yard. She buried her face in Prince’s soft, comforting coat, filling her nostrils with his familiar doggy smell.
She knew she might be wasting her morning standing vigil over the driveway. If only she could be certain her father would return. She replayed in her mind her anguished appeals to him. He had been adamant, and his abrupt departure had cut short her emotional entreaties.
She tried to make sense of her father’s expression as he stormed out. Was it anger? Annoyance at her pleading? Frustration? Did he really “storm out,” or just leave quickly? Her eleven-year-old brain knew that adults were complex, their moods often incomprehensible.
The frost on the lawn was slowly melting in the feeble winter sun’s mid-day glow. Was her heart also thawing with acceptance, if not with happiness? She knew that with the loss of a family member, the family would never be the same. She would have to accept the inevitable.
But it was so hard! She knew that as an adult she would face happiness and sorrow, gratitude and disappointment, the gaining and losing of friendship and love. But today she didn’t want to be an adult. Today she wanted to remain eleven, and simply cry. Her heart clenched again, and more hot, salty tears streamed onto Prince’s fur.
She replayed in her mind the happy times the four of them had had. What love! What wonderful memories of games, outings to the park, holidays and birthdays, vacations, scrapbooks full of happy pictures of two loving parents, a growing girl and a vivacious puppy!
And then today’s shocking and explosive news! There had been signs of the impending trouble, but she had tried to ignore them, and tried to tell herself that they didn’t mean anything serious or permanent. But this morning’s development and her father’s abrupt departure were clear indications that things would soon change forever.
She looked up sharply to see Daddy’s car pulling into the driveway. He had come back! Prince barked, welcoming him home.
“Daddy! You came back!” she exclaimed as he walked in. Mom had come down from her bedroom, her face streaked with tears.
“Yes, Cassie, I came back,” Daddy said simply. He looked ready to concede defeat. Prince limped over to him and nuzzled his hand. He and Mom looked at each other, and a silent message passed between them.
He spoke, his voice breaking. “We’re all devastated, knowing that Prince can’t be with us any longer. Today’s visit to the vet was so sad, and Prince doesn’t even know how sick he is.” As if on cue, Prince slumped heavily to the floor.
Daddy hugged mom with one arm, and Cassie finally noticed what he had in his other arm. “So Cassie,” he said with difficulty, “in spite of my earlier objections, I brought home the puppy you picked out. We all know she can’t replace Prince, or even prolong his staying with us, but at least she and Prince can be friends for a few days, until we decide we’ve had enough time to say goodbye to him and take him back in.”
“Oh, Daddy, thank you!!” she stammered.
She now knew how adults could be happy and sad at the same time. She scratched Prince behind the ears, then held the new puppy close to his face. They sniffed each other, and the puppy yipped excitedly with the promise of a new friend and new adventures.
The loss of Prince would leave a hole in her heart, but the new puppy would help it heal.
“Can we name her ‘Princess’?”
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