“Hello there!” said Elizabeth as she opened the door, “Welcome to Goldhart Manor!” Leo, Angel and Rachael stepped inside, and drank in their surroundings.
“Whoa. This is impressive.” Leo comments.
“It’s beautiful…” Angel says, and indeed it was. The entire foyer was decorated with wreaths, lights, and ribbons to bring out the feeling of Christmas.
“Great design job, there Elizabeth” Rachael says.
“Thanks, Rachael” said Elizabeth, “We usually try to keep it simple, but Dad insisted on going all out this year.”
“If this is all out, I wonder what simple looks like?” the young wolf comments.
“Well….” Elizabeth said, “Just leave your shoes there, if you want, and we can get down to partying.” The family of three left their footwear by the door. The trio then followed Elizabeth into the kitchen, where they found Bobbie, Ryan, and Chrissy seated around a small breakfast table.
“Hi, Leo.” said Ryan, “Hi, Miss Angel. And hi Miss Rachael.”
“Hello there, kid;” said Rachael, “Hey, now that’s some festive gingerbread houses.” Indeed, sitting on the counter were two gingerbread houses decorated with icing, dots, candy buttons, and little gumballs.
“You like them?” asked Chrissy, “We put them together a few days ago, so… they’re just for looking at this point.”
“Yes. But never fear; James has something special planned for dessert” Bobbie informed them.
“Oh, I can wait” Leo replied. He then walked over to where Chrissy was seated and said, “I’m really glad to be here, Chrissy; thank you so much for inviting us.”
“My pleasure. I’m also looking forward to spending Christmas with you.”
“By the way…” asked Leo, “Who’s James?”
“He’s my mom’s dad;” said Chrissy, “So he’s my grandpa.”
“That’s nice” said Angel. Then, she remembered something she had read in the hotel room a few nights past. “Just to confirm…” she said, “He wouldn’t happen to be the James Goldhart, that I’ve heard so much about, would he?”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” asked a voice. Angel, Leo and Rachael turned around to see a surprisingly fit Cocker Spaniel with dark brown headfur, light cream-colored cheeks, and a ready smile. “James Goldhart; president and CEO of Goldhart Construction and Demolition at your service.” the spaniel said, extending a hand.
“Good lord…” Angel said as she shook his hand, “Well… what an honor it is to meet you, Mr. Goldhart.”
“It’s not very often that I get to meet many famous canines, like yourself, James” the hyena tells the spaniel as James shakes her paw.
“You own a construction company, right?” asked Leo.
“Sure do;” said James, “Me and my brother, Bruce. He manages the demolition branch, while I handle the constructive side of things.”
“Wow, really? So, uh… Thanks for… letting us spend Christmas here, Mr. Goldhart.”
“Think nothing of it, kid;” James replies, crouching down to look Leo in the eyes, “Any friends of Ryan and Chrissy are welcome at Goldhart Manor. Speaking of which, you don’t have to be formal with me. You can call me James, or Pops, if you prefer.”
“Okay then; Thanks” the young wolf replies.
“Say, Pops…” said Ryan, “Now that Leo’s here, can we go swimming?”
“Don’t see why not;” said James, “There’s plenty of daylight left, and we’ve got more than enough time before the show comes on.”
“What show?” asked Leo.
“My moms and Aunt Sylvia were part of a show that was filmed in England last week;” Chrissy explains, “They said that the international premiere would be tonight at nine.”
“That sounds interesting;” Rachael says, “I wouldn’t mind seeing what it is.”
“Well, without giving too much away;” said Bobbie, “It’s a high-stakes game where the winner really takes all.”
“Cool!” said Leo, “Now there’s something to look forward to.”
“But since we’ve got a few hours before then;” said Ryan, “I think we should go swimming first.”
“Good idea, Son;” said James, “It’s a perfect night for it too.”
“You all go ahead;” said Bobbie, “I promised to show Rachael the gym first, so we could have a workout session. You want to join us, Angel?”
“Sure thing. Count me in!” the feline says grinning.
With that, Bobbie, Angel and Rachael left the room.
“You wanna go swimming too, Chrissy?” asked Elizabeth.
“Sure, Mom;” said Chrissy, “I can’t wait to try on my new swimsuit.”
“Sounds good to me;” said Elizabeth. She turned her attention to Ryan, Leo, and James, “Chrissy and I are gonna be a while getting ready; you three go ahead. You’ll keep an eye on them, Dad?”
“No problem!” said James, with a smile, “We’ll have plenty to enjoy while we wait for you.”
“Thanks, Dad.” said Elizabeth as she scooped Chrissy out of her chair to carry her upstairs.
“See you, Leo!” said Chrissy.
“See you too!” Leo said back.
“You’re gonna love our pool, Leo;” said Ryan as he got out of his chair, “It’s got a basketball hoop and everything!”
“I can’t wait to see what ‘everything’ is!” said Leo.
*****
As Leo observed the swimming pool, he couldn’t help but gawk in amazement. The pool (which had a similar shape of a boomerang) had two sets of entrance stairs on either side of a small dining area with two tables and a grill. The sides of the pool where decorated with dark and light blue mosaic tiles. On the far left of the pool, there was a diving board and a small waterfall.
“What do you think, Kid?” James asked him.
“I think it looks great.” Leo replied, with a grin, “It must have cost you a fortune to install.”
“It did indeed;” the spaniel replied. “But it was money well spent.”
“Where should I leave my clothes?” the young wolf asked.
“Oh, just hang them over this chair.” said James, pointing to a nearby deck chair.
“Alright.” said Leo. With that being said, he removed his shirt and jeans, revealing his Union Jack trunks.
“Hey, nice swimsuit, Leo;” Ryan mused, “You must be proud to be British.”
“Thanks for the compliment, Mate.” said Leo as he hung his clothes over the deck chair. He then ran up to the side of the pool and cannonballed into the water. He felt a slight chill surge through him as he was immersed in the water. However, it didn’t take long for him to find the water to be quite soothing. A few seconds later, there was another large splash, and Ryan joined him under the water, wearing a pair of purple trunks. The two boys surfaced to see James entering the pool via the stairs. The elder spaniel wore a pair of red trunks and a white shirt.
“Well done, boys!” he said, “I’d give you both a perfect score on that one.”
“Say, Leo;” said Ryan, eagerly, “You up for a race?”
“Sure thing;” said Leo, “Sounds like fun.”
“Great!” said Ryan, “I reckon that we’ll do a lap to the deep end and back. First one back wins.”
“Sounds like a fun idea, boys;” said James, “I’ll referee for you.”
“Thanks, Pops.” Ryan replied, before he and Leo made their way to the side of the pool.
“Good luck, Ryan;” said Leo, trying to be sporting about it.
“You too, Leo.” said Ryan.
“On your marks…” said James, “Get set… Go!” Leo shot off from the side like a torpedo, before he began swimming in a similar style to an otter. Within seconds, he had made it to the other side of the pool. Leo caught his breath for a few seconds, before he shot off again just as Ryan reached the opposite side. Leo couldn’t help but smirk as he saw the astonished look on the Basenji’s face. It was all over in twenty seconds; Leo hit the other side of the pool and came up for a breath. “Winner!” James exclaimed as he took Leo’s hand and lifted his arm up. Knowing he was beaten, Ryan took his time getting back; but when he got there, he held out his hand to Leo.
“That was fantastic!” he said, with a grin, “It was all over in seconds! I’ve got to hand it to you, Leo; you’re one of the best swimmers I’ve seen in my life.”
“Thanks;” said Leo, “It comes from swimming almost every weekend; There’s a swimming pool at the gym my mum goes to. Whilst she practices her weights, I practice my laps. When she joins me, we sometimes race each other.”
“Sounds like fun;” said Ryan. Just then, Leo heard the backdoor opening, and turned to see Elizabeth carrying Chrissy in her arms to the poolside. Elizabeth was wearing her blue one-piece again, and Chrissy had purple floaties on her arms and ankles instead of her lifejacket. But the swimsuit Chrissy was wearing was what really caught his eye.
“Hi, Leo!” said Chrissy, in a slightly flirtatious tone, “How do I look?” Elizabeth turned so Leo could get a better view. Leo couldn’t stop himself from smiling. The upper left section of her swimsuit (or upper right from his perspective) was blue with white stars dotting it; everywhere else was vertical red and white stripes; an Old Glory one-piece.
“Oh wow…” Leo thought to himself, “She looks even more beautiful than before…” He turned to Ryan and said, “Uh… you mind if I say, hi to your sister for a bit?”
“Not at all;” Ryan said, with a grin. “Besides, whilst the going’s good, I oughtta thank you for being such a good friend to Chrissy. She’s been very happy the past few days.”
“I’m glad to hear that;” the young wolf said, before he shot off to greet Chrissy and her mother. Elizabeth stepped into the water, and was soon in up to her waist. As Leo swam over to the two canines, a warm smile appeared on the Labrador’s muzzle.
“Hi there, Leo;” she said, “I love your swimsuit; I think it’s very stylish and it screams you. Uh… because you’re British.”
“Thanks, Chrissy.” said Leo, blushing, slightly, “I am indeed proud to be British. Though… I’m part Italian too. My father was…” He smiled and said, “Your suit looks brilliant too.”
“Aw, thank you…” the Chrissy smiled, “And I’m proud to be American.” She then turned to Elizabeth and said, “Mom, can I free float for a bit, please?”
“Well, if that’s what you want, then sure.” said Elizabeth; she gently knelt until Chrissy was in the water, and released the pup from her grasp. Once in the water, Chrissy used her forearms to gently paddle around. Leo had to admit he was impressed. She paddled up to Leo and said,
“So… Enjoying the pool?”
“You bet!” said Leo, “It’s been great fun so far.”
“We’ve got plenty of time to kill;” said Chrissy, “What do you wanna do?”
“I’m not sure, really. But I have to say, the way you swim is amazing; I mean… you… can’t use your legs, yet you still manage to get around the pool without a struggle.”
“Thanks. Though, I can’t deny that there are some things I wish I could still do. Because of this, I can only swim on my back; if I try it the other way ‘round, it’s a battle to keep my face above water.”
“That doesn’t sound like fun;” said Leo. He thought for a moment, then said, “Of course, if you wanted, I suppose I could tow you; like a water skier.”
“Really?” asked Chrissy, “You’d do that for me?”
“Sure!” said Leo, “It’s easy for me.” He floated up on his belly, and positioned himself so that Chrissy could reach out and grab his ankles with her hands. As she did so, she made sure to cross her arms. “Ready…?” asked Leo.
“Ready!” said Chrissy. Leo began swimming, using only his arms. As he started off, Chrissy rolled over so that she too was on her belly, perfect position for some makeshift waterskiing. “Woo-Hoo!” Chrissy let out a squeal of joy as Leo pulled her along; to her it almost felt like she was swimming.
“Hang on!” Leo called back to her, happy that he could help her have a fun time.
James smiled as he watched them go. He was then joined by Elizabeth.
“Isn’t Leo wonderful, Dad?” she asked.
“He sure is…” said James, “You weren’t kidding when you said he was a great boy.”
“He makes Chrissy so happy;” said Elizabeth, “It’s such a shame that he lives on the other side of the world.”
“Indeed…” said James, “But there’s always the telephone, and email; it’s amazing how quickly people can communicate these days.”
“You’re right, Dad;” said Elizabeth, “They’ll probably email each other six times a day!” She laughed at her own joke, knowing that Chrissy would never become that carried away. After a good six minutes of swimming around the pool Leo felt a little fatigued, so he made his way to the shallow end where his feet would touch the bottom, and said,
“You fine if I rest for bit, Chrissy?”
“Sure thing, Leo!” Chrissy informed him. Leo rolled onto his back, which caused Chrissy to do the same. Knowing the ride was over, Chrissy let go of Leo’s ankles, and came to rest, floating on her back. Leo then stood up and came back over to her.
“So… how was it?” asked Leo.
“It was great;” said Chrissy, “It was like I could swim again.”
“You know,” said Leo, “If you want, I’m sure my mum could teach you how to swim with only your arms.”
“That would be great!” said Chrissy, “If your swimming skills are any indication, she must be a great teacher.”
“Why thank you.” said Leo, striking a pose and leaning on the wall for support; forgetting as he did so that tiles are slippery when wet. As a result, he slipped forward and ended up falling right on top of Chrissy!
“Oof!” Chrissy yelped in surprise. Leo tried to stand back up, but discovered that his arms had somehow gone under Chrissy; without thinking he stood all the way up, and when he came to his senses, he discovered that he was now holding Chrissy in his arms!
“I’m sorry!” the young wolf cub gasped.
“No, Leo, it’s fine!” said Chrissy, “It’s fine! I know you didn’t mean to.”
There was an awkward silence between the two of them as they observed themselves, before they started laughing. “Oh man; it was almost like we kissed there.” Chrissy chuckled.
“You said it!” said Leo, as he blushed a bit.
“Hey, you two! Up for a game of volley ball?” Ryan asked them. Conveniently, the young Basenji held a beach ball in his paws as he stood near them.
“Count me in;” said Chrissy, “You up for a game, Leo?”
“Yeah; I’m in!” Leo replied.
“Alright! Let’s go!” Ryan yipped in excitement as he wadded out to the center of the pool. Not knowing what else to do, Leo carried Chrissy towards the center of the pool, where they met James, dragging an inflatable pink lilo chair with him.
“My, my…” said James, as he observed the scene, “Aren’t you a chivalrous gentleman.”
“Thanks’ James;” said Leo, “I… I try.”
“Well, it’s clear that Chrissy thinks highly of you.” said James.
“Thanks for carrying me, Leo;” said Chrissy, “Pops can put me in the float now.”
“Okay then.” said Leo, he allowed James to take Chrissy into his arms, and held the floating chair steady for her.
“There you go;” said James, as he set Chrissy down in the floating chair. “All set.”
“This way, I can play volleyball now.” Chrissy explained.
“That’s really cool.” said Leo. Just then, Elizabeth wadded past them.
“You kids have fun;” Elizabeth told them, cheerfully, as she made her way out of the pool. “I’ll get the net up for you; then I’m going to start making dinner.”
“Thanks, Miss Elizabeth!” said Leo.
“Thanks, Mom!” said Chrissy.
“So, Leo;” asked Ryan, “Who do you want to play against?”
“I honestly don’t mind;” said Leo, “But I would like a challenge.”
“Then your best bet would be to play against me;” James informed him, “Be warned… I’m unbeatable!”
“Oh we’ll see about that!” said Leo, accepting the challenge, “You with me, Ryan?”
“All the way!” said Ryan, and the two boys high-fived.
***************
Whilst all of this was going on, Bobbie led Rachael and Angel downstairs into the area of the basement where all her exercise and weightlifting equipment was stored.
“So…” Bobbie said, coyly, “What do you two gals think?”
The lioness and the hyena couldn’t help but gape at the wide array of equipment they saw.
“Bloody amazing!” Angel said, “I wish I had enough room at home for all of this.”
“Honestly, this set-up puts the workout area at my home to shame” Rachael says.
“One of the bonuses of living in a big house, I suppose” said Bobbie, with a shrug, “Comes in handy when you’re a personal trainer too.”
“So then… Warm ups…?” Rachael suggested.
“Let’s go!” Bobbie announced. The lioness, the Basenji and the hyena stripped down to their swimsuits.
Bobbie’s swimsuit design was a simple lime green bikini. Rachael wore a bikini with a green and black camo design on it, whilst Angel wore a one-piece swimsuit with a Kenyan flag design on it.
Then the three mammals started by doing some yoga stretches to warm up their muscles for what was to come. Once they were all charged, Bobbie started on the treadmill while Angel opted for the elliptical walker. Rachael warmed up by spending a good 10 minutes on a rowing machine.
Then, they decided to do some weightlifting. Bobbie and Angel pressed two hundred pounds easily. Then it was Rachael's turn to do some impressing, by pressing two hundred and fifty pounds with a slight amount of difficulty.
After a solid hour of working out and pumping iron, the trio sat down on the benches for a cool down.
“Hell yeah! Now that was a good workout!” Angel exclaimed.
“You said it sister” Rachael said as she wiped the sweat off her brow.
“If it doesn’t make you sweat;” said Bobbie, “You can’t really call it a workout; that’s what I say.”
“Too right…” said Angel before taking a swig from a water bottle, “It’s just too bad that I have to pay for a gym membership to do this sort of thing. If only I had more room in my house.”
“Maybe you could invest in a shed for your back yard if you have one? Bobbie suggested. “You could fit workout machine and some equipment in there. If you have the space for it?”
“Not a bad idea Bobbie. I’ll think about that” Angel replied.
“It’s nice to have workout buddies like you two. The three of us should get video chat or something so we can work out together like this more often” the Basenji says.
“Now that’s a good idea” Rachael says grinning.
“Well apart from the time zone differences,” said Angel, “I think we could make that work.”
“Perhaps we could do it on weekends;” said Bobbie, “I’m off on Saturdays. How about you two?”
“My fitness instructing schedules can vary. I usually get calls from clients for appointments 24/7” the hyena explains. “I’m popular in my town area of Mare Valley… But, I’m sure I can make time for it on Saturdays.”
“Well, as for me, I work part-time;” said Angel, “As a caretaker in a nursery. The pay’s good, and I have enough time for Leo; which is good, as in the past the kid hasn’t had it easy.”
“I won’t ask;” said Bobbie, “All I’ll say is that he’s damn lucky to have you.”
“Yes…” said Angel, “Indeed…” She then thought for a moment, and said, “You know, Bobbie, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you about Ryan; if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all;” said Bobbie, “Shoot.”
“Well…” said Angel, “Ryan resembles you in almost every possible way. Was this just a coincidence at the adoption? Or did he, um… have a father?”
“Neither…” said Bobbie, “I wanted so badly to have a child in the normal way, but I knew… doing something like that would break Elizabeth’s heart. Luckily for me, medicinal technology had unearthed a ground-breaking discovery that could allow females to have children without the need for a father.”
“Really…?” asked Angel, “Do go on.”
“Well,” said Bobbie, “They took a sample of my DNA, and were able to generate a male’s cell from it. With that, the cell was… introduced to my system, and soon, Ryan was conceived.” At this point, both Angel and Rachael had their eyes wide, and their mouths hanging open.
“My God” the hyena gasped. “I never even knew that sort of treatment even existed.”
“Good lord…” she said, “That’s… incredible. So basically, you’re Ryan’s mother and father all in one.”
“You could say that;” said Bobbie, “You could also say that Ryan is an imperfect clone of me; the only difference is him being a boy.” She sighed and said, “Perhaps that’s for the best. If he had been born a girl, imagine the awkwardness of explaining the truth to her when she turned out to be exactly like me.”
“There would probably be a lot of tears;” said Angel, “Still… that’s just amazing; not that I would ever try it myself”
“I might try it, though” Rachael says. “However, I’m young at 33. Plus, I’m still dating guys, so guess there’s no hurry for me.”
“That’s probably best for you, Angel;” said Bobbie, “I mean… you do have Leo, and it could be awkward for him to suddenly feel out of the loop. I should know; it was kinda hard balancing the attention scale when Chrissy joined the family two years ago.”
“I can only imagine;” said Angel, “I’ve actually had to help a few cubs who feel like they’re not getting enough attention.”
“Well, all kids should be loved equally;” said Bobbie, “There’s no reason any kid should receive more love and attention than the others.”
“I agree.” said Angel. The trio sat in silence for the next two minutes, before Angel said, “Well… I’m spent.”
“I am too;” said Bobbie, “How about we go grab some pool time before dinner?”
“Good idea;” said Rachael. “I feel like cooling down.”
So with that, they grabbed their clothes, and headed back upstairs.
*****
“It sure is nice to see the kids enjoying themselves.” said Bobbie as she and her two friends made their way outside to the pool.
“I can’t agree more; One of the many joys of parenting.” the lioness replied as she watched the three kids and the old man playing volleyball. After hanging their towels on a nearby deck chair, the three adult females slipped into the pool and gave off sighs of content. The cool water instantly cooled them down and soothed their bones. The three adult females chilled by the side of the pool and chatted for a while, like old friends would, mostly about their jobs. Just then, they were greeted by Leo and Ryan.
“Why hello, you two;” Bobbie said, cheerfully, “Who won the game?”
“Chrissy and Pops;” Ryan replied, “I swear, it’s next to impossible to beat Pops at volleyball.”
“Well, better luck next time.” Bobbie told him.
“How was your workout, aunt?” Leo asked Rachael.
“Oh, it was great, Hun;” said the hyena, with a grin, “It was the best workout I’ve had in weeks; the basement is practically a private gym.”
“We all had fun;” said Angel, “Running, flexing, pumping iron.”
“That sounds good;” said Leo, “I can’t wait until I’m old enough to start weightlifting myself. From what I’ve seen, it actually looks quite fun.”
“Your best bet would start weight lifting at sixteen, Leo;” Bobbie told him. “If you keep up a good diet and exercise regime, hopefully, you’ll have the right build for lifting weights. That’s when I began weight lifting myself.”
“Thanks, Miss Bobbie;” said Leo, “I’ll take your advice there.” It was then that Leo noticed Elizabeth and Angel walking towards the pool. Elizabeth was now wearing a blue silky dress with a white cooking apron over it.
“Dinner’s ready, everyone!” the spaniel cheerfully announced.
“Perfect timing!” said Rachael as she clambered out of the pool, “That work out session has left me famished.”
Everyone exited the pool, dried off with their towels, and headed inside to change for dinner.
**************
In a matter of minutes, everyone had changed into appropriate dinner attire, and was gathered around the lavish dinner table, making light-hearted conversation.
“This is cool;” said Leo, “I can’t wait to see what dishes we have for supper.”
“You’re bound to be impressed, Leo;” said James, “My daughter’s an excellent chef.”
“Yeah;” said Ryan, “Aunt Elizabeth’s cooking is to die for!”
It was at that moment that Bobbie and Elizabeth emerged from the kitchen, each carrying trays of food. Bobbie set the main course down in the center of the table.
“Here we are!” she announced, “Loin of pork with honey glazed carrots and pineapple!”
“Positively mouthwatering!” Angel commented.
“Work of art that! A sight to behold” Rachael said, smiling a hyena smile.
“I’m glad you think so;” said Elizabeth, “I cooked up plenty of side dishes to go with it too.”
“Oh boy…” said James, “Elizabeth, you’ve outdone yourself.”
“You’re the one who said we should go all out this year, Dad.” said Elizabeth, “I’m just contributing to the cause.”
“Okay then…” said Bobbie, “First, a few words.” She and Elizabeth sat down, and everyone placed their hands over their hearts. To be polite, Leo, and his family did the same.
“We thank the universe for bringing us all together so that we may share this wonderful occasion.” said Elizabeth, “The odds against all of us being here on this day, in this place, are astronomical; yet here we are. We are all together in joy and in peace. In return for this wonderful fortune, we will continue to live our lives as good people; for the hope that we may pass on our friendship, compassion, and love to all those who may live in future generations.” When she had finished her speech, she said, “Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Everyone enjoy.” Bobbie sliced the pork loin, and placed a nice thick slice on everyone’s plates. Leo had to admit that the pork looked good, and he really wanted to try it.
Leo happily accepted a slice of pork with a few carrots and a slice of pineapple. To make the meal complete, he helped himself to a mini baked potato and some salad. He cut off a small piece of his pork and gave it a taste. In a second, the flavor spread all over his tounge and throughout his mouth. Leo couldn’t help but smile as he chewed and swallowed.
“Hey, this is delicious;” he said, “Very good, Miss Elizabeth. Ten out of ten.”
“Thank you, Leo;” said Elizabeth, “You’re very sweet.” Next to him, Angel and her sister was also enjoying the pork.
“This is pretty good…” the lioness said, “Besides eating this type of food is a rare opportunity. I don’t usually eat meat on holiday.”
“Oh…? Why’s that?” asked James.
“When I was a cub, my father, Benjamin got sick from some improperly cooked fish that we ate while in Italy” Angel explained.
“Oh, remember that” Rachael said. “That poor guy wasn’t well for a few days after consuming that. Worse case of food poisoning that I’ve ever witnessed in my life.”
“Sorry to hear that;” said Elizabeth, “But I promise, I’ll pay for your hospital bills if you or your family get food poisoned on my account.”
“Well, that’s good to know.” said Angel with a lighthearted chuckle. Soon, everyone was eating, and not a lot more was said for a while. It was a good twenty minutes before everyone was good and full.
“I hope you all saved some room for dessert;” said James, “Because I have a wonderful surprise for you all.”
“Do you think we’ll have time to eat it before the show?” asked Chrissy. James looked at the clock and said,
“Oh… maybe not; there’s only ten minutes to show time!”
“That sounds interesting;” said Angel, “I wouldn’t mind seeing it.”
“I’ll gather up the dishes;” said Bobbie, “I’ll meet the rest of you by the TV.”
“Okay, Mom!” said Ryan.
“Thanks, Miss Bobbie;” said Leo.
“I’ll give you a hand;” offered Angel, “There’s no reason for you to do this by yourself.”
“I appreciate the help, Angel.” said Bobbie. As the two of them began to clear the table, Leo and Ryan made their way to the living room and sat down on the sofa in front of the enormous flat-screen TV. Elizabeth soon followed with Chrissy in her arms.
“Mind if I sit next to you, Leo?” asked Chrissy.
“Please do.” said Leo. Elizabeth set Chrissy down next to Leo, and the two of them giggled a bit.
“Get a room, you two!” Ryan joked.
“Oh we will!” Chrissy joked back.
“I’m just glad we set the machine to record the show as it plays;” said Elizabeth as she switched on the TV and searched for the correct channel, “That way we won’t have to strain ourselves to remember it.” Five minutes from show time, Angel, Bobbie, Rachael and James finally joined them; and James was carrying something amazing.
“Hey, nice one” Leo exclaimed, “Is that what I think it is?”
“It sure is, Partner!” said James, “A giant sugar cookie pizza!” Indeed, the cookie was fourteen inches in diameter, was cut into slices, like a pizza, and was topped with festive green, white, and red sprinkles.
“You kids enjoy!”
“Sweet!” said Chrissy, as she chose her first slice.
“Totally!” added Ryan, as he picked up his.
“Thank you so much, James.” said Leo.
“You’re welcome, Kiddo.” said James. He sat down in his recliner, and settled in to watch the show. Soon, the introduction titles played, and a male Persian cat stepped onto the screen.
“Welcome to the Grand Motorsport Challenge!” he announced in a British accent, “Over the next two days, three teams of homespun heroes will build fantastic, rip-roaring racecars from this!” the camera zoomed out to reveal that he was standing in the middle of a giant junkyard, “Acers upon acers of junk and scrap!” The scene then changed to show a female Welsh Corgi standing in a grandstand overlooking a racetrack.
“Then they’ll be bringing them here;” she said, “Industrial Haven Raceway in Newcastle upon Thyme. By tomorrow night, these grandstands will be packed with screaming fans, here to watch the ultimate showdown in racing prowess.” She paused for a moment, and then said, “And to make things a bit more interesting, we’ve invited two teams from abroad to compete against the best of Blighty!” The scene changed to show three men; a grizzly bear, a fox, and a tiger; wearing bright red boiler suits, and facing the camera with determined looks.
“In red from St. Petersburg in Russia, the Monster Mechanics are titans when it comes to racing trucks and tractors.” The announcer spoke. Then, Leo picked out the faces of Elizabeth and Bobbie in the next scene, along with someone else he didn’t recognize, wearing yellow boiler suits.
“In yellow from California in America, the Streetrace Sirens love nothing more than burning rubber and making some noise.” Next, there were another group; a rabbit, an owl, and a badger; wearing blue boiler suits.
“And in blue from Kent in England, the Formula Flyers are top notch Formula One technicians with a passion for speed.” The scene cut back to the cat, who said.
“All three teams will build their own racing car from scrap, and race them in Newcastle; but only one of them can claim this…” He held up a shiny trophy with all three flags and a small racecar on top, “The Grand Motorsport Challenge’s international trophy!”
“Well…” said Angel, “This should be interesting.”
“I’ve never seen this program before;” said Leo, “But it looks like it should be great fun.” He turned to Chrissy and said, “By the way, does your aunt have any kids of her own?”
“She sure does;” said Chrissy, “In fact, she’s Casey and Joey’s mom.”
“Ah…” said Leo, “That’s nice; so they’re family too, I guess.”
“Family, friends…” said Chrissy, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that we love each other, and enjoy being together.”
“I know.” said Leo. With that being said, he settled in to watch the show. The Grand Motorsport Challenge, did indeed focus on the three international teams building their own racecars from scrap. The teams stuck with what they knew, building an off-road racer, a formula car, and a hotrod. When it came time to race, they competed in a series of smaller races to determine their starting positions for the final race.
“This is it…” Angel commented as the three vehicles lined up for the decisive race around Industrial Haven. “Where you gals nervous at all, during the race?”
“It was pretty nerve-wracking;” said Bobbie, “Especially since we had already taken our turns. This one was all on Sylvia.”
“She’s very brave to do something like this;” said Angel, “I’d like to meet her sometime.”
“I’ll see if we can arrange that.” said Bobbie.
“They’re about to start!” said Ryan. So, everyone focused their attention on the screen, eager to find out who would carry the day.
“This is it…” said Leo, “C’mon England!”
“USA! USA!” cheered James. The lights flashed, and the race was on!” The Flyers and the Sirens got the best start as the Mechanics’ machine was simply too heavy; and it quickly became a two horse race.
“Come on, Aunt Sylvia!” cheered Chrissy.
“Go for it!” added Ryan. As the two junk jalopies belted round the track, battling for the lead, the spectators in the stands were cheering as though it were a proper formula one race. With one and a half laps to go, it happened.
“Oh no!” cried the commentator, “The Flyers have lost a gear! And the Sirens overtake them on the bend!”
“YES!!” said Chrissy and Ryan.
“This is it!” said the commentator, “As they enter the tenth and final lap, the Sirens have a two second lead over the Flyers! Can the Yanks really do it?” By this time, everyone was on the edge of their seats, cheering for their respective teams.
“Come on!” cried Leo.
“Hold on, Aunt Sylvia…!” said Ryan, “Almost there…!”
“The Sirens have got it absolutely right!” shouted the commentator, “She’s holding the lead and she’s not giving an inch to the Brits! They’re round the final turn! They’re in the home straight! And it’s… The Streetrace Sirens across the line first!”
The Goldhart family all cheered, at the victory.
Rachael sighed, but she soon smiled. “Good game gals. Good game.”
Regardless of the winner, Leo couldn’t stop smiling; it had truly been a great race. He turned to Bobbie and Elizabeth and said,
“Well done; you really deserved that win.”
“Thanks;” said Elizabeth, “That means a lot to us.”
“And let me add my congratulations as well;” said Angel, “You got it absolutely right with that.”
“I’d say it was a lucky break;” said Bobbie, “I mean, if Dave hadn’t lost a gear, he would have beaten me; in no uncertain terms.”
“Perhaps…” the lioness comments.
They all watched as the Streetrace Sirens were presented with the international trophy, and the credits began to roll.
“That was great;” said James, “Nothing like a good heart-pounding race to end the night huh?”
“You said it, Pops.” said Ryan.
“Did you like it, Leo?” asked Chrissy.
“I sure did;” said Leo, “I’m gonna have to start following that show.” It was at that moment that he yawned.
“Good idea, Leo;” said Angel, “I’m ready for bed too.”
“Same” Rachael said as she stifled a loud hyena yawn.
“We should all get some rest;” said James, “We all wanna be up nice and early to open presents tomorrow.”
“I just hope you don’t keep us kids waiting too long;” said Ryan.
“That’s why we’re going to bed early, Ryan;” said Bobbie, “So you won’t have to wait long for us.”
“Thanks, Mom;” said Ryan, before stretching his arms and saying, “Well, I’m spent.”
“Me too;” said Chrissy, “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
“Neither can I;” said Leo, “So… I guess I’ll sleep on the sofa or something?”
“Nope;” said Elizabeth, “We have guest rooms all set up for you and your family.”
“Thanks;” said Leo, “And, I want to thank you again for allowing us to spend Christmas with you.
“Think nothing of it.” said Elizabeth.
“This is all very nice…” said Bobbie as she stretched and yawned, “But I think we should all get to bed if we want to rise early.” She then beckoned to Leo and said, “C’mon; I’ll give you a hand with your bags.”
Leo gave Rachael a quick hug good night, before he followed Bobbie out of the room.
“Are you sure you’re alright with carrying my bags, Miss?” Leo asked Bobbie, as he followed her up the stairs.
“I’m good, Kiddo;” Bobbie replied, “Besides, you should give me heavier bags to carry next time; I always need the training.” Once the two canines reached the top of the stairs, Bobbie led Leo along the landing. Soon, they arrived at the guest room at the end of the hall. Bobbie swung open the door and Leo stepped inside. Despite the small size, it looked very cozy. The walls were painted with a shiny cream color and the fuzzy carpet was a dark purple color. In the center of the room there was a comfy looking bed with ocean blue bed sheets. However, what really caught Leo’s eye was a small aquarium that housed several gold fish. “So, what do you think, Kid?” Bobbie asked him as she placed his bags onto the floor.
“Wow!” said Leo, “For a guest room, it sure is lavish.” He turned to face Bobbie and said, “Thank you so much for letting me stay here.” He opened his arms to hug her, but quickly stopped himself; he didn’t know Bobbie as well as he knew Chrissy, so Leo had a feeling that she might not feel comfortable with wanting to be hugged. To his surprise, the Basenji chuckled to herself and knelt so she was down to Leo’s height.
“You can hug me if you want to, Leo” She told him as she held out her arms. Leo slowly moved closer to her and she gave him a hug. As Leo felt Bobbie’s warm arms around his back, it reminded him of the way his aunt Crystal or even Rachael hugged him.
“I really owe you and Elizabeth” said Leo, “Not mention, James.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Leo; but there’s really no need to.” said Bobbie, “You have already shown your gratitude in your politeness and friendliness; particularly to Chrissy and Ryan.”
“Really?” asked Leo.
“Absolutely;” said Bobbie, “They’ve both been telling me that they enjoy your company and you have plenty of things in common with them.” She paused a moment, then said, “I bet you’re a popular kid back in your school.”
“I have some friends at school;” said Leo, “But that aside, I’m quite an unknown canine. I do hope to become… well, more known someday.”
“Well, I’d suggest joining some after school cubs or even some sports clubs.” said Bobbie, “But I wouldn’t worry about it too much; you have your whole life ahead of you for meeting new people”
“That’s actually good advice;” said Leo with a smile, “Thanks, Bobbie.”
“You’re welcome, Kid” the Basenji said, warmly. “Now I better tuck Ryan in.”
Once alone, Leo discarded his clothing into a plastic bag and slipped on a grey pair of shorts. He didn’t bother with a t-shirt to wear as it was still a bit warm despite it being dark out. Besides, it would just get sweat on it and add to the laundry. After watching the gold fish swim about for a few minutes, Leo took out an Akira comic from his rucksack. Leo then clambered into bed and after propping up his pillows, settled himself against the bed frame.
After reading for several minutes, he was startled by knock at the door.
“Come in!” Leo called. Elizabeth entered the room with a friendly smile on her face.
“Hello, Leo;” she said, “Is this room up to your standards?”
“Oh, it’s perfect;” said Leo, “I have no complaints whatsoever.”
“Well is there anything I could get you?” Elizabeth asked him, “A glass of milk or water? Or perhaps a lamp or some more pillows?”
“Thanks for the offer, Miss Elizabeth, but I’m good.” Leo said, politely.
“That’s good then;” said Elizabeth, “Now, I was wondering if you’d like to say good night to Chrissy.”
“Sure, I’d love to.” said Leo with a grin.
“Follow me then, Leo.” said Elizabeth, before she led the wolf pup down the hall to the door that marked Chrissy’s bedroom. “Chrissy!” Elizabeth called, “Leo’s here.”
“C’mon in!” they heard Chrissy say. Elizabeth opened the door, and they both entered the room. Chrissy’s bedroom was a small but lavish room with a hardwood floor, a large window, and a pretty bed with pink covers and white fluffy pillows. Chrissy herself, who was wearing a baggy pink t-shirt and striped sleep pants, was sitting upright in her bed with a warm smile on her muzzle as she saw Leo. Elizabeth approached Chrissy and said,
“Is there anything else you’d like, Sweetie?”
“I think I could use a little glass of milk;” said Chrissy, “If that’s okay.”
“Of course;” Elizabeth replied, “I’ll get it for you right away.” As her mother left the room, Chrissy beckoned Leo over to her bed.
“I’m so glad you could come, Leo,” said Chrissy, “Because I have something to tell you.”
“What would that be?” Leo asked her.
“Today has officially been one of the best days of my life;” Chrissy told him, “I enjoyed every minute of it; especially when you helped me in the pool earlier.” She sighed, sadly, and said, “I still miss the days, when I could run, swim, and… use my legs; but… I guess things could be worse. There’s no point in complaining about it if it won’t change anything.”
“I get what you mean, Chrissy;” Leo replied in an understanding tone of voice. “There are times when I wish things were different in my life. But like you said, complaining won’t change anything. We should just move on and enjoy what life has to offer.”
“I guess that’s another thing we have in common.” said Chrissy.
“You know,” said Leo, “Today has also been one of the best days of my life. I really enjoyed watching the race, dinner was great, and… well; your family is really, really great.”
“I can’t agree more;” the young Labrador replied.
“So, Chrissy;” said Leo, “Since I’m going back to England soon, would you like my email and phone number?”
“Sure thing!” said Chrissy, sounding excited. She reached under her pillow and pulled out a small diary. Within minutes both canines had exchanged phone numbers, emails and their full home addresses so they could occasionally write to one another.
“It should be fun writing letters to you;” said Leo as he folded the bit of paper with Chrissy’s contacts into his pocket, “Communicating the old-fashioned way before there was an internet.”
“True;” said Chrissy, “I only use my emails for schoolwork and stuff, but now I can finally put it to good use.” There was an awkward silence between them as they both smiled at each other.
“Chrissy, I’ve… kinda run out of things to say.” said Leo.
“So have I.” Chrissy replied before they both laughed.
“Well in that case, good night.” said Leo, “Hopefully, tomorrow morning I’ll have thought of plenty of new things to tell you about.”
“Same…” Chrissy said as she stifled a yawn, “To be honest, I’m too tired to think of anything else.” Then the young Labrador held out her arms. “Hug?” she asked the wolf boy, causally. Leo didn’t hesitate, wrapping his arms around Chrissy’s back and resting his muzzle on her shoulder. Chrissy did the exact same thing. Leo began to get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside of him. After what seemed like a very long time, the two pups slowly came apart.
“See you in the morning, Chrissy” Leo said with smile.
“Same…” Chrissy replied, “Sleep well, Leo.” As Leo left Chrissy’s bedroom, he was greeted by Angel who was wearing a lavender robe.
“Hi, Leo;” she said, “Would you like me to tuck you in?”
“Sure” Leo said, before he led her to his guest room.
“That’s a nice aquarium.” Angel mused as she observed the bedroom. Leo clambered into his bed, before saying, “Mum, can I talk to you for a bit?”
“Sure thing, Love.” Angel replied as she settled herself down on the end on the bed.
“I was speaking to Chrissy a minute ago;” said Leo, “And we both feel that a long-distance relationship can work. I was able to get her email and we’ve also decided to be pen pals.”
“Oh, Leo, that’s fantastic!” Angel beamed, “You see…? I knew you could do it. Heck, you can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it.”
“Anything?” Leo asked her.
“Anything, Hon.” Angel said before she pulled the blankets over him and kissed him on the cheek.
“Such as swimming the channel…” Leo said he sank into the soft mattress. The lioness gave a chuckle.
“Sure, I’ll help sign you up for it as soon as we get back to England” Angel joked as she walked to the door and flipped off the light switch. “Good night, Son.”
“Good night Mum…” Leo replied as she closed the bedroom door. Content with the day’s fun, and with Angel’s reassuring words playing in his mind, Leo was soon sound asleep.
***********
Leo is abruptly awoken as he feels himself being grabbed and slammed against a wall. Leo finds himself staring back at the hideous face of a male Doberman dog. The canine has several scars on his face and has jet black fur with orange fur on his muzzle. The dog is clad in a grubby leather jacket with a white t-shirt stained with blood, grubby jeans and boots. The canine is snarling back at Leo, his teeth bared and his eyes full of rage.
Leo’s surroundings are now completely different. He’s no longer in his comfy guest room, but now a dingy looking ally way.
“You little sod!” the canine roars at Leo. “You thought you can run away from me! Well, you thought wrong!”
With that the Doberman pulled out a Stanley-knife from his pocket and placed the blade against Leo neck.
“Charlie! Please! No!” Leo cries out.
“SHUT UP!” the Doberman barks aggressively. “I’ve alright made up my mind! You’re going to die tonight!”
“Hold him still Charlie! He’s mine!” growls an icy voice.
From out of the darkness emerges a raven furred she-wolf, clad in a dark grey dress. Her hair is long and untidy, whilst her eyes seem to be glowing red. In her left paw she clutches a bloody butcher’s knife.
“I brought him into this world! It’s only fair that I get to bring him out!” Kate the she-wolf says with a nasty smile plastered on her muzzle.
She approaches Leo and Charlie.
“Any last words boy?” Kate asks Leo, who is still in Charlies clutches.
“Mum, you don’t have to this” Leo says, trying to sound calm. “Just please….. Don’t hurt me.”
“Oh yeah? Well to bad!” Kate growls. “I’ve already made up my mind and so has my boyfriend. You’ve served your purpose. We can’t have you running off and telling other mammals, about what we’ve done.”
With that the she-wolf, presses the tip of her blade against Leo’s chest, right where his heart is located.
“Say “hi” to your father for me” the female wolf says sadistically as Leo closes his eyes tightly.
In the darkness, Leo suddenly hears a familiar voice, echoing in his head.
“Leo… Leo…!” the faint voice called.
“Huh…?”
“Leo…” the voice called again, “Be strong, Boy!”
“Eric…?” Leo asked, finally recognizing the voice, “I… I can’t! I’m not brave like you are!”
“Yes you are!” said Eric, “You were only convinced of that because that’s what they forced upon you! You had the strength the find a better life! And you have the strength to win!”
“I do…?” asked Leo.
“Yes!” said Eric, “Now stand up, Boy! Take command of your life! Put your destiny in your own hands!”
“Put… my destiny… in my own hands…” said Leo, “Yes, Sir, Colonel Duncan…”
Leo opens his eyes to find that Kate still holding the knife against his chest, looking like a lunatic. Charlie is still holding him by the scruff of his neck, with a nasty smirk on his muzzle.
“Hey! You twats, put me down and back off!” Leo growls finding his voice.
“You what boy!” Charlie growls.
“You don’t ever talk back to us!” Kate snarls, baring her fangs. “Also, the answer is no! We’re going to let you go!”
“Well, I don’t say that I didn’t warn you!” Leo growls before he kicks Kate hard in the chest with his foot. The she-wolf gasps out in pain and falls on the ground dropping her knife. Leo then turns to Charlie, before he sinks his teeth into the Dobermans neck. Charlie lets out a gasp in pain. Soon the Dobermans grip on him begins loosens and Leo wriggles free.
“How are you able to do this kid?” Charlie asks Leo in disbelief as he crumples to the floor, clutching his neck. “Your meant to be scared of me.”
“Oh yeah? Well not anymore Charlie!” Leo tells him. “You’re not real! Your, just a bad memory in my head! I can move on from this!”
Now, Charlie’s whole body begins to fade, his body becoming transparent, like a ghost.
“Enjoy the rest of your life in prison, you drug junkie” Leo tells the Doberman as he fades away into nothing.
Suddenly from out of the darkness Kate lunges at him. She knocks Leo down on the ground, before pinning him down.
Kate looks terrifying now. Her teeth are bared and her watery red eyes are narrowed. Drool and blood drips from her mouth onto Leo’s face. Her breath smells of smoke and alcohol.
“No, no, no, no!” Kate screeches in anger.
“Your not meant to fight back! Your supposed to be helpless!”
“Get off me, Kate!” the young wolf says firmly. “I’m tired of being your punching bag!”
Kate ignores him and tries to swipe at Leo’s face with her claws. However, Leo blocks her paw with his arms before he scratches Kate in the face, with his own claw like nails.
Kate falls back on the ground screaming, clutching her left eye. Leo picks himself up from the ground and glares at Kate, who lays on the ground sobbing. Leo doesn’t have an ounce of sympathy for Kate, his former birth mother.
Thanks to her, he nearly lost his own life as Kate had often kept him down in a basement for hours, starving him. Not to mention freely allowing her boyfriend, Charlie to abuse him and once attempt to kill him, out of rage.
“I’ll be back” Kate growls. “Just you wait. I’ll be back to haunt you in your dreams when you least except it!”
Kate’s dress has now become a strait jacket and she’s smiling a nasty smile, which seconds later becomes a disturbing laugh.
“No big deal” Leo tells her firmly. “You’re just a bad memory. A nightmare. If you ever show up in my dreams again, then I’ll know not to be afraid of you. Well, enjoy the rest of your life in that funny farm psycho.”
Leo turns his back and proceeds to walk away from the she-wolf. He hears Kate angrily calling after him, however Leo ignores her and makes his way to the end of the ally way.
“You done great back there, son” comes a friendly, yet familiar voice. Leo spins around to find himself face to face with a familiar beaver…..
“Colonel Duncan!” he exclaimed. Indeed, the beaver was standing before him. Unlike before, his uniform was in perfect shape, and he was also bearing a bright smile.
“Well done, Soldier!” said Eric, “I knew you had it in you.”
“Even when I didn’t.”
“Oh yes. In light of the occasion, I hereby award you with the highest honor I can bestow upon you.”
He opened the case to reveal a silver medal inside it. In the center of the medal was a gold star, encircled by the words, ‘Courage’, ‘Perseverance’, and ‘Heart’. Eric took the medal out of the case, and placed it around Leo’s neck. “Congratulations, Soldier.” said Eric, “You’ve made me proud.”
“It’s an honor, Sir.” said Leo as he saluted the colonel.
“Yes, indeed;” said Eric, “Well, I’d love to stay and chat, but I think you have more important matters right about now.”
With that Duncan vanished and Leo’s surroundings begin to change. So, dose his attire, with his grey shorts becoming swimming trunks decorated like a union jack flag. The brick walls of the ally way, begin to fade away and the concrete ground becomes soft golden sand. Before, Leo knows it, he is on Firewall beach. After all, it’s his dream that he is in control of. Notably, the beach is deserted, however the young wolf doesn’t mind this. The crowds can be a total inconvenience. In the distance Leo spots a brown coloured figure, laying on a dark blue beach towel on the sand. By instinct Leo makes his way towards the figure. As Leo approaches the figure, he soon begins to recognise who it. Its none other than Chrissy Goldhart herself.
Leo can’t help but grin as he reaches his Labrador friend, who greets him with a warm welcoming smile. He notices that her one-piece swimsuit is decorated like the flag of an American Old Glory.
Words aren’t needed as Leo settles himself down on the towel next to Chrissy and takes her hand. Together, the two canines stare out into the ocean ahead of them, listening to its calming waves. Everything is perfect…
**********
Leo jolted awake to the sound of ringing; which turned out to be the alarm clock on the bedside table.
Leo checked the clock, and saw that it was almost seven o’clock. Not knowing what else to do, he crawled out of bed and walked out on the small balcony that gave him a great view of the neighborhood, and the ocean beyond.
“Brilliant…” he thought to himself, “What a brilliant view to wake up to.” It was then that Leo recalled some of the details of his dream from the previous night. He remembered fighting back against Kate and Charlie, and meeting Colonel Duncan. Getting to be with Chrissy on the beach. Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Hello…?”
“Leo…!” came a voice, “It’s James; may I come in?”
“Sure!”
The door opened, and the ageing Spaniel entered, wearing a bathrobe and a warm smile.
“Merry Christmas, Leo;” he said, “You looking forward to breakfast and presents?”
“Sure!” said Leo, “though, I’m not super hungry just yet.”
“Glad to hear it.” said James, “By the way, Chrissy had something she wanted to give you. Would you like to see her?”
“If she’s alright with it;” said Leo, “I don’t know if she’s an early riser.”
“Oh, no one can sleep in on Christmas morning;” said James, “Not even me.” Together, they walked down the hall to Chrissy’s room, and knocked on the door.
“It’s me, Chrissy!” said Leo.
“C’mon in!” Chrissy called from beyond the door. Leo entered to see Chrissy sitting against her pillow. “Hi, Leo;” she said, “How did you sleep last night?”
“I… guess I slept well;” said Leo, “You would not believe the dream I had, though.”
“Try me.” said Chrissy.
“Well…” said James, “I’ll leave you two to talk; breakfast is at seven-thirty.”
“Thanks, Pops;” said Chrissy, “We’ll see you there.” James left the room, and Leo began to tell Chrissy about his dream.
“I dreamt that I met the founder of Firewall city, Colonel Eric Duncan.” Leo explained as he sat down on Chrissy’s bed, “Then I was chilling on the beach where we first met.”
“Hey interesting! Was I there?” asked Chrissy.
“Yeah, you were! I ended up meeting you and we watched the waves on the beach together.”
“Awww…” said Chrissy, “How sweet of you.”
“Thanks”
“So… Some night, huh?” Chrissy said casually.
“Not just any night;” said Leo, It was one of the best nights of my life; and I’m so happy I got to spend it with you.”
“Thanks;” said Chrissy, “I’m glad too.” She was quiet for a moment, then said, “You know, Leo…. As I want you to know me. I think that’s its time that I let you know about my past life.”
“Really…?” asked Leo, genuinely intrigued, “Well… if you don’t mind me asking, “What… happened?”
“When I was younger and long before, Elizabeth and Bobbie adopted me,” Chrissy began, “I lived in a family of Jehovah's Witnesses. My parents had a lot of expectations for me and my little brother, and we had to adhere to them always. I remember that they wouldn't allow us to play with any kids that didn't receive their approval, heck; we never even celebrated our birthdays.”
“Not ever…?”
“Not ever. I remember being jealous that my friends would have cake and presents on their birthdays. But when I brought it to my mom, she just told me that Jehovah didn't approve of jealousy and greed."
“That must have been awful.”
“It was. But it was nothing compared to what happened next.” She sighed and said, “As time went on, I put on a happy face, trying to please my parents. Then, one of the senior members of our congregation started to feel sick. She was very old; eighty... eight, I think. When my mother and I visited her in the hospital, she would remind us that Jehovah would take care of her in paradise; and I believed her. But… one night, I remember she asked to speak to me alone, and she said, ‘Chrissy… Don't make my mistake; don't let the text in a book define your whole life. Dream your own dreams; and make them come true…’ And she died, right in front of me.” She paused for a moment, then continued, “I cried myself to sleep that night; because I missed her, and because I was trying to make sense of what she had said.”
“Oh god” the young wolf replied, astonished by her tale.
“I know. After that, I basically went on with my life. But when I was eight, things changed forever. I was playing soccer at school when I was in third grade, and having a great time, when I fell over. At the time, I didn't know what it was because it felt like my legs had just stopped working for a moment. The school nurse said I should go to a doctor, so my parents took me. It was there that I learned that I had contracted meningitis; and soon, I would lose control of my legs forever.”
“Was it scary?” asked Leo.
“It was;” Chrissy explained, “I prayed to Jehovah; asking him to please fix me so I could live my life as a normal kid. But three days later, I woke up to find that I couldn't feel my legs anymore. I was disabled. And that is when things really got bad.” Leo was stunned; he almost didn’t want to know what happened then, but in the end, his curiosity got the better of him.
“However bad things got…” Leo said, choosing his words carefully, “Would you be okay talking about what happened?”
“Sure. It’s not like keeping it a secret will change things. After that, I started reading the bible, trying to find a reason that Jehovah could have helped me. As I read, I started finding things that didn't make a lot of sense when put in context with what we had been told; and some things that were… downright horrible. At first I thought it was Satan making me think those thoughts, but then I remembered what Ruth had told me, about not following a book all my life. So, after some consideration, I decided that Jehovah wasn't exactly for me. I decided to come up with my own ambitions and work to achieve them. I thought my parents would be accepting of my choice; Ho boy, was I ever wrong.”
“Go on…” Leo said reassuringly, placing his hand on Chrissy’s shoulder. Chrissy took a deep breath, and continued,
“One night, I heard them saying things like, ‘She is beyond saving.’ and, ‘We cannot keep her in this family.’ I thought either mom or dad would stand up for me; but the next morning, they took me aside and said that since I had cast Jehovah out of my heart, they could no longer associate themselves with me. They were going to disown me and send me away. They were legally allowed to do so.”
“That sounds awful……”
“I was afraid… I begged them not to kick me out; saying that I would do anything to make things right, but they told me it was already too late” the young Labrador explained. “Two days later, they took me to the airport and put me on a plane to the most Godless city in America; Firewall City.”
She looked down and said, “I'll never forget the way they looked as I went to the gate. My brother was waving at me with a blank look, like he didn't really care that I was leaving. My mother was crying; probably because she was certain that I would end up in Hell. And my father… he didn't even wave. He just stared at me with a look of disappointment; as though he was glad to be finally getting rid of a burden that had held him back for eight years.”
Leo could not believe what he had just heard. The very thought of someone treating Chrissy so poorly, especially after what she had already gone through, was enough his blood boil. But he decided to change to a happier topic.
“And then Bobbie and Elizabeth found you, right?” he asked.
“Yeah…” said Chrissy, “I spent eight months in the Firewall City Orphanage, which, I have to say is the nicest orphanage I’ve ever seen. Then, Bobbie and Elizabeth came in one day, and after talking with them for a few visits, they decided they wanted to adopt me.”
“I’m so glad they did;” said Leo, “Was it nice to have a family again?”
“Well, at first, I didn’t know what to think;” said Chrissy, “The family was so different from what I knew. In fact, they were exactly the kind of people that my old family would have shunned. But as I got to know them, I discovered that they were wonderful people who just wanted to live their lives to the fullest, and be happy; and I decided that that’s what I wanted to be too.”
“Wonderful.” said Leo. He put his arms around Chrissy and let her rest her head on his shoulder. After a minute or two, he said,
“You know Chrissy, your very brave for telling me about your old life” the young wolf says to the Labrador. “Besides, I can relate to your past. Growing up things weren’t easy for me, thanks to my old family. I was extremely lucky that I got away and met Angel and her family.”
“So, where your parents religious nuts like mine?” the young Labrador asks him.
“Well, I best start from the beginning. It’s a very long story but I’ll try and keep things simple.”
The wolf took a deep breath before he began to explain his troubled past to the Labrador.
“Before I legally had my surname changed to Savannah, it was Lupine. Before Angel adopted me, I use to have a mum, dad and a grandma, who were all wolves just like me. I grew up relatively happy, though most of the time my dad was away on international business trips, so I was raised by my old mum Kate, most of the time.”
“How was she?” the Labrador asks him.
“Well, I recall that Kate was nice to me at first. However, she had her moments. I recall back when I was five years old, that Kate would want time to herself alone. She also had a bit of a drinking problem as well. She would often complain to me about how my father wasn’t spending enough time with her.”
“Mind if I ask how your father was?” Chrissy asks him.
“Oh, despite barely being around for me due to his work schedule, my father Stephan was good to me. He was nice. It’s a damn shame he….” Leo’s voice tone became sombre, before he took a deep breath and continued his story.
“When I turned ten years old, things took a turn for the worst. My old mother began to accuse my father of cheating on her and he angrily stormed out. After Kate’s accusations, my father only visited occasionally. Then a few months later he stopped visiting as Kate claimed that he’d found a new partner. However, I didn’t believe that he’d stop contacting me and my grandma, because we got on well with him.”
“Did you ever hear from your father again?” the young Labrador asks him, her voice burning with curiosity.
“I’ll get on to that later. With my father gone, my mother’s drinking problem worsened, and to make matters worse my grandma Cassie died of old age. I remember being very upset because Cassie took good care of me.”
“I’m really sorry to hear about your grandma Leo” the Labrador says as she places a paw on Leo’s shoulder.
“Thanks Chrissy. You want me to continue? What I’m going to tell you next is quite disturbing.”
The brown Labrador though for a moment, before she nodded her head.
Leo took a deep breath before he continued his story.
“Not long after my grandma’s funeral, my mother found a new boyfriend and his name was Charlie. I remember thinking that maybe my mother would get better, now that she found a new partner. Perhaps Charlie could be a father figure to me. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The nightmare had just begun. Charlie hated my guts, and he didn’t do Kate any favours as he kept on giving her drugs. After all, Charlie was a drug dealer. That’s when Kate became aggressive and rude towards me, whenever I was around her. That’s…. when…. She and her boyfriend started….. began…. To…… To abuse me. It’s how I got that scar on my shoulder…..”
“Oh, God no! Really?” gasped Chrissy. “I’d never have known that you were from an abusive family.”
Leo nodded and sighed.
“As I naive as this sounds, I had hope that if I was to do chores round the house and if I was to act polite towards them, then maybe they would start respecting me or at least stop hitting and insulting me. Though I was just wasting my time. Charlie and Kate are totally control freaks and psychopaths who love throwing their weight around. Besides I don’t think Kate even loved me to begin with. There was one time I overheard her talking to Charlie and I heard Kate saying that she was just keeping me, so she could claim child benefits. Or in her case, money for more drugs.”
“That must have been horrendous” the Labrador replies. “So how did you get away?”
“Well. A few weeks before I turned 12, I realized that enough was enough. So, one night I took my chances and ran away. It wasn’t easy because Kate and Charlie tried to stop me from escaping, but I managed to get away from them. There was also a fear I had. I was scared to tell anyone about their abuse because they frightened me by constantly bringing up orphanages and telling me that they were awful places. They also told me that no one would adopt me, and I’d spend the rest of my life one if I went there. However, thankful that wasn’t true. It was just a bunch of lies to control me.”
The young wolf began to smile slightly.
“Then, out on the streets, I met Angel, who just happened to be out for a run that night. I told her what had been happening, and it was that was one of the best decisions I made in my life.”
“What about your old mom and Charlie? What happened to them?” the Labrador asked him.
“Angel took me back to her place and called the police.” Leo explained, “My mother and her boyfriend where arrested and charged instantly as the cops found plenty of illegal substances and laundered money after searching out the house. As I had nowhere else to go, I stayed with Angel for a while. We got to know each other quite well, and we had plenty of things in common. Then, before I knew it, she offered to adopt me; I was all too happy to accept. Besides, now Charlie has been sentenced to life in prison and Kate is residing in a psychiatric hospital. Neither one of those twats are ever getting out and I won’t have to see them again.”
“I’m really glad to hear that” Chrissy says. “Your old mother and her boyfriend sound like horrible people and it’s great that they were brought to justice. Mind if I ask you about what happened to your father Stephan?”
“Well…. Its not very pleasant” the young wolf began. “He… my father….” Leo began to struggle to get the words out.
“Hey! Its okay Leo! You don’t have to tell me” The Labrador tells him reassuring as she placing a paw on his should.
Leo nods and wiped a tear away from his eye.
“He was a good canine. Who actually loved me, despite hardly being around for me. If there is an afterlife, then I hope he is watching me and he knows that I’m happy with my adopted family and now you as my girlfriend.”
“Well, I’m sure he would be Leo” Chrissy tells him reassuringly, now acknowledging that her friend’s father was deceased.
Leo’s biological father had been brutally murdered by Kate, who had done it out of anger. In the she-wolfs unstable mind, she had felt that Stephan deserved to die for cheating on her. During that time, Leo had been over at his grandma’s house.
Only a few months ago, Kate had told several hospital orderlies in her padded cell about the horrific crime she had committed. They had informed the authorizes, who had let Leo and adopted family know. Leo had been very upset and shocked because he knew that his father had cared for him, and he would never be able to see him again.
“Would you ever legally change your surname back to Lupine?” Chrissy asks him. “I think that last name really suits you.”
Leo smiled slightly.
“Yeah maybe. Perhaps, when I move out from Angel’s house and get my own place.”
Leo then remembered what James had told him, and said, “By the way… James said you had something for me?”
“I sure do;” said Chrissy, “It’s in that box on my table.” Leo picked up the box, brought it back to the bed, and opened it. Inside were two bracelets decorated with red, white, and blue gemstones. One of them had letters spelling ‘Leo’, and the other one had letters spelling ‘Chrissy’.
“Nice…” said Leo, “These are beautiful…”
“Mom and I made them specially;” said Chrissy, “To represent our friendship, and… blossoming love.” She couldn’t help blushing as she said that.
“Thank you;” said Leo as he put his bracelet on his left wrist, “Thank you so much.” He then took Chrissy’s bracelet, and slipped it onto her right wrist.
“You’re welcome, Leo;” said Chrissy, “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, Chrissy.” said Leo. Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Come in!” said Chrissy. The door opened, and Angel stepped in.
“Awww…” she said, “You two enjoying your Christmas morning?”
“So far, Mum;” said Leo, “Merry Christmas.”
“And a Merry Christmas to you too, Leo;” said Angel, “Bobbie sent me up to tell you that breakfast is ready; and after that, it’s time to open presents!”
“Alright!” said Chrissy. She looked up at the lioness and said, “Would you mind carrying me to the stair master, Miss Angel? My wheelchair’s downstairs.”
“I’d be delighted to;” said Angel. She took the young Labrador in her arms and said, “Ready for breakfast, Leo?”
“I’m ready!” said Leo as he wagged his busy wolf tail. And the three of them headed downstairs for what promised to be a wonderful Christmas day.
*****
It was indeed a very merry Christmas. The family and friends opened their presents, and while the kids played with their new toys, the adults chatted, laughed, and had fun. Later, everyone sang Christmas carols, and made homemade pizza for dinner. To end the day, they played some video games and watched a movie. Everyone went to bed that night, happy at the wonderful day they had had, but slightly saddened by the fact that they would part ways the next day.
When December the twenty-sixth dawned, Leo, Rachael and Angel packed their bags one last time, for the trip home to England. James was kind enough to drive them to the airport in his ’34 Packard; which three of them really enjoyed. Chrissy and Ryan came along too, so they could say goodbye. As they approached the departure terminal, Angel said,
“I just want to thank you so much for having us over, James; you’ve made this Christmas one to remember.”
“Happy to do it, Angel;” said James, “Christmas is, after all, the season of goodwill to all.”
“I’m really gonna miss you guys;” Leo said to Ryan and Chrissy, “It was really fun exploring your city.”
“It was great having you here, Leo;” Ryan said as he shook Leo’s hand. “We’re so glad we got the chance to meet you.”
“Especially me;” said Chrissy, “Promise you’ll write to me sometimes?”
“All the time;” Leo replied, “I’ll keep you posted on what’s going on across the pond.”
“Thanks;” said Chrissy, “I will too.” Soon, James pulled the car up to the curb.
“Need any help?” he asked.
“No thanks;” said Rachael as she flexed her mussels, “We can manage it.”
“Sounds good;” said James, “Just remember; the welcome mat will always be out for you at Goldhart Manor.”
“Why, thank you, James;” said Rachael, “See you ‘round, then!” Whilst Angel said her goodbyes to James, Rachael got out, and unloaded her rucksack from the footwell before going around back to grab the suitcases.
“Well…” said Chrissy, “I guess this is… goodbye…”
“Yeah…” said Leo, “But not forever. We’ll see each other again; I promise.” Chrissy managed a smile, before leaning over and giving him a hug. Leo couldn’t do anything but hug her back.
“I love you, Leo…” said Chrissy.
“I love you too, Chrissy…” said Leo as the hug finally broke, “And I always will.” With that being said, he grabbed his rucksack and joined his adopted family members on the sidewalk.
“So long!” called James as he pulled away.
“Bye…!” Angel, Rachael, and Leo called back, waving until the car disappeared around the corner. Then, the adult lioness, the adult hyena and wolf cub headed into the building, went through security, changed their American dollars to British pounds, and went to the lounge to wait for the departure of their flight. As they were waiting, Angel turned to Leo and said,
“So… had a good Christmas holiday?”
“Absolutely;” said Leo, “Watermane will seem so small after the time we’ve spent in Firewall City.”
“It certainly will…” said Angel, “But that’s traveling the world for ya.”
“We sure picked a great place to visit;” said Leo, “The city was spectacular, the food was great, and the people we met were just wonderful; especially the Goldharts.”
“I can’t agree more;” said Rachael, “I’d have to say that making new friends was the best part. Bobbie is officially my new favorite sparring partner.”
“Hey, I thought that I was your favorite sparring partner!” Angel tells the hyena, pretending to sound shocked.
“Relax sister. Your still number one in my books. Bobbie is second best.” Rachael says with a laugh.
“If I was to rate this holiday, then I’d have to rate it a thousand out of ten;” said Leo, “Since the best part would have to be meeting Chrissy.”
“Well, I’m really glad that you enjoyed yourself;” said Angel, “And since we all had such a good time, I’ve been thinking that maybe the three of us, could come here during the summer holidays or for next Christmas. Perhaps we could see if my parents or my sister and her family are interested?”
“Really?” Leo gasped, “Mum, that sounds brilliant! I’m definitely up for coming here again.” He thought a moment, then said, “You know, for this holiday, I really owe you one. When I’m old enough, I’ll take you on holiday to someplace nice.”
“Aw… Leo;” said Angel as she put her arm around him, “There’s no need for you to pay me back for a holiday. I have always wanted you to be happy and for you to enjoy life. It’s what both my parents wanted for me and Crystal when we were cubs. Whenever we went on holiday, they took us to amazing places so we could see the world and just how wonderful it really is. That’s what family is for.”
“Thanks, Mum” Leo beamed, “Even though I’ve said this about a million times already, I’m really, really glad that I met you. Because if our paths hadn’t crossed, I wouldn’t have met Chrissy and her family.”
“That’s a good point, Leo.” Angel replied, “Come to think of it, if I hadn’t met you, then I don’t know where I’d be, myself. However, at the end of the day it all comes down to chance; and in some ways, life is all one big chance.”
“I know;” said Leo, “And I guess when it came to that chance, us three are winners.”
“We sure are.” said Angel. At that moment, the call sounded for boarding. “This is it;” said Angel, “you two all set, for our journey home?”
“Sure;” said Leo, “I’ll start counting the days until we come back.”
“Good;” said Angel, “So am I.”
“And so am I” Rachael said. “Gives me something to look forward to. You reckon my parents would enjoy this holiday resort?”
“Yeah, I reckon they will” Angel replies casually.
The three of them boarded the plane; and in another half-hour, they were airborne and headed northeast, back to England. As they flew through the clouds and left the desert of the western United States behind, Leo found his thoughts drifting back to the amazing week he had just had, and the courage he had found. Yes, he would miss this place, and he would miss Chrissy, especially. But no matter if he was in Watermane, England; Firewall City, USA; or anywhere else in the world, Leo knew that he could always return to this paradise in his dreams.
