Cairo had been laying out by the mailbox since Melissa disappeared. Oliver had to bring his water and food dish out to him as the dog refused to leave the spot where he stayed day and night, rain or shine, for nearly two weeks waiting for his owner to return. The old greyhound had not eaten much and had slimmed down to his old racing weight. Oliver had grown quite concerned but each time he tried to physically move the huge dog, Cairo would bare it's sharp white fangs and growl fiercely, once snapping at Oliver's hand, so he was a smart human and Oliver let the animal be. Now it was another hot Texas summer day the sun high in the sky as Cairo turned his head towards the road, pricking up it's ears as the old black dog stared intently at a large white van that traveled slowly down the quiet residential street.
As the medical transport van neared the house Melissa sat in her wheelchair looking out the windshield at her home as Oliver followed behind in his Mercedes with her son strapped in the back seat. Here she began to tear up as a wonderful happiness filled her heart. She had been through so much and Melissa was overjoyed to be coming home. As the van pulled up in the driveway Cairo stood up barking loudly as he ran after the vehicle somehow knowing his master had returned. Melissa heard the familiar sound of her beloved dog and she tried to turn her head to look down out the window but the cervical collar around her neck would not permit her to do so. The driver feared he would hit the dog as it jumped up pawing at the sliding door which separated him from his master. The old nurse, who was afraid of dogs, hesitated getting out of the passengers side waiting for Oliver to hold the excited animal back. Melissa called out saying "Cairo! Sit!" hearing his master's voice the dog obeyed. Now when Melissa was brought down out of the van in her wheelchair the dog strained against Oliver's grip on his collar, and as Melissa assured the old nurse she had nothing to fear Cairo broke loose and ran straight for Melissa standing up on it's hind legs pawing at her lap as he licked her face. "Good boy!" Melissa said petting her old dog with her one good hand. The old nurse stood over by the van her trepedation subsiding as she saw the giant black dog was as gentle as a lamb.
Cairo sniffed his owner and seemed curious as to the casts on her ankles, wrist and around her torso. Melissa was in much discomfort but that melted away as she sat in her wheelchair in the driveway of her home as her son came over hugging the dog and his mother saying "Cairo missed you too Mommy!" he smiled sweetly "It's okay Cairo. I told you Mommy would come home." Suddenly Cairo with a happy wag of it's tail ran back to the mailbox where he stopped then turned back around and in a flash was back at his mater's side where he laid it's giant head on her lap dropping the drool covered tennis ball out of his mouth into her good hand. Melissa was so touched by this gesture from her beloved animal she began to cry uncontrollably.
"Mommy don't cry!" little Charles began to tear up as he stroked her face saying "Your home now! Everything is going to be okay." her son said reassuring his mother.
"I'm just so happy I made it back!" Melissa exclaimed through her tears feeling elated.
The old nurse sighed wiping a tear from her eye at this touching scene as she said "Come Miss Christian let's get you inside it's a hundred degrees out here."
"Yes I want to go inside my home now." she smiled as her son wiped his mother's tears with his tiny hands as Oliver went and opened up the front door. Melissa was wheeled inside to the cool quite comfort of her big beautiful house and as the small group, including the dog, went in all the turmoil and trouble she had suffered melted away like ice in the sun and Melissa took in a deep breath praising God for her safe return.
"Melissa." Oliver said as he heard a car pull up in the driveway.
"Yes?" she smiled up at her cousin.
"Are you expecting anyone?" he asked looking out at a black sedan that was parked behind the medical transport van.
No comments:
Post a Comment