one in his chest. He imagined what a broken heart might look like. Did it actually have a jagged crack down the center? Were pieces falling off and drifting into his bloodstream? Sunlight pierced through the window blinds, reminding him the morning was slipping away. Had dinner with Alice last night been just a dream to remind him of what he couldn’t have? It had felt so right.
Wally nudged in closer.
“I see you made it to the bed after all,” Theo said to the dog.
Wally gave him the “please take me out” look with his irresistible brown eyes nestled in his white fur. Theo knew he had to get up and at least let the dog out. They had to stick to their routine: outside, breakfast, and then their daily constitutional walk along the lake path.
“Okay, boy, I get it,” he said. Theo groaned as he sat up in bed. His knee throbbed, a painful reminder of last night’s fall. He slid his legs over the side of the bed, rose, and stretched. When his wife, Jean, was alive, they would “rise and shine” each morning and Wally would leap in the air, excited to start their day. No one was leaping anymore. Theo wearily put on his slippers and a robe and let the dog out the sliding door. Theo watched Wally wander the grass, determining his perfect spot before doing his business. A dog’s needs were quite simple. Food, a good place to pee, a walk, and love. For offering him those simple things, Wally gave his full heart in return. And for now, Theo would give what was left of his heart to his faithful, furry companion.
Once finished with his business, the dog shuffled sluggishly up the steps and through the open door toward the kitchen. Some things never changed. But all things changed eventually, Theo reminded himself. If he lost Wally…
“Don’t even think about it,” he said aloud.
After feeding Wally and watching him pick at his food, Theo contemplated his own breakfast. He wasn’t hungry. A wave of fatigue washed over him. He’d worked enough in social work settings to know the signs and cycles of grief. “Make sure you eat,” his doctor had told him.
Perhaps some coffee. While heating water for instant coffee, he thought about how his son Cameron in Seattle would cringe if he knew his dad did not use fresh-ground beans. A travesty. Theo snickered. He made himself a piece of wheat toast and sat down at the dining room table to watch the birds dive in and out of the feeder attached to his window. Due to the marshes and grasses around the lake, the variety of birds at the lake was plentiful. Jean had delighted in the parade of sparrows, finches, and wrens that came to visit. She would be happy to see the fresh seed he added every day, especially in winter.
A furry chin rested on Theo’s foot. He bent down and patted the dog on the head. “Are you ready for your walk?” he asked. He stood and assessed his ability to walk. Limp was more like it. “It will have to be a short one,” he said.
Wally headed to the door, where his leash dangled from a hook. Routines were important to keep. Sometimes that was all you had any control of.
The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee lured Shelby from her room. It definitely helped motivate her to get up early for dog walks. She walked out in her pajamas and heard her Grandma Alice humming in the kitchen. The scent of cinnamon and butter made her mouth water.
"Good morning." Shelby said.
Alice hummed as she moved around the kitchen, dressed and freshly made up. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
Shelby was surprised to see her grandmother so animated, and then she remembered Theo had come to dinner last night. And there were fresh flowers in a glass vase on the table.
Shelby smiled. "Someone's happy this morning."
Alice shrugged it off and reached for the coffee pot. "Would you like a cup?"
After pouring coffee for Shelby, Alice picked up a spatula on the counter by the stove. “I'm making you some French toast. You used to love it when you were a little girl."
This was going to be a wonderful morning, but a real sugar rush. “I have less than an hour until I have to pick up Mindy's dog. I've got to check my calendar; I think I have Dixie and Ruby today too.”
"Have a seat,” Alice said. “I’ve