Harley’s Second Chance – Chapter 5

(Chance)

Daisy was up at the crack of dawn as usual. You would think she would sleep in after her midnight drain problem, but I guess once an early riser, always an early riser. Today was probably the first time I didn’t mind. I hadn’t slept a wink all night and was itching to get out as soon as possible. Of course, Daisy had locked every door and window in the house, so I had no choice but to wait until she let me out again.

Last night, when she told Mitch that the back yard was completely fenced in, she was slightly mistaken. There was a narrow opening under the fence, behind the wide Oak in the far corner of the yard. Most people wouldn’t give it a second thought, but I’d spotted it the minute I was first let out. Humans have their own emergency exits, but a dog has to have his own, too. And that hole was just big enough for me to get away, and almost no one else to follow.

I made a beeline for the hole as soon as I heard the back door close and Daisy’s footsteps walk away. She was probably going to start the coffee pot and brush her teeth like she usually did while I did my business. Except today, my business was a lot more serious than the usual routine of sniffing for squirrels and chasing away the rabbits that dug up the lawn that I enjoyed rolling around in. No, today was probably the most important day of my life.

To my surprise, Harley was practically waiting for me on the side of the fence. “Did you really think I didn’t know about this opening?” She asked with a slight smirk.

“To be honest, I don’t really care. We need to talk. And it’s serious.” I walked over to a patch of tall grass, hoping Mitch wouldn’t spot me and alert Daisy to my presence in his yard.

“It’s too early for chatter. I only came out here because Mitch had a nightmare and couldn’t fall back asleep, so he let me out to do my business.”

Harley had no idea what a real nightmare was all about. “I’m serious and I don’t have a lot of time. Please, just listen.”

Harley turned and looked at me, her head cocked to the side, like it was the eighth wonder of the world that I was being serious. “Thank you,” I said.

“For what? I haven’t done anything yet,” she quipped, tossing her head back like she was trying to catch the first rays of the morning sunlight. In that moment, there was something about her that was almost kind of sweet.

“Daisy is in trouble,” I said. I didn’t see the point in beating around the bush as Daisy like to say. Besides, time wasn’t exactly on our side.

Harley shrugged.

“Did you hear what I said? Daisy is in trouble.” I stomped toward her, my tail raised high.

“I heard you,” she nodded. “But, I think she should call a plumber or something. Mitch does cars, not sinks.”

“Forget about the sink, I’m talking about serious trouble. You know, the kind where someone wants to hurt her.”

“Who? And why?” Harley asked. I could tell her curiosity was peaked, but she was still not acting like a dog that would defend a human. Just a curious mutt who was possibly intrigued by a story.

“There’s this guy. They lived together for a while, but he was mean, so she left him and took me with her. Remember last night? When I asked you if you sensed something? I think I picked up on his scent, which means he was close. Really close.”

Harley shrugged. “I don’t see what you want from me.”

“I want you to act like a dog. Pretend that you’re man’s best friend and do something. Help me protect Daisy.” I was infuriated. How could she not know what I wanted from her?

Harley shot a look at me that stopped me dead in my tracks. “Man’s best friend,” she mocked me. “Let me ask you something, who is dog’s best friend?”

I sniffed at the air. I didn’t have an answer for her and I didn’t have time to argue. “Daisy wants to go the beach and I want you and Mitch to come with us.”

“No,” Harley said. She wouldn’t even look at me.

“Why not? It’s not that bad, you know. You might even like it and have fun. Would that be so terrible? Have you ever even been to the beach?”

Harley didn’t reply. She just sniffed at the grass as if I wasn’t even there.

“I’ve never met a dog like you. A dog that doesn’t care about humans,” I said, hoping to get a rise out of her.

It worked.

“I care about humans. I cared about Charlie and he left, then his sister gave me away. I care about Mitch and he went to the pretty neighbor’s house first chance he got. Do you know how many dogs at the shelter are there because their nice guy met a pretty neighbor girl?”

I had to admit, I hadn’t given it much thought. But I’d never been in a shelter before either. I sighed. This was going to be harder than I thought. “I’m sorry. I’m not asking Mitch to date Daisy, just to help her. I think if you and Mitch come to the beach with us, maybe if the other guy sees Mitch there, he won’t go near Daisy.”

Harley thought about it for a moment. “What will happen if this guy finds Daisy?”

“He’ll hurt her,” I said. Finally, I was starting to get through to her, or so I hoped. But when Harley didn’t reply, I knew that I had to press on. “Why are you so against going to the beach?”

Harley looked up at me with glossy eyes. “Charlie used to take me there on his good days.”

I didn’t ask who Charlie was, but by her eyes and body language, I didn’t have to. “Mitch isn’t Charlie,” I finally said. “And I could really use your help. “Imagine if the person you loved was in danger. What would you do?”

Harley sat down, her head sunk low into her shoulders; like she was slouching from the weight I’d put on her. “Mitch already told Daisy he didn’t want to go the beach today,” she said.

“So? Change his mind. Insist that you want to go and then he’ll have to do it for you,” I said, perking up again with hope.

“For me? I think you’ve got it backwards. Dogs do things for their humans, not the other way around,” she said.

I shook my head. I felt sorry for this dog, who obviously had no idea how loving and generous a person could be. It was no wonder that she didn’t lift a paw when I told her that my Daisy was in trouble.

“Chance, come on boy!” Daisy called from the back door. “Chance?”

I looked over my shoulder but it was too late. Daisy had already spotted me on the other side of the fence and was running to the gate to come get me. “Follow me,” I told Harley.

“Why?” She asked.

“Please, just do it. You’ll help me and maybe I can help you, too.”

“I didn’t ask for your help,” she said.

Still, I could tell she was considering it. “Please? Just follow me and you’ll see that Mitch will follow you. He’ll come after you just like Daisy came after me.

Daisy was already in Mitch’s backyard when suddenly the backdoor opened and Mitch came out wearing nothing but his boxers.

“Oh!” Daisy laughed, her cheeks blushing a bright shade of pink. “Sorry, I just came to get my dog.”

Mitch smiled. “No worries. Looks they’re getting along nicely.”

“Are you sure you won’t reconsider joining us at the beach today?” Daisy asked.

I barked and looked to Harley, who reluctantly gave a little yelp.

Mitch laughed. “I guess I’m outvoted.”

I looked to Harley. The look on her face was priceless and just what I had hoped for. “Thank you,” I said again, as I followed Daisy out of their backyard.

Harley silently walked over and sat beside Mitch, looking up at him. Maybe I was wrong about her. She wasn’t a mutt with a chip on her shoulder. Just a dog who had never really been loved by a human.

Maybe now, things would get better. For all of us.

Sneak Peak:

Sparks fly and danger lurks when Mitch and Daisy take the dogs to the beach.

Harley’s Second Chance continues next week with Chapter 6!