THE CHANGING SEASONS

AUTUMN 2009

She felt the first cold lick and thought she was dreaming. Bel woke with a start and saw a pair of big, brown eyes looking back at her. Brown fur glistened in the sun as woman and dog studied each other. He looked like a beagle but had that long body and short legs of a dachshund.

"Hey, doggie, where did you come from?"

Bel looked around the lawn cemetery for the dog's owner. There was no other living human in sight. The green lawn was dotted with bronze and granite headstones but there was no other car in the sections around her. Maybe he's the caretaker's dog.

Bel was a regular visitor to the cemetery ever since her husband Mike died after a long, drawn-out battle with bone cancer. Towards the end of his life, Mike tried to prepare Bel by pushing her back to the social scene and getting her to promise that she would go on with her life.

That was 3 years ago, and Bel was still mourning. Her sadness was so profound that she just went with the motions of living to allay her parents' worries; still able to do her job as a nurse in the local hospital, but the joy had disappeared in her life.

On Saturday mornings, she had tried to schedule shopping and other errands but always found herself driving the 15 minutes to the cemetery. She usually spent one hour at Mike's gravesite, with her portable chair and the latest book by her favorite authors. When Mike was still living, they spent Saturday mornings just lounging in the den with their respective books. Mike's grave was lovingly tended with impatiens and chrysanthemums planted on the headstone base.

The dog claimed her attention when he rubbed against her hand. The dog immediately nuzzled against her knee, then offered his belly for the obligatory rub.

Bel studied the dog again. His lips were curved as if in a smile and his eyes appeared to twinkle as if he found her stare amusing.

"What's your name? Who's your owner?" Not really expecting an answer, Bel was surprised when the dog padded over to the next grave and sat in front of the marker of a woman named Barbara. Bel often wondered about Barbara's visitor. They've never met but there were always fresh roses on the grave. Glancing at the marker, Bel realized that Barbara was only thirty years old when she died.

The dog barked softly and started walking away from the graves. Thinking that he was finding his way back to the caretaker's office, Bel waved goodbye to the dog and then turned to say her own goodbye to Mike.

Another bark made her turn around. The dog seemed to be waiting for her. As she walked toward him, the dog started to wag his tail happily. As Bel bent down to scratch the dog's ears, he just leaped into her arms and started licking her face.

It was a gray, dreary, and chilly late October morning when she arrived at 10 o'clock in the morning. In just one hour, it had become much warmer, and the bright sun reigned bright in the cloudless sky. Bel breathed in the crisp air as she stood on an almost postcard-perfect autumn day.

Although the grave markers around her should have created an eerie and incongruous sight against a backdrop of red and gold leaves from the maple and dogwood trees, they had somehow created an ethereal but peaceful display of life's reality. Death surrounded her but the beauty of living still manifested itself in the vibrant colors of the fall foliage. The changing seasons reaffirmed life in sadness; after the fall comes winter, spring, summer, then fall again. Life goes on.

The panorama before her brought a sense of peace and happiness. The beauty of the autumn colors transformed her. Just as these feelings washed over Bel, she felt her depression lifting away as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. The tears were not of sadness but allowed her the catharsis for the grief that had trapped her for three years. As she looked into the dog's eyes, she remembered Mike's insistence for her to find new love. She had nodded her agreement to placate her dying husband, but in her heart, she felt her emotions draining from her heart. She had thought then, "How can I love another man when I have given you all my love?"

The dog snuggled closer to Bel. As she felt the dog's warm fur tickling her nose, Bel started to giggle uncontrollably. The unfamiliar sound of laughter bubbled out of her until she fell back on the green grass. The dog ran around in circles, his tail wagging in sync with Bel's laughter. She had not felt as light-hearted and as carefree for many years now.

Bel crouched in front of Mike's marker. Mike had always been the optimist, and he would not have approved of the cloak of sadness that Bel had wrapped herself after his death. At that moment, she realized that she needed to move on. She had finally freed herself. She realized that there was no guilt in finding joy in unexpected places.

In the caretaker's office, the receptionists did not know to who the dog belonged to. Bel was the first visitor to the cemetery that day, and the residential and business areas were much farther away. When Bel suggested that she wanted to leave the dog in the office just in case the owner came back, both ladies reluctantly refused because they were leaving for a party after their shift.

Bel was forced to keep the dog with her but left a brief note in the caretaker's office. She didn't write a description of the dog, just her office number.

In the car, the dog dutifully sat on the front passenger side. Driving back to her house, Bel kept a running commentary of the stores they passed. The dog did not bark throughout the ride but looked at her with the same strange expression that she could only interpret as a smile.

"Doggie, you need a name. Just can't keep you calling Doggie until your owner shows up. How about... uhmm... Brownie?" Bel chuckled at the unimaginative name. She did not want to emotionally attach herself to the dog and resolved to find its owner as soon as possible.

Brownie showed his approval by barking twice and moving his head up and down.

The days passed without any word from Brownie's owner. Bel had been in telephone contact with the receptionists from the cemetery office. There were no inquiries about a lost dog. Bel even left a note in the local ASPCA.

Brownie settled happily into their routine. During her workdays, Bel dropped the dog at her parents' home for the day. Coming home had become the highlight of her day as Brownie welcomed her with unabashed joy. Ignoring the treats she had given him, Brownie's attention was focused on his "temporary" master regaling Bel with his frantic runs around the house. After drifting aimlessly through life over the past 3 years, Bel finally had someone who needed her. As the bond forged between her and Brownie, she dreaded finding the dog's owner.





WINTER 2009

The new Bel had weaned herself from visiting the cemetery frequently. It was a month later that Bel visited Mike's grave with Brownie. It was only late November but the ground was covered in fresh snow. The bare trees and the snow icicles hanging from the branches created a magical scene straight out of a Currier and Ives winter postcard.



Bel brushed the snow from Mike's marker, and somehow, ended up brushing the snow on the next grave, Barbara's. Her flowers from a month before were buried by 3 inches of snow. After a few minutes, Bel decided to leave but noticed that Brownie was circling around her as if he still wanted to play.

She slipped on the snow and fell on her back facing the bright blue sky. Brownie sat on her chest, with his now-familiar expectant face. His tail thumped heavily on her sides; clearly, he wanted to play. Feeling playful and unusually happy, Bel spread her arms on the fluffy, powdery snow and created her Snow Angel. Brownie jumped around her as Bel abandoned all inhibitions and relived her childhood memories.

Life is beautiful. No worries, no grief. Just happiness at finding hope again.

She imagined that she was in the middle of a winter wonderland; her dog was frolicking on the snow as she continued to play Snow Angel. Bundled up in heavy winter clothes complete with scarf, gloves, and beret, Bel was completely comfortable. The disturbed snow flew around her and she stuck her tongue out to taste the snowflakes. Brownie resumed his position on her chest and watched Bel curiously. Then at the sound of an approaching car Brownie stirred and barked excitedly.

Mortified, Bel sat up suddenly. Her words of caution died on her lips when Brownie bolted straight into the arms of a man.

"Boomer, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you! I miss you."

Bel sat transfixed in her spot. Brownie is really Boomer? And his owner is here to claim my baby? Am I going to lose Brownie?

The man was tall, with a kind and handsome face. He stared curiously at Bel before he came to her and offered his hand.

"My name is Jack. The receptionists in the office told me that you found my dog. I never thought to look for him here because we live one town away." Jack hugged Brownie/Boomer, ruffling the dog's fur with undeniable affection.

When the wind picked up, Bel's beret fell off her head and her hair flew wildly around her face. Not normally self-conscious, Bel felt embarrassed at the picture she presented, with her red cheeks and nose and snow all over her. She tried to get up from her sitting position but kept on slipping down. She finally accepted a helping hand from the amused Jack.

Jack deposited his bouquet of flowers on Barbara's grave. "My wife. Boomer's original owner." Surprised, Bel looked at the dog, but he seemed more interested in chewing the fringes on her beret.

Bel relayed the story of finding "Brownie" and how the dog had changed her life. The question of how the dog ended up miles away from home and at Barbara's grave remained unanswered. Brownie (or Boomer) was happily ensconced in Jack's arms while Bel spoke. Her voice broke a little at the end. The dog moved over to Bel's lap; he must have sensed her growing agitation about their forthcoming separation.

Jack looked at Bel for a minute, then he smiled, "I guess we should discuss joint custody arrangements."

SPRING 2010

"I guess we should discuss joint custody arrangements."

Jack had suggested this to Bel last winter. At the cemetery, Jack was stunned but relieved to be reunited with his dog Max after a month-long search for the mixed-breed beagle-dachshund. How the dog ended at the cemetery where his wife was buried remained a mystery to both Jack and Bel.

Bel's husband Mike had died from bone cancer three years ago, and she was a regular visitor to the cemetery. That was where she found the dog she named Brownie last Fall.

The seasons had changed. Now, Spring had come.

Bel had felt energized with the changing season. Truth be told, she felt buoyant after two seasons spent with Brownie. Last Fall, the dog had saved her from an almost certain descent into a bottomless pit of despair and hopelessness. She had finally let go of the cloud of grief surrounding her with Mike's passing. Then in December, in the cold of winter, Jack came and was reunited with Boomer.

Jack. The man surprised her with his willingness to share his Boomer with a total stranger. Bel did not know why she readily agreed to the arrangement; perhaps it was because she just welcomed anything that would allow Brownie to stay in her life. Besides, Jack looked trustworthy and friendly.

The joint custody meant two weeks of Brownie every month. Jack explained that he occasionally had to travel out of state and the arrangement would mean that he did not have to drop Boomer at the kennel. It also meant that she saw Jack every two weeks when they met at the cemetery to drop/pick up Brownie/Boomer.

Jack and Bel had shared the stories of their respective spouses' passing. Barbara died from a motor vehicular crash two years ago. At 30 years old, she was in the prime of her life. Jack admitted that the experience shook him to deep depths of anguish, but he had held onto his sanity by spending his time with Boomer. Barbara's dog had given Jack a much-needed focus to continue living.

Jack thought he had lost Boomer forever when he got home from work one Fall day and didn't hear the familiar welcoming barks. He related to Bel his frantic search for the dog but that he did not imagine finding him miles and miles away from home.

"I am overjoyed to find Boomer here in the cemetery. " With twinkling eyes, he teased Bel, "Little did I know that I would find him romping around in the snow with the snow angel."

Embarrassed at being caught indulging in a rare display of carefree abandon, Bel stammered an excuse. She did not realize that she presented a pretty picture with her red nose and her hair covered with fluffy snow.

Bel sent the dog home with Jack after they exchanged information. She felt grateful to Jack for his sensitivity but understood that it was Jack's turn to enjoy Boomer's company.

After just three days of quiet at home, Bel became more restless, her heart aching to see Brownie. She found herself at a nearby dog park which she discovered shortly after finding Brownie. It had been a favorite for both of them because dogs were allowed to run around leash-free in the park.

Bel had been sitting on the park bench for a while when from out of nowhere Brownie/Boomer sprinted straight up to her, with his long golden brown floppy ears and wagging tail. Although the dog had responded to both names, in Bel's mind, he would always be Brownie to her. Jack was equally surprised at their chance encounter. He had passed the dog park right after their last visit to the cemetery. Boomer had barked continuously to get his attention until he was forced to stop at the side of the road and then discovered the dog park. They had frequented the dog park ever since.

Bel and Jack watched in silence as Brownie/Boomer interacted with the other dogs. Bel and Jack watched with shared pride as the mixed Beagle-dachshund quickly established himself as a leader among dogs much bigger than him.

That began their weekly meet at the dog park. Over time, the desultory conversations gave way to an easy companionship. The wariness had lifted and in its place came friendship.

One day, Brownie/Max decided for whatever reason to abandon playtime with the other dogs. He stationed himself between his two masters as they sat on the bench. Bel automatically reached over to pet the dog, at exactly the same time Jack did. It was just an innocent contact, but Bel was shocked at the intense emotions that washed over her.

Confused about why she felt like a hormonal schoolgirl, Bel laughed to cover her confusion and to bide time to regain her composure. Brownie/Boomer, oblivious of the undercurrents, demanded attention by running to a corner to relieve himself.

One week later, Jack traveled out of state on business; he worked as a business consultant for a major engineering company. Three days later, Bel received a call from Jack. Her heart did a funny turn when she heard Jack's voice. As always, the talk centered on Max/Boomer's many antics. Then Jack cleared his voice and said, "I miss Boomer." After a short pause, he continued, "I miss you too."

The unexpected declaration flustered Bel; she thought she heard it distinctly but convinced herself that she had just misheard. Not knowing how to respond, she pretended that she did not hear the loaded sentence and quickly changed the subject. They made plans to meet in the cemetery.

Bel felt uncertain about her growing feelings for Jack and thought that her attachment to Brownie opened her vulnerability to the attention of a handsome man. At this point in her life and has just surfaced from the deep sadness brought by Mike's passing, and she did not want any complications. She did not want to explore a future beyond just living for the moment. She acknowledged that her loyalty to Mike's memories had chained her to a solitary life, but did not want to change the status quo. "Not yet. I'm not ready.", she told herself.

Two days later, Bel stood in front of Mike's grave. The Spring air smelled clean with the freshly-mown lawn. Signs of new life brightened the cemetery; new budding leaves reasserted themselves from the trees. Bel bent down to touch the purple crocuses that had sprouted from the ground. There was still left-over snow on that patch of ground but the bulbs that she had planted a month ago rose in defiance and provided a bright contrast against the whiteness of the snow.

Yes, Spring had come... a time of growth, of new beginnings.

Brownie barked behind her. Bel turned and faced a smiling Jack. Man and woman against the backdrop of their respective spouses' graves. The sun shone brightly and somewhere a robin chirped. The scene evoked a sense of rightness; as if the changing season brought blessings of renewal and regrowth. The snow had melted. One look at Jack and the promise in his eyes melted the frost in Bel's heart.

"Bel, I meant what I said on the phone. I missed you."

Jack reached out and held Bel's hands. Brownie rushed Bel from behind and made her fall forward, straight into Jack's arms. Where it was warm and safe. Where there was the promise of love.

SUMMER 2010

Bel and Jack stood in front of their former spouses' graves. The couple paid their respects the day after their wedding. They were headed to the mountains of North Carolina in a cabin in the woods to celebrate their new lease on life. With their best man, the dog.

Life had grown full circle; the seasons had changed. From profound sadness to the grateful appreciation of love's healing touch.



The summer breeze brought the fulfillment of the promise made in spring. A riot of honeysuckles, lupins, dahlias, and asters competed for attention under the aspen tree in a picture-perfect summer scene. The sun dazzled as it bathed the cemetery in its warm embrace. Even the lowly dandelions flourished and stood tall while butterflies flitted happily around the grave markers; unlikely and incongruous at best, but somehow, the blissful view reaffirmed the hope for second chances.

Love found its way, in an unexpected place, surprising the reluctant lovers brought together by a dog. That same dog strutted around the grave in his customized tuxedo from yesterday's wedding ceremony. Bel decided to end the confusion and started to call the dog Boomer after all. He had eluded the newlyweds' attempt to divest him of his favorite suit. The dog had looked mighty impressive for a canine with his newly-groomed and silky brown fur. And now, it looked as if he was enjoying his upgraded status to Best Dog. He was basking in the sense of self-importance.

Somehow sensing the solemnity of the moment, the dog stopped pacing and faced the couple who had bowed their heads in silent commune with their departed loved ones. Their love is in full bloom, and they want to share their happiness with Mike and Barbara. Bel and Jack held hands, each one promising each other's departed to nurture the love that was cut short by tragedy. There was no sadness because there was the joyous realization that their union was blessed.

In true fashion, Boomer broke the reverie and claimed his masters' attention by licking the couples' joined hands. His eyes were bright, his tail thumped happily, and then he smiled.

THE END





"How did you know
I needed someone like you in my life
That there's an empty space in my heart
You came at the right time in my life"

PS. Our own Brownie had been a delight and a treasure since he came into our lives, but now, we mourn his passing. We miss him so much. 9/8/2012

Our family opened our hearts to another dog we named Boomer.

TWWW...TWESPASSING

 Another Brownie story... dedicated in memory of a special and beloved dog. 

LIAM…

Liam woke up to the sound of the outer kitchen door banging. It took him a minute to orient himself to his surroundings. His mother had sweet-talked him into home-sitting their old 2-story house in Queens to tend to the plants, the cats, and the parakeets.

So, for the whole month, she vacationed in Florida. Her son was ordered to abandon his swank condo in Manhattan and commute from his job as a successful surgeon in the city. He decided to take a much-needed staycation to take a breather from his hectic life as Chief of Orthopedic Surgery in his hospital.

If only his surgical residents could see him now. His reputation as a tough taskmaster would definitely suffer. His gruff talk usually caused his junior residents to buckle and fumble, and he took great delight in it. But he could not say "No" to his dear old Irish Mum, or she would beat his arse, as she threatened with that impish twinkle in her eyes.

As luck would have it, the blizzard blanketed the city in 3 feet of snow. His body ached from shoveling the snow on his mom’s front yard and the adjoining neighbor’s house, as per her mom’s latest phone text. He had expected his neighbor’s thank you but had not yet seen anybody in their house.

To top it all off, he almost hit a lady jogger just a block from his mom’s house. He saw her slip on the ice almost past the crosswalk. His Expedition braked just in time, and its tires squealed in protest. 

He had the right of way, so of course, he angrily yelled at the woman. When he looked at her face, he could not help but smile.

The woman promptly gave her a middle finger. She also cursed her out in whatever language it was.

Liam found her attractive enough despite her belligerent attitude. Her lovely almond eyes flashed in anger, and her brown, smooth skin glistened from the sweat. Her beautiful face, with a pert nose and full pink lips, captivated him. A spunky, feisty woman. 

His physical reaction to the woman surprised Liam. He wanted to reach out to her and get to know her better, but she was fuming mad. Just before she walked off, she threw a snowball towards his SUV, directly splattering his license plate. Liam shrugged it off; he really didn't care about the customized license plate that his teenage nephew had ordered online for him.

Over the years, Liam had to fend off advances from subservient, fawning females; this woman was so different from them, seemingly immune to his charms. That woman was inexcusably rude. Her dislike was almost irrational but surprisingly challenging.

Liam continued on his errands to the grocery store. He needed to buy more winter salts to shovel his mom's and the unknown neighbor's sidewalks. 

A muffled sound from the back of the house brought him to the present. Liam went into full survival mode and ran to the kitchen door. Through the kitchen window, he saw tiny footprints on the almost virgin snow leading away from the house.

Armed with a bat, Liam gingerly followed the footprints to the side of the house. The culprits were a medium-sized dog frolicking in the snow and a little boy putting a carrot nose on a small snowman.

“Stop! What are you doing here?” Liam shouted, startling the little boy.

Both boy and dog froze in their tracks. Liam's hulking presence was intimidating, and the boy's brown eyes were wide with fear. When Liam approached, the boy grabbed a slat from the wooden fence that separated the neighbor’s property. It looked like that was to be his escape hatch.

Liam was out in the yard when the dog growled at him, in full protection mode for his owner. The dog’s brown fur gleamed in the sunlight, but he didn’t look cuddly as he glared at Liam, his tail raised and his teeth bared in a warning. He looked like a beagle mix but sounded like a ferocious Rotweiller.

The boy was already halfway through the fence opening when he turned around to call his dog, “Hurry, Brownie.”

Seeing his master almost safely out through the escape hatch, the dog snorted at Liam and paused to ensure that Liam looked, then boldly pooped on the snow.

The boy started to chuckle at his dog’s audacity to despoil the virgin snow but stopped when he saw Liam’s astounded face.

“Mister, so sorry. Brownie never pooped in here before!”, the boy’s voice cracked.

Liam cocked an eyebrow. “Never? Before?”

The boy bravely said, “Grandma Mary always let me come to this yard to play. Our yard is smaller because my mom has her garden.” He patted his dog’s brown fur. “And Brownie only poops in our yard.”

“Grandma Mary is my mother.” Liam tried to sound stern, but something about the boy and his dog made him smile. The boy looked appropriately dressed in a thick winter coat and gloves. His red sweater matched the dog’s body sweater. They looked cute together. Except for the poop.

The boy visibly relaxed when he saw Liam trying to hide a smile. He must have decided that Liam was trustworthy because he eased himself back into Liam’s yard and seemed ready to engage his new friend in a conversation.

“Oh, you’re watching the house for Grandma Mary? My name is Jordy.”

Jordy turned out to be a chatterbox. His animated face and gestures amused Liam. The boy’s features hinted at a mixed parentage, maybe of Asian and white heritage, but his beautiful brown eyes looked familiar. He lives with his mother, Kim, and grandmother, Delia, who went to Florida with Grandma Mary. He was only six years old and excited to start school next September.

“You know, I’m very smart. Just like my mom. She’s a nurse. She takes care of people with sick hearts and broken arms.” Jordy added as he proudly declared. “My mom is an ER nurse.”

“Really, that’s interesting, Jordy. I’m a doctor, too. I operate on people.”

“O-op-rate? My mom told me that some doctors are not nice. Especially those who o-op-rate”.

Liam smiled. “I think I am an exception.” He thought that if the mom was like most ER nurses, she was probably one of those feisty nurses who give his surgery residents a hard time.

“My dad left us, so it’s just me, Mom, and grandma. Brownie’s smart, too. Just like me.” The boy’s words rolled over as if he was hurrying to impress his new friend.

“He’s so smart that this Brownie chose to poop here instead of in your yard?”

Brownie barked when he heard his name. When Liam pointed to his poop, the dog averted his brown eyes and walked slowly back to the fence opening. The dog’s down-trodden face looked so comical that Liam couldn’t help but laugh out heartily.

The dog sensed that Liam would not be wielding the bat, so he sidled over Liam’s side and nuzzled him with his cold nose as if apologizing for the offending poop. Brownie's face shone in the sunlight and his mouth was open in a wide grin.

From inside the other house, they heard a woman calling for Jordy.

“Mister Liam, please don’t tell my mom that I.. twespassed.”

Both boy and dog went through the opening, as they must have done countless times before. Jordy put back the wood in place, almost hitting Liam on his face.

Liam saw the mother step out into the yard through a little hole in the fence. She had lovely almond-shaped eyes, a cute, pert nose, and brown smooth skin.

She was lovely. She was the one who flipped him the middle finger.



KIM...

It was uncharacteristic of her to be so juvenile and rude. Her mom would cut her finger if she knew what she had done to that man yesterday. Her own son Jordy would be shocked, too, at her childish gesture.

Yesterday afternoon, Brownie was pulling on his leash as soon as they reached the street where her son Jordy was on a playdate with his friend. On the crosswalk, Brownie got excited as they reached the corner and ran across the street. That darn dog safely crossed over, but Kim slipped on ice and was narrowly missed by a passing car.

The monstrous Expedition screeched to a stop. The driver yelled at her. Kim was ready to apologize but stopped when she beheld the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. Brown hair, green eyes, and the perfect 5 o'clock shadow. The man raised one thick eyebrow and looked at her with what she could only surmise as amusement at her acrobatic fall on her butt. What arrogance.

Then she saw the customized license plate on his Expedition: “SRGN 1”.  That’s when her antipathy toward all surgeons came to the fore and made her flip her middle finger at the driver. Another surgeon, just like her ex. 

The man just laughed. For a minute, he looked like her ex-husband, Jordy's irresponsible father. Paul divorced Kim as soon as he finished his surgical residency, much to her mother-in-law's happiness to find a better-suited trophy wife for her son.

Kim cursed at the man in Tagalog and then threw a snowball at his car. The immediate gratification from that inappropriate behavior served as a great excuse. "That arrogant man deserves it," Kim justified. 

That was yesterday afternoon. Brownie looked guilty when Kim finally caught up to him at her friend's gate. She picked up her son Jordy from his playdate, fed him and the dog, and then tucked the boy in for an early bedtime. By 8 p.m., Kim lay down on the sofa for a quick nap, fully intending to wake up in two hours to start the grueling task of shoveling the sidewalk.

The next morning, she woke up to find her son and dog missing. Frantic, she ran to the front door, which was still locked. She looked outside the window and saw that her front steps and sidewalk had been shoveled.

Kim whooped with joy. Mrs. O’Donnell must have volunteered her son’s shoveling services. Ever since they had moved to the house she inherited from her departed aunt, the O'Donnells had welcomed Kim's family with open arms. She had met all the sons except the one who lived in the city. She considered bringing her neighbor’s son her famous cassava cake as a thank you.

Kim heard Brownie bark in the backyard. Heaving a sigh of relief, she approached the kitchen door. Kim went out to the backyard and saw her son and Brownie go through the hole in the fence.

Jordy looked guilty. "Sorry, mom. Brownie and I twwww... trespassed." Brownie looked away with the same guilty look as his master.

Kim started to caution her son against going off alone, and then she heard somebody chuckle from behind the fence.

Jordy pulled the man into her backyard, the same man with the “SRGN 1” license plate. The gorgeous man with the green smoldering eyes.

“You!”. Kim muttered with all the disgust that she could muster.

 

 

LIAM AND KIM

The tension in the air was tight as Kim and Liam eyed each other. Liam’s expression was curious as he saw the strong resemblance between mother and child. But he was secretly amused at Kim’s hostile look. 

Liam turned to Jordy and patted the dog’s head to cover the awkward moment. The boy was oblivious to the tension and chattered about how nice Grandma Mary’s son was despite Brownie pooping in their backyard.

The mention of poop pulled Kim to the present and broke through her muddled thoughts, and she swiveled her head to look at her son and her dog.

“Brownie!” The dog in question slinked away and walked over to the kitchen door. Brownie plopped himself on the door rug, yawned, and slept, seemingly bored by the commotion.

Remembering her clean sidewalks, Kim stammered her apology. “I’m sorry about the mess. I’ll clean it up. And… thank you for shoveling all that snow.”

And because she's an adult, Kim added, "I am sorry for what happened yesterday, too. That was my just evil twin."

Liam smiled, “I think we’re even now. Don’t worry about the poop. I will clean it up. That’s how much I can do for almost hitting you.”

Willing to drop the subject before Jordy started asking questions, Kim nodded reluctantly.

“I’m Liam. My mum wanted me to keep an eye on her house, and what she told me was the nice lady next door."

“I’m Kim.” To fill the silence that followed the introductions, and since she did not want to respond to the little dig, Kim told him to wait for a second. She returned with the Filipino cassava cake that she baked yesterday.

For now, the cassava cake sealed the truce. Liam left after and went back the way he came in.

The morning after…

Kim was just coming out of the shower when she heard the doorbell ring. With just a towel wrapped around her, she was turning to rush to her bedroom to change when she heard Jordy calling out.

“Okay, I’m opening the door.”

Horrified that her son would disobey her previous warnings about not opening the door to strangers, Kim ran down the stairs, hoping to stop her son. “No, Jordy.”

But it was too late. Midway through the stairs, Kim saw Liam standing inside the living room looking at her in her too-brief towel. He looked dashing in a suit, and she looked…

A strange expression crossed Liam’s face, and he muttered something beneath his breath. Kim thought she heard, “Wow.”

Kim was transfixed. Her pink towel reached up to the middle of her thighs, her hands clutching the front to provide more cover to her cleavage (or lack of it).

When she came down, her hair was still wet and covered her right eye. Conscious of how wanton she must look, Kim tried to ignore that Liam was looking her over and seemed entertained by her discomfort.

“I’m just returning the plate. The cassava cake was delicious. I called Jordy to open the front door for me rather than go through the backyard.” The explanation did not mollify Kim, and she glared at her son for putting her in this predicament.

Kim did not answer but started to turn around to walk up the stairs. She was embarrassed but also felt her heart beating fast when she saw Liam’s eyes light up in appreciation.

She muttered, “Men, maniacs.” She walked up the stairs to preserve her dignity rather than running in shame.

Brownie came from nowhere and tugged at her towel. Kim grabbed at the towel but lost her footing. She started to fall back and felt her left foot twist as she tried to correct her steps. Before landing on her buttocks, a strong pair of arms caught her from behind as she tumbled to the bottom of the stairs.

It was all in slow motion. Jordy cried in alarm, and Brownie darted out of the way.  Kim’s death grip on her towel was not unnoticed, and Liam raised an eyebrow.

“I’m a surgeon.” As if that was supposed to lessen her embarrassment. He walked with Kim in his arms and deposited her on the sofa. In his defense, Liam did not ogle Kim and averted his eyes, although Kim suspected, in her paranoia, that his lips twitched.

Kim grabbed some throw pillows for more coverage as she instructed her son to fetch her bathrobe behind the upstairs bathroom door, but Jordy remained rooted to her side, his eyes worried upon seeing his mom in pain.

All her emotions were in turmoil at the moment when another man’s arms were around her. She forgot that her ankle had twisted and was now throbbing and swollen. Kim was sure that she was blushing all over.

Liam grabbed an afghan blanket from the other chair and bundled Kim. Jordy guffawed, “Hahaha, Mom, you’re like a mummy! Like a burrito.” Even Brownie was grinning.

Liam sat on the ottoman and put her left ankle on his lap. Kim tried to pull her leg off but winced in pain. He was in full doctor’s mode as he examined her foot. Kim watched as his capable hands touched her left ankle, his brows furrowed in thought.

He smelled nice, he looked great, especially with his stubble, and his biceps flexed impressively. But he’s a surgeon. Obviously not her type.

She smelled nice and clean, Liam thought. She probably favored the Chinese sandalwood soap that his mum was raving about, a gift from Kim’s mom, who she was vacationing in Florida. But she’s too prickly. Obviously not his type.

“Hmmm, your ankle is not broken. Just a sprain. Just need ice and some rest.” He put her foot down on the ottoman, presumably to look for ice.

Jordy was teary-eyed next to her, alarmed that his mother had hurt herself. Brownie was on Kim’s left side, whimpering as if he could sense her pain.

“Bad dog.” Kim wagged at Brownie and immediately felt guilty when the dog licked her ankle as if trying to ease her pain.

Liam came back with a bag of frozen peas. “No ice, but this would do.”

Jordy gasped in amazement that the frozen peas could serve another purpose. He listened attentively as Liam explained the rationale and arranged the bag on his mom’s ankle.

Liam put on his serious face as Jordy listened raptly, “So for a sprained ankle, Jordy, I prescribe RICE. Rest, Ice, Compression, with an ace bandage, and then Elevate to reduce the swelling.”

“Wow, how did you know all these?” Jordy was regarding Liam with an awed expression.

Liam responded, “I’m an orthopedist, a bone doctor.” He turned to Kim and said, “This would do for now. You need an ace wrap to immobilize it. Do you have one?”

“I have one in my bathroom. But don’t worry, I will put it on myself.” With her left hand in a death grip on the afghan blanket, Kim started to get up, and she tried to hop on her right foot towards the stairs.

Before she could resist, Liam carried Kim up the stairs effortlessly with her posse of son and dog trailing behind. In her bedroom, Liam sat her up on the edge of her bed and soon left to rummage at her medicine cabinet.

Kim instructed her son to fetch her bathrobe behind the door. The voluminous bathrobe reached up to her legs and provided extra coverage than the blanket.

Liam’s brows shot up, but didn’t say anything as he expertly applied the ace bandage. Although she was better covered, it seemed more intimate because they were in her bedroom. She was grateful that her son hovered over as if to protect her, but she soon realized that Jordy was enjoying his new friend’s attention.

Liam then gave her Motrin for the pain and issued instructions as if he were her personal doctor. “Rest, rest, rest, okay? Elevate your leg, and Jordy here will change your bag of peas with the bag of frozen carrots.”

Jordy beamed with pride as he was placed in charge. Liam was his hero, and he would do everything he ordered.

With a suspicious twitch on his lips, Liam patted Kim’s cheek. Kim flinched, not because the touch was repulsive but because she felt herself drowning in the unwelcome emotions. 

Liam shrugged, and because she had not thanked him yet, with a mocking grin, he said, “You’re welcome.”

Liam patted Brownie’s head at the bedroom door and whispered, “Good dog.”

 

JORDY

Jordy was having the time of his life. He had a new friend and a new superhero. Liam could do no wrong, and he was funny too.

Liam took care of Mom’s sprained ankle, even though she was pouting and glaring all the while. Especially since he insisted on carrying Jordy’s mom down the stairs again after she changed into her normal clothes, a T-shirt and jogging pants. He suggested Kim stay downstairs on the first floor to avoid the stairs while her ankle healed.

Then Jordy’s stomach gurgled. He looked at his mom and tried remembering the new word that Mom taught him. Recently, Jordy loved to experiment with big words. He told his mom he wanted to be a writer “because a doctor is too busy for his kids.”

“Mommy, I have bor-bor.. What do you call it again, Mom?”

“Borborygmi, Jordy. That’s your stomach growling.”

“Yup, I had borborygmi in church, hahaha!”.

Liam interjected, “Now, I’m hungry too. I just came from an early meeting in Manhattan. Let’s get food. Any preference?”

Jordy’s eyes rounded in delight. “Let’s get Jollibee!”

Liam looked confused, so Kim interjected, “It’s a popular fast-food chain in the Philippines. Jordy’s favorite restaurant. There’s one in Queens”.

Lunch and dinner were every Filipino kid’s dreams. For lunch, Jollibee chicken, Yumburger, spaghetti, peach mango pie, and the delicious halo-halo. Dinner was Filipino barbecue, egg rolls, and more halo-halo.

Jordy sat tall in the rear passenger seat of Liam’s monstrous Expedition with the fancy license plate. Liam even allowed Brownie to ride along, not minding dog fur in his car.

That afternoon, Liam played the Clue Junior board game with him, a whodunnit (another of his newly-discovered words) mystery. Jordy had tired of the childish games that his other friends preferred.

Jordy thought, Yes, his new friend is a hero. Cool.

 

KIM

It has been three days of pure torture for Kim. She had to hobble around the house on crutches, so it was a good idea to sleep in her mother's bedroom on the first floor. To keep Jordy and Brownie out of her way, Liam offered to entertain them both in his mother's house. Mrs. O'Donnell and Kim's mother will return from their Florida vacation in a few days.

Since she was just a per diem nurse in an ER, she could stay home while her ankle healed. It turned out that Liam also had a one-week vacation from work; he had canceled a trip out-of-state and decided to do some minor repairs in the house to surprise his Mum.

That Saturday morning, Kim heard the muted sounds of the morning cartoons in the basement den. She padded softly downstairs to call everybody for lunch.

Liam was back from his morning jog, his muscular body stretched out on the sofa, but his eyes were closed. Jordy was sprawled, sleeping with his head on Liam’s lap. Brownie's snores filled the air as he lay spread-eagled on his back on the floor.

Kim felt a prickle of tears threatening to flood her eyes. She knew that Jordy was getting attached to Liam, which was worrisome. The separation from his father, Paul, was difficult for Jordy. He was just four years old when Paul left. He was an absentee father even before, as he was busy with his surgical residency, but was even more neglectful after becoming a full-fledged cardiac surgeon.

Suddenly, Paul wanted a trophy wife from a wealthy family who could ease his way to the top of the world. Kim did not have time to grieve for the failed relationship. She was too busy to put her life together again. Thankfully, she inherited her aunt's house and got substantial alimony from Paul. Her mother traveled from the Philippines to help care for Jordy.

Jordy missed having a father who was active in his life, and Liam could not take his father's place. Liam will then return to his life as a top surgeon and a bachelor, with his choice of women falling over him.

Kim’s initial dislike dissolved a mere few days after seeing Liam’s down-to-earth personality and his unexpected bonding with Jordy. Even Brownie, that disloyal dog, preferred Liam’s attention.

Last night, after two hours of Disney movies, Jordy finally ceded the remote control to the adults. To their surprise, Liam and Kim agreed on an Avengers movie together. They laughed together and screamed during the fight scenes. At a particularly sad moment, Liam offered his T-shirt to wipe Kim’s eyes, which horrified her until she saw Liam surreptitiously wipe his own tears.

Kim burst out laughing. Their eyes held, and her heart fluttered.

And now, in the basement den, this would probably be the last time they will all be together. The vacationers will be back, and Liam will return to his prestigious work in Manhattan.

She could not allow Jordy to be heartbroken again. Truth be told, she was also worried about herself. Lost in her sadness that there would be no future with the man she learned to love against all odds, she could not get her heart torn to pieces again.

 

LIAM

Liam closed his eyes in contentment. Jordy was asleep at his side, the dog was snoring, and Kim was cooking lunch. The mouth-watering aroma of whatever she was cooking wafted down to the basement den.

He never thought this moment would be a blissful experience. He was supposed to be a confirmed bachelor, but he enjoyed this whole week away from the hospital. Away from the politics and his immature residents’ whining about everything. Away from all those females flirting with him.

He enjoyed being with Jordy and Brownie. And with Kim.

His life was changed by that woman with those almond eyes and feisty personality. It was like a bulldozer that slammed him flat. How could just one week of their company shatter his prior resolve to avoid emotional entanglement?

He is in love. Utterly, irrevocably, unexpectedly in love.

Liam heard a sniffle behind him. He gently repositioned Jordy on the sofa and rose to face Kim.

Fat tears flowed down Kim’s cheeks. She was leaning against the wall, eyes closed, with misery written all over her face. 

Liam’s heart broke when he saw Kim crying. His arms reached out to envelop Kim in a tight hug. Startled, Kim opened her eyes and continued sobbing.

Liam pulled Kim down on an armchair to sit on his lap, his arms around her, and murmured soothing but unintelligible sounds near Kim’s ears.

“Acushla, why are you crying?” Liam’s left arm caressed Kim’s back as he kissed her forehead.

Kim sat up straight but remained on Liam’s lap, reluctant to leave the comfort of his arms, her face flushed and her back tingling from the warm caress. His arms felt right.

“Nothing, I just finished chopping onions.”, Kim stammered. To divert Liam’s attention, she asked, “What did you say earlier? What is Acushla?”

Liam’s green eyes softened, and his smile radiant; he softly said, “Sweetheart. It’s Irish for sweetheart. I have fallen in love with you, Kim. Head over heels in love.”

Stunned, Kim searched Liam’s face as if she could not believe what she just heard. Then she smiled, “Me, too.”

“Tá mé i ngrá leat. That’s Irish for ‘I love you’, so me too.”.

BROWNIE

A bark interrupted a kiss. Brownie was grinning as he sat on the floor, his tail thumping wildly. 

He nudged Jordy awake. When the boy saw Kim and Liam in an embrace, he smiled.

THE END