A Puppy Called Hugo. Fiona Harrison
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just drop it, OK. Now not another bark, do you hear me?’
‘Yes, Dad,’ Hugo yapped forlornly.
‘Good, now let’s get ready to get you home. You need to rest after all that rubbish you ate yesterday.’
‘Yes, Dad.’ Hugo sighed again.
I rubbed my nose against his to show he was forgiven and then watched him settle at Eric’s feet. Surprise ebbed away at me that they had forged such a close bond already. Watching Eric reach down and fondle Hugo’s ears I felt a pang of regret. The duo seemed so close. What a shame he couldn’t do that with someone able to offer him a more permanent solution.
The following morning I felt a surge of optimism that Hugo had got the message about his behaviour. Not only had he walked all the way home to heel but he appeared to have a spring in his step. I wondered if it had done him some good to spend some time with Eric, or perhaps Eric had slipped something in those tomatoes Hugo had apparently developed a bit of a taste for.
Only now, as I watched my son whine in the kitchen at the top of his lungs looking rather green, I wondered if it had been such a good idea.
‘You all right, boy?’ I asked, ignoring my breakfast as I got to my paws and walked towards him.
‘Fine,’ he yapped quietly. ‘Just a feel a bit funny. I’m never eating feathers or candle wax again.’
‘I’m very glad to hear it,’ I told him, determined to remain cross.
Only looking at my son’s mournful little face, it was hard to stay angry. No matter how badly behaved, Hugo was my gorgeous pup, and I loved him more than a bag full of chewy bones! Licking him gently on his cheek, I crooned into his ear.
‘You’ll feel better soon, I promise. The worst is over now. Give it a few hours and you’ll be bounding about with your pals at the dog park just like before.’
Hugo brightened considerably at this news and scampered up and down on the floor to show his excitement.
‘Will I, Dad? Do you think I’ll be able to go to the dog park today? I want to see Bugsy. He promised to tell me all about the shadow monster today.’
I shook my head. Bugsy was a Border collie and together with Jake, an elderly cocker spaniel, and Heather, a mumsy German shepherd, was one of our best friends. However, the last thing Peg or I needed was Hugo listening to Bugsy’s ridiculous theory on how shadows weren’t really shadows, but were actually sinister monsters out to taunt and humiliate us dogs whenever the sun shone.
Still, now was not the time to dash his hopes. ‘We’ll see, maybe later.’
‘This lad is definitely going to the park later,’ Simon added, with a flash of understanding. ‘If he feels ill he can be ill over there.’
Just then, Gail let out a massive squeal. I spun around from my position next to the fridge, only to see Ben had turned his bottle upside down, spilling the contents all over Gail.
‘Are you all right?’ I whined, trotting over to her.
‘You look like a massive marshmallow.’ Simon chuckled, looking up at the sight of his wife covered in milk.
Gail rolled her eyes. ‘Thanks, love. Just what I needed to hear after a night of no sleep.’
I rubbed my head against her denim clad shins. Gail had been pacing up and down with a teething Ben most of the night. She had done her best to get him to sleep and had sung to him, read to him, offered him a bottle, her finger to chew, but nothing would quieten him down.
In the end I had got up with her and tried to sing him a song as well, but Ben hadn’t approved of my attempts either and so Gail and I had both given up. Instead, we collapsed in a heap on the velvet sofa, urging sleep to find Ben and us.
‘Not again, love,’ Simon said sympathetically. ‘I didn’t hear anything.’
‘No, I know,’ Gail grumbled. ‘I saw you were sound asleep.’
Simon looked shifty. ‘It’s not my fault I’m a sound sleeper.’
‘No, but it is your fault you wear earplugs,’ Gail replied, as she looked down and smiled at me. ‘If it wasn’t for Percy keeping me company last night, I’d have gone mad.’
I nuzzled my head against her legs once more, wishing there was more I could do.
‘Well, like I said, I’m sorry, love.’ Simon shrugged. ‘I’ve a lot on at work at the minute, and I’d like it to stay that way with all these extra mouths to feed.’
Gail sighed as she glanced down at her sticky fleece. ‘I know, I do understand. Look, just take Ben a minute can you, I need to get changed.’
‘I can’t, I’ve got to go to work. I’m late fixing Mrs Gaston’s boiler as it is,’ Simon replied, already backing out of the door.
‘Can’t she wait a few minutes?’ Gail hissed.
Sensing discord between his parents, Ben chose that exact moment to let his feelings on the matter be known. Opening his mouth, he let out another scream at the top of his lungs.
I looked up at him in horror. How could such a big noise come from such a tiny person? Simon wasted no time reaching for his van keys from the nook by the fridge.
‘Sorry, love. I’ll only be an hour. Call me if you need anything,’ he insisted, making a phone gesture with his hands.
As the front door slammed shut, Gail looked helplessly at me, still drowning in milk.
‘Can I help?’ I barked helpfully. ‘As Jenny doesn’t have school, should I get her up perhaps to give you a hand?’
But Gail merely let out a sigh as she sat Ben in his high chair, and began mopping herself down with a tea towel.
With Gail temporarily engrossed, I wondered if this was the perfect time for a chat with the young fella. I padded across to his high chair and sat with my head cocked, gazing into his eyes. Mollified by a dummy Gail had just plonked in his mouth, I had to hand it to him, when he wasn’t crying he wasn’t bad. Like his mum he had blue eyes that sparkled when he gave off one of his trademark grins.
‘Now, Ben, I know you’re just a baby, but you need to give Gail, your mum, a break. She’s tired, she’s got a lot to do all said, and all this crying, well it’s not the way,’ I barked up at him.
I paused, allowing the suggestion to sink in, but judging from the way he banged his fists against his high chair it didn’t look as though Ben had understood a bark I said.
With a sigh, I tried again. ‘Look, Ben, you know how much everyone loves you, especially me. But do you think there’s any way that you could think about easing up on the tears for just a little bit. I would be so grateful, I’ll even let you pull my ears without fuss from time to time.’
The moment the bark left my lips, I regretted it. For a baby, Ben had a monstrously fierce grip, and allowing him free rein over my precious ears would be a sacrifice, and not one I was sure I would be willing to make.
Just then, Ben fixed me with what I called his excitable face and, as if by magic, he let out a happy gurgle. The sight of him looking so adorable left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside and I knew that I wouldn’t just sacrifice my ears for peace and quiet but Hugo and Peg’s too.
As Gail finished cleaning herself up, she bent down to tickle my chin.
‘Look, you got him to stop crying! I don’t know how you do it, Percy. You’ve got the magic touch.’ She grinned.
‘There’s no magic to it, I’ve just bargained away my soul,’ I barked in all seriousness.
Gail