Royal Treatment

'Paul was bigger than life. He made everything so exciting. But, it was time to come home.' Mattie thought, side tracked. She was trying to get off the memory of that visit. She could remember like it was yesterday.

"How wonderful for you to visit me. Don't mind the mess; please sit down." The woman gestured with a withered hand toward the couch. The slipcovers had been freshly laundered and placed back upon the couch. They were a bright yellow and white stripe that added some cheer to the room.

The rest of the visit was a blur, except for when it came time to leave, Royal had broken into the house and came bounding inside toward Mattie and Paul. He was so open and truly excited to see them. The woman laughed and introduced them to Royal. She explained that she was looking for someone to take him in after she died. Paul looked like an excited school child, asking if he could keep the animal that just happened to follow him home. Paul and the woman conversed about the huge English Sheep Dog while Mattie stood numb and mute.

A few months after that meeting, the woman had passed away, and Paul wasn't responding to therapy. Royal had been sent to a pet-sitting clinic on a pre-arranged set of directions. Paul had been working on introducing the idea of Mattie taking Royal in after he died. She had fought against the idea from the start. Of course she would give in; after-all, Paul would want her to have another living soul in the house they had shared for several decades.

Mattie felt something wet on the back of her hand that brought her out of her reverie.

"What is it Royal? Did those rabbits give you a hard time?" Mattie looked directly into the animal's eyes. He was so big that it didn't matter if he was standing or sitting. One could look directly into his eyes either way.

He looked into Mattie's eyes and laid a paw on her knee. He slurped her hand again, which made her laugh.

She remembered Paul lying in the hospital room some months before.

"Mattie, promise me!" He implored her.

"Of course Paul," she responded with strength, as well as sadness. "I'll take Royal back home with me."

Mattie looked over Royals head and into the house: This house that she shared with her beloved Paul. There were many memories inside those four walls.

"Maybe it's time I had a bar-be-que, Royal. What do you think about that?" Mattie asked, taking his head in both her hands.

Royal responded by thumping his huge tail on the deck in agreement.

"It's what Paul would have wanted." She said, taking a sip of the coffee, feeling the first rays of light burn the dew off the grass.