After that day, Noah didn’t return. Not for a week.
Sam went to the park every afternoon and waited under the same tree, hoping to hear the joyful bark of Rex or see Noah’s familiar silhouette. But nothing.
One morning, a strange feeling made Sam wake before sunrise. A thought had been gnawing at him: if Noah wasn’t allowed to walk Rex, how would Inga handle him?
He slipped out of the apartment, careful not to wake Grace. The streets were still dark, the sky soft with pre-dawn light. Birds chattered quietly as Sam hurried toward the river at the edge of the park.
He crouched behind a bush and waited.
Minutes passed. Then he heard the soft crunch of gravel. A silver car pulled up to the edge of the path.
A woman stepped out — tall, elegant, with a silk scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. Her makeup was perfect, her eyes cold.
Sam watched in disbelief as she opened the trunk and pulled out a thick burlap sack. It wriggled.
No. No. No.
Without hesitation, the woman swung the bag back and tossed it into the water. It splashed once — then began to sink.
Sam shot out from the bush like a bullet. “Hey!” he screamed, but the woman didn’t even flinch. She turned, got into the car, and drove off without a word.
Sam kicked off his shoes and jumped into the water. The chill made him gasp, but he kept going, fighting the current. His fingers found the edge of the bag. He dragged it toward the shore, stumbling, shivering.
On land, he fumbled with the knot, heart pounding.
And then—he saw a pair of frightened brown eyes.
“Rex!” he cried, tears springing to his eyes.
The dog whimpered, soaked and trembling, but alive. Sam wrapped his arms around the pup, burying his face in the wet fur.
“We’re going home.”
Grace wasn’t surprised when Sam burst in, dripping wet and clutching a giant dog. She had known her son long enough to recognize the look in his eyes.
She simply pulled a towel from the hallway hook and helped him dry the shaking pup.
Over hot tea and toast, Sam told her everything. She listened without interrupting.
“We can’t just keep him, can we?” Sam asked quietly.
Grace looked at the dog, then at her son. “Sweetheart… how could we not?”
