Lone Star Legacy: Relentless Pursuit

The next day was another like the previous one with Caroline watching the clock and being far more wiggly than normal. In the early afternoon after lunch, Ava read a book Caroline had selected. When she finished, she picked up another one.

“Did you like your dog?” Caroline asked.

Startled by Caroline speaking to her, Ava tried to avoid showing her surprise. “Yes, I did. We had a Labrador retriever, Gus. We loved him and he loved us.”

Caroline nodded.

Ava was so pleased that Caroline had asked her a question. It was a very good sign.

Will wanted Ava to go along to get the pup, so once again the three of them climbed into the limo, a travel crate, leash and a toy at the ready.

Ava took a camcorder, wondering whether Will ever took pictures of Caroline.

They drove to a tall two-story house in a north suburban area of Fort Worth. A friendly woman introduced herself and showed them in, taking them to the garage where a mother dog was sprawled on a blanket. Caroline’s eyes were wide as she watched fluffy puppies wandering around her.

“Now, Caroline, you pick out which one of the puppies you would like to take home,” Will said.

Two puppies wandered to Caroline; one chewed on her shoe. Will leaned down to pick up the puppy and hold it so Caroline could see its face. He reached out and scooped up another. Ava watched the two of them and she prayed the puppy would make a difference in Caroline’s life.

After deliberating and looking at each puppy several times, Caroline finally picked one up and held it carefully with Will’s help.

“This one,” she said to him.

He shot a glance at Ava and she smiled, her heart leaping because of the moment that was significant for them.

“You want that puppy? You’re sure?”

“Yes, please,” Caroline answered, nodding her head.

Will settled up with Mrs. Winston, the breeder, then carried the puppy to the car and placed it in the crate. Caroline sat beside it, her arm on the crate while she watched the puppy, Will talking warmly about the dog.

By they time they got home and had the pup and its belongings unloaded, Ava left Will and Caroline while she went to her room to freshen up. After a while, she walked back to the playroom to see what was happening.

Will lay on the floor with his shoes kicked off. His shirt was pulled out of his slacks and his tie was gone, the shirt’s top buttons unfastened. He was stretched out, playing with the pup while Caroline sat facing him, holding a toy sock monkey for the dog. Ava’s heart missed a beat at the sight of Will and his niece. He was laughing, playing with the dog and talking to Caroline, who laughed at the pup’s antics.

In that moment Ava had to face the fact that she was falling in love with Will. Sadness for the loss of Ethan no longer was a solid wall around her, enclosing her feelings and her heart.

She stepped inside, going to sit near them.

“Come join us,” Will said. “This is a great pup. We’re going to have to give it a name so it will come when we call it. And it’s a girl, so it has to be a girl name. I’ve been waiting for you to come to help think up a name.”

“She looks like a snowball,” Ava said. “Snowball? Powder? Puff? My dog was Gus. Gussie for a girl.”

“I thought of Millie, Tiny, Princess. That’s seven names to choose from. Miss Ava, what do you like best?”

He ignored Caroline, an uncustomary occurrence when she was involved. Ava wondered if he was trying to avoid pinning down Caroline when she wouldn’t respond. Or if he had another reason.

“I prefer my names. Maybe Powder.”

“Too much like a cat name,” Will stated. “So is Puff and so is Snowball.”

“No, it’s not,” she argued lightly, thinking he looked more appealing than ever, stretched on the floor, playing with the dog and concerned with Caroline.

“Muffy,” Caroline said.

As if it were the most normal thing for her to suggest a name, Will repeated it, “Muffy. That’s a good name. All right, Caroline. Muffy it is. Muffy is your puppy and if you want to name her Muffy, we will.”

“I think that’s a cute name,” Ava agreed, sitting in a chair, wanting to intrude as little as possible on uncle, niece and puppy.

“We’ll call her Muffy, and in a day or two, she’ll know her name. I have a trainer coming by who will work with her every day. He’ll be here tomorrow and work with her for a week, then come back when she’s a little older because she’s too young now for a lot of the training.”

Caroline picked up the pup to place it in her lap. The white pup stretched out, falling asleep in minutes. “She’s a baby, Caroline,” Will explained. “She’s worn out and she’ll sleep soundly for a little while because that’s what most babies do. When she wakes up she should go outside—I’ll take her—and then she might want some water.”

Later, when dinner was finished, Caroline slid out of her chair and ran to sit with Muffy.

“You’ve handled this just right, Will,” Ava said.

“I never been so at a loss as I am with her,” he said quietly while Caroline ran around and Muffy chased her. Laughing, Caroline climbed in a chair.

“Look at her laugh, Ava. She hasn’t done that since we lost Adam.”

Ava sat back, observing the scene, watching Caroline reach down to pet Muffy.

When it was story time, Ava got up to go, crossing to Caroline to touch her head lightly. “I’m glad you have Muffy. Dogs are fun and they become part of the family. Good night,” she said, brushing Caroline’s cheek with a kiss.

“Good night, Miss Ava,” Caroline said quietly.

Ava smiled at Caroline. “Good night to Muffy, too,” she said, touching the pup’s head as it slept again in Caroline’s lap.

As Ava walked out of the room, Will came after her. “Ava, wait.”

She turned. He had changed clothes after dinner, pulling on jeans and a T-shirt. He caught up with her. “Wait for me downstairs. I missed you last night.”

She could refuse. Instead she nodded and he headed back to Caroline.

She went by her room to take the clips out of her hair and let it fall loosely around her shoulders. With a cursory glance at herself, she went downstairs to wait, taking her cell phone to send texts to her sisters.

It was over an hour before Will came through the door. Closing the door behind him, he crossed the room in long strides just as he had before to pull her up into his arms and hug her. He leaned away. “Thank you! You have to admit today was a big, giant change.”

She smiled at him. “I will agree it was. You’re a good dad, Will. You handled everything well.”

“I’m flying by the seat of my pants with her. I don’t know what’s best, but she talked to us. She named the pup and said she wanted it. She’s even laughed out loud twice. Ava, I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

“I still say I haven’t done that much, and you would have thought of a puppy before long yourself.”

“I might not have. I haven’t in all the time Caroline has been in my care.”

“It’s a beginning, Will. Maybe she will be happy enough to talk more often.” Ava turned to walk away to sit. Will caught her arm, turning her back to face him.