Here Comes Trouble

It had been two weeks since Tom and Tori had moved in, and the big day had finally arrived...the puppy was coming. Stevo had waited until Tori had the house just the way she wanted before agreeing to go back to Coffs to pick him up. His mum was pleased as she didn’t want to stay in Coffs indefinitely and had been watching the pup.

Tori was impatient, going to the window every ten minutes to see if the car had pulled up. She’d been busy getting the pup’s place ready, buying all the things she thought a young pup would need. He was going to be a house dog, both Tom and Tori couldn’t see the point in having a dog and always keeping it outside. Tom had, however, fenced off a large play area in the back for the pup to play in until he learnt to come when called and stay. He knew it would break Tori’s heart if anything bad happened.

Sensing Tom behind her, Tori turned and smiled. "He’s just called, luv. He’s almost here, about five minutes."

"Thanks, Tom. I’ll put the kettle on. I know you’re both on duty this arvo, so nothing stronger than tea for now."

Tom laughed, "No worries, darling. Tea will be fine. Now are you all set?"

He didn’t need to ask as he’d watched her placing the dog bed and toys she’d bought in Coffs just where she thought he would like to rest. There was a second dog bed out on the porch, and the food and water bowls were ready to fill up in the kitchen. There were two large sacks of dry puppy chow in the store cupboard, and all she needed was the dog to go with.

Tom turned towards the door as he heard the car pull up outside. "I think they’re here, luv."

He managed to get to the door before her, and opened it to a smiling Stevo and a very bouncy puppy.

"Oh my lord, hasn’t he grown," Tori exclaimed. He’s turning into a handsome young pup isn’t he."

"He sure is, and mum says he’s all muscle, no fat. She’s managed to get him to sit on command, and he’s getting the idea of what ‘stay’ means. Now, have you thought of a name yet?"

"No, Steve, I wanted to have him in the house first to see what he was like. Shall we take him out the back? I’m sure he must need a toilet break."

"Good idea. Mum said that he’s very good, after eating or drinking, he will go to the back door and put his foot up at it."

"Fantastic," Tom replied, watching the puppy bouncing up and down around Tori. "Looks like he remembers her too."

After his toilet break, the pup followed Tori back into the kitchen and drank some of the water she offered him. Sniffing round the place, he found the indoor bed. Stevo had placed a small blanket inside it. The pup stepped inside, sniffed the blanket, turned round three times, then flopped down and went straight to sleep.

They talked names over their cuppa’s and Tori mentioned the fact that he was a VERY bouncy boy. Tom held up his hands and told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t going to have a dog called Bouncer.

"Okay then," Tori countered, "seeing as how we are close to the bush out here, how about Boomer?"

Tom and Stevo looked at each other and laughed. Tom went over to the sleeping puppy and stroked him gently behind the ears. "Welcome home, Boomer," he whispered.