Since I had had that dream at Crufts, the premonition that trouble involving this man had never left my thoughts. I had foolishly hoped that it was only a fictional thought but this was real. Jake, the boy who had destroyed my puppyhood, was indeed standing before my girl and I. She had never met him before though, and also turned to stand in front of me, confused as to why I had suddenly tensed up.
Jake caught my eye, smirked and left. The other man with him followed obediently. I didn't know what he was up to but I certainly knew that wasn't the last of it. I couldn't believe that he didn't recognise me, so he must have been up to something. My keen, but wary, gaze followed him out of our field, until he had entirely left the agility area, leaving me standing and waiting. Come what may, I was ready. This time he wasn't going to hurt me; he certainly wasn't gong to hurt my girl.
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"Breeze..... Breeze... Are you awake?" I waited for her response. Silence. This wasn't working. I had been unsuccessfully trying to get her attention for nearly five minutes now. This called for something else. "Breeze, quick! Mr.Giraffe is in trouble!" Instantaneously, the Brown and White Collie who, moments ago was sound asleep, jumped up, a deep protective growl being emitted from her throat.
She quickly scarpered across the laminate wooden flooring,reaching the toy box in a time that was surely record breaking. After diving head first into the toy box, Breeze turned toward me holding 'Mr.Giraffe' in her mouth. It was her favourite toy, no doubt about it. She began to walk back to me, bringing her toy with her. When she reached me, a look of deep concern was covering her delicate sheepdog face.
"What's wrong Storm? Why did you wake me up at... 3.45AM?"
When I didn't answer, but looked down at my paws instead, she became more than just concerned. Jake's attraction toward me hadn't gone unnoticed by the others. Breeze in particular was highly intrigued by his behaviour. He was, after all, her owner. I knew I needed to tell her that he was once the source of my misery. It was the reason I had woken her. But something made me regret my choice.
"Uhmm... I just wanted to tell you that.... You uhm...were great in the lesson earlier. Well done!" The unconvincing dribble leaving my mouth made even me utterly confused. What on earth was I saying!? It sounded extremely fake to my own ears; what was Breeze going to think of me now?
"Oh... What's really going on Storm?" The demanding tone in her voice caused me to let out a barely audible, shocked gasp. I was going to have to tell her. 'Ok, on three' I muttered under my breath, encouraging myself.
"Jake is-I mean was-...my old owner".
It was now her turn to gasp. Terror covered her face, masked only by the surprise of my announcement. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her body tense with what seemed like anger? We continued to watch each other for a good few minutes, silence surrounding us, clouding our thoughts. Both of us wanted desperately to break the silence, yet neither of us had anything to say. Again, I mentally kicked myself for telling Breeze; she didn't need this right now!
Outside, the wind howled, momentarily shattering our minute of serenity. A shadow seemingly danced across the room. It paused for a moment, as if it were listening to the silence, before swiftly moving away leaving the moonlight to illuminate the two figures left comforting each other in the centre of the room.
If only I had known the significance of confessing to her. Or how it would strain, and break, more than one heart.