Part One:  Brian to the Rescue

 

 

 

The one thing that ad-man extraordinaire, Brian Kinney, did like about the hour long drive from his offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to his country estate in Virginia was the chance to reflect on this unexpected life he had made for himself in his forties.  Just over ten years earlier, he would have hit the ground laughing if anyone even hinted that his life would be as it was now.  He was a wealthy man owning his own thriving businesses… well, to be honest that part he had pictured for himself.  He was a country squire with a beautiful estate, as well as still having ownership of his old bachelor (aka fuck) pad.  That part didn’t seem so far from the realm of future possibilities ten years earlier.  However, the fact that he was also a married man with a gorgeous husband a dozen years younger than himself, which he willingly stayed faithful to, as well as a son that he was devoted to… well, that simply never crossed his mind while he was in his twenties.  As a matter of fact, it didn’t seem possible even into his early thirties.  But all that changed when he looked into the eyes of a teenager, standing under a streetlight one night, and found himself drawn to the twink like a magnet finding its mate.

 

 

 

Now, as he drove on through the quiet countryside on his way home to be with his husband, he found himself smiling at the memories of the past decade or so.  His happiest memory was, of course, the day that Justin returned to Pittsburgh with suitcase in hand, declaring that being alone in New York City wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.  He announced to one and all that becoming a huge success wasn’t worth it if it meant leaving his heart behind in the Pitts.  No one doubted that he was talking about Brian.  Later that evening, Justin left no doubt who he was talking about as the lovers reconnected passionately many times over that night.  The next day, they spent hours talking about their future, and just how it would look.  Once Brian reminded Justin that he had not gotten around to putting the large estate in Virginia up for sale, they decided to use it as a home base as they settled down into a life together.  Justin agreed that Brian should keep the loft too, for those times when either one, or both of them needed to stay in the city. 

 

 

 

One of the reasons behind keeping the estate, which they had once jokingly named Britin and now stuck with, was the idea of having Gus visiting frequently whenever the girls would allow it.  Justin knew better than anyone how much Brian missed seeing Gus.  The truth was that Justin missed the boy just as much.  Not long after the couple furnished their house and settled in, they invited the girls, along with Gus and JR, to come for a visit.  That was the first Summer holiday that the couple played hosts to the girls and their children.  At first, both Mel and Lindsay were a little hesitant about sending Gus for a solo visit a few years later, but once they saw how different… how very responsible Brian had become with Justin beside him… they changed their minds.  From the age of seven on, Gus arrived at Britin every Summer for a minimum of a two week stay, sometimes even longer.  It was the highlight of his Summer holidays from school.

 

 

 

Now, Gus was a teenager and Brian felt even more connected to his son than ever before.  There were so many times he could see himself in Gus.  The boy was mentally sharp and very opinionated, but also very fair.  He was never shy about standing up for what he believed in, and the relationship between his dad and Justin was at the top of the list.  He thought of Justin as his second dad, just as he thought of Melanie as his second mom.  He loved being at home with his moms and sister, but it was obvious that the thing he loved doing most was visiting his dad and Justin.  Brian tried not to spoil him when he came for visits, but often found himself giving in when Gus expressed a desire for something.  The two horses in the stable at the back of the house were proof of that, along with the trainer they hired to take care of the horses.  Gus had learned to ride in Canada, thanks to some of his friends.  When he mentioned that it was a shame for the stables to remain empty awhile back… well, it didn’t take long for the three of them to go searching for a horse for Gus to care for and ride on his visits.  Then Justin discovered his love of riding, which led to their ownership of a second horse.  Despite their attempts to convince Brian to join them on rides, Brian staunchly reminded them that the only horsepower he would ride was his beloved ‘Vette.

 

 

 

The countryside continued flashing by as Brian drove through the evening dusk, while continuing to reflect on how happy his life had turned out to be.  Brian was still only half-way home when he heard a warning beep coming from his dashboard.  A quick glance down revealed that he was nearly out of gas.  Cursing under his breath at his forgetfulness, he started looking for signs of a gas station on the road ahead.  This part of his journey home was not on one of the more traveled highways, so there was not as many gas stations available between home and his office.  Finally, a few miles further on, he saw the unmistakable lights of a small privately-owned station up ahead.  He pulled up to the first of four pumps, getting out of his car and pulling out his credit card.  That’s when he noticed the sign warning him to pay inside the store before pumping gas.  Cursing once again at the delay in getting back on the road quicker, Brian made his way inside the small shop.

 

 

 

The place was typical for a country gas station… a half dozen rows of snack foods on shelves, a soda pop machine in the back, and a long counter with a tiny old man of indeterminate age sitting behind it.  Even the cash register next to him was from another era.  It was as if time had forgotten this place years ago.  At least Brian was glad to see a credit card reader sitting next to the cash register.  He carried very little cash with him anymore.  The old man looked up from his magazine long enough to give Brian a raggedy tooth grin, and ask him how much he wanted, and which pump he intended to use.  Brian passed on the information and handed over his card.  Happily, the old man had obviously done a lot of credit card business before.  It only took him a second to confirm the purchase and hand over the receipt to Brian.  With a casual ‘thank you, come again’ from the attendant, Brian left the store and hurried to his car.  As he was getting the nozzle off its stand, a large black truck with oversized tires screeched up to the side of the building, right next to a weather-beaten industrial trash container. 

 

 

 

Brian inserted the nozzle and began filling his tank, while glancing over at the rear end of the truck.  He couldn’t help noticing a huge oddly-shaped dent in the man’s rear bumper, as if he had backed into the corner of a building.  ‘Obviously drives like a maniac on the road too’ Brian thought to himself.  Less than a minute later, Brian watched the driver of the truck back up so fast that gravel was scattered all over the side of the building.  ‘Idiot’, Brian murmured to himself.  He continued to fill his tank.  Less than a minute passed when Brian heard a strange noise coming from the side of the building.  It was muffled, but sounded like whining, then stopped abruptly.  Brian finished his fill-up, set the nozzle back in place, and started to get back into his car.  This time he heard the odd noise even more distinctly.  Yes, it was definitely a whining sound.  Intrigued, despite his desire to get home, Brian walked over to the side of the building.  As he got closer, he heard the sound again and recognized that it was coming from the trash container.  Something was definitely wrong.

 

 

 

Brian stepped up to the container and peeked in.  The lid was open so Brian could see that it was only half full.  And right in the middle of the trash was a thirty-gallon black trash bag.  That wouldn’t be so surprising, except that this bag was moving.  Just then, Brian heard the whining sound again, only much louder.  Now there was no mistaking where the sound was coming from… it was from that bag.  Without hesitation, Brian climbed into the container and grabbed ahold of the bag.  It was heavier than he had expected, but he held tight as he carefully maneuvered his way back onto the ground.  Quickly tearing open the bag, which had been tightly closed with zip ties, he was shocked at what he saw inside.  There, lying in a fetal position was an underfed dog that looked like an Irish Setter, with front and back paws also tied together with zip ties, obviously with the intent of keeping her from clawing her way out of the bag.  Huddled between her legs was a tiny puppy, which showed no signs of life.

 

 

 

The grown dog appeared to be the pup’s mother by the looks of her tits, swollen with milk.  She stared up at him with eyes that matched the cries from her throat.  Her whimpers were even louder now that she was out of the bag.  Brian rushed over to his car and fished out a knife he kept in his glove compartment in case of emergencies.  Hurrying back to the bag, he bent down and quickly cut the ties binding the mother dog’s limbs.  He wasn’t sure how she would react once freed, but all she did was lie just as she had been, only moving to pull her pup closer to her body.  Brian watched as she began licking the deathly still pup roughly with her tongue.  He was almost certain there was no life in the tiny thing, but after a minute of rough scrapes from the mother’s tongue, Brian heard a tiny mewling sound coming from the puppy.  Brian returned to the trunk of his car and picked up a large throw blanket he stored there.  Returning to where the mother dog still lay with her pup, he very carefully approached her and gathered both her and the pup inside the warmth of the blanket.  She wasn’t very heavy, being several pounds lighter than her breed would normally be.  Once Brian had them in his arms, he came around the corner and went back inside the storefront.  The old man looked up from his magazine again with a quizzical look on his face.

 

 

 

“Forget something, young fella?” he enquired, seeming not to take notice of the bundle in Brian’s arms.

 

 

 

“No, but I found something that you should know about.”  He laid the blanket on the counter, still holding on to it so they wouldn’t fall out.

 

 

 

“What the Hell you got there?” the old man asked.

 

 

 

“I was filling up my tank when I saw this idiot rushing in and parking over there, next to the side of your building where the trash container is.  I didn’t see what he was doing, but the next thing I know he is pulling out like a man being chased by the devil himself.  Then I heard this strange noise coming from that area, so I decided to check it out.  This…” he said, pointing to the bundle, “… is what I found in the bin.  They were trapped inside a large trash bag, and what’s worse is the mother was tied up so she couldn’t escape.”

 

 

 

“So, what would you like me to do about it, mister?”

 

 

 

“I don’t know… maybe contact someone, like Animal Control, for instance.”

 

 

 

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you just do that.  It’s almost time for me to close up and I don’t have time to deal with this.”

 

 

 

“Well, what am I supposed to do with them?”

 

 

 

“Hell, why ask me?  You found ‘em, you should take ‘em with ya and decide for yourself what to do with ‘em,” he suggested, sucking in his lower lip against his almost toothless bottom gums.

 

 

 

“Well, fuck,” Brian exclaimed, gathering the blanket back up into his arms.  He threw a ‘thanks for nothing, asshole’ over his shoulder and exited the store. Hurrying over to his car, he set the blanket onto the bucket seat of his vehicle.  He carefully wrapped the blanket securely around the dog and her pup, who continued to shiver despite the warmth.  She looked up at him with an expression of apprehension, mixed with something akin to gratitude.  Brian hurried into the front seat and gunned his engine.  He would get home as quickly as possible and see what Justin thought of this new situation.  If anyone would have a good idea of how to handle it, he knew Justin would.  The one thing he knew for himself was that he couldn’t leave the poor things behind.  Brian had never had an urge for a pet, but he had a humane heart, and seeing an animal suffer was simply unacceptable. 

 

 

 

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Part Two:  Justin to the Rescue

 

 

 

Brian drove as quickly through the gathering dusk as he safely could, despite a growing sense of urgency to get home.  He was surprised at how docile the mother dog was being.  Outside of movements to comfort her pup with gentle licks from her tongue, she made no other moves or sounds.  An occasional glance down at her, told Brian that both she and her pup were still breathing, which was an encouraging sign.  Of course, he had no way of knowing how long they had been trapped in that fucking bag, or even why their owner had thrown them out like pieces of trash.  For all he knew, they were sickly in some way and the asshole didn’t want to spend money to take them to the vet.  Whatever his excuse was, it wasn’t good enough to do what he did.  Brian just wished he had caught a look at the man’s face before he ran off, or at least gotten his license plate number.  Brian suddenly realized that he couldn’t just spring this surprise on Justin.  He carefully used the stand his phone was set on and punched in the number for home.  Justin’s voice answered almost immediately.

 

 

 

“Hey, Lover, what’s taking you so long?  Everything okay?  I thought you’d be home by now.  Dinner is getting cold, and you know how Mrs. Murphy hates seeing her meals spoiled.”

 

 

 

“I know, Sunshine, but we have something more important to worry about than hurting our housekeeper’s feelings.  Listen, I am only about ten minutes away and I need you to be outside waiting for me when I pull up.  I have a surprise for you, and I’ll need your help dealing with it.”

 

 

 

Justin’s voice sounded curious.  “It’s not my birthday and we have no anniversary that I can think of.  What kind of surprise are you talking about?”

 

 

 

“Well now, if I told you then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?  You’ll see when I get there.  Just be ready to give me a helping hand.  Okay?”

 

 

 

“Always,” Justin answered him.  He heard the phone go silent, leaving him with a ton of questions.  But it didn’t matter what Brian was up to.  Justin knew he would find it interesting.  He always did whenever Brian came up with anything.  The couple was never bored with one another, not even after all these years.

 

 

 

Brian, in the meantime, was asking himself why he was being so secretive.  There was really no good reason to avoid telling Justin about the dogs.  Even though he had never indicated that he wanted a pet, Brian knew Justin loved and respected animals.  It was Justin who had the final word on buying the horses so that Gus could ride when he visited, even when Brian protested that they would be too much trouble, especially for the long periods when Gus wasn’t there.  Justin still rode the trails behind the house whether Gus had come for a visit or not.  Sometimes he would even go riding whenever a family member or friend came to visit them out in the country, which happened at least once a month.  Everyone they knew and loved had been impressed by Brian’s purchase of the estate, and understood why the couple spent more time there than in the city.

 

 

 

Finally, Brian could see lights from the estate drawing closer.  Moments later, he was taking the long circular driveway up to the main house.  Sure enough, Justin was standing out on the front steps waiting for him just as instructed.  He hurried out to greet Brian, dying of curiosity from the mysterious phone call.  He made his way over to the driver’s side, not noticing that there was anything on the passenger side of the car.  Brian stepped out of the ‘Vette and was greeted with the usual warm hug and kiss that he always received when he came home.  It was one of the best parts of his day.  But he held Justin away from him once their lips separated.  Justin gave him a surprised look.

 

 

 

“Hey, what’s up?  My kisses don’t get your blood pumping anymore?”

 

 

 

“Don’t be an ass, Sunshine.  You can raise my heart rate just by looking at me, and you know it.  No, I have something you need to see… something that I think you’ll know what to do with better than me.  You have such a level head on those sexy shoulders of yours.”

 

 

 

Justin gave Brian another quick peck, then asked what he meant.  Without another word, Brian walked over to the other side of the car, followed close behind by Justin.  Once he got there, Brian opened the door and stepped aside, motioning for Justin to look inside.  Justin bent down and was shocked by what he witnessed.  There, lying on the seat of Brian’s beloved ‘Vette was a blanket wrapped around something, which the interior light of the car revealed to be the face of a reddish colored dog.  Justin reached in and placed his hand gently on the dog’s head, slowly stroking the matted fur.  The dog let out a tiny whimper, but didn’t pull away from his touch.  Justin stood back up and stared at Brian.

 

 

 

“What in the world have you brought home with you?” he asked, astonishment clear in the sound of his voice.

 

 

 

“Well, as you can plainly see, it’s a dog.  But there isn’t just one of them.  If you pull the blanket back, you’ll find that this is a mother dog and she has one very tiny puppy nestled in there too.”

 

 

 

Surprise turned to shock.  Two dogs… when Brian never showed an interest in even having one dog.  After all, both he and Gus had tried to talk him into getting a dog more than once in the past, but Brian always avoided the idea.  Now he was suddenly bringing home, not one but two dogs?

 

 

 

“Wha…?”

 

 

 

“Wait!  Let’s get them inside where it’s warmer and then I’ll explain the whole thing.  And I think you should call Dickie in from the stables.  He knows a lot about animals and can probably help us out here.”

 

 

 

Dickie was the retired ranch hand the couple had hired to take care of the horses when they bought them.  He had been living in the small apartment connected to the stables ever since.  He was a grizzled old rancher with decades of experience under his belt.  He was obviously a lover of horses, preferring their company to most humans.  Despite this, both Brian and Justin found him interesting and respectful, so the fact that he liked to keep to himself most of the time was no problem for them.  He, along with Mrs. Murphy, had become members of their household.  Mrs. Murphy was as close to a mother hen that the couple could find, when looking for a housekeeper to help keep their household running smoothly.  She had turned out to be a blessing from Day One.  She was a fantastic cook, but never acted irritated on those occasions when Justin felt like preparing the meal.  She kept the house spotless and well organized, yet knew what to leave alone when it came to ‘her boys’, as she so often was heard to refer to them.  Even Gus took to her instantly the first time he met her. 

 

 

 

Justin hurried ahead of Brian, opening the front door so that he could carry the bundle in the house and on into the parlor, where a crackling fire in the fireplace warmed the room.  Setting the bundle down on the thick shag rug in front of the fireplace, Brian watched Justin reach for his cell on the coffee table to make the call to Dickie.  It was answered quickly, as it usually was.  The man was always ready whenever they needed him.  Justin got right to the point and asked Dickie to come to the house.  Setting the phone down, he nodded to Brian, who was uncovering the mother and her pup.  She had stopped whimpering and was now busy caring for her tiny pup.  The little thing was finally showing a little more life, wriggling a lot more than he had when Brian first found him.  His mother’s care was obviously of some help.  He had also finally attached himself to one of his mother’s nipples and was sucking for dear life. 

 

 

 

Justin hurried over and knelt down to join Brian on the floor.  It was the first time that he could see what kind of dog Brian had brought home.  Her reddish chestnut-colored fur was long and fine, but looked unkempt as if she hadn’t been groomed in ages.  She seemed a little underweight too, but there was an unmistakable beauty in her face.  As her gaze turned from one man’s face to the other, there was a look of something akin to gratitude mixed with caution in her eyes.  Almost instantly, Justin felt a connection to her.  Her puppy couldn’t have been more than a week or two in age because his eyes were still firmly closed.  Although Justin didn’t know a lot about dogs, he knew that puppies were practically newborn if their eyes were not yet open.  Before he could say anything to Brian, they heard the heavy footsteps coming down the hall from the back of the house.  Seconds later, they saw Dickie entering the room.

 

 

 

“Evening, Mr. Kinney, I hear tell from Mr. Taylor that you have brought home a bundle of dog tonight.  So, what can I do to help?”  They heard from the gruff voice of their stable hand.

 

 

 

Dickie joined them on the floor.  Brian quickly explained to a curious and interested Justin and Dickie, all the details of why he had arrived home with such an unexpected bundle.  Curiosity turned to outrage.  Dickie was a lifelong animal lover and Justin hated cruelty to any living creature.  They began bombarding him with questions about the asshole who had done such a despicable thing.  Brian raised his hand to calm them down.

 

 

 

“Whoa, fellas!  One voice at a time please.  But all I can tell you anyway is that I have no idea who the jerk is.  I know the make, model, and color of his truck, and he had distinctive tires on it, but he also had tinted windows so I didn’t really get a good look at the bastard.  And before you ask, I didn’t think to get his license number.  I didn’t realize at the time that there was any problem.  It was only after he peeled out that I heard this poor girl struggling to get out and crying for help.  I will tell you one thing, I’m pretty sure I’d recognize that truck again if I saw it.  But that’s not much to go on.  And, like I said the old guy at the station wanted nothing to do with them, so I had to bring them home.  Couldn’t think of anything else to do, especially this late at night.  So, what do we do next?” he asked, turning to Dickie.

 

 

 

“Well, Mr. Kinney, I’m no veterinarian but they both look like they need examining,” he answered, while gently stroking the mother dog’s fur. 

 

 

 

Justin piped in.  “Do you think they would be okay until morning?  You and I could drive them to the vet clinic in town and see Dr. Quiqley.  He does such a great job taking care of our horses.  I’m sure he’d know what kind of care they need.”

 

 

 

“That’s sounds like a plan, if you agree Dickie, but the two of you will need to take them to the clinic.  I can’t miss the appointment I have set up with one of my top clients tomorrow.  Otherwise, I’d be glad to go with you,” Brian responded, only being half sincere. 

 

 

 

Dickie agreed, then volunteered to take the dog and her pup out to his place where he could keep an eye on them and make sure the mother dog had food and water.  With plans agreed upon, Justin took a little time to show some more love for their new wards, while Dickie hurried back to his place to prepare a place for them.  Once he returned, Justin carried the pup, still wrapped in the blanket, while Dickie led the mother to his place using a makeshift collar and leash.  He barely needed it, because she walked easily beside him with frequent glances up at the bundle Justin carried.  Once they were settled into the hurriedly made up bed Dickie had prepared for them, Justin returned to the main house. 

 

 

 

Justin found Brian waiting for him in the living room.  Without saying a word, he walked over to the fireplace where Brian stood waiting, and proceeded to wrap his arms around his husband from behind, hugging him tightly.  Brian bent over and kissed Justin’s clasped hands, turned around in his arms and kissed him on the lips.  

 

 

 

“To what do I owe such a loving embrace?” Brian queried.

 

 

 

“Because, I am just so damned proud of you.  I know you’ve always told me that you’re not the pet loving type, but what you did for those unfortunate animals tells me what a kind heart you have… as if I didn’t already know it.”

 

 

 

“Well, don’t get any ideas, Sunshine.  I couldn’t just leave them out there to die.  No creature deserves such a fate.  But, as soon as we can, we’ll find a place for them… like a shelter, if not a home.  We’re certainly not going to keep them.  We spend enough time and money just keeping the horses.”

 

 

 

“Of course,” Justin responded.  But wheels were starting to turn inside his handsome blond head.  He knew that Gus was expected to arrive in a couple of weeks for his annual Winter Break Holiday visit, and the boy would love nothing more than getting the chance to play with such a beautiful dog.  That is, if the poor thing was healthy enough and survived.  If Justin could only convince Brian that they should keep the mother dog and pup for a little while, there was the chance that he and Gus could convince Brian of the benefits of having them stay permanently.  After all, between the two of them, they had persuaded a reluctant Brian once before with the horses.  But, of course, this would all depend on what the vet had to say about both animals.  In the meantime, the couple settled down on the couch to discuss their day, as they waited on Mrs. Murphy to inform them that she had reheated their dinner and the table was ready.

 

 

 

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Part Three:  Gus to the Rescue

 

 

 

The two weeks before the expected arrival of Gus had flown by so fast that Justin felt as if it was in the blink of an eye.  A lot had happened during those two weeks.  First and foremost, Justin had fallen irrevocably in love with their rescued dogs, both mother and son.  Justin had already given them names, although he had judiciously not mentioned it to Brian.  His husband had insisted that as soon as the pair were back to full health, they were going to some deserving home.  Justin had other ideas, but he kept that to himself.  His one hope was that he could make Gus his co-conspirator in convincing Brian that the two loving dogs belonged with them. 

 

 

 

Of course, just the fact that the dogs were well on their way to good health was a miracle.  He and Dickie did take the abandoned mother and pup to the vet clinic the next morning after Brian brought them home.  When Brian came home that evening, he heard all about Dr. Quigley’s assessment.  What was obvious to the naked eye was that the mother dog was pitifully underfed and had not been groomed in a long time, if ever.  With her long, thick chestnut-red coat, this was a necessary task for an owner.  Another thing the vet found was that she had unequivocally been bred many times over, based on her oversized teats, and an examination of her pelvic bone.  He also had no doubt that she was a pure-bred that would have been worth a lot of money if she was in top condition.  An exam of the fecal matter showed that both mother and pup also had worms.  Thankfully, blood work showed no other signs of disease.  The first job was to start the deworming process for both mother and son, who was just old enough to receive the first treatment, although the pup was probably the runt of her litter, if there had been any other pups born with him.  Although the pup was still too young for vaccinations, the vet recommended the mother be started on shots in case she had never been vaccinated, which was highly likely given her obvious poor treatment.  The vet also had his assistant give the mother a bath and grooming.  It was amazing how much better she looked when the job was finished. 

 

 

 

By the time Justin and Dickie left the clinic, Justin was already in love.  He had been impressed by how docile the mother was, even tolerating the vet separating her from her pup.  It was as if she sensed that these people meant neither her nor her baby any harm.  Once they were back in Dickie’s truck and on their way home, she had settled down between them on the seat with her pup once again nestled against her belly and suckling.  Dickie made a quick stop at a nearby pet supply shop to purchase some of the necessities their new wards would need, while they stayed with the Kinney/Taylor family. Justin stayed in the truck while Dickie went into the store.  As he stroked the mother, he spoke to her gently.

 

 

 

“Don’t worry, little lady, we won’t let anything happen to you or your baby.  We’ll take good care of you, and I’ll do my best to talk Brian into letting you stay with us.  You deserve a loving home, and believe me, Brian is really a softie inside.  He just doesn’t like showing it to anyone.  But I’ve known for a long time that he has a heart of gold.  Believe me, with the help of Gus… that’s Brian’s son… we can probably talk him into making you a member of the family too.”

 

 

 

The mother looked up at Justin as if listening to every word he said, and even understanding him.  Her mouth opened, her tongue lolled out to the side, and Justin would have sworn she smiled at him.  Suddenly, while looking at her lovely face, he knew what he wanted to call her. 

 

 

 

Almost in a whisper, he said, “I think I’m going to name you ‘Debbie’.  You remind me of her somehow.  She is such a protective, loving Mom too.  And I think I have the perfect name for your little boy too.  I’m going to call him ‘Liberty’.  Now, don’t tell Brian.  We have to first wait until he realizes that you were meant to be a part of our family.”

 

 

 

The next two weeks were busy ones, while they waited for Gus to arrive.  Justin kept a close watch on Debbie’s diet, per the vet’s instructions.  Within a week everyone could see how she was beginning to fill out.  Even her coat was improving in appearance.  She was remarkably docile and loved nothing more than following Justin around the house on those occasions when she seemed to feel it was safe to leave her pup alone.  It seemed that the mother’s diet was enriching her milk too, because little Liberty was starting to grow into a much healthier looking puppy.  His eyes were now fully opened, and he was beginning to take tentative steps, although somewhat wobbly on occasion, outside the huge bed that was bought for them the day after their arrival.  Justin often came to take Debbie out for walks.  At first, he used a leash and collar, but within days it was clear that she enjoyed walking close by him.  It seemed obvious that she had no desire to stray, probably because of her pup. 

 

 

 

Justin had confided in Dickie and Mrs. Murphy, who also had bonded with the newcomers, that he had a name for them, but swore them to secrecy.  Around Brian, they were always referred to as ‘mother dog’ and ‘the pup’.  Brian was none the wiser.  He came home every evening thinking that he only had to put up with dogs in the house until the puppy was fully weaned.  By then, he figured, both mom and pup would be healthy enough to find them a good home.  However, he did find himself looking forward to seeing them when he came home after a hard day’s work.  Although he would have cut out his tongue before admitting it to anyone, even himself.    Just two days before Gus was to arrive for his visit, Justin walked into the living room and caught Brian sitting on the large sectional sofa with Debbie snuggled close beside him, while Liberty seemed to be on an explorer’s tour of the entire room.  The two of them were watching the action of the frisky pup, that had just recently become far more active.  Brian was unconsciously stroking Debbie’s fur.  Justin said nothing.  He just slipped away quietly.  His face lit up.  Maybe his plan to convince Brian that the dogs should stay with them would work out easier than he thought.  But, he still looked forward to help from Gus. 

 

 

 

Finally, the day came for Gus to arrive.  The entire house was in an uproar.  Mrs. Murphy ran around checking on the work of their part-time maid, who came twice a week to help out the older woman.  She adored young Gus and wanted everything to be spic and span.  When she wasn’t bugging the maid, she was in the kitchen preparing some of her best dishes which she already knew Gus loved, including a dozen of all his favorite homemade cookies.  Brian tried to act nonchalant about the whole thing, but Justin knew his husband better than that.  Brian looked forward to visits from his son more than anything.  He was more than a little proud of the young man his boy was becoming each year.  It was obvious that Lindsay and Melanie were doing a great job in raising him.  Justin, of course, was more eager for Gus’s arrival than normal.  He had his secret plan to work out with the help of Gus, hopefully his co-conspirator in convincing Brian that they needed to keep Debbie and Liberty.

 

 

 

Both mom and pup seemed to sense that this day was different than most.  They both were far more active than usual, following first one person all around the house and then another.  Brian didn’t seem at all bothered by those occasions when they tended to get in his way.  Justin saw that Brian, despite himself, was becoming more comfortable with their presence with each passing day.  It was a good sign for their future in the household.  Finally, it was time for Brian to head for the airport to collect his son.  As he left, Justin gave him a loving kiss and reminded him not to spill the beans about the dogs.  They had decided to surprise Gus.  Actually, it was Justin’s idea to keep it a secret.  He sensed that Gus’s inevitable excitement at finding out about the two adorable additions to the household would add points on the side of keeping them permanently.  Brian, as he so often did when Justin used certain tactics to get his way, gave in and agreed to keep the secret.

 

 

 

A little over an hour later, Justin found out, to his delight, that his assessment was accurate.  Gus almost flew into the house within minutes of their arrival, Brian following close behind with a piece of overstuffed luggage in each hand.  “D J,” he shouted at the top of his lungs from the entryway.  It had been his nickname for Justin as soon as his dad married him.  He told them it stood for Daddy Justin.  Justin hurried to greet the boy that he thought of as a son the same as Brian did.  After all, he had been there at the boy’s birth just as Brian had.  He even enjoyed taking credit for the boy’s name, which was close enough to the truth.  They had become close as the years passed.  Justin, who was now several inches shorter than teenager, Gus, threw his arms around Brian’s clone and hugged him tightly.

 

 

 

“Welcome back, Gus Gus,” Justin greeted him.

 

 

 

Gus winced a little at the childhood nickname, but would never have said a word to his dad’s husband.  He loved Justin dearly and always had a wonderful time with him when they got to visit with each other.  Before he could return Justin’s greeting, Gus heard an unfamiliar sound coming from the back of the house where the kitchen was.  He would have sworn it was a dog’s bark.  He looked at Justin with a quizzical eye, then turned to his dad, who had just joined them.

 

 

 

“What the…?”

 

 

 

Justin laughed.  “You heard right.  Hold on.  I’ll go and get them.”

 

 

 

“Them?  What’s he talking about, Dad?”

 

 

 

Brian grimaced, although the sides of his mouth seemed to be trying to turn up into a smile, despite himself. 

 

 

 

“Wait and see, Son.  There have been a couple of changes around here.”

 

 

 

Moments later, Justin returned to the front room, holding onto a wriggling little bundle of fur, followed close at heel by a beautiful red dog.  Gus immediately fell to his knees and threw his arms around the big dog without a word.  He glanced up at his dad with questions clearly forming in his head.  Debbie started licking at his face, while her tail wagged frantically back and forth, as if she had known and loved Gus all her life.  The connection was instantaneous.  Even Brian could see it as he watched his son going back to stroking the beautiful dog and giving her his full attention.    Brian stared at Justin, who did his best to hide the broad smile he couldn’t disguise.  His immediate thought was… ‘this is going even better than I had hoped’.  Justin squatted down so that Gus could get a better look at the squirming bundle in his arms.  Gus let out a squeak of delight and reached for the pup.  He held it up in front of his face and laughed merrily.  He turned back to his dad.

 

 

 

“Okay, Dad, what’s going on?  Are these gorgeous creatures yours, or are you just taking care of them for a friend?  I mean, you said you didn’t want the trouble of keeping up with dogs in the house, yet here they are.”

 

 

 

Brian began explaining the story behind their ‘guests’, all the while watching how Gus couldn’t stop playing with the pair of them.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Gus this excited… no wait, yes he could.  Gus was acting the same way he did when he was surprised by the purchase of the two horses Brian had bought for the family.  As Brian came to the end of his story, he reminded Gus that they were not planning on keeping the two dogs.  They intended to find them a good home as soon as they were in perfect health. 

 

 

 

Gus interrupted.  “They look pretty damned healthy to me, Dad.  Don’t you agree, DJ?  Yet they are still here.  Maybe you aren’t so eager to get rid of them as you claim,” he quipped, with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, in a way that was eerily identical to Brian when he was being facetious.

 

 

 

Brian decided that retreat was the best option.  He quickly made up an excuse to leave the room.  Gus barely noticed.  His attention was fully back onto his new friends.  Justin got down on the floor and joined Gus.  Soon, both of them were playing happily with the dogs.  Finally, Justin decided to let Gus in on his true thoughts about them.  He even told Gus about the names he had secretly given them.  Gus high-fived him and praised his choice. 

 

 

 

“But DJ, do you really think we can convince Dad to keep them?  You know he can be stubborn when he makes up his mind sometimes.”

 

 

 

Justin grinned widely.  “I have every faith that the two of us can change his mind.  After all, I do have some experience in changing Brian’s way of thinking even when he has convinced himself of just the opposite.  And I think that Debbie and Liberty are just what we need to make this household even better.  And you do know that there is nothing he likes better than giving in to you when you really want something, even though he grumbles about it for a while.”

 

 

 

“Okay, so when do we start our Operation: Debbie and Liberty?”

 

 

 

“We start right away.  By the time your visit is over, it’s going to be either a yes or a no.  But I’m counting on a big fat yes.  Now, let’s go see what Mrs. Murphy has for us in the kitchen.”

 

 

 

With that, Justin and Gus headed for the back of the house.  Following on their heels was Debbie and Liberty.  They enjoyed nothing more than a visit to the kitchen.  Mrs. Murphy always had a treat for them.

 

 

 

The next couple of weeks were busy ones.  Brian, as was his custom, had taken a couple weeks off from work, leaving his business in the capable hands of his employees.  He loved spending as much time with Gus as he could during his visits.  He had loved the boy from the first day he saw him, and that love had grown with each passing year.  Gus was even more fun to be with now that he was a teenager.  He and Justin could do even more exciting things with Gus than they could when he was younger.  Brian, who had always been a city boy, had found that he enjoyed some country activities, such as visiting State Parks, hiking on nature trails, and spending time at some of the many lakes nearby, as long as he was with his two favorite men.  This time around, he was surprised to find that he didn’t mind when Gus and Justin insisted on bringing the dogs with them for most of their outings. 

 

 

 

One day Brian overheard Gus and Justin calling the dogs by the names the two of them had given the pair.  Again, he was surprised to find that he didn’t mind at all that they now had names, and he found himself approving of the names chosen.  By the end of the first week of Gus’s visit, Brian was calling them Debbie and Liberty too.  When husband and son noticed and said something to Brian about it, he just shrugged and told them that it was easier to call them by name rather than just referring to them as ‘the dogs’.  Neither Gus nor Justin could disguise their pleasure.  Their faces lit up with big grins.  Brian acted like he didn’t notice their reaction. 

 

 

 

But the official naming of the pair was only the beginning of the cracks in Brian’s armor when it came to keeping the dogs.  For the next couple of weeks, Gus went out of his way to include his dad in every activity which involved Debbie and Liberty.  Young Liberty was the one who took a special liking to Brian’s presence.  He’d greet Brian with all the enthusiasm that a frisky young pup could muster.  Every time Brian took a seat, whether it be indoors or outside, Liberty would attempt to jump into Brian’s lap, getting better at it with each new effort.  Brian reached the point where he didn’t think twice about bending over and pulling the young one up into his lap.  Liberty would turn around several times until he found the exact spot he wanted before settling down for a nap on Brian’s lap.  Both Gus and Justin watched as Brian gently stroked the little pup’s fur. 

 

 

 

Finally, the day came when the end of Gus’s visit was only a day away.  During the entire time that Gus was with them, Brian never brought up the subject of finding Debbie and Liberty a new home again.  That is, not until the night before Gus was scheduled to leave.  It all came to a head at the dinner table.  Brian, Justin, and Gus sat enjoying their delicious meal prepared by Mrs. Murphy.  She had, as always, served up all of Gus’s favorite dishes for the boy she had come to think of as her own grandchild.  Debbie and Liberty lay nearby with their heads down on their paws, but with eyes keeping watch over the men at the table.  They both knew that it wasn’t uncommon for one of them to ‘accidentally’ drop a couple of tiny scraps of meat onto the floor, then act like they hadn’t noticed it.  There was very little talk as they all cleaned their plates, but once Mrs. Murphy brought in the dessert, they sat back to let their meal settle before digging into the inviting end of their meal.  Now was the time for conversation.

 

 

 

Brian started it off with, “So, my boy, have you enjoyed your visit with us?  Did we manage to keep your interest the entire time?  I only ask because when I was your age, the last thing I wanted to do was spend any time with my old man.  And I’m sure that a good-looking kid like you might be missing someone special at home, which I wouldn’t know since you never mention anyone to me, (turning to Justin) or DJ either as far as I know.”

 

 

 

“Geez, Dad, I don’t have time for entanglements with anyone right now.  I’m too busy with school and my sports.  You know that I want to earn my own way into college, and a scholarship would go a long way in helping with that.  Mom told me that this is how you did it… with a sports scholarship and later an internship.  That’s what I want to do too.  But don’t worry, if and when I get involved with someone, I’ll let you know.  I promise.”

 

 

 

“And yes, I had a blast.  You know good and well that you spoil me rotten every time I visit.”  He looked over at Justin and grinned.  “Momma Mel says you only do it to make you look good, but I know you do it because you love me a lot, and hate that you don’t get to see me more often.”

 

 

 

Justin let out a short laugh.  “Sounds like he’s got your number, Big Daddy,” he chortled. 

 

 

 

“Anyway, Dad,” Gus interrupted, “you know I love everything you do for me and everything we all get to do as a family.  I especially love getting to ride the horses with DJ, and I figure that maybe one of these days you’ll give in and get a horse too so you can join us.”

 

 

 

Brian made a face that indicated… this wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

 

 

 

Gus went on.  “But the best part of the visit was getting to spend time with Debbie and Liberty.  They are the best dogs I’ve ever known.  You know, Dad, it would be really special if I could see them again when I come for my next visit.  I mean, they are like family.  Wouldn’t you agree, DJ?” He asked, turning to Justin for affirmation.

 

 

 

Justin smiled.  “It would seem rather cruel to send them away to strangers when they feel so safe here in their home with us, but that is kind of something your Dad would have to decide for himself.” 

 

 

 

Justin looked over at Brian, and a devilish grin appeared out of nowhere. Brian looked at both of the two most important people in the world to him.  He was just about to say something when he felt something cold and damp on his hand, which was laying in his lap.  He glanced down and saw Debbie poking her nose into his palm.  Her eyes gazed up at him, and Brian would have sworn she had a pleading look in those eyes.  He then noticed that Liberty had followed his mom and was gazing up at him too, with a huge grin on his face.  If Brian didn’t know better, he would swear those two critters understood every word of the discussion they had just heard.  It was the last straw.  Brian figured he could avoid making a decision about the dogs if he only had Justin to contend with, but he couldn’t fight off all four of them… Justin, Debbie, Liberty, and most of all Gus. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I give up!” he declared, throwing his hands in the air.  “Looks like we are now the proud owners of a pair of Irish Setters.”

 

 

 

Gus and Justin jumped out of their chairs and raced to Brian.  They threw their arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.  Debbie and Liberty jumped all around while yipping and yapping, as if they knew they were home for good.  Later that evening, everyone settled down for the night in total contentment.  Two innocent dogs had been saved from a horrible fate, thanks to the humans who were now their loving family.  The future looked bright for one and all.

 

 

 

********************************************

 

 

 

Epilogue:  One Year Later:

 

 

 

Gus stepped inside his dad’s house and was immediately surrounded by the joyful yapping of two frisky Irish Setters.  He fell to his knees and gathered first, then the other close to him.  They nearly knocked him over in their enthusiasm to greet him with sloppy wet kisses.  Gus just laughed as he wrestled with the happy canines.  He was overjoyed to see Debbie and Liberty again.  Seeing them was one of the highlights of his visits to Brian and Justin’s home.  This was his fifth visit since a year ago when he first met the two of them.  Liberty was now as big as his mother, and twice as frisky.  It was clear that they were well loved.  It was impossible to believe that Debbie had looked so sickly when she was first brought to the house, and that Liberty was just a puny little pup that looked half dead.  They were now as healthy looking as any dog on earth could be.  They were spoiled rotten by everyone, including the staff.  Once they had their health fully restored, the only visit they had to make to the vets was for a spaying and neutering. 

 

 

 

Brian came into the foyer behind Gus, and set the large suitcases he was carrying down on the floor, taking in the sight of his nearly grown son down on the floor, playing with the dogs like a young child.  It warmed his heart to see how well they all got along.  He was still in awe at how much the Setters had wormed their way into his heart.  Although he never said it out loud, he looked forward to a similar greeting that Gus was experiencing each night he came home from work.  Justin suddenly appeared from the sitting room and hurried over to greet his husband.

 

 

 

“Glad you’re back.  These two, (pointing at the dogs), must have a sixth sense that you were coming home with Gus in tow.  They’ve been hanging around that door for quite a while, and wouldn’t even come to the kitchen when Mrs. Murphy called to them with their dinner bowls ready.”

 

 

 

Gus finally extricated himself from the bundles of red fur and joined his dad and Justin.

 

 

 

“Hey Gus!  Good to see you again.  We’ve missed you,” Justin told him as he gave him a quick hug.  “I’d swear you’ve grown another couple of inches since your last visit.  At this rate, you’ll be taller than your dad in another year.”

 

 

 

Gus beamed.  “I’ve missed you guys too, and these two hellions,” he added, ruffling the heads of both Debbie and Liberty.

 

 

 

Before anything else could be said, they all heard the voice of Mrs. Murphy from the hallway leading to the back of the house.  She reminded them that dinner was nearly ready and Gus should get settled in so everyone could eat, including the ‘kids’ (as she always fondly referred to Debbie and Liberty).  No one argued.  Gus gathered one of his suitcases while Brian grabbed the other.  Everyone headed upstairs to get ready for dinner. 

 

 

 

The first week that Gus was visiting was full of fun and merriment.  Then, out of nowhere, something happened to change the tone of the household.  It began with a news item on television.  Everyone, including Debbie and Liberty, were settled in the den enjoying each other’s company.  Brian sat on the couch alone while only half listening to the TV set.  His ear was catching the playful teasing between Justin and Gus as they compared notes on which pet was the most fun to mess with… all the while stroking the dog closest to them.  His eyes would drift back and forth between the action on the floor nearby and the news program on TV.  Most of the news was pretty much the same old thing, so his attention wasn’t captured fully.  He had just glanced back up to the set on the wall when he let out an audible gasp. 

 

 

 

Brian immediately paused the program, and backed up what he had been watching.  He couldn’t believe his eyes.  There in front of him was the distinct image of a vehicle which he would never forget.  He turned up the volume and released the pause.  He strained forward to hear what was being said.  The first thing that was clear was that a burly looking man was being handcuffed by a police officer, with several others standing nearby.  They were standing in front of the vehicle Brian recognized.  In the background, he could hear a reporter’s voice announcing that the police had a man named Billy Soames under arrest for cruelty to animals, among other things.  Brian listened as the reporter went on to describe how this man, Soames had been caught running a puppy mill on his farm in the most deplorable conditions imaginable.  Apparently, this had been going on for a number of years, but had been hidden from view because of its location, which was far from any neighbors in a very remote area.  When suspicions had finally been aroused about activities on the farm, months of investigation gave the police enough ammunition to raid the location, and discover the truth about the man’s business.  What they had found was appalling, according to statements given by arresting officers. 

 

 

 

As Brian continued to listen intently to what was being said, Gus and Justin began noticing that something was up with him.  Justin quickly extricated himself from a playful Liberty and joined Brian.  He started to ask what was up, when Brian threw up a finger to shush him.  Justin took a look at what had captured Brian’s attention on the screen, then waited for the news report to conclude.  Moments later, Brian clicked off the TV and turned to Justin.  His face was dead serious.

 

 

 

“I think I just found the bastard who tried to condemn our dogs to death.”

 

 

 

“What do you mean?” Justin queried.

 

 

 

“On the news, they just talked about a raid that was made on a farm a couple of counties over from here.  It was some kind of puppy mill, which they said was one of the worst they had ever seen.”

 

 

 

“But, how do you know that has anything to do with Debbie and Liberty?”

 

 

 

“Because, Justin, the camera captured a view of them arresting the owner of the place just as he was driving out onto the main road, and I recognized the truck.”

 

 

 

“Are you absolutely certain it was the same truck?  How can you be so sure?  You said you never got a good look at the driver.”

 

 

 

“Not the driver, but I’d recognize the damage done to that truck anywhere.  It was a very distinctive dent… huge and oddly shaped.”

 

 

 

By now, Gus had joined them, and caught some of what they were saying, enough to understand what was up.

 

 

 

“Dad, if you are that certain it’s the same man, then you have to report it to the police.”

 

 

 

“What good would that do?  I told you that I didn’t see the man’s face enough to identify him.”

 

 

 

“Doesn’t matter.  If they have arrested him for animal cruelty, then you at least owe it to them (pointing at the dogs) to tell the cops your story.  Maybe it can help with their prosecution.”

 

 

 

Justin added his voice to Gus’s argument.  As Brian sat there pondering what to do, Debbie walked over to him and laid her face in his lap.  She stared up at him as if knowing what he was thinking about.  Brian thought he saw a pleading look on her face.  He reached down and gently scratched her head.

 

 

 

“You’re both right.  I’ll call them tomorrow,” Brian promised.

 

 

 

And that was just what he did.  Later that day two detectives showed up on their doorstep.  One took a report, then shared that he didn’t know if it would be of much help in prosecuting the abuser.  The other man was obviously more of an animal lover.  He seemed impressed by the care that the family had given their two helpless rescues.  He went on to give the family a much more thorough report on the history of the man they had arrested.  Brian, Justin, and Gus felt chills, as well as unbridled anger, when they were told how there was evidence that the man would either kill or discard dogs that either couldn’t breed any longer or produced less than perfect litters.  Each of them now believed that this was why Debbie had met her fate.  Little Liberty had obviously been a runt at birth, although you would never know it now, and since he was the only pup, it was possible she only gave birth to one or the others didn’t make it.  Their blood continued to boil as the detective passed on even more horror stories about the farm that this man owned. 

 

 

 

When the detectives left, the family thought that would be the end of it.  They had done their part by reporting what they knew.  But they were wrong.  After Gus left for home, Brian received a call from the district attorney handling the offender’s case.  Although he could not identify the driver, his eyewitness testimony of the truck (which later testimony showed was only driven by the defendant), and what the driver had done while in that truck helped their case in court.  Finally, the verdict was delivered… guilty as charged on all counts.  The judge seemed quite happy to give the man the maximum prison sentence allowed by law, including a very stiff fine, and court orders that he was never to own or sell another animal in his lifetime.  The penalties for such an act would send him right back to prison for a second time.  Brian and Justin were in the court when the sentence was handed down.  That night they returned home to the usual exuberant welcome that they always received from Debbie and Liberty.  As they settled in for the evening with their beloved pets, they smiled at each other.  Somehow fate had allowed their fur babies to get the justice they deserved.  Even better, fate had brought Debbie and Liberty into their lives in the first place.  Their little family was now complete.

 

 

 

The End