Bailey's New Family

Bailey's New Family

By Dana Howard

Bailey is so happy. Bailey has a new family, the Howard's. CJ and Mia are both teenagers, CJ in his senior year in High School, and Mia is in the Junior High School. Their Mama and Dad and of course, Fluffy the hamster. Bailey now has a big house and does not have to live in that small soggy box she and her brother Scrappy lived in outside by that smelly dumpster at the fire station. Oh, how Bailey remembered so well the day she met Mia and CJ!

The fire station made so much noise all day with those big men and the loud siren and the clanging trucks. The men yelled and jumped on the truck to fight fires. Bailey did not understand, but she so wanted out of that soggy box and wet towel. She loved her brother, but he did not smell good at all!

One day, one of those big men went to throw out the trash. Fireman Joe saw the box and bent down to pick it up. As he went to grab the box, he smelled first a strong odor! Then Fireman Joe saw Bailey and Scrappy rustling about and sleeping fitly in their wet, soggy, smelly little box.

"Well, what do we have here?" Fireman Joe picked up the two puppies out of the tattered, soggy box. Scrappy groggily woke up and began to lick Fireman Joe's face while Bailey stretched, and then make every effort to wiggle free! Fireman Joe took Bailey and Scrappy into the fire station.

"Hey Joe, what you got there? Thought you were taking out the trash?" Everybody began to laugh.

Fireman Joe happily replied, "I found me two little pups. It looks like somebody put them out for the trash or maybe just hoped we would find them. I'm glad they did though...these little guys deserve a warm home and a family that not only wants them, but will love them."

"Let's get some food in them... and from the smell of this scrappy one, they will need a good cleaning up too! Whew! For that matter, I think we are going to call you Scrappy. You are one smelly mess!"

"So, guys," called out Fireman Joe, "what should we call our gal here? She is much quieter than her brother, Scrappy here. I think she may have some trust issues. I wonder where they came from?"

"Do you think they may have been hurt?" asked another fireman.

"Nah," answered Fireman Joe, I'm checking them out from head to toe and don't see any bruises or open wounds. They also look well fed. They both have huge bellies," and Fireman Joe began to pat on Bailey's belly. Bailey did her best to get out of his grip, but he held on and turned her here and there, "Any suggestions on that name yet for this one?"

Captain Jack strolled in and looked around at all the commotion with Bailey yelping and trying to wriggle free from those big hands of Fireman Joe. "She sure don't like you patting on her belly like you're doing. Most puppies and dogs love a belly rub...but not that one!

Ha, ha, looking for a name, huh? How about Bailey?" Yeah, she looks like a Bailey, what do you think?" asked Captain Jack.

"Bailey...Bailey, OK, yeah, Bailey," Fireman Joe held Bailey up and announced to Bailey and to all the firemen, "Bailey it is!"

Bailey and Scrappy had their names, a warm bath and enough food in their bellies to knock them out for a long morning nap while the firemen rounded up another large box and some old blankets to prepare a new temporary sleeping quarters for the puppies.

Fireman Joe realized he had to get his daughter to soccer practice and forgot to call in to get another fireman to take his shift for a couple of hours. He thought, let me call the coach and see if he can swing by and pick Amanda up on his way to practice.

An hour later, Coach Corey and his kids, Mia and CJ walked up the Firehouse driveway. "Hey Fireman Joe," cried out Mia.

Mia and Fireman Joe's daughter, Amanda have been soccer teammates for the last four years with Mia's Dad the head Coach. CJ just gave a quick wave.

"Hey there Mia. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes! Hey CJ," Fireman Joe replied and gave both a high five. He rubbed CJ's head, "Hey young man, what's been going on? Any new video games lately?"

CJ just nodded.

"Mia, you love dogs don't you. Your father tells me you want to be a veterinarian one day. Come over here...we have a real surprise to show you. Fireman Joe took Mia, CJ and their father, Coach Corey to the kitchen area and there in the corner was a huge box standing about three feet high. They walked over and looked in and saw two little puppies just showing signs of waking up.

"Aahhhh, puppies! Look Dad, puppies!" exclaimed Mia as she immediately reached down...but stopped and looked up at Fireman Joe, "can I pick one up?" and looked gingerly at her father for approval.

"Go ahead Mia," said Coach Corey, Mia's Dad. Mia picked up the girl, "What's her name," as she turned her over to give her a belly rub.

"Bailey," said Fireman Joe. We just named them, the other is a boy. His name is Scrappy. He's a little bit messy and stinky, so that's how he got his name. Bailey is not a fan of belly rubs, so we came up with Bailey. We found them abandoned by the dumpster, apparently left there last night or sometime early this morning, long enough to soak up the box they were left in. We think they are a boxer mix, although the girl seems to be bigger than her brother," explained Fireman Joe.

"They are cute," said CJ while getting a good face licking from Scrappy.

"Well, cute will not feed them. We need to find them a home. The fire station is no place for two puppies. Their whining at night alone will be too much for my team especially when we are on a 48-hour shift. We have to find them homes quickly or send them off to a shelter," Fireman Joe continued with a concerned look on his face.

Coach Corey knew what was coming next.

"Can we have one," cried Mia, jumping up and down with Bailey wriggling to get free. "Can we, can we? Please Dad?"

The rest is history. There was no way Coach Corey could take Bailey and not her brother Scrappy too. He thought there would be a great chance to find Scrappy a home with one of the soccer moms, but it turned out the other coach fell in love with him and took him home to her daughters.

Bailey and Scrappy both have new homes and get to visit with one another weekly with soccer practice and summer vacation sleepovers. It has worked out perfectly for them both! New homes, new families, and still growing up together. It can't get better than that! Or, can it?