Page 19 of Daddy's Little Farmer

Sobs were tearing from her throat. “Nooo!”

“Fuck,” Rafael said when he ran up to them.

She heard him talking as she held one of the most precious things in her life. He’d saved her from so much, not only from the people that harassed her but from the loneliness and sadness that caught her every so often.

“Please don’t die, Tiny. I need you so much. Please. I promise I’ll take better care of you.”

Mara had no idea how long she sat there crying, begging Tiny to come back even though she knew it was impossible. She didn’t notice the truck that rolled up to them and parked.

“Jesus Christ,” Tony said. “I don’t have to be told what happened.”

She looked up at her other best friend. “Tony, they took Tiny from me.”

Tony placed his hand on her head. “I know, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”

The men stood with her and talked quietly together, giving her time with the dog.

“Hey, sweetheart. When you’re ready, how about we bury him by the pond? He loves it down there.”

Her tears had slowed to a trickle, but her grip just tightened around Tiny’s head.

“Can’t we try to take him to the vet?” she cried.

Tony sighed. “Honey, you know there’s nothing they can do for him. We also can’t leave him laid out because it’s so hot out … well, you know what will happen.”

She knew, but she just felt so helpless at that moment and didn’t want to make any decisions.

She looked up at Rafael. “What should I do?”

He squatted beside her and smoothed her hair off her face. “I think we should do what Tony suggested. You know he’d pick the best place he could for him.”

She nodded. “You’re right.”

“I’ll go grab a blanket and some shovels,” Tony said, walking off.

She started sobbing again. “Rafael, what am I going to do without him? He was the best friend I’ve ever had.”

She felt his hand pet the back of her head.

“I’ll have to be your new best friend, and don’t forget Tony.”

It was a nice thought, but neither would work. “That won’t happen. Tony has his wife and farm to care for, and you’ll leave in four days.”

“I think we can figure something out. I know I don’t want to go a day without seeing you, and that won’t change,” Rafael said.

Tony was back with a blanket and shovels. He laid the shovels in the back of his truck and then walked over to them.

“How about Rafael and me help you wrap him in the blanket and lift him into the back of the truck?”

“I guess that would be okay. I want to hold him so he’s not alone.”

“Of course, I’ll sit in the back with you,” Rafael said.

She looked up at him and nodded. “That would be nice.”

Both men covered the animal and lifted him into the back of Tony’s truck.

The drive down a back road to the pond on the back of her property seemed like it took days instead of minutes because Tony had to drive so slowly. But she was glad because she wanted as much time with Tiny as possible.

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