http://suave-thomas.livejournal.com/ (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
suave-thomas.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
darker_london2009-09-20 05:20 pm
suave-thomas.livejournal.com) wrote in darker_london2009-09-20 05:20 pm
Entry tags:
Scars (Thomas, James)
Thomas was doing everything he could not to think about what had happened in Delford. And while he wouldn't have left the hospital for any other reason...today was James' third birthday, and Thomas had made a promise.
They entered the animal shelter, hand in hand. James was the one who looked up solemnly at the man behind the desk and said clearly, "excuse me, Mister. I would very much like a dog, please. And I would appreciate your assistance in choosing one."
Thomas, who had been distracted by the fact that there were cute kittens playing in the window, looked down at his son and then up at the bewildered desk worker. He gave the poor young man an 'I know, I know' look and then he smiled. "James is what is known as a 'prodigy'. Thomas was aware that three-year-olds hardly spoke like James did. But James was not a normal three-year-old. "And what he says is right, we're looking for a dog." Thomas leaned down and he scooped his son into his arms so James could have a better look at the man he had befuddled. "We have three cats and a Boston Terrier at home, so we need something that can interact with other animals."
"O...of course, Sir."
"But I am looking for something quite large too," James added, in case they only get shown tiny things. "I want a big doggy..."
The man just looked bemused. "I think we can do that. Through here." He led Thomas and James back into a room where dogs were in cages, lining wall after wall. Thomas, who had been an animal lover all his life, almost burst into tears to see them. Immediately some started to bark, others darted around in excitement. Thomas ran his eyes over the poodles and the mutts and one lonely looking greyhound. "What about the greyhound," he asked, because it looked sad.
"She would be best in a home without children," the man explained. "There was an incident."
James was struggling in Thomas' arms though Thomas was reluctant to put him down here. He held him more tightly instead. "James, I don't know if-"
"Look, daddy!" James pointed to a cage in the back which held a sleeping doberman. Thomas could see that the doberman wasn't black like the usually were, but a lighter shade of almost dusky red. "I want her."
Thomas decided not to ask how his son knew it was a her. He had learned not to second guess anything James said. Still... "It's a Doberman, kiddo. I don't know if she'd be safe."
"On the contrary," the man spoke up. "She's a sweet little lady." He walked over to her cage, Thomas and James following behind, and he whistled softly. The dog woke and immediately she started wagging her tail. She picked herself up and walked to the front of the cage, calmly putting her muzzle through one of the chain links in the door. With that, Thomas fell in love.
"So she's safe to pet?"
"Absolutely," the man assured him.
Thomas reached out his hand and he stroked the dog's muzzle. It was soft, and it made him smile. The dog wagged her tail with more gusto and Thomas chuckled. "She's beautiful."
"I'll tell you what, if you go out that door into the yard, I'll bring her out and you can have a play with her."
Thomas thought that sounded perfect, and he carried James outside. They sat on a wooden bench and when the dog was trotted out to them, she bounded over and stuck her head into Thomas' lap. "Whoa!" Thomas laughed and he pet her head.
"I wanna pet her!" James said, trying to twist around in his father's incredibly strong arms.
"Are you 100% sure...no...200% sure this dog is safe with kids?"
"Three hundred, actually. This is Coco. She's about three years old, fixed...she lived with a large family on a farm. Lots of kids and other animals. The farm burned down a few months ago and a cousin from London took her in, but he didn't have the time. She's a wonderful dog, it's just...she has a scar from the fire. She was trapped in the house and only got out when a wall fell. Part of it fell on her, and she was able to escape, but with some injuries."
That sealed it. Thomas could see now, that there was a scar on Coco's hind leg. It was quite large, but James didn't seem put off by it, and Thomas certainly wasn't. She had been in a fire. He had been in a fire. They were kindred.
Slowly, Thomas lowered James to the ground. "Just be careful, okay?" Though in the end, caution was not necessary. James reached out a hand, and Coco immediately leaned forward and licked James' cheek before bowing her head, her long tail wagging a mile a minute.
James giggled. "She likes me!" he cried and he gave her an impulsive hug which might have caused other dogs to bite or run screaming. Coco smiled a doggy smile and then she butted her head against James' hand.
"She was named after Coco Chanel because she's a proper lady," the man explained.
"You have no idea how much that will please my husband. Actually...considering I just said 'husband' you might have an idea." Thomas laughed. "I think she's wonderful. We'd love to take her."
"Great!"
An hour after signing forms, promising that he had a big backyard and lived near Regents Park so she would be able to run, James was the proud owner of a dog named Coco. She walked on a leash as if she was a queen, and even James himself could walk her. She didn't pull, she pranced. And Thomas loved her, scars and all.
They entered the animal shelter, hand in hand. James was the one who looked up solemnly at the man behind the desk and said clearly, "excuse me, Mister. I would very much like a dog, please. And I would appreciate your assistance in choosing one."
Thomas, who had been distracted by the fact that there were cute kittens playing in the window, looked down at his son and then up at the bewildered desk worker. He gave the poor young man an 'I know, I know' look and then he smiled. "James is what is known as a 'prodigy'. Thomas was aware that three-year-olds hardly spoke like James did. But James was not a normal three-year-old. "And what he says is right, we're looking for a dog." Thomas leaned down and he scooped his son into his arms so James could have a better look at the man he had befuddled. "We have three cats and a Boston Terrier at home, so we need something that can interact with other animals."
"O...of course, Sir."
"But I am looking for something quite large too," James added, in case they only get shown tiny things. "I want a big doggy..."
The man just looked bemused. "I think we can do that. Through here." He led Thomas and James back into a room where dogs were in cages, lining wall after wall. Thomas, who had been an animal lover all his life, almost burst into tears to see them. Immediately some started to bark, others darted around in excitement. Thomas ran his eyes over the poodles and the mutts and one lonely looking greyhound. "What about the greyhound," he asked, because it looked sad.
"She would be best in a home without children," the man explained. "There was an incident."
James was struggling in Thomas' arms though Thomas was reluctant to put him down here. He held him more tightly instead. "James, I don't know if-"
"Look, daddy!" James pointed to a cage in the back which held a sleeping doberman. Thomas could see that the doberman wasn't black like the usually were, but a lighter shade of almost dusky red. "I want her."
Thomas decided not to ask how his son knew it was a her. He had learned not to second guess anything James said. Still... "It's a Doberman, kiddo. I don't know if she'd be safe."
"On the contrary," the man spoke up. "She's a sweet little lady." He walked over to her cage, Thomas and James following behind, and he whistled softly. The dog woke and immediately she started wagging her tail. She picked herself up and walked to the front of the cage, calmly putting her muzzle through one of the chain links in the door. With that, Thomas fell in love.
"So she's safe to pet?"
"Absolutely," the man assured him.
Thomas reached out his hand and he stroked the dog's muzzle. It was soft, and it made him smile. The dog wagged her tail with more gusto and Thomas chuckled. "She's beautiful."
"I'll tell you what, if you go out that door into the yard, I'll bring her out and you can have a play with her."
Thomas thought that sounded perfect, and he carried James outside. They sat on a wooden bench and when the dog was trotted out to them, she bounded over and stuck her head into Thomas' lap. "Whoa!" Thomas laughed and he pet her head.
"I wanna pet her!" James said, trying to twist around in his father's incredibly strong arms.
"Are you 100% sure...no...200% sure this dog is safe with kids?"
"Three hundred, actually. This is Coco. She's about three years old, fixed...she lived with a large family on a farm. Lots of kids and other animals. The farm burned down a few months ago and a cousin from London took her in, but he didn't have the time. She's a wonderful dog, it's just...she has a scar from the fire. She was trapped in the house and only got out when a wall fell. Part of it fell on her, and she was able to escape, but with some injuries."
That sealed it. Thomas could see now, that there was a scar on Coco's hind leg. It was quite large, but James didn't seem put off by it, and Thomas certainly wasn't. She had been in a fire. He had been in a fire. They were kindred.
Slowly, Thomas lowered James to the ground. "Just be careful, okay?" Though in the end, caution was not necessary. James reached out a hand, and Coco immediately leaned forward and licked James' cheek before bowing her head, her long tail wagging a mile a minute.
James giggled. "She likes me!" he cried and he gave her an impulsive hug which might have caused other dogs to bite or run screaming. Coco smiled a doggy smile and then she butted her head against James' hand.
"She was named after Coco Chanel because she's a proper lady," the man explained.
"You have no idea how much that will please my husband. Actually...considering I just said 'husband' you might have an idea." Thomas laughed. "I think she's wonderful. We'd love to take her."
"Great!"
An hour after signing forms, promising that he had a big backyard and lived near Regents Park so she would be able to run, James was the proud owner of a dog named Coco. She walked on a leash as if she was a queen, and even James himself could walk her. She didn't pull, she pranced. And Thomas loved her, scars and all.