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Maggie wrote back,No need. I’ll do it now. I’ll come back and toilet them tonight, too.
They spent half an hour with the dogs inside and then walked them, each taking two. Every hour she was awake, Maggie felt her strength returning.
“You seem to be feeling a little better,” Justin said.
“I am. I’ll probably sleep like the dead tonight.”
After the walk, they fed the dogs and would return after dinner to toilet them. Maggie could see how having the nighttime responsibility would be good for her. It would force her to leave the cottage, and she’d get exercise and fresh air.
“I’m going to like this routine.”
Walking the trail to the cottage hand in hand, everything felt right to Maggie.
“That’s great. I kind of like it, too. I’ll help.”
“Aw, I’m glad, Justin. Thank you. This is turning out to be the perfect day, too. I was afraid I’d lie around and eat all day, or that my mother would bug us, or that I’d be depressed.”
“I talked to my father, and they’re having a lazy day after pigging out at your aunt’s house. It’s all good.”
Brulee was waiting at the gate of the porch, wagging her tail.
“I’ll take her now,” Maggie said. “I want to walk in back a little and see if the horses are there.”
She went inside and got Brulee’s leash. The trail into the woods was covered with wet leaves. After being gone for two weeks, she felt like she’d missed out on a lot, and that bothered her. Why would a short time have such a big impact? Her dog got fat, winter was in full swing, the holidays were almost over.
“I wonder if I can make up for it this week.”
“Being gone?”
“Yes. I have from now until New Year’s Day. I can’t tolerate any Christmas stuff after January second.”
“What about Epiphany? It’s a big deal here.”
“It is? In what way?”
“Well, January sixth is the twelfth day of Christmas. It’s the day the three kings finally got to Bethlehem to see Jesus. We have king cake on that day. And it’s Joan of Arc’s birthday, and that’s a big deal here. She was born in Orleans, France. Get it? They have a medieval festival with a parade and vendors, all the stuff you’d expect.
“And we have decoration take-down parties. I’m eyeing that tree on the dock, and we might need some help getting all this stuff off the cottage, too. Get all those people who thought you needed a thousand lights on your house to come back and take them down.”
“I’m going to stay out here tonight just to look at the lights. I might take my chair down on the grass and look at it.”
“You won’t stand the bugs.”
“Whatever, Justin,” she said, laughing.
They hiked a while, and back in the trees the horses who hung out at the cottage were in there, munching.
“I’ve seen enough,” Maggie said, yawning. “It’s time to get back.”
“It’ll be dark soon.”
She took his hand, and they did the trail in reverse. “If you look over your shoulder, you’ll see we’re being followed,” she whispered.
He did as she said and saw the band of horses trailing them, not too close, but close enough.
“Wow. That’s so cool.”
Sighing, she smiled. “They like it here.”
