O'er the Dales Chapter 3

3

It was a beautiful clear morning and Walter woke up to the feeling that something new was in the air. He felt it yesterday watching his daughter and again, this day upon waking. What was the cause of these inner ponderings, Walter wondered. Anxiety? Getting older? A shift in his spirit, maybe? 

Walter felt for Alice, and the bed next to him was no longer even warm. He rolled himself over onto his side, dangled his legs over the edge of the bedside, and then sat up with his feet just resting on the floor, as if they too, were hesitant to start the day. He eventually stood up and walked over to the window to crack it open a bit. Being a creature of habit, he started each day the same way as the day before: crack open the window, splash his face with water, run a comb through his hair, get dressed, and head downstairs. Usually Alice was there to visit with him, but not today. 

This morning was different.

Walter had a good, long look at himself in the mirror and sighed a little. He couldn't help but notice the effects of time. No longer the young lad in form and vigor, full of youthful determination and expectations. He didn't miss those days, not really anyway. The future holds promises to the young that it doesn't intend to keep, and he had to learn that the hard way. To some, God made their path easy and plain, and to some He gave a lamp to see ahead just enough to maintain forward motion.

The latter was his lot. 

Walter was getting lost in his thoughts when light steps were heard at his bedroom door, and then were followed with an even lighter knock.

"Papa?" said Sylvie quietly. "Are you awake?"

Walter smiled at the sound of her voice and looked towards his bedroom door through the mirror. 

"Yes, love. I'm awake. Come in!" 

"Morning Papa!" Sylvie rushed in, slipped her arms around Walter's waist and squeezed. She looked up at him with smiling eyes and said, "It's Denny! He's up this morning and back at it. I think he's ready to go for a walk. Can we take him on a walk today?"

"Let me come down and see the Ol' boy. I want to --"

"Ok, Papa. Let's go down together and have a look. I'm so happy to see him better!" And with that, Sylvie whirled around and went out the door as fast as she came in. 

Walter chuckled as he realized that while his daughter was grown up, she was still his spirited little girl, given to bursts of energy and enthusiasm. He looked at the open door of his bedroom and remembered the days when Sylvie would rush through the door and jump up onto the bed. He and Alice would laugh as they scooped her up to snuggle. What a relief the dear girl was to them! They were childless, empty, and about to lose hope when the little sprite flitted into their lives. They soaked up every minute of her life and they would have done it ten times over, but Sylvie was their one chance. And for that chance, Walter was deeply grateful.

.............................

Sylvie watched Papa give Ol' Denny a once over and she was desperate for his approval. She'd never known life without her best friend and couldn't imagine it now. She walked over to Denny's side and squatted down next to Walter. When she went to give him a scratch on his side, he let out a loud whimper. She pulled her hand back and Walter gently rubbed over the area, feeling for any abnormality. When he reached Denny's lower ribs, the dog gave another loud whimper and tried to bump Walter's hand away with his nose. Denny's eyes were pleading that the spot was too sore for touching.

"Ah, there it is. I think he has some bruised ribs to go along with his chewed ears. No walkin' today I'm afraid, but I can't say the same thing for myself." Walter slapped his knee and then pushed up off of it as he stood up from his crouched position. He put his hands behind his back and arched a bit, trying to straighten out after being on the floor for a spell.

"What do you mean Papa?" questioned Sylvie as she watched Walter pick off a bit of dog hair from his vest.

"Well, my girl, James told me yesterday that Mr. Graham's dog didn't fare as well as he let on. Seems that Shep got his share of battle wounds and is requiring some of James's special salve." 

"Oh, aye?" said Alice from the kitchen. She had been leaning over the counter listening in on the status of the old dog and couldn't keep from chiming in. "I always hear of James's special salve. I hear it's quite the cure-all. Can't wait to hear from Tommy of its healing abilities. I might be inclined to use it if I hear someone other than James's old school mates rave about it." Alice turned back towards the kitchen and began to tie on her apron.

"Oh, I'll be sure to ask how well it's been working. You can be sure about that!" said Walter as he grabbed his hat. He slapped it on his head as he gave Alice a wink, and then headed out the front door. 

The sun was shining brightly and felt so familiar on Walter's face. He could hear spring waking up and it was his favorite time of year. Songbirds bursting with song, the sun warmer and friendlier than it had been, and if he listened hard enough, Walter was convinced that he could hear the grass growing. 

Whistling contentedly to himself, Walter was only about ten feet past the front gate when something sprang out of the bushes and ran directly into his right shoulder. 

"Aahh----" Walter tried to yell, but was quickly interrupted.

"Papa! Can I please come too? I want to see Mr. Graham's dog and I think it would be fun to get to do something different today!" Sylvie hooked her left arm into the crook of Walter's right elbow and started him walking again. "I've been cleaning so much that I'm about to go crazy. Please?"

Walter looked over his shoulder at his daughter and said in slight exasperation, "You impish creature! You bound out of the bushes like a wild deer which nearly made me die of fright, and now you're begging and pleading to go with me to the neighbors." Walter held his left hand over his heart since his right had been taken captive. "What am I to do with such a lively young lady? I'd bend you over my knee if you were younger and give you a good walloping. That's what I'd d--"

"Oh, papa. I'm sorry!" Sylvie hugged Walter's arm even harder. "I just really wanted to go with you and I thought if I asked, maybe you'd say no. So I went out the back door and waited for you by the bushes. I did mean to scare you, but I didn't realize that you scared so easily." Sylvie was face-forward as she was speaking, but Walter could see the smile quivering in the corner of her mouth and her eyes were merry as they were sneaking a peak at him.

"Being as we're nearly to Mr. Graham's front door, I have no choice but to take you along." 

Sylvie drew in a deep breath, hugged Walter's arm all the more, and walked with great anticipation. She always enjoyed getting out of the house as she never really left the farm much. Sylvie remembered stories about Mr. Graham that Walter would tell from time to time. He seemed like a kind, funny old man and was quick-of-wit. She couldn't wait to meet him for herself and put a face to a name. Sylvie didn't know if he had blue eyes, but her mind gave him a pair. She always could see him with bright, blue eyes that were full of mischief and goodwill. She started to think of all the sayings that she and Walter would say that came from the stories of Mr. Graham's sheep working days. If she remembered correctly, Mr. Graham was older than Walter, so he must be quite old now.

Walter walked up to the front step of the Graham's house and knocked a few times. A few seconds passed and he could hear someone coming to the front door. Tommy Graham opened the door and smiled warmly as he saw Walter and a young lady standing there. 

"Hello there Tommy. I thought I'd come over to see how Shep is doing. James told me that Ol' Denny got a bit more of a hold on your dog than you let on." 

Tommy nodded his head and laughed with Walter. He took a step back while opening the door more and beckoned them in with his hand. 

"He still has a bit of the devil in him, sorry to say," Walter declared as he walked in the house past Tommy. Tommy closed the door and Walter quietly tried to loosen Sylvie's arm so as to introduce her. Her grip tightened and she seemed equally determined to stay where she was. He continued on. "And my daughter Sylvie wanted to come along and have a look at Shep as well. I don't believe you've met. Sylvie--" Walter tried to turn to her again and felt his right arm slowly be released. When he saw her face, it hit him: she was expecting old Mr. Graham. 

It was Sylvie's turn now to be frightened.