It had been five months. Dropping my pile of leaflets in shock, I bit my lip and blinked my eyes, not quite believing what I was seeing.
Just fifteen minutes ago, I was out on my usual routine. "Busky! Busky-" I called out in my singsong voice, waving my dog's favourite bone toy. He had gone missing a few months ago, after I had shouted at him and hit him with a wooden stick out of frustration. From then on, I had been handing out leaflets with his picture on them, silently praying for someone to find him. The yellow toy squeaked faintly as I squished it. My arm felt sore and I squinted through the angrily glaring sunlight, lowering my arm a little to cover my eyes.
It had been quite a long day, but I rushed to the next passer-by who was heading my way. "Just one more person, and then I will give up for now and go home," I thought, shutting my eyes in prayer. "Hello Miss, have you seen this dog? I lost-"
"No," the primly-dressed lady replied dismissively before snatching the leaflet to look at Busky properly. The black-and-white puppy stared innocently back at her. "Wait…" she murmured, drawing out the sound of the word. Hope filled my heart. "I might have seen this dog in my neighbour's backyard. She just got a new dog, exactly like this one, a few months ago." The lady pointed at a blue house somewhere down the street and continued on her way, shoving past me somewhat rudely.
When I strained my ears, I could almost hear a faint barking. As adrenaline suddenly started pumping through my veins, I dashed like the wind, sprinting towards the blue-tiled house. Heart racing, I turned the corner.
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. After all, it had been five months since I had seen him.
A small girl and Busky were playing in her garden. It could have been some other dog, but I was sure I would have recognised my puppy anywhere. Busky was squirming in a too-big dog basket, while the small girl – presumably twelve years old or so – laughed and tried to lift him out. "Bailey, you are so adorable!"
Neither noticed me.
A leaflet that I had dropped onto the pavement blew into the girl's garden, somewhere near Busky. Forcing my stubborn legs to move, I scrambled over the girl's fence and held my hands out for the leaflet. "I'm so sorry," I whispered, still staring unblinkingly at Busky – or “Bailey” – whoever he was.
The girl's eyes widened as she picked up the leaflet gingerly. "This... this looks like my dog." Busky shot out of the basket and gazed at me, panting heavily. Realisation dawned on the girl and she slowly drifted her gaze from the leaflet to me, suddenly looking incredibly lost. "So... my Bailey is your Busky?" Sadness radiated off her and I blinked, nodding sullenly.
The small girl knelt down and petted the dog, running her hand through his fur. "Well," she whispered in a hushed tone, "Looks like you have to go." The girl unhooked a thin collar on Busky's neck and it fell to the ground. Falling onto her knees in the soft grass, the girl burst into sobs. I threw my arms around Busky. "Come on," I whispered in his ear, patting his head. "Time to go home."
However, he started squirming in the direction of the girl, and it dawned upon me.
Heartbreak hit me like a hammer and I released Busky, letting him run back to the girl and lick at her tears. Tears welled up in my eyes and I blinked, letting them fall onto the grass. All the leaflets I had given out... All this way that I had come...
Busky had found a new family.
I reached into my pocket, fishing out the squeaky bone. Busky's ears perked up and he cocked his head. I threw the bone and it landed at the girl's feet. Widening her eyes, she slowly gazed up at me as Busky eagerly sank his teeth into the toy.
I turned away, finally letting him go. I had enjoyed our last reunion.
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