Okay, sorry for the wait. My mother was in the hospital twice in one month. Though I did write this story longhand with a notebook and my Platinum #3776 Century fountain pen.
Anyway, yes, my Secret Santa is
Belchic. He wanted a story of Joey, along with one of my female characters donning a trench coat and head to the mall to do some Christmas shopping for Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie. The pup I chose was my quirk loving pup, Cecilia. I apologize if this story gets a bit dark.
“Joey and Cecilia’s Christmas Outing”
By: Shadow Dearly
Christmastime. A time for fun. A time to sing jovial Christmas carols to unsuspecting people against their will, which may or may not end up with a trip to the ER. In addition, like Valentine’s, it’s another opportunity to watch people squirm after forgetting to by, or make, a present. (I know Christmas isn’t about presents. Humor me.)
While the Dearlys hung their Christmas decorations, whilst keeping an eye out for Cruella—disposing of her many video cameras—Joey, one of the lightest pups on the farm, with a normal spot pattern, as opposed to Lucky’s horseshoe spot. Similar to the aforementioned Dalmatian, Joey’s noticeable spot is the one right above his forehead. He eyed light snow falling from the light grey cluster of clouds. What could be on his mind? Joey watched how Clayton, Rosalina, and Kendra faced off with Foody, Shadow, and Lupus in a snowball fight (or war as Joey heard them refer.)
Joey rested his head on the windowsill, fidgeting with his blue-collar around his neck. The loft of the Dearly Farm’s barn gave the pup an aerial advantage. Though, what was on his mind? The Christmas magic was in the air.
He could decide to join with the others, but his thoughts liked to play tricks on him. Would the others allow Joey to join, or would they end up bullying him and turning him away? This is why he preferred being alone. That way, he wouldn’t embarrass himself. He could also find Autumn and rest his head on her belly. The sound of her gurgling gut soothes him. Besides trench coat disguises or totem poles, listening to the sounds of female stomach breaking down foods is Joey’s schtick. Think Shadow and his affinity for paws, or Olwe and his affinity for fat furs. White noises exist anywhere, always there as we delve in our thoughts.
Only Joey knows his inner thoughts. It’s highly unlikely he’ll be willing to let strangers try mind reading on him. Since Christmas is right around the corner, Joey was thinking of what to get Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie. The thing is since he was born a dog, sadly, pets, except trained service animals for the blind, are not allowed in the Topstown mall. A sharp knife started cutting through Joey’s plans. No matter how he tried, he couldn’t get it to stop. He felt hopeless. Furthermore, Joey is too young for service dog training, and it’s unlikely for him to enter such a profession when he’s older.
“Christmas is just around the corner, and it looks like it might snow harder. We may even have a blizzard.” Joey said to himself, letting out a defeated sigh. “And I have an idea on what to get Belchic and the others.” He had a plan. All he needed was another pup, preferably female.
And lo and behold, as if Joey had mythical abilities, Cecilia, a Dalmatian covered in pitch-black spots, with the exception of her ears, an orange collar snapped around her neck, walked up to the loft. “Joey! There you are!” Cecilia said, trotting up next to Joey. Her nose led to him, and she was completely okay with it. The two may be friend-zoned—albeit mutually—but the two are the best of friends (even if Joey calls Clayton his best friend.) “What brings you here?”
Joey wagged his tail, smiling warmly at CeCe. Even though he’s usually quiet, and sometimes depressed, thinking what good does he do for the farm, Joey is a chatterbox only with the ones he knows. Cecilia, thankfully, is one of them.
“Besides enjoying the Christmas season, I am glad you came here. You’re just the dog I have in mind!” A grin blossomed on Joey’s muzzle. Yes, when Joey saw Cecilia, he knew she was the correct Dalmatian knowing her interest in all the pups’ quirks. “That is if you’re up for it.”
Cecilia eyed at Joey, staring at endless space. If she wasn’t careful, she would start using the barn’s floorboard as her own canvas. This would be one painting that would not showcase at the Louvre. Though with Spot and her chicken scratch, anything is possible.
“Cecilia!” Joey shouted. “Stop being a deer in the headlights and answer me!”
Cecilia snapped to attention. “Joey, you know Orson is my boyfriend,” she said.
Joey blinked, surprised, before shaking his head. “Oh, no! Not that. I am not looking for romance. This is just a friendly act.” Deep in his brain, he thought
I am not here to mingle. I am not here to mingle. I am definitely not here to mingle.“Then. . . what do you have in mind?”
“As you know, Christmas is approaching soon. With that, holiday shopping. Dogs are not allowed in the mall, which is unfair. But I don’t let that stop me.” Joey answered, his tail swaying jovially, his eyes beaming. At his age, he was an overjoyed human child on Christmas morning. “Knowing me, or Belchic, I assume you know why.”
“For the sake of it, how about you tell me your plan?” Cecilia gave Joey a cunning smirk, flicking her tail sideways. “If not, I’ll just be on my merry way and prepare to lure Orson underneath the mistletoe.”
Soon, she blossomed an idea. “Before you tell me your idea, hear me out. You and me, accompanied by either Pongo, Perdita, Sgt. Tibbs, or the Colonel, we head to the swamp. Surely, Swamp Rat is working overtime this time of year, pawing off the poor saps doing last-minute Christmas shopping.” Cecilia eyed toward the direction of the swamp. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to try. There could be something that anyone at the farm would like.
However, images of Steven the alligator flashed in Joey’s mind, the poor pup frozen, traumatized. To whom can blame him? It takes him a while to say, “CeCe, as much as I—” Joey gulps—“love your idea—” A small, white fib—“Steven frightens me. With those razor, sharp teeth, I’d rather not be eaten.”
All Joey wanted was to find something for his friends, not to visualize his hind paws dangling out a gator’s snout.
In addition, this is the perfect opportunity for Joey to don a trench coat disguise, especially knowing Cecilia’s a rather quirky pup.
It’s a win-win situation! But mostly for Joey.
“Mine is foolproof! My idea is this, Cecilia. We put on a trench coat and then head over to the Topstown Mall, do our Christmas shopping, and head back to the farm!” Joey felt ecstatic, feeling there were not any obstacles that could jeopardize his plan.
However, the other Dalmatian pups and livestock panned and something that has been done before. Not to mention they also said it “made him stick out like a sore thumb,” but that did not stop Joey.
“Well,” Cecilia winked at Joey. Even though trench coats were Belchic’s quirk, it was still one that she’s willing to try. “I’ll do it, but there’s only one problem. What are we going to do for money? We’re dogs. . . it’s not like we can go out and get jobs at a fast-food establishment.”
There are two possible solutions. One, steal Anita’s purse and hope there is money inside or steal from Cruella. Two things that could end horribly for Joey and Cecilia. Furthermore, CeCe is right. Presents cost money. If they take the money needed to pay the farm’s mortgage, Cecilia and Joey would jeopardize their home. If they are caught by Cruella, or Horace and Jasper, just think of the consequences! Not one of them felt like having another lecture.
“We are in a predicament,” Joey said. “But this is Christmas, so there’s bound to be a Christmas miracle.”
“And there’s always a Christmas miracle!” Cecilia concurred. Her eyes gleaming, anything is possible. Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie will get presents this Christmas. “Joey, are you ready? It’s Christmas shopping time!”
Joey’s tail came to life. “Let’s head over to Gruteley and we’ll go from there. Lemme see if Belchic has trench coat and fedora.” Joey rushed over to the trunk and hoisted it open. In pristine shape was a brown trench coat with the matching fedora hat. Not a good place to store a coat, but it’s a start. Joey’s eyes shimmered, knowing his plan was about to unfold. Soon, it was as if a light bulb appeared above Joey. “Hear me out on this, CeCe. We don’t even need to converse with humans. We’ll pass off as a mute. . . in fursuit.”
“Of course!” Cecilia beamed. A foolproof plan confirmed not to go awry. “Knowing that some humans love to dress up as animals, we can do our Christmas shopping without any limitations.”
Now, it seemed like things might go off as planned.
The two pups took the coat and fedora and got into position. Joey held the coat as he climbed on top of Cecilia’s shoulders before sitting, where CeCe grabbed hold of his legs. Her shoulders gave an essence of velvety clouds as the two closed the coat. Joey rolled out his forepaws out of the sleeves and immediately put on the fedora.
The two then walked away from the farm on the way to Gruteley. Sure, Joey and CeCe may look like weirdos, but they’re having fun. Besides, it’s the perfect disguise to evade the dogcatcher.
“Oh the way to the mall in the cold,” Joey said. “In Topstown.” It wasn’t snowing hard, which was good. But would the ferry still be able to run in this weather? “Cecilia, I think we may have to stay in Gruteley. It’s lightly snowing, but the ferry might be grounded.”
“I think the ferrymen only ground the ferry if it snows hard. We should be safe.” Cecilia replied, smiling up at Joey. All she could currently see that seemed safe for her was Joey’s hind paws, as well as his toes. “Joey, I think I know what to give Shadow for Christmas. A picture of your hind paws.”
“Knowing him, he’ll cherish it forever.” Joey chuckled. He couldn’t dare to poke fun at Shadow’s paw quirk. Loving to hear the sounds of a female’s churning stomach beats paws. “Anyway. . . look for cash on the ground. If anything we’ll strike gold.”
“I. . . don’t know. . .” A serious tone of voice overtook Cecilia. “Isn’t that stealing?”
Joey stayed quiet, playing the whole ordeal in his mind. The imagery of finding someone’s money on the ground, thus jeopardizing the Christmas, or whatever holiday a family celebrates, proved stressful to Joey. The more he tried not to think about it, the more it recurred. Joey tried shaking the thought, but it came back to haunt him.
Joey whimpered, “Get out of my head! Out!”
“Get what out?” Cecilia asked.
Joey stayed silent, tortured by his imagination. What to do. . . What to do. . .
“Do you think Belchic or Shadow would have smuggled money for emergencies such as this?” Cecilia wanted to know.
“Of course, because things cost money and we’re in a predicament. How will we pay for Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie’s gifts without money?” Besides a couple of passing flies, the snow-covered road was deader than a cowbell music festival.
On the way to Gruteley like this, passing off as a human in a fursuit, so they’ll evade the dogcatcher.
No cars equal walking on the snow. Cecilia had no choice but to weather the frozen ground. She chose to lose her toes to frostbite. But it’s worth it to make sure her friends have the greatest Christmas ever. There’s a sacrifice for everything.
The ferry itself only allows dogs and cats—as long as cats are in their kennels and dogs are leashed. Exotic pets, however, are prohibited.
“Cecilia, our Christmas shopping will be a wonderful experience!” Joey tried his best not to wag his tail, as to not ruin this illusion. This illusion of mysterious mystery.
Cecilia, however, couldn’t believe how light Joey felt on her shoulders. If she could compare him to a rock he would be a pebble. She didn’t feel any stress, the lower half of his body thankful for the opportunity. Plus, she can use this time to figure out what to do for cash.
Long story short, Cecilia and Joey, much to Joey’s chagrin and reluctance, agreed to go to the swamp for a trade. Giving up some of their stuff gave them $200 worth of spending money. Cash. Humans give just about anything to avoid the sweet mercy of death to a gator.
With the money problem solved, Joey and Cecilia had nothing to worry. Of course, they had to sacrifice a few things, but making sure that Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie have a great Christmas was worth it. Along the way to Gruteley, Joey felt a black hole swallowed him whole, forcing him deeper down the endless abyss. “Cecilia, did we do the right thing for money?” he nervously inquired. “Maybe we need to go back.”
Cecilia smiled. “When we return home, we could ask Shadow to come with us to the swamp to get our stuff back. It’s a win-win situation.”
“Gee, I only hope you’re right,” Joey responded, feeling unsure of himself. All the things he collects, he holds a special place in his heart. Parting with them is difficult. He eyed ahead. The town of Gruteley is upon those who cannot miss it. And then it’s to the docks to board the ferry to Topstown. Cecilia and Joey were able to board the ferry, which made Joey wag his tail causing a scratching sound in the coat.
Cecilia whispered, whilst seeing nothing but brown fabric, “I may have said this before, but I’ll say it again. Once we’re in Topstown, I’ll need you to refrain from wagging your tail and let only me do the wagging, since mine is sticking out the coat. I want to have the best Christmas, and I don’t want us to spend it at the pound.”
Neither CeCe nor Joey wanted anything to go wrong during their outing. If any, she enjoyed doing this quirk with Joey. It gave the two time to associate, and Cecilia couldn’t wait to see the looks on Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie’s faces when they open their gifts on Christmas morning.
Both Cecilia and Joey head to the ferry dock. Gruteley should be a paper town, or at least a hangout for the departed.
By the time Joey and Cecilia arrived at Topstown, it was two-thirty in the afternoon. Erratic holiday shoppers packed the mall, rushing to complete their purchases. They didn’t seem to care if they trample over others to get first dibs on a train set, or a beginner kiddie oven.
Joey kept their cash in the coat pocket for safekeeping. Everything is on schedule. The pro of Christmas shopping is that all the humans are focused on getting stuff for their relatives that other things seem insignificant. It was at this moment that Joey and Cecilia were walking on two legs, rather than on all fours, blending in the crowd. Joey still wore his fedora, whilst he and Cecilia did their best to carry their coat without it dragging against the snow-filled ground. The sight of seeing two dogs walking upright is amusing and worth getting it on video. Now, if they can only talk to humans.
Score one for irate Christmas shopping for the humans! Nothing else matters to them except getting little Susie a new doll, or Billy a new baseball bat. I doubt many will worry about seeing two Dalmatian puppies donning a trench coat to get into a place they’re not allowed.
And that is a good thing!
“Cecilia,” Joey spoke, holding his side of the coat. Now more than ever was a good time to put back on the disguise. Joey didn’t want to miss this window of opportunity. “The time for our shopping has come. And don’t fret about us being caught by security. Anyone can overcome life’s obstacles.”
Cecilia’s tail came to life but she made sure not to let it detach from her body. She understood her excitement, but she did not want to be without a tail. “Climb onto my shoulders, Joey,” she said, “I suspect this shouldn’t take long. We’ll be back before anyone notices we’re gone.”
Joey felt at peace as he climbed and sat on Cecilia’s shoulders. The two worked diligently to secure the coat until Joey’s forepaws poked out of the sleeves. A quick check confirmed they still have money. Cecilia locked her forepaws around Joey’s hind legs, and then the two were off inside the mall.
However, what they didn’t see a Rottweiler with a blood-red spiked collar staring at Joey and Cecilia as they disappeared in the crowd of humans. “How precious, these two are stupid enough to think these humans are dumb enough to fall for something that makes them stick out like a sore thumb. . . .” The Rottweiler scurried to the mall’s secondary entrance.
And then she was gone.
Inside the mall is a plethora of stores and humans riding moving stairs that CeCe commented by saying, “The future has arrived.” In the center stood a statuesque, colorful decorated Christmas tree dusted with faux snow. Even the colored lights looked astonishing. And with the Christmas season comes the yuletide security bump-up. (At this time of year, most people resort to shoplifting to fend for their families.)
This could threaten Joey and Cecilia, so the two had to be on their toes the whole time. This is one secret agent mission the two didn’t want to fail. Failure was not an option today.
With the holiday exposure finalized, Joey smiled, his eyes shining bright. It won’t be hard finding three, or more, presents. A two hundred dollar budget, using money that may or may not be stolen, proved risky to Joey. He took a deep breath and tried not to think about any consequences, and instead thought about learning about how currency worked.
“I suggest we start alphabetically, so Belchic will go first, and I think I know the perfect present for him.” Joey wagged his tail, visualizing in his head Belchic loving his gift of choice. Any gift is magical, as well as thoughtful. Always, it’s the thought that counts.
“Oh?” Cecilia asked. “What do you have in mind?”
“You know Belchic likes to prank, right?” Joey peered over to the bookstore. An idea blossomed in his mind faster than a baseball colliding with a bat. “We could get Belchic a prank guidebook. Cause he has enough fedoras.”
“And as for Tippy, I’m thinking about getting her that game ‘Space Explorers II.’” Cecilia said. “A little birdie told me she’s been eyeing that game for months.”
“Is it Tippy, or it more Lucky?” Joey knew that Lucky was the kind of pup to play space-related video games. “If you ask me, Tippy . . . you know that’s a fantastic Christmas gift. She’ll love it. Anyway, Belchic and his prank guidebook. As I said, it’s the perfect gift for him.”
“To the bookstore!” Cecilia exclaimed.
“Yes! To the bookstore, we go!”
Cecilia paraded, with Joey being the eyes, over to the bookstore. As expected, humans were too focused on the Christmas shopping to notice two Dalmatian puppies in a trench coat. The bookstore itself was a cacophony of an unintelligible nuisance. Children crying, adults acting like four-year-olds; never-do-wells using novels as frisbees. Joey preferred to keep his distance, citing safety reasons. He gulped and ventured on, doing his best to evade the rambunctious shoppers.
“Hello, may I help you?” asked an employee. She was a middle-aged African-American woman with pink streaks in her auburn hair with hoop earrings. As Joey eyed the human, she thought she was either having a mid-life crisis or done this entirely by free-will.
Joey kept quiet, afraid to talk to the human. He could tell she felt bemused over her costume choice, but that wasn’t important. Instead, he decided to play dumb and point over to the section marked “Fun and Games” which was next to the section marked “Children’s.” Joey didn’t care if he looked like an idiot.
“Perchance, are you looking for a particular children’s book?” The woman’s brow furrowed. It was the company’s oath to serve each customer the best they could.
Joey kept quiet.
“Sir, I need a definite answer.”
No words came out of Joey’s muzzle, and the employee kept her cool. She could feel Joey was lost in a sea of rambunctious sounds. She eyed down and saw Cecilia’s hind paws sticking out the coat.
Cecilia let out a gruff bark, followed by three more. The woman dismissed it saying, “You must be one of those fursuiters who’s way into their character, correct?” Trench coats are magical. “Do you want me to help you find something?”
Joey nodded.
The woman led Joey and Cecilia over to the Fun and Games section. “What book are you eyeing today?” she inquired. “We have fairy tales and middle-grade novels in the children section, prank guides”—Gruff barks interrupted her—“So, prank guides?”
She picked up a brown hardback book entitled “The Ultimate Guide of Pranks.” Cecilia barked repeatedly, confirming they found the book. She wagged her tail happily, adding into the furry illusion.
By the time Joey and Cecilia went to the circulation desk, they had a stack of books. Who says dogs don’t know how to read? Some of the books they found included “Jane and the Turquoise Stone,” “Dachshunds All The Way Down,” and “Magical Faeries.” The final total came to $52.66. Joey handed over a hundred dollar bill to the woman. She marked it with a black-marked, a surefire way to check for counterfeit money, she gave back $47.34 in change.
$194.68 remaining. Now, to shop for Tippy and Lizzie.
Leaving the bookstore, the Rottweiler appeared out of nowhere and let out a threatening growl. “You must think humans are really dumb. But the only ones who are, are you two,” she said, “Though it’s such a shame I have to ruin this for you.” The Canine jumped, pushing Cecilia and Joey to the floor, with CeCe trying her best to keep the coat closed. Joey yelped, not knowing what to do. He whimpered fearfully, on the verge of tears of sadness and stress. Holding tautly, Joey felt himself falling down the same abyss he went down before. Falling forward with no way out.
“Awww. . . does the crybaby want his mommy?” The Rottweiler bared her teeth, razor-sharp fangs instead of normal canine teeth. “I can make you feel nothing.”
Humans circled around the canine. They pulled back once the Rottweiler growled threateningly—a growl that prevailed through the mall.
“Joey, I don’t think this Rottweiler’s normal,” Cecilia said, staring at her fangs.
Joey remained frozen. He imagined Clayton telling him what to do. A sweet pup Clayton is. But Joey knows that Clayton would want him to overcome his obstacles by himself. But before the Rottweiler could deliver a fatal bite, repetitive pat-pat sensations, soon followed by the symphony of running feet. “Active shooter! Take cover! The shooter’s dressed in black! This is an emergency! Stay away!” warned one human, a biracial male. And the fear of death is in the air. An alarm sounded in confirmation. What a wonderful Christmas this turned out to be. The Rottweiler growled, got herself off of Joey and Cecilia, and scurried off, evading capture. Cecilia and Joey got up, fixed their posture, and bolted out of the mall, lest they want to go to doggy heaven.
With their purchases in bags, Cecilia and Joey returned to Gruteley. Still, in their disguise, Joey had to relieve himself, but he decided to hold it until they return to the farm. Cecilia and Joey cannot wait to dip their toes in the waters of Hiccup Hole. “CeCe, I think I know what to get Tippy and Lizzie,” Joey said. He eyed the general store. It may be small, but it was peaceful with no Rottweilers or active shooters.
Cecilia, however, fixated on the Rottweiler. “Joey, I think I need to speak with Lupus, Sandy, Samuel, or Shadow. Normal Rottweilers do not have razor blood-curdling sharp fangs!”
“I just hope this is the final time we’ll see of her.” Joey gulped. He wished he could unsee the Rottweiler. If only he knew how to go back in time, he and Cecilia would stay in Gruteley and not endanger their lives. “Let’s find something for Tippy and Lizzie and head back to the farm.”
The Rottweiler, in Joey and Cecilia’s eyes, could do no more harm. The blade of death pierced her heart. Joey and Cecilia made their way over to Ma and Pa’s general store. Maybe they’ll have something. Inside the store, the fresh aroma of meat and groceries healed Joey from all the stress he and CeCe endured. He assumed that the mall shooting will be on the news.
The two went through the aisles, trying to find the perfect Christmas gifts when Joey got the scent of lavender. Scented candles. Perfect. “Cecilia, follow the scent of lavender! I know what to do get Tippy and Lizzie!” Joey’s tone of voice felt calm and serene, the candles some sort of healing device.
Cecilia obeyed and in no time at all, the scent of those scented candles grew stronger. The perfect gifts—as long as Tippy and Lizzie weren’t allergic and/or sensitive.
This was going to be a cinch. Purchasing the candles and back to the farm. Matches can be found in the farmhouse, with adult supervision, of course.
Joey swiped two lavender and two peppermint scented candles from the shelf close to the exit, with Cecilia in tow. It’s not every day two Dalmatians wearing a trench coat enter a store. What’s next? Extraterrestrials?
Now, it was back to the Dearly Farm to enjoy Christmas with everyone.
December 25th has arrived! The most magical day of the year. And it was snowing heavier. After spending time with the Dearlys and “suffering” from their gifts, the Dalmatians, and non-spotties, were in the barn exchanging their gifts. Shadow got a new spellbook, along with an invitation to join an underground cooking class. Clayton received a video camera—after a mishap caused his old one to break. (A certain star-spotted Dalmatian hoped that Clayton forgives him for this.)
Joey and Cecilia quickly went to find Belchic, Tippy, and Lizzie. They cannot wait to see their faces.
They quickly encounter an Australian Shepherd-Border Collie mix. Quite tall and bluff, her fur was mostly black but brown in some areas. And the outer area of her nose, her lower jaw, chest, stomach, paws, and tail tip were white. Brown eyes. Purple collar.
Joey’s tail wagged happily. Now that he was with Lizzie, everything lit up inside. “Merry Christmas, Liz!” Joey smiled warmly, handing her the peppermint-scented candles. Two are better than one.
“Scented candles?” Lizzie asked, analyzing the object. “Thank you for this, Joey!” Her tail showed happiness and joy. “It’s the thought that counts. I’ve never once thought about receiving these. I’ve heard about these. They’re supposed to smell pleasant.” Supposed to smell pleasant and to relieve stress. “I can’t wait to light this!” Joey felt ecstatic hearing that Lizzie liked her gifts. A paw on his back and Joey turned around. Standing before him was a blonde-haired Dalmatian with spots in the formation of beads around her neck, above her elbows, her thighs, and above her paws. She wore an ice blue-collar that looked taught around her fatty neck. Her colossal sized belly jutted out attractively. “Hey, Rosalina! I see your fat is keeping you warm.”
Rosalina chuckled. “Well, Daniella wants me to keep this shape, and I’ve gotten used to it. I am one fat Dalmatian. Anyway, I’ve been looking for a good present for you, and, I’ve eaten not too long ago, so I am wondering if you wanna listen to my gurgling belly.”
Joey eyed and placed his forepaws on Rosalina’s belly. He wagged happily and exclaimed, “DO I?!” Rosalina lifted Joey off his feet after Lizzie excused herself and platonically carried him to a secluded area of the barn.
As Rosalina placed Joey on her belly, Cecilia took the gifts and quickly found Belchic and Tippy sitting underneath a self-made mistletoe and gave themselves privacy as they lock together in a kiss. (The “rules” of Christmas say that if anyone winds up under the mistletoe with someone, they must kiss.)
When they broke the kiss, Tippy, a Dalmatian-Greyhound mix—which explained why she is taller than purebred Dalmatians—eyed at Cecilia. She eyed all of her features. Tippy’s ears flop down similar to Cadpig’s, solid white with black tips. Her tail also has a black tip. On her back were three spots, and one spot could be found in the middle of her belly. Around her neck was a blue-collar.
Cecilia wagged her tail and proceeded to give Tippy the two lavender-scented candles. Upon receiving her gifts, Tippy wagged her tail and instantly raised CeCe in the air without any problems. It’s true. Tippy is one of the strongest pups on the Dearly Farm. “I’m glad you like your gift, Tippy, but can you please let me down?” Cecilia asked.
Tippy smiled, filled with happiness and joy over the holiday season. “CeCe, thank you so much. Belchic and I got you something, too.”
“Oh? What did you get me?” Cecilia’s eyes gleamed; curiosity filled her to the brim. On this magical day, curiosity always wins. “Wait, don’t tell me. You got me yourselves.”
Belchic walked up to the two girls. Plump, with a shape nearly rivaling Rolly’s. His left ear is solid black, whilst the right was white and spotted. Donning a purple collar, he said, “Schwiggidy shwag! What’s in the bag?” Then he said, “Close your eyes, Cecilia!”
Cecilia closed her eyes until Tippy permitted her to reopen them. Before her, Tippy and Belchic held a ruby red necklace. “Oh, my Dog!” She took the necklace from the two, as Belchic and Tippy smiled gratefully at each other, as Cecilia said, “Where ever did you get this gorgeous necklace?”
Belchic answered, “Tippy and I went to the swamp and we traded with Swamp Rat. I gave him one of my fedora hats, and Tippy agreed to be his assistant for a fortnight whilst Steven takes some time off. She begins next week.”
Cecilia eyed at Tippy; she nodded in confirmation. “Well, Joey and I have something for you, Belchic, and I think you’re going to love it.”
“I’m all for getting presents! So, what did you get me?” Curiosity filled Belchic’s insides.I don’t think how long he can withstand waiting before exploding.
Cecilia giggled as she took out a wrapped box and gave it to Belchic. He immediately tore open the wrapping before opening the gift. A cacophonous array of tearing papers fluttered through Cecilia’s ears. Not all gifts needed to be wrapped, but CeCe and Joey made sure theirs were. He then came across the fedora hats and the prank guidebook and shouted, “Yabba dabba crackers! You didn’t have to get me anything! Where did you get these?”
“The mall,” Cecilia replied.
“My point stands. Christmas is about family and friends. If you didn’t get us anything, it’s the thought that counts.”
Where did CeCe and Joey hear that before?
Lucky, a horseshoe spotted Dalmatian, decided that it was TV time. So he does what he does best. Turn on the television. Unlucky for him, a special report interrupted regular scheduled programming. “Ah, no thank you. I’ve had enough news for one day, or forever.”
Cecilia eyed to the TV screen and saw live coverage of the mall shooting that happened only a few days ago. Lucky was about to change the channel when she said, “Lucky! Don’t change the channel! They’re talking about the mall shooting at the Topstown mall Joey and I snuck into to get gifts for Belchic. Alarms went off and spooked me and Joey, and I thought I might have a piddle accident.”
“. . . The shooter has been identified as thirty-four-year-old James Taylor Roberts. Caucasian, spiky black hair. So far, there was no motive,” said the news reporter, a tall, multiracial woman dressed formally for work. “He was immediately gunned down by police after a six-hour standoff. The dead totaled to an estimate of thirty-four. . .”
At that moment, Lucky turned off the TV and the joyful celebration turned to silence.
Shadow, the plump, star-spotted Dalmatian walked up to the group of pups. Shocked, not one of them expected this to happen. He broke the silence by saying, “We only have one life to live and we have to take advantage of it. We always have to strive to live our lives like it’s our last. We also have to show respect to each other, for we do not know when we’ll be called to leave the Earth.” He paused as he eyed at the barn’s ceiling. “Of course, the human deserved his fate. And at thirty-four, that’s young.”
Tragedies happen, and the Christmas season is not an exception. It takes friendship to get through the grieving process. Not one pup thought that their Christmas was ruined. It has only gotten better, thanks to the community holding hands, and paws. They knew that the families of the deceased will gain support from everyone. Internationally.
And the magic of Christmas will never fade.