Molly and Me

The moment I woke up, I knew something wasn’t right. Just a feeling, hard to say why something wasn’t right. Was it the light? A sound? A smell? Did the bell ring?

The clock says 3 AM. Surely no one would arrive at this late hour. Dutifully I head downstairs to check. Molly follows but as she reaches the first floor she starts the low growl that usually comes before the earnest barking.

“It’s okay, girl. Just checking.” I shuffle over to the front door. No cars nearby, no lights on in any rooms. All seems quiet in the motel. So Molly and I head back to bed. Sweet comforting bed for a few more hours before coffee time calls.

We turn the corner at the top of the stairs to be stopped by a person in front of the bedroom door. Molly suddenly sits, as if by command. I step back a few steps, then another which sends me falling down the steep stairway.

“That’s all I remember. Falling down those steps.” I pointed to the steep stairs with my right arm, still in the pink cast.

I laid back on the couch, still dealing with the pain from that fall. The police sat in chairs nearby.

“So, you don’t recall the person at the top of the stairs?”

“No, I really didn’t see anything. Just someone all in black.”

“What about your dog? You mentioned you had a dog.”

“Yes, Molly. She’s gone. She never barked at the person.”

“Where’s Molly now?”

“Gone. I haven’t seen her since that night.”

The police glanced at each other.

“Okay, well, Miss Wright. Thanks for your time. We’re working on this. We’ll let you know you know.”

I reclined on the couch after they left. Pain, discouragement. And a great deal of sadness for my companion, my dog. I drift off until the front door bell alerts me.

“Oh, sorry. Are you okay Mary?” It was Jim, a hiker. “I can come back.”

“I’m fine. Jim. Come on in.” I shuffled over to the front desk. “What’s up?”

“Did they find the mystery person that was here the other night?”

“Evidently not. Now they want to know about Molly.”

“Molly? What did your dog do?”

I sat in the desk chair. “Nothing I remember. She didn’t even bark at that person. But I haven’t seen her since.”

Jim looked sad, he liked Molly, always loved her with treats.

“Have you tried the shelters?”

“No luck. No sign of her.”

“Anything missing here?”

“According to Lillian, nothing of value is missing. Just a picture, some loose change. So we were lucky.”

“You were very lucky. I’m on my way to 5 mile Hole, see you later tonight. I’ll check on you again.”

Jim left me to think. A few more customers came in to check on me. The coffee ran out, someone refilled it. The day wore on.

Just about the time I got ready to leave for my weekend at home, Jim came rushing in.

“Mary! Wow so glad you’re still here.” A rush of fur came my way.

“MOLLY! Oh girl! Where? Jim, how?” I buried my face in my dog’s back.

“I found her along the trail. I think she was headed back here. She’s fine.”

Tears finally, a few days’ worth. Molly was stoic as usual.

“Thanks Jim. I’ll let the police know.”

“Do you want me to come by the house? Stay with you?”

I gathered my bag and Molly. We made our way outside. “I think I’ll be okay. I’ll just club that person with my arm.” I waved the pink cast around.

Jim laughed and waved goodnight,

As Molly and I got closer to home, my dog started that growl I last heard that other night. A person in black, the same one from before, appeared before us. Molly wagged her tail.

“Hi again, Molly.”

“Who are you? Why are you here? I’m going to call the police!”

“I won’t hurt you. I just want to see my dog again.” Molly stood beside the person.

“Again, who are you?”

“Blake Smith. I live over the hill. I had to give Molly to the shelter about a year ago. Then one day I saw her here at the motel.”

I smacked him in his arm. “You almost killed me, you fool! And the police are looking for whomever caused me to fall down the stairs!”

Blake did look a little guilty. “Sorry, I was scared. We ran.” Molly glanced at both of us, unsure of who to obey.

“Well, you’re lucky I’m a nice person. And that I love that dog. I won’t tell the cops it was you. And in return, you will serve some time at the motel. Got it? You’re my new handyman.”

Blake smiled just a little. “Does this mean I get to see Molly?”

“I guess so. But only during working hours. She is my dog now. No more sneaking about in the dark scaring people. Got it?”

“Got it.'

“Great. Now go home. Come back tomorrow, ready to work.”

And he did. Blake worked for a few months for free. Then I hired him full-time when Ryan left. That was a few years ago.


W/C 874