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Waiting for Her Return
An unreleased short story from the book:
Fur & Tears Stories of Love, Loss, and Loyalty
Max had always been there for Emma, through thick and thin. He had been her constant companion for years, ever since she brought him home as a small, scruffy puppy. From the moment their eyes met, they were inseparable. He was her protector, her comfort, and her joy. The two of them had formed a bond that nothing could break. Max had been there for her through every difficult moment, every quiet evening alone, every happy occasion. He had lived for her touch, her voice, the sound of her calling his name.
For years, it had been the same routine: morning walks, afternoons on the couch, quiet nights with Max curled up at her feet. Emma had always been there, her hands warm and soothing as she rubbed his ears, her voice soft as she spoke to him. Max never needed anything more than her presence. She was his world.
But that morning, everything changed.
Max could tell something was wrong when Emma had packed a bag and left the house, her face pale, her steps slow. She didn’t look at him the way she usually did, her eyes filled with warmth and love. Instead, she had said something Max couldn’t understand, her voice wavering. “Be a good boy, Max. I’ll be back soon.”
Max watched her leave, tail wagging with the hope that she would return soon. She always came back. She had always come back.
But this time, Emma didn’t come home.
The first few hours were nothing unusual. Max sat by the door, eyes focused on the street outside, waiting for the sound of her car pulling into the driveway. The hours passed, but the car never came. The sun began to set, and Max grew restless. His ears perked at every sound—the neighbor’s car, footsteps outside—but each time, his heart would sink when it wasn’t her. He padded back to the door, sniffing around, pawing at it gently, wondering why she hadn’t come back yet.
The second day was the same. Max didn’t understand. He had eaten his breakfast but hadn’t touched his water. He didn’t care about the bowl of food or the toys scattered around the house. All he cared about was Emma, his best friend. Why hadn’t she come home yet? His eyes grew tired as he waited, but he couldn’t sleep, not knowing if she was okay. She had promised she would return, and Max would wait until she did.
Each day, Max waited, sitting by the door, staring out at the empty driveway, his ears alert, his body stiff with anticipation. He would lie down by the window at night, watching the streetlights flicker, still hoping, still waiting for the sound of her footsteps. The days turned into weeks, but Emma never came back. The house felt so empty without her presence, and Max began to grow weak. His tail no longer wagged with joy; it only moved slowly, out of habit, whenever he heard a noise outside.
Max started to feel the ache in his chest, a hollow space where his heart used to be. The house, once full of life and laughter, was now silent. Max would wander from room to room, hoping to find her, hoping for some sign that she would return. He would curl up on the couch where she had always sat, pressing his nose against the cushions, hoping to catch a trace of her scent. But there was nothing. Just the fading smell of her perfume, lingering in the air like a memory he couldn’t grasp.
The shelter worker, who came to check on him, would speak softly to him, but Max didn’t understand the words. He didn’t want to understand. He wanted Emma. He wanted the life they had shared. He wanted to feel the comfort of her hand, the softness of her voice, the way she had looked at him with so much love in her eyes. He had been loyal to her, had loved her with every fiber of his being, and all he wanted was to be by her side again. He still waited, every day, by the door, still hoping.
But it became harder as the days passed. Max’s body grew frail, his coat dull, his eyes losing their once-bright spark. He would look at the door every time it creaked, every time he heard footsteps outside, but it was never her. He had grown so tired, so weary from waiting. He could feel his heart growing weaker, but he didn’t know what to do. His whole life had been about waiting for Emma. His love for her was all he knew.
One evening, as Max lay on his bed by the door, his legs stiff with age, he heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching. His heart leapt, a flicker of hope rushing through him. Was it finally her? Had she come back? He lifted his head, his eyes bright with anticipation, his tail giving a weak thump against the floor.
But the door opened, and a stranger walked in. A woman Max didn’t know, someone who spoke in a soft, kind voice, but not the voice he had longed to hear. She knelt down beside him, her hand gently stroking his fur. Max sniffed her, confused. He could feel her tenderness, but it wasn’t Emma. It wasn’t the one he had waited for. The woman smiled at him, but her eyes were filled with sorrow, as if she understood the grief Max had carried for so long.
Max lay down, his heart heavy with a sadness that he could no longer hide. The woman spoke to him softly, but Max could barely hear her. His ears felt heavy, his eyes growing tired as he rested his head on the floor.
And in that moment, Max finally understood. He had waited too long. Emma wasn’t coming back. She was gone, and no matter how hard he had hoped, no matter how much he had loved her, she would never return.
Max’s breath grew slower, his heart quieting with each passing second. He had loved her with everything he had, and even though she had gone, that love would never fade. It would live on in the quiet emptiness of the house, in the memory of the days they had spent together, in the bond that could never be broken.
And so, with one final sigh, Max closed his eyes, his body still, the weight of a love that had never faltered finally lifting. He had waited as long as he could. He had given everything to the woman he loved, and though she could never see the depth of that love, he would always remember her.
Max was finally at peace, knowing that, in the quiet of the house, his love for Emma would remain, even if she was no longer there.
If you enjoyed this short story you will probably like our latest release available now:
Fur & Tears Stories of Love, Loss, and Loyalty
$3.99
Fur & Tears: Stories of Love, Loss, and Loyalty is a heart-stirring collection of short stories that takes readers on an emotional journey through the bond between dogs and their owners. […]
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