The days of Spring

     A new friend

       It was the first of June 1922, in Nome a three year old girl with red hair and shining emerald eyes awoke to find her father sitting on her bed.

 “Wake up sleepyhead today’s the day” her father said kissing her cheek.

“Morning Daddy, I am so excited” the girl replied as she was lifted out of bed and placed onto her father’s shoulders.

    Sitting on her father’s shoulder the girl laughed as he acted like a dog, barking as he walked downstairs, the belt of his red dressing gown swinging from side to side. Reaching the kitchen the pair found the girl’s mother waiting for them, with three plates of scrambled eggs on toast sitting on the table, the smell if coffee wafting from a pot in the middle of the table. Sitting down the family tucked into their breakfasts, the girl’s father reading the Nome Nugget as he ate.

  “Are you exited Rosie?” asked the girl’s mother.

“Yes I cannot wait to see them” Rosie replied with a wide smile. “I hope one will like me.”

“Of course one will you are such as wonderful person, any puppy would be happy to have you as their owner.”

 “Your mother is right Emerald” her father replied. “You have a wonderful heart.”

 “I just hope I can meet one who will like to play.”

“Well we not get out sitting here in our nightwear, do you want to go first Arthur?” asked Rosie’s mother turning to face her husband.

 “You had best go first Violet, you women do take longer to get ready” Arthur replied with a chuckle. “I swear you must go through half your wardrobe!”

  “Oh you” Violet replied, playfully swatting Arthur on the head with the paper as she left the room.

    An hour later the family left their house and made their way to the outskirts of town. Passing the post office they watched as the mail team was unharnessed, with the lead dog, a red and cream male walking up to them.

 “Hello Fire are you coming with us?” Rosie asked stroking the dog.

     At this Fire let out a bark, soon they reached a house enclosed behind a high wooden fence, the sound of barking could be heard from within. Sitting on a chair on the porch was a man, Bernard, his leg up on a stool and a pair of crutches resting on the chair arm. Bernard was Fire’s musher and normally drove the mail team, however a month previously he had fallen off a ladder while fixing the guttering and was now on desk duties. Seeing the family and Fire he got up, his crutches clinking as he walked. Seeing his owner Fire wagged him and handing him a small package.

 “Arthur it is good to see you” Bernard said shaking his hand. “So are you ready Rosie?”

“Yes Mr Beach.”

“Call me Bernard. Well you have certainly made the right impression coming home with Fire, they are his pups after all” Bernard replied, leading Rosie to the back of the house.

      Seconds later a female red and cream husky called Fiona bounded up to Fire licking him all over, with five puppies jumping onto his back, three male and two female. Seeing Rosie the pups understood, as all had been told they would be given to new homes within the next couple of days. The reaction of the pups differed the boys took no notice of her, the idea of being owned by a girl making them cringe. The girls seemed curios, with one looking directly into her eyes before walking over and sniffing her hand. Kneeling down in the snow Rosie stroked the pup’s soft fur, laughing as the pup licked her face. Then the pup raced to a corner of the yard, coming back with a blue ball seconds later. Dropping the ball at Rosie’s feet the pup let out a bark and wagged her tail. Picking up the ball Rosie threw it as hard as she could, the pup racing after it the moments it left her hand. Picking up the ball the pup walked back and dropped the ball at Rosie’s feet once more. This game continued for a short time under the watchful eyes of both sets of parents.

 “I would like to adopt this puppy” Rosie said as she hugged the puppy.

“Very well then she is yours” Bernard replied. “Take good care of her.”

“I will I promise” Rosie replied as Fire and Fiona walked up and licked both her and their daughter.

“What are you going to call her?” Violet asked as they said goodbye to Bernard.

“Jenna, just like the mermaid princess in the story. She had red hair and the puppy has red fur.”

 “That is the perfect name for such a wonderful puppy” Violet replied stroking Jenna.

     Passing through town Jenna looked this way and that, her senses full of new smells and sounds, her curiosity growing by the minuet. Although Jenna had been into town before, she had never been without her parents. Reaching Rosie’s house the pair raced out into the back yard, chasing each other as Arthur and Violet watched from the kitchen door.

 “Rosie Jenna” Arthur called taking a picture as they turned around, their faces full of delight.

        As lunchtime arrived the sky began to darken, placing three plates on the table Violet called Rosie and Jenna inside, with the heavens opening as second the family sat down to lunch. The rain bounced off the roof, thunder rumbled and lighting flashed, those unfortunate enough to be outside ran for cover or put up umbrellas and hoods.

  “Drat” Arthur muttered looking outside. “There goes my plan to wash the windows.”

“Never mind, you can start on painting the spare room you have been promising to start for a month” Violet replied smiling at her husband.

 “Oh don’t start Vi……I’ve not started it because I’ve been too busy prosecuting that bank robber……..sometimes I hate being a lawyer.”

  “I know you do Art” Violet replied kissing him on the cheek. “But you did put him behind bars and made sure the money was returned to the bank.”

  “Well I suppose I did and he did get ten to fifteen years so I won’t be see him any time soon” Arthur replied proudly.

 “He was a bad mad, you did a good job” Rosie said with a smile.

“He was Rosie and it was a nice feeling when he was sentenced, that combined with the look on his face.”

     As Arthur made a start on repainting the spare room Rosie took Jenna to her room, looking around the room Jenna investigated every corner. Walking over to a large wooden chest with fairies on it, Rosie opened the lid, revealing a multitude of outfits. It was her dressing up box and had been made by Arthur. Walking over Jenna put her paws on its sides as Rosie pulled out a set of fairy wings and wand along with a string of pink beads which she placed around Jenna. Together the pair were soon in a world of fairies, forest palaces, magic and unicorns, flying through an enchanted forest on fairy wings. Opening the door Arthur chuckled at the pair as they attempted to tame a dragon, his eyes flicking between his daughter and the green cuddly dragon. As evening approached, Jenna was standing at the edge of a well (the dressing up box) when she fell in. When she “surfaced” she was holding a red bandanna in her mouth, her tailing wagging. Walking over Rosie “rescued” Jenna and placed her on the floor.

 “Do you like this bandanna Jenna?”

      In reply Jenna let out a short woof and dropped the bandanna on the floor. Picking it up Rosie knelt down and tied it around her neck, having to fold it over a couple of times so it would fit. Picking her up Rosie took Jenna over to a mirror so that she could see what she looked like. At that moment the door opened and Violet walked into the room, the scent of dinner wafting into the room.

  “Dinner time girls.”

“Coming Mummy” Rosie replied taking off her wings.

     That night Rosie curled up in her bed with Jenna her arms wrapped around her, the covers drawn up around them. From the door Arthur and Violet smiled at the sight before turning out the light. As they fell asleep the pair thought about the fun they had had and all the fun they would have. A friendship had been formed that would last a lifetime.

    Family day out       

  The 4th off July had arrived and like every other city and town in America, Nome had turned out in force to celebrate. The town was done up to the nines, windows had been washed, paintwork redone, streets swept and every inch decorated with the American colours. In her house Rosie twirled in her blue dress her hair in braids tied with white ribbons. Next to her stood Jenna a white scarf replacing her usually bandana, Violet was in a lovely white dress and Arthur in a white suit with blue tie. As Violet adjusted Arthur’s tie the doorbell rang and Arthur’s parents Wilfred and Hilda walked in. Both were dressed in blue with their white hair shining like snow, their shoe’s shining jet black.

 “Grandpa Wilf” Rosie cried running to him.

  “Rosanna you have grown” Wilfred laughed picking her up.

“She has indeed” Hilda replied picking up Jenna. “It appears she has the family height. What your