It was the next morning, and Mike did not talk to Debbie or the kids while he got ready for work.
Later that morning, Russ reviewed blueprints at his desk in the office trailer.
Mike entered with bags under his eyes. He was exhausted, and Russ noticed. “You look awful.”
“I didn't sleep a wink last night?” Mike replied while he walked over to the coffee pot and poured a cup.
He walked over to his desk and plopped down in his chair.
“Playing the guitar all night?” Russ asked.
“I wish, but no, that stupid dog was crying all night,” Mike replied.
“The Voodoo neighbor dog?”
“No. Debbie got the kids a puppy,” Mike replied then sipped his coffee.
Russ looked at unsure he heard correctly. “Did you say that Debbie got the kids a puppy?” Russ asked to verify what he thought he heard.
“Yep, an ugly mutt,” Mike replied, then drank some more coffee.
“Are you kidding me?”
“I'm not, but it won't last long,” Mike said while he drank some more coffee to get motivated for the workday.
“Why do you say that?”
“I laid down some rules, and I know in a couple of weeks, they'll break them,” Mike answered with a smile knowing the puppy will be gone soon.
“It would do you good to have a dog. They are man’s best friend,” Russ said while he got up from his desk and walked over to the coffee pot with his cup.
Mike glanced out his window and saw some of his workers at a nearby house feeding Ginger in the dirt front yard. He jumped up from his desk and ran over to the door.
“They’re also like,” Russ said then the slamming of the office door while Mike ran outside stopped him.
“Family,” Russ finished while he walked over the windows and watched while Mike was outside running over to that house.
Mike ran to those workers who fed Ginger.
“Quit feeding that thing! It might have some disease!” Mike screamed at his workers.
They quickly scrambled back to their work locations the second they saw Mike running mad at them.
Ginger saw Mike, and she ran away as fast as her little paws could move.
Mike walked back to his trailer and went inside.
“All I need is that mutt getting hurt on my site, then I'll have those SPCA and PETA freaks picketing outside my gate,” he said while he walked back and sat down at his desk.
Russ rolled his eyes then returned to his work, knowing it would be pointless to discuss this any further with Mike.
It was 6:00 p.m. and Mike drove his pickup home fretting seeing Rascal.
Mike pulled his pickup in the driveway and parked.
He got out with a newspaper in hand and went through the front door.
The second Mike entered through the front door he saw a puddle on his lovely expensive wooden floor. He instantly got mad. “That dog of yours made a mess on my floor. It's going to ruin it,” he yelled out.
A few seconds later, Rascal poked his head into the living room from the hallway.
Mike saw Rascal and immediately rolled up his newspaper. He ran after Rascal who quickly ran down the hallway.
The second Mike stepped into the puddle on the floor, his shoes went out from under him, and he landed on his butt and splashed in the puddle.
He cringed when the puddle started to soak through his pants.
Debbie walked into the living room with a rag and cleaning solution to eliminate doggie odors. She saw Mike while he got up from the puddle and saw the huge wet spot on the seat of his pants. “I guess I don't need the rag,” she said with a chuckle.
Mike fumed. “If this keeps up, that dog will be out of here,” he said then stormed out of the room and went to his bathroom to change pants.
Debbie shrugged off his comment while she got on her knees and wiped up the remaining puddle deposited by Rascal.
Later that night, Mike sat barefooted in his lazy boy chair while he watched the ESPN channel on his TV.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rascal while he zoomed down the hallway toward the kitchen. Jenny and Chris laughed while they raced after him.
Mike got irritated. “No running in the house!” he yelled, then he returned to watching ESPN.
Then from the corner of his eye, he saw Rascal run back down the hallway toward the bedrooms. Jenny and Chris were hot on his tail.
“I said, no running in the house!” Mike yelled a little louder. Then he heard a splash come from the bathroom and he got mad. “What are you doing in there?” Mike yelled louder.
“We're giving Rascal a bath,” Debbie yelled back from the bathroom.
“In the house? That's what the outside hose is for,” Mike yelled out.
“No, Daddy! Bathtubs are for baths,” Jenny corrected him from the bathroom.
Mike rolled his eyes then heard more splashes and giggles from Jenny and Chris from the bathroom.
“No, Rascal! Come back!” Debbie yelled out from the bathroom.
Rascal raced slopping wet into the living room. His paws slipped out from under him, and he slid across the floor. He slammed into Mike’s feet and came to a stop.
Rascal stood up and shook himself and sprayed water all over Mike. He got furious with Rascal. “That dog is getting the wooden floor and me wet!” he yelled out.
Mike jumped out of his chair and quickly grabbed Rascal by the scruff of his neck. Rascal yelped in a little pain from Mike’s grip.
He stormed out of the living room and into the kitchen while Rascal looked terrified while he dangled from Mike’s hand.
Debbie, Jenny, and Chris ran into the kitchen and saw Mike with Rascal.
“Where are you taking Rascal?” Chris asked and got worried while Mike headed to the kitchen door that had a large window at the upper half.
“Outside where he belongs!” Mike said while he got to the door.
Jenny looked concerned. “But he'll get fleas.”
“That’s not my problem,” Mike said while he opened up the door and dropped Rascal on the porch floor.
He slammed the door shut and locked it.
Jenny and Chris ran over to the door and looked out its window. They looked ever so sad while they saw Rascal who sat on the porch with the most sorrowful puppy dog eyes.
Debbie looked furious with Mike; then she stormed out of the kitchen.
Jenny and Chris’s eyes welled up while they watched Rascal who just sat on the back porch who whined about being let back inside the house.
Mike walked out of the kitchen with a smile and wiped his hands on his pants.
Later that night, everybody in the Hanson household was sound asleep.
Then the sounds of Rascal crying and howling from the porch were heard through the house.
Mike and Debbie were sound asleep in bed.
Mike woke up and realized it was Rascal he heard. “Will someone shut up that dog, or else?” Mike called out.
That woke up Debbie who looked mad at Mike. “It’s your fault since you stuck him out on the back porch. You live with it!” Debbie snapped back then put her pillow over her head and went back to sleep.
Mike placed his pillow over his head to drown out the sound.
Then Jenny poked her head out of her bedroom doorway and looked up and down the hallway. The coast was clear, so she stepped out in the hall and tiptoed down the entrance to the kitchen.
She tiptoed through the kitchen and up to the door.
Outside on the porch, Rascal immediately wagged his tail the second he saw Jenny at the window in the door.
Jenny unlocked the door and opened it, and Rascal immediately rushed into the kitchen. He jumped up on Jenny’s legs and wagged his tail so happy to be with her.
“Be quiet Rascal,” Jenny whispered in one of his ears. She picked him up and tiptoed back through the kitchen and down the hallway.
Jenny tiptoed into her bedroom while Rascal licked her face.
Once she was inside her bedroom, she placed Rascal on the floor then closed her door and left it cracked open about an inch.
She walked Rascal over and set him down on the edge of her bed. He wagged his tail so happy to be inside the house.
She walked over and grabbed a book off her bedside table. “I'll read you a story if you stay quiet,” she told Rascal while she got under her covers.
Rascal ran over and lay on the bed and placed his head on Jenny’s leg. He closed his eyes while she read him a story.
It was hours later, and Jenny was sound asleep with her book in her lap.
Rascal woke up and looked around the room. He then got curious when he spotted the cracked door opening.
He got up and walked to the edge of the bed. He jumped down and walked over to the door.
He used his paw and opened up the door.
He walked out into the hallway. He sat down and looked up and down the hall.
He got up and walked down and poked his head into Chris’ bedroom.
He walked farther down the hallway and poked his head into Debbie and Mike’s bedroom. He wagged his tail when he saw them sleeping in their bed.
He walked into their bedroom and jumped up on their bed.
He walked over and lay down between Mike and Debbie. He closed his eyes and fell fast asleep