Their Little Brown Espresso

After a typically bad sleep, Rhiannon and Pieter wake with aching bones and tired minds. The kettle is put on as it always is, and they try to rouse themselves to face the day. Before she came, real coffee was the only remedy, the only solution to fully prep them for the day ahead.

Smiles would eventually form on their faces. After a lot of caffeine and coaxing.

Before she was born.

When she came along, things changed dramatically.

It had been hard work. The home birth took it out of Rhiannon and Pieter. There was so much work, so little free time, but little ones that needed looking after. Among her siblings, she stood out. They were all beautiful and easy to love in their own way, but there was just something about her.

She was always a favourite among the offspring. She wasn’t the biggest. In fact, she was one of the smallest. Pieter, though, quickly took a shine to her, and Rhiannon soon followed suit. Many would say it would be wrong to pick a favourite from your young, your offspring. But, when they clapped eyes on her, it was clear she had something special to bring to their lives.

Never a dull moment at all when she's there. And she's always there. When they wake in the morning. Before they go to bed at night. When they're up during the night, because their sleep patterns suck. She is there. Their little shot of espresso. The pep they didn't know they needed in their lives. An exuberance that knows no bounds. A joy for life and unbound love to share with anyone who takes it. From birth, she had stolen their hearts. With her charming large personality that belied her diminutive stature. She was always up to something, and it was very often not good. Not in the slightest.

Pieter and Rhiannon, though, did not mind. In fact, despite what they might say out loud to the mischievous little brown fur ball at their feet, they secretly loved the chaos she brought to their lives.

Never a moment goes by when she’s not on the scrounge for some food or belly scratches.

A privilege it was, for them to see the little brown jackapoo come into this world and grow into such a loyal but naughty furry family member.

*

Thanks for reading!

Author's Notes: Okay, so I went with something a bit nicer than usual for my entry into L.C. Schäfer's Dollar Challenge - Dead Inside But Caffeinated (October/November edition). I even made it about someone from my life. Okay, so it's a dog. But, that still counts.

A little background is that in the story the character names are Rhiannon and Pieter, instead of Ruth and Paul and the "shot of espresso" is our Jackapoo called Little Brown, pictured above.

I did an Acrostic about the litter of puppies, last year.

Here are a couple of other things: