At the moment, I am lying on the sofa

 At the moment, I am stretched out on Eric’s sofa. Yes, Eric’s. But this isn’t Eric’s usual place. I don’t know where we are, exactly.  But it’s not bad. It's just... unfamiliar.

Benny’s here, though! That’s the good news. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, and I missed his steady, wise-dog energy. He’s been sniffing around like he owns the place, so I guess he’s been here before. I kept looking for Chewy, out of habit—but he’s not here. Benny said something weird. He told me Zappa’s spirit left his body and went somewhere else, and now Zappa’s buried in a backyard. A spirit? What even is that? Where does it go? Is that what happened to Chewy? Is he… a spirit now too?

Anyway. Yesterday morning was madness. Emma was a whirling dervish (her words, not mine)—sprinting from room to room, packing, cleaning, muttering to herself. I barked occasionally to remind her: “Hey! Don’t forget me!” Eventually, she put my crate in the car—but in the back seat. The back seat. I don’t like that. I can’t see the world from back there! I whimpered. I barked. She said it was an “honor” because it was Chewy’s old spot. I’m not sure if she was being serious or sentimental. Either way, I stayed put.

The drive was boring. I napped. Every once in a while, Emma reached back and scratched me through the crate. I licked her fingers to let her know she was forgiven for the backseat business.

We stopped at McDonald’s. Classic road trip move. Emma got ice cream for both of us—but spoiler alert: I only got a little. A tiny scoop. Something about protecting my stomach. I could have handled it. I’m not a baby.

Once we finally arrived at the mystery house, I knew something was off. So many new smells. I couldn’t eat dinner—I was too busy mapping the place with my nose. There was definitely Benny all over the house, so I guess he lives here now?

The walk helped. The sun was low, the woods were deep, and I got to walk out in front with Benny like a proper scout. We’re in charge of safety, and I take that seriously. Some baby raccoon tried to sneak up on us. Not on my watch. I barked him right up a tree. You’re welcome.

Later, Eric got a big cone of ice cream, and both Emma and I stole a few licks. I got one—one!—before she pulled it away like I was a criminal. I licked her hand in protest. She laughed. I forgave her. Again.

I slept pretty well last night. The floor was hard, but I’m adaptable. I’m small, but tough. I’ve been through a lot. This trip has felt... peaceful. Eric’s happy. Emma seems relaxed. I can tell she feels safe here, and that makes me feel safe too.

Now I’m just dozing in the morning sun, belly full, ears twitching with the sounds of the house waking up.

Life is good. I hope today is full of walks, snacks, and affection. I love this pack. Even if they hog the ice cream.