Chapter 12: Diva Goes Visiting

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007

Tuesday morning David and I slept in. I think that now that Sam’s out of the woods, everyone felt better and able to relax. When I woke up, I had a log across my chest in the form of David’s arm, and I looked over and smiled at him. His hair was all messy and he had a contented little smile on his face. I kissed him gently and he opened his eyes.

“Mornin’ sweetheart,” he said, his voice thick and husky with sleep.

“Mornin’ yourself, lover,” I said back. He grinned and rolled me under him and we had a right and proper good morning. After another shared shower, we got dressed and went out into the kitchen. I checked in on the board, and we started helping Stephanie. She was making and freezing dinners so Sam wouldn’t have to worry about that when she gets home.

Today is take-Diva-to-see-Sam day. We called the hospital this morning to say ‘hi’ to Sam, and to see how she was feeling, and it was all I could do to not spill the secret. I am LOUSY at keeping good surprises to myself. I did go and talk to Diva about it this morning. I swear David is going to think I’m a mental case, talking to dogs. But, Diva is Sam’s people, so I talk to her like people.

“Hey, sweetie,” I cooed to her, sitting on the floor by her bed. “We’re going to go see Sam today.” Diva lifted her big head to look at me. I smiled at her and scratched under her chin. Bending down to look her in the eyes, I said it again. “We’re going to go see Sam today. Right after lunch.” Diva gave a soft woof and got up from her bed. She padded into the kitchen and intrigued, I followed. She made a bee line for her food box. She crunched away for a few minutes, then went to sit by the door. I smiled at her with tears in my eyes. “Soon, sweet girl,” I said, “We need to have lunch first.” Diva just looked at me, and she woofed again.

Stephanie wiped a tear from her eye. “We can eat at the hospital. Let’s go.”

David said, “C’mon Deeve, out the front; let’s go for a ride,” and opened the front door. The driver jumped a mile when he saw the dog coming out.

“Holy shit, that’s a big dog!” he exclaimed, making us laugh.

“She’s a big baby, George,” Stephanie said.

Diva was sitting next to the passenger door. Apparently, that was her seat. With great trepidation, George opened the door for her, and she gingery climbed in and sat on the seat. Waiting expectantly, Diva watched the driver circle around to his seat, and when he got in the car, he cast a wary eye at Diva. David reached forward from the back seat and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “She won’t eat you,” he said. “She just had lunch.”

When we got to the hospital, I snapped a leash onto Diva’s collar. It was entirely just for show – there’s no way that I was going to be able to control this canine once she saw her Sam. We checked in with the nurse and she said there were patients waiting in the waiting room already, and they were so excited that Diva was coming. There were some kids there from the pediatric wing, and they were practically bouncing off the walls in anticipation. I scrunched down to talk to Diva. “Now look, you have a little work to do before you can see Sam. You’re going to visit with some sick kids first.” Her tail wagged a little, and she looked around.

The nurse laughed. “She knows what you’re saying, doesn’t she?”

David answered before I could. “Yeah, they understand each other perfectly.” He winked at me. “They’re two of a kind.” He laughed at my expression. I’m pretty sure he either just obliquely called me a bitch, or a sensitive female. For his sake I hope it’s the latter.

We brought Diva into the waiting room, and Stephanie laughed as the eager faces in there changed into incredulous ones. One little girl said, “Is that a pony?”

Steph went over to her and crouched by her wheelchair. “No sweetie, she’s just a big dog. Do you want to say hi?” The little girl nodded shyly, and I took the leash off Diva and Stephanie called her over. Diva padded to the little girl and put her big head in the girl’s lap.

The child giggled and patted Diva, and Deeve licked the little girl’s hand, making her squeal. “She kissed me!” she said, making everyone laugh. Diva was a good girl, walking around to everyone who held out a hand to her. Soon, though, she was looking at the doorway, waiting for Sam. The nurses brought everyone else back their rooms, and went to go get Sam.

Jon had barely gotten Sam into the room, and Diva let out a big WOOF! and galloped toward her. She was bouncing around and knocking over tables, after clearing them off with her tail while doing her little happy dance. Sam sharply said, "Diva!" and snapped her fingers and pointed at the floor next to her wheelchair, and damned if Diva didn’t sit down obediently, right where Sam had pointed. Then she lovingly laid her head in Sam's lap. All of us, the Harem and the men, just stood staring. One word. That's all it had taken. The tail was still wagging, but it was now rendered harmless as it just swished across the floor. We had a great visit, and I think it was something that both Sam and Diva really needed.

Soon, though, Sam started looking tired from the excitement and Jon suggested maybe it was time for us to take Diva home. I snapped on the leash, and said “C’mon, Diva,” and gave a tug, but she wouldn’t budge. I looked at David, and even with all the strength he had, he couldn't drag the dog from Sam's side. He bent and tried to pick her up. "Damn, how much does she weigh?"

"About 120 pounds," Sam answered, "but she's using every muscle to keep you from taking her."

Sam scratched the dog's ears. "I'll be home soon, Deeve," she told the dog. "Now, go," she ordered in a stern voice and pointed towards the door. The dog ducked her head and obediently let David lead her from the room, not pulling against the leash this time. Diva stopped at the door to look one last time at Sam, but Sam just smiled at her and pointed at the door again and the dog started moving once more.

It was Lucy who spoke first. "I gotta tell ya, Sam, she hasn't minded like that for all of us. We've had to beg, plead and pretty much let her do what she wanted."

Sam laughed. "She's taking advantage, and seeing just how far she can push ya'll. Don't let her get away with it. She's smart, but she's a stubborn bitch. We're so much alike."

We all laughed at that, and exchanged hugs with Sam. With tears in her eyes, she said to me, “You did this, didn’t you?” I just nodded. “Thank you.” I had tears in my eyes, and all I could do was hug her again and kiss her cheek by way of saying “You’re welcome.”

We were subdued when we got back. The guys were leaving again tomorrow. I swear, it’s only been a couple of weeks, but this leaving thing is hard. David and I went for a walk when we got back to Sam’s. We circled the block a couple times talking about everything and nothing. We speculated about what Jon and Sam were talking about that had them looking so serious, and David laughed at me for calling Jon and Sam cute. That had earned me a glare from the man.

“You do know,” David said, when laughing about the look Jon gave me, “that he was finally getting over all the shit you’ve been giving him.”

I just grinned. “Now where’s the fun in letting him get over?”

David laughed and looped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “You are a nut, you know that?”

“I do believe you’ve called me that before sweetie,” I said, covering his hand with mine, and looping my arm around his waist. I tucked my fingers into his back pocket and he squeezed my shoulder.