After nearly a month in Germany helping her daughter take care of a new baby, Donna Hanson was happy to see her husband at the bottom of the airport staircase when she arrived at the Regina airport. It was good to be home.
Until Dale shouted up, “Welcome home, Grandma!”
Donna was mortified. She looked around to see if she knew anyone in the airport.
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When she reached the bottom of the steps Dale came forward to pull her into a hug, but she wasn’t ready to forgive the shout. “Look who’s calling who old! Are you supposed to still need those crutches?”
“I’m fine,” Dale said. Dale’s recovery from knee surgery wasn’t going as quickly as he’d expected. Not only did he still need the crutches, he was still in a fair amount of pain. But he didn’t want Donna thinking of him as an old man.
Suitcases started appearing on the conveyor belt, and Donna and Dale edged closer to watch them scroll by.
“Well? How’s our new grandaughter?” Dale asked.
“June’s a gorgeous little baby. But loud. If that baby’s awake, she’s howling. Trina’s got a real challenge on her hands.”
“That sounds fair,” Dale said. “Trina was like that.”
“I reminded her,” Donna said. “Trina apologized.”
Donna’s navy suitcase came around the curve. Dale automatically edged toward the belt, until Donna pulled him back and pointed at his crutches. “I’d better get that,” she said.
In the parking lot, Donna was surprised to see that Dale had brought their daughter-in-law Elaine’s SUV to town. “I thought you’d bring my car,” Donna said.
“Didn’t want to get it dirty,” Dale said proudly. “I had it detailed and even shampooed. A Mother’s Day present, since you were away.”
Donna was delighted. She’d been meaning to find time to clean up the early spring mud that had built up in the car. She kissed Dale on the cheek before she got in the passenger side.
In a couple of hours Dale and Donna had paid for airport parking, bought coffee for the road, and were back at the farm, pulling up in front of the house.
Dale’s 18-month-old German shepherd chased them in from the road, barking like it was a national emergency. When Donna opened her door, Flora stood guard outside the car, barking her loudest bark and blocking Donna’s exit.
“Flora, stop,” Dale ordered, ineffectively.
“Flora, get lost,” Donna yelled.
“I don’t think she recognizes you,” Dale said. “I guess this is what happens when you’re away for four weeks.”
Dale grabbed Flora by her collar and pulled her out of Donna’s way. Flora looked at Donna with an evil squint and barked even louder.
“Your dog needs obedience training,” Donna said.
When she heard Donna’s non-shouting voice, Flora finally recognized Donna as someone who’s supposed to be in the yard. The dog stopped barking, but still watched Donna suspiciously.
“See?” Dale said. “She loves you.”
Dale hobbled to get Donna’s suitcase out of the back of the SUV. Donna bent down to pet Flora, reluctantly, then pulled her carry-on bag and empty coffee cup out of the SUV.
Then Donna jumped.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Dale dropped her suitcase and crutched his way to Donna as fast as he could.
Flora stayed where she was, cocking her head to the side and looking puzzled.
“What do you think is wrong?” Donna was not happy.
Dale had no idea.
“Look! Look at this! There’s bloody dead rodents rotting all over the step.”
“Oh, that,” Dale said. He went back to the suitcase. “Flora’s got a full-time job trying to control the gopher population. They’re digging holes all over the lawn.”
“Dale!”
“I meant to put these somewhere. I’m saving them for Connor.”
Donna followed Flora’s example, cocking her head to the side and looking puzzled.
“Dale. Why would you want to give a 12-year-old boy five dead rodents?”
“The RM’s offering fifty cents a tail.”
Later Donna would argue that it was the jet lag that drove her to be so mean, but at the time, all she felt was exasperation.
“If this dog can’t shape up she’s going to get a one-way trip to the kennel. And you might have to go with her.”
“You don’t mean that.”
Donna didn’t answer, she just glared at Dale, who was struggling to keep her pull-suitcase from getting tangled up with his crutches. She took the suitcase from him and stomped into the house, making sure not to step on any dead gophers.
When Donna got out of bed the next morning she had the house to herself. Dale had left her a note: “Gone to physio. Home by noon.” She phoned her son, Jeff, to tell him she was home and ask when she could take some presents to her grandchildren, Connor and Jenny.
Jeff was out on the sprayer, and none of the other Hansons were home either. Jeff’s wife Elaine had driven Jenny to town for swimming lessons, and Connor was spending the day with his friend Oscar.
After having so much time with her daughter and son-in-law, and still tired from the flight, Donna was glad to have some time to herself. She made coffee, then took her laptop out to the picnic table to catch up on missed email.
As the messages started downloading, Donna heard Flora. Not barking, but making a strange high-pitched squeal Donna had never heard before. The noise was coming closer.
“You’re louder than June,” Donna grumbled. But she could see something was very wrong.
“Come here,” Donna called.
Flora came closer and Donna caught sight of her face.
The dog’s mouth and face were stuck with dozens of porcupine quills. Flora’s lips and cheeks were already beginning to swell.
“Oh no,” Donna said. Donna reached out to try to pull one of the quills. Flora yelped and jumped, then growled at Donna.
“Oh no,” Donna said again.
By the time Donna got back home to the Hanson farm it was late afternoon and the rest of the Hansons were back in the yard. Dale, Jeff, Elaine, and the kids came running to Donna’s car to greet her.
“Do you have pictures of the baby?” Jenny asked.
“Did you bring us anything?” Connor asked. Elaine gave her son a gentle swat on the arm.
“I’ve been texting you!” Dale said. “Are you okay? Where were you?” Then, a little sheepishly, “I don’t suppose you’ve seen Flora? I can’t find her anywhere.”
Donna got out of the car and opened the back door. Flora was splayed out on Donna’s freshly cleaned back seat.
“She fought a porcupine,” Donna said, as everyone gathered around.
“Who won?” Jenny asked.
“Not Flora!” Connor said. “Look at her lips!”
“You took her to the vet?” Dale asked.
“Everyone else was away.”
“She rode in your car?” Even Elaine was surprised.
“What else could I do?” Donna said.
Flora lifted her head to lick Donna’s hand.
“The vet had to knock her out,” Donna explained. “She’s still woozy. She’ll have to spend a couple days in the house.”
“That’s okay with you?” Dale said.
“Crying babies. Limping husbands. Annoying dogs. They’re all part of the family.”
