again and he laughed.
Cleo snuggled against his arm and he hugged the dog.
“I like it here, Cleo,” he said, nuzzling her neck. “And I really like Mr. J.”
The dog licked his neck, and he swallowed back tears. He was a big boy and not supposed to cry.
But his mama was scared. She jumped at every little sound. He just knew any minute she’d tell him it was time to leave.
“I don’t wanna leave,” he whispered to Cleo.
But a shadow moved in the barn, and just like his mama, he jumped. A squeaking sound came from the far corner, and he scooted back behind the haystack, pulling the puppies with him. The butterball one got away, though, and waddled across the barn floor.
Kenny held his breath.
Had his daddy found them? Was he in the barn?
He choked back a cry. If he was, he might hurt the puppy.
Kenny looked around for something to fend him off with if he came toward him. A stick or a rock. Anything to save the little butterball from his daddy.
Outside he heard a scream.
Not the wind. His mama.
His heart pounded. He had to save her. “I love you, Cleo,” Kenny whispered. He hugged the dog, then scratched behind her floppy ears and settled Cleo back down beside the other puppies.
The butterball one had made it to the door, and he ran to get her, then carried her back and put her in the stall. His legs felt shaky, and he wanted to hide inside the barn with the dogs.
But he remembered the bruises on his mama’s face and neck, and he balled his hands into fists. Then he ran back to the barn door and peered outside.
Daddies were supposed to be nice like Mr. J.
But his daddy was a monster.
He couldn’t let him hurt his mama anymore. He just wished he was big and strong like Mr. J. so he could stop him.
He sucked in a big breath and slowly opened the door. He might not be big and strong, but he’d try anyway.
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