It was Monday morning and I lay next to my girl on her bed. We were both sprawled out, hot from the summer heat. I watched her chest move up and down slowly as I listened to her breathing. She was sound asleep, her face close to mine. I breathed in her soft scent as I leaned closer to her curly brown hair. She smelled of peaches – a treat she shared with me on occasion.

Sitting up slowly as not to wake her, I jumped off of the bed and scratched at my ear before wandering down the hall to the kitchen. I could tell Mom was frying bacon for breakfast before I even entered the room. The smell radiated through the house and into my nose. The sizzling noises that the bacon made sounded in my ears.

I sat down and looked up at Mom with my biggest puppy eyes.

“Mom, can I have some? Please!?” Mom's blonde hair fell in frizzy waves down her back and she kept brushing it back as she tended to the food. The sleeves of her purple shirt were rolled up – either from the heat or so she would not get bacon grease on them.

“No Buddy, you can’t have any.” Mom glanced down at me and frowned.

I was startled. “What? What do you mean? Of course I can have some! Please oh please!” I whined as I watched the grease from the frying pan splatter onto the counter. “Oh please! I’ll be good, I promise!” I wagged my tag expectantly and held up a paw, pouring the cuteness on.

“Buddy, go wake Thae up. Breakfast is ready.” Mom said, shooing me away with the spatula.

I charged through the small house, jumping over a laundry basket and dodging a stuffed animal. I almost tripped over a blanket on the floor and let out a startled bark.

“Buddy?” Thae grumbled. I looked up and watched as she pulled a pillow over her face. I jumped on the bed and felt it bounce up and down under my paws. I pawed at Thae's pillow and whined.

“Come on! Wake up! Bacon!” I had to push the pillow off the bed and lick her face before she sat up in bed. While Thae rubbed the sleepy seeds out of her eyes I jumped off the bed once more and fetched her slippers from the closet. I dropped them beside the bed and smiled, showing her all my pearly white teeth.

“Good boy,” Thae said, patting my head. I wagged my tail and licked her hand, causing her to smiled down at me and kiss the top of my head. A few teeth were missing from her smile, making it crooked. Thae rubbed my ears for a moment and I couldn't help but sigh and lean into her. Thae put her head down on top mine, her brown curly hair getting into my face. I sneezed and looked back at her, meeting her green eyes.

“Let’s go get some breakfast,” Thae told me and stood up, slipping the slippers onto her small feet.

We walked into the kitchen and my stomach growled as I saw the bacon and eggs sitting on top of the tall counter.

I walked with Thae to the counter and sat down as she climbed up onto a wooden stool. I hoped that Mom and Dad wouldn’t notice me sitting there. Unfortunately, they did.

“Buddy boy, go sit down on your bed.” Dad said. “I’m almost done with your breakfast.” I watched him as he slowly bent down to the food bag next to the refrigerator. I never noticed before now how his hair was graying and how slow he moved. Huh.                 

I did as told and went to my bed, hoping that this time I’d get what they were eating for breakfast instead of the crunchy kibble that I always get. It's not that I'm not grateful for the food I get, it's just that it's tasteless and I get it every day.

“Here you go, Bud.” Dad set my food bowl down on the floor in front of me. Kibble. Sigh. I looked up at him with pleading eyes but he ignored me and sat down at the table.

I refuse to eat my breakfast! I will not eat that disgusting stuff! I demand that they give me bacon and eggs! I will not eat for days if that’s what it takes for them to understand that I need real food… Okay, so my hunger gave in and I started eating.

“Today’s the day,” I heard Mom say over my crunching.

“We’re going to Disney World!” Thae shrieked. I whined and shook my head as the loud noise hit my ear drums. Looking up, I quickly forgot the ringing in my ears as I saw the excitement on Thae's face. I wagged my tail at her and smiled. Something good was going to happen today!

“Not so loud, pumpkin.” Dad said as he sat down at the table.

“We’ll leave after breakfast is cleaned up and you, little missy,” Mom said, pointing her fork at the eight year old girl, “need to get into your day clothes.” Thae giggled as Dad tickled her.

“Okay, settle down guys. Eat up so we can get going!” Mom said, smiling at Dad and Thae. Thae quieted down and took another bite of her eggs, chewing them quickly.

What’s ‘Disney World’? I wondered. I had heard Thae’s friends talk about it once or twice when they stopped over for a visit, but what is it? Is it really another world? Oh, that would be so cool!

           I finished up my kibble, licking my chops. I was ready for anything! Let’s travel to another world!