I still remember the day I spied the trembling hound lying by the garden bench and rushed to it at once. It was there, too, the leash that Emma had carelessly tossed aside. James stared at his owner with eyes full of plaintive pleading
He and his sister had scarcely spoken for almost two years. Emma could never quite grasp how a trifle had ballooned into such a fierce quarrel.
Emma and James Whitaker were born a year apart. From childhood they were inseparable, always defending each other. No matter what mischief they got into, they shared the blame equally and never shirked behind the others back.
Their home village, Harperford, grew and prospered year after year. They were lucky to have the villages rector, Peter Miller, as a patronhimself a native of the place and a keen agricultural adviser.
After finishing his studies in farming, Peter returned to Harperford and threw himself into community work. His efforts were soon recognised, and a decade later he became the head of the parish council.
Their private lives blossomed as well. Emma, after completing nursing college, took a post as a healthassistant in the village clinic. Peter could not ignore such a striking beauty, and Emma returned his interest. They married, and the whole village celebrated the wedding. James was genuinely pleased for his sisters happiness, even though his own marriage to Natalie was far from serene.
While Emma was still a newlywed, Natalie would mutter about her, calling her idle or pretentious. Yet once Emma was settled, envy replaced the mutterings. Natalie began demanding more from her husband a bigger house, a finer car, better furnishings
James often muttered, Everyone else has it all, and we have nothing! He did his best, but Natalies wishes could not be satisfied by money nor by effort.
Natalie herself was unhappy; the Lord had not blessed her with the joy of motherhood. Meanwhile, Emmas life moved forward: she married, bore a boy and then a girl, built a spacious home, and her husband rose to a respectable rank
Family gatherings grew more prone to arguments. Whenever James visited Emmas house, Natalie would immediately begin to chastise him.
The final dispute broke out on Jamess birthday. Emma presented him with a black Labrador puppy she had brought from the town a longdesired companion. Peter gave him a new motorbike.
All seemed well until drunken Natalie erupted in a fit of rage and unleashed her pentup venom on Emma:
Come on, Ellie! The dog is that some sort of joke? If there are no children, well at least get a dog, wont we?
Ellie tried to calm her:
Natalie, settle down. Youll be ashamed of this later
But her words fell on deaf ears. A huge quarrel erupted, the guests split into two camps. Peter whispered to his wife that they should leave, and after saying goodbye they slipped out of the celebration.
Two years passed. That evening James began to avoid his sister; their contact sank to a few brief, infrequent meetings. Tension also rose between him and Natalie.
In the evenings James walked more often to the river with Buster. The two seemed happy together: James would toss a stick, Buster would race after it, then collapse at his feet and listen to his masters soft stories.
Neighbors mentioned the walks, but James remained stubborn, unwilling to change.
After that bitter argument, Natalies hatred for Emma and for the dog she had gifted grew deeper. When James was away, she would drive Buster out of the house, kick him, even strike him at times.
The nosy neighbours added fuel to the fire:
Did you hear, Natalie? Your husbands out by the river again with the dog
Yesterday he met up with Ellie and the children they were laughing and cheering!
Jealousy consumed Natalie. One day James asked:
Natalie, arent you hurting Buster?
Do I need your dog? she snapped, storming out of the room.
Buster began to hide from Natalie, trembling whenever she appeared.
All ended when, one morning, James, furious, shouted:
Ive had enough of this endless envy!
Left alone, seething with anger, Natalie dragged Buster onto the garden bench, tied a rope around his neck and tightened it. The poor dog whimpered in pain. When she finally released the knot, she packed a bag and left the house for good.
That evening James returned home, only to find the dog missing from the gate. The house was in disarray. He found Buster by the bench, his mouth clamped around a rope. He swiftly cut it free and, cradling the animal, rushed to the clinic.
Emma was just about to head home when she saw her brother clutching the bleeding dog:
Ellie, help me James gasped.
They carried Buster into the treatment room. Emma examined the animal carefully:
Who did this?
Natalie James lowered his eyes.
Emma nodded silently, stitched the wounds, washed his eyes, gave him water.
Later, in the corridor, James whispered contritely:
Forgive me, Ellie
Enough, she said wearily, smiling. And Natalie?
No, Ellie. Not any more.
Emma called Peter:
Peter, could you come quickly, please?
Hearing his wifes exhausted voice, Peter was already on his way.
Half an hour later he stood in the corridor. Seeing the siblings huddled together, with Buster whimpering softly beside them, he said gently:
Come on, you two heroes.
They took James home and gave him advice on caring for the dog.
When Emma recounted the events to their mother, she merely sighed:
They should have gone their separate ways long ago.
She gathered herself and went to her son to help tidy the house.
In the drawingroom James sat, stroking Buster. Their mother entered and patted both of them:
Are you both alright?
Alive, James answered.
From the kitchen drifted the smell of roasted meat and fresh vegetables. Buster nudged his nose, wagged his tail. James smiled, stood up.
Life went on.
