Kaiser

No denying it

It was a very early Saturday morning, Velken had went delivering newspapers, mama had went to Mr Nagel's corner shop as usual, so I was left to do anything I wanted. But instead of raiding the cupboards for Turkish Delights and sweet desires, I decided I'd go to the vet, mama wouldn't be back till the afternoon, Velken would-well, he would go elsewhere after his morning job, and he wouldn't care where I was, would he? So I wrapped my shawl around my shoulders, slipped on my clogs and walked out of the door. And after hours of sleep wasted by planning what I was going to do, I hadn't thought of transport, I'd need a lift, a taxi, a god forsaken car! Then it came to me, mama's rusting bicycle in the shed, of course! Although it took about 20 minutes of painfulness in my legs, I eventually got there, and the night before I 'd planned my story. "Your mama, she'd like ze German Shepherd dog? But little mite, zis dog is dengeroos! No, no, no adult would ask for zis young lady, ples go back home where you belongs, hm?" my story was going to be a sad one, "But my mama," I said, pulling the shawl towards my mouth, pretending to be shy, "she says she wants to see this dog one more time, you see, we are moving to the great land, America, my mama is expecting a baby, a little boy," I could already see the old lady was engaged to my lie, "and my mama, she has this dog for so long, but the tumor, oh my, nothing could separate them usually, but it's the baby, or the dog, and she don't want both because the dog could kill him very easily." the old lady pulled my shawl down to it's usual place, "Oh deary, I am so blind, yes? I'z so sorry, I get you ze the German Shepherd dog, now follow me little mite." she led me down to where Kaiser was, that cold, basement-like room again, ooh, it gives me the shivers thinking about it. Kaiser was sleeping, but not peacefully, he was biting himself and whimpering, but I thought the plan was good so far, it was leading to the perfect part when, "Oh I am sorry deary, I can not let you take zis dog." "What? But-but, my mama needs to see him!" the old lady was kind, she was the owner of this vet, we knew each other vaguely, she knew me better than I did her, so she knew me a little to tell I was lying, "First young lady, I may be an old woman who can't find her glasses when they on her head, know? And a tad forgetful, but I not that gullible." she was talking more sternly now, "And you know your mama asked for him to be put to sleep, so I know-" "Wait, what did you say?" I was stunned, tears were getting the better of me, but I promised myself to hold them in for as long as possible, until they would explode, "You don't know? Well, your mama no expecting, am I right? Yes, and no one moves from Germany to America, no one lives with the enemies, do they? Now, I know you are the politest little girl, and you are down outright intelligent, you know too, so I didn't expect zis from you Anjelica, no one does." "But you don't understand! I love Kaiser! I care for him with all of my love! I need to see him, hold him once again! Before he dies, please?" I heard the snap in her back as she bent over, scrounging through a whole bunch of keys, when at last, she found the tarnished bronze key, "Zis one is for your German Shepherd. But do promise my young lady, that you don't touch his face, he has the jaws of a lion." she smiled, even though her lips cracked slightly as she did so, but it was the thought that I appreciated. She stabbed the key into the lock, and flustered about with it for a moment, then finally, she was able to separate it, "Be ready for disappointment dear, everyday's a rainy day, just remember." she stood back and watched me pull the cage open. Kaiser had stopped his whining, his eyes were now hypnotized by mine. He was staring at me, but he looked satisfied, "Kaiser? It's me, Anjelica. My little emperor, what has happened to you?" I did touch his face, the old lady was about to remind me, but she could see I had it under control. His fur; it wasn't like before, it was always scruffy and as fluffy as could be, but now, it was wiry and greasy, his nose; no longer wet and nourished, but dry and stale. The only thing I recognized was his sunset amber eyes, oh how I missed them. I was expecting a growl out of him, but never, each time I scratched under his chin, he'd push his wry snout against my hand, to tell me his cheek was itchy, he now knew who I was, we both knew it,"Hund liebling," I whispered over and over again, one of the very little German phrases I knew, he was contented. "Sorry young lady, but" "When is he going to be-you know.." I interrupted, patting my little emperor one last time, "Sunday." "This Sunday mam?" she nodded, she realized the disbelief in my pale face, "Zare is nothing else for it," she sighed, "ze sooner ze better, iz better him down here suffering? No, god will take care, he will be in safe hands, no worries, eh?" I blinked when I felt tears swelling up, I thanked the gracious old woman and left, trying to take no note of my dog's whining. I only realized in those last miserable seconds that he seemed alright, as he wasn't trying to bite me, was he? I was planning on thinking of breaking him out of there somehow, one of my plans that would've went down the drain either way, but it was definitely worth the try. But little did I know, that this was going to be the last time I ever seen my darling dog. I should've made the moment last, and I'll regret it till the day I die. But there was more to it than just this...