Dexter's first full day at his new home.
Mum arrives home from work and is greeted at the door with a very excited Dexter.
"Dexter! Hey there sweetie! No messes! What a good boy!"
Dexter quickly runs around the dining room table and returns with his bone in his mouth, runs to the door and sits, patiently waiting while Mum changes into boots and her outside coat. "Ok, Dex, we're ready, let's go!"
While walking along, Mum keeps up a running commentary as Dexter sniffs here and there, zigging and zagging around the yard, pretty much ignoring Mum as there are so many new things to sniff and explore.
Once back in the house, Mum hands out the "lecheschen" and things quiet down.
The evening moves into night and Dexter walks up to the recliner, turns to look at Mum and says in a soft and somewhat tentative young boy voice, "Can I get up in there?"
Mum turns toward Dexter and with a smile says "So you can talk. I figured you would in your own time. The answer is yes, you can get up in there."
Dexter hops into the chair, gets comfortable and plops his head on the arm of the chair to look at Mum.
"Hey Lady human? What are you called?"
"Well, you can call me Mum if you're comfortable with that."
"What's a Mum?"
"A Mum is someone who takes care. Someone who will love you and keep you well."
Dexter stares at Mum without replying. Unblinking.
"You ok Dexter?"
"Is that my name? Dexter?"
"That is what I chose to call you. I know you may have had another name, but I don't know what it was sweetie. So we're going to go with Dexter ok?"
"I guess so."
Mum leans back on the couch, wondering how to explain that she knows nothing of his past and is just winging it, hoping for the best.
"Lady human?"
"Yes Dexter?"
"A Mum takes care?" "Yes sweetie, a Mum takes care."
"I might like having a Mum."
Mum takes a deep breath, "Oh, I certainly hope so."
Dexter turns his head away and curls up while mumbling "Mum, Mum, Mum."
"Everything ok Dexter?"
"Yeh, just trying out saying "Mum."
"Try it out as long as you need to Dexter, I'm not going anywhere. We're a team now."
With his eyes beginning to close, Dexter whispers,"A team, a Mum" and falls asleep while Mum sits with bittersweet thoughts running through her mind and whispers, "Yes Dex, a team, a Mum. We'll get there young guy, we'll get there."
