It’s alive!

Well, not quite alive yet, but the vital signs are there. Amanda, for one, answered my question of ‘What else does a kid need?’ rather firmly.

‘A puppy. A yellow lab would do just fine, thank you.’

You see in real life puppy is one of those things that is often promised, but never quite given. So, I’ve decided for once to grant the child’s wish immediately.

Amanda gets the pup – Sparky seems to be the name – as a birthday present from Uncle Jason, a lawyer and a close friend of the family. I’m not going to tell you about the screams and cuddles that followed. Those are self-evident. At this moment in time, Jason is much more of an interest to me. He wasn’t planned, but rather cruised into the story on his own accord. What nobody is aware of yet is the major impact his appearance is going to have on Clarkes’s future.