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The house smelled of roast chicken. My stomach issued a hungry growl. No wonder, I haven’t eaten all day except for an apple, which I shamelessly stole from Claire during our history of literature class. Claire, being a kind soul that she was, pretended not to notice.

I hung my coat on the rack and slouched into the living room. And there I saw her…

She was lying on the couch, her warm brown eyes looking at me as if seeing me for the first time. There was so much adoration and loyalty in them that I couldn't help but smile. I didn’t even realize how much I had missed her until this very moment. And now, my beloved blonde stood up and leaped towards me, almost knocking me over.

“Whoa, Abby! Calm down!” I yelled, and our family’s darling, a golden retriever named Abby, jumped back on the couch and resumed watching me with her dark, impatient eyes, wagging her tail happily.

I stroked her big, fluffy head.

“I missed you too, Abby.”

“How sweet,” Mom’s voice came from behind me, “a reunion of old friends. It’s always so touching.”

“Yeah.”

I looked around. Nothing has changed here at all in the past eight years since I moved out. A perfect time capsule. The same white marble fireplace, same weathered high back armchairs, a small dining table, mom’s favorite vase on a small coffee table by the couch…

“Wow, a new TV!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah,” mom laughed, “and a new spot for Abby. Now she sleeps on the couch, as you’ve probably noticed. I hate to chase her down every time, she’s not as young as she used to be.”

I looked at the dog that was jumping all over the couch like an over-sized puppy only stopping to diligently chew on a rubber bone toy.

“An old lady now, Abby, are you?” I smiled, remembering that Christmas when Dad had given mom a tiny pup as present…

I was sixteen then, thinking it would be cool if we had some kind of pet at home.

Something to bring joy to our parents, not just disappointment. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one thinking that. Dad had deliberated for a long time before eventually settling on a puppy. A little golden retriever.