Chester

This story is by Bianca5 and was part of our 2018 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

‘You little Monster, get back here.’

Our six month old Labrador, Chester, was running through the house dragging one of my clean sheets that I had just taken off the line and left in a basket by the back door.

‘Jason, don’t just sit there, grab him before he puts holes in those sheets.’

‘What?’

‘The dog,’ I yelled.

Screams from the direction of the kids room told me Chester had headed that way. Jason hadn’t moved off the couch, glued to the football game, it was the Finals so what did I expect, he wouldn’t move if the house was falling down.

‘Enough screaming already you two.’ Chester lay on the floor tangled in the sheets, with a grin from ear to ear.

‘Mum, he knocked Barbie’s house down. Look.’ Kelly one of my five year old twins cried.

‘Naughty boy.’ Amanda, my other five year old scolded.

Chester was my husband’s idea. I didn’t want a pet to look after. Three kids, Jason being the biggest kid, was enough. Don’t get me wrong, Jason was a good husband but he was just makes my day harder. He’d brought Chester home one afternoon after visiting his mates.

‘I’m home and I’ve got a surprise’, he‘d said.

Surprise all right, the kids had been asking for a dog but we had discussed it and decided that we would wait until they were a bit older.

‘Kids should have a pet, I had a dog when I was a kid.’

‘What about waiting until they could be more responsible?’

‘Dave’s dog had pups and he was just so cute, I thought the girls would love him’.

Once the girls got a look at Chester that was it, we were stuck with him.

I came home one day and found Chester sitting at the front door, his wet nose covered in dirt and a headless Barbie doll in his mouth. I found another Barbie doll full of teeth marks on the back steps. The back yard full of rabbit holes and a Barbie heed in the washing basket. I had to make a quick trip to the shops before I picked the girls up from school, and managed to replace them before they realised they were missing.

It was Jason’s responsibility to take Chester to dog training class on Saturdays, while I took the girls to their gymnastics class.

‘Girls you ready.’ I yelled from the kitchen as I finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes.

‘Yes mom. No mom,’ they yelled back in unison.

‘Jason, what are you doing?’ Jason walked in carrying his golf bag.

‘The guys are having a golf competition today, they invited me. Out of the way Chester.’

Chester walked in front of Jason trying to get a sniff of the golf bag, his tail wagging as he looked up at James when he heard his name. Jason placed his golf bag at the garage door. Chester continued sniffing the bag and then lifted his leg on it.

‘Chester No,’ yelled Jason

‘You are supposed to be taking Chester to his dog training class today?’

‘Oh Hon, I forgot, could you take him this time? The guys are counting on me, besides I promised to pick up Mick.’

‘No I can’t take Chester to dog training because I’m taking the girls to their gymnastics class, besides you promised you would be responsible for taking him.’

‘I know but this is an important game, the guys are relying on me, I can’t let them down.’

I glared at him with my arms crossed. He leant over pecked me on the cheek.

‘Gotta go. See you later.’ He picked up the golf bag and he was gone.

Chester sat looking at the closed door and then back at me and then back at the door.

‘Girls, let’s go.’ I yelled as I grabbed Chester’s dog chain from the hat stand and put it on him and then stood waiting for the girls.

‘Just what I need.’ I said, looking at Chester.

That evening as I was cooking dinner, I picked up the steak from the plate to put in the fry pan and as I did so I glanced at Chester who sat at my feet, drooling at the steak.

‘Why not.’ I thought.

The girls had their dinner early and I was busy reading to them in their bedroom when I heard Jason come home. I went downstairs and greeted him, told him to go wash up and say good night to the girls while I got his dinner ready. He came downstairs, sat at the kitchen table, and I sat his plate in front of him. A plate full of vegetables.

‘I thought we were having steak tonight.’

‘We did. Chester and I had steak, and he loved it, didn’t you boy?’

Chester sat looking at me, his tail wagging.

‘Enjoy.’ I said as I walked into the lounge room, Chester close by my heels.

I walked the dog.

I feed the dog.

I washed the dog.

I cleaned up the wet floor when he got excited. The dog that is.

I took the dog to the vet for his shots.

I took the dog to dog training.

I loved the little Monster.

I finally sat on the sofa at the end of a long day. Chester, who’s head lay on my lap, tummy full, kept me company while the rest of the family, including Jason lay in their beds. We talked, or more I talked and he listened, his eyes watching me as if he knew what I was saying. He calmed me. He closed his eyes as I patted his head. Contented. Chester was my dog.