Mutt

By Douglas Dietrichson

Susannah was a typical teenager, but her dog Mutt was not a typical pet. After a stray dog comes to live with the Mickelson's, Susannah struggles with keeping Mutt's very unique ability a secret. Her only accomplices in this secret are her autistic brothers and sister Jill, Ethan, and Noah. What Susannah ultimately learns is that Mutt's relationship is different with each of them, whether friend or foe. A timely story with plenty of humor, warmth, and lessons in forgiveness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781098094973

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Flying Dog

She was running late. What frustrated her even more was that it was not her fault. It was usually his.

Susannah, after all, was a good kid. To her parents, she was as close as you could get to a perfect child. She was straight A student, most of the time anyway. She volunteered in several student organizations, played field hockey, sang in the school choir, and was always the first to volunteer to help students with special needs. Special-needs students to Susannah were, well…special—and there was a reason for that we will circle back around to later.

Her dad would say that the most endearing and special thing about her youngest daughter was the fact she did not have a boyfriend. In fact, if you asked her right now when she gets to go on her first date, the answer will be the same as it always is: When I turn thirty-five.

Susannah’s best quality overall, though, would have to be her honesty. She was just as true to others as she was to herself. Her honesty allowed her to build a very special relationship with her father who she adored.

As matter of fact, it was her honesty that allowed her to broker a deal of having her first date at thirty-five instead of forty. She figured that the pace she was on, she could have her first date down to a respectful age of twenty, maybe twenty-five. But she was just sixteen and still had plenty of time to deal with all that.

What she was running out of time on was her secret, which became increasingly more difficult every day to keep. Not even her parents knew. Her best friends—Hannah, Gracie, and Mattie—didn’t even know about it, and they knew everything about each other.

Her only accomplices in this secret were Jill, Ethan, and Noah—her three older siblings. The secret was a nonstop mental badminton match for her. Is keeping a secret from your parents a lie? Would they even believe the secret? If they didn’t believe the secret, would they think I was lying? It was an ethical dilemma of epic proportions.

She knew she couldn’t leave without him. And it wasn’t like she could make up time either by driving faster. Having just got her driver license, she knew she could not risk getting a ticket or, worse, get into a wreck. Even if her car was a white—with some grey mixed from the paint chipping—2005 Ford Excursion with two hundred thousand miles on it affectionately known as Ole Whitey.

She walked out the front door into the yard and started to scan the immediate area. She looked everywhere, up and down. Nothing. Where is he? Just as she was getting ready to throw all caution to the wind and leave without him, she saw him walking carefree down the path next to the forest that ran the perimeter of their house.

Where have you been? Susannah snapped at him.

She really didn’t expect him to answer. It was more rhetorical anyway.

We’re late! Get in the car, she said, pushing the button on the keyless entry remote on her key ring.

They rode in silence until they reached the high school where they found a full parking lot. Perfect, Susannah thought to herself. Thanks to you, we will be lucky to find a parking space, let alone a seat in the auditorium, she snorted as she craned her head around, trying to find a spot to park.

Susannah spotted Mrs. Dennis walking out of the school, waving at her to get Susannah’s attention. Susannah rolled down the window.

Hi there, Mrs. Dennis said, walking up to the car. Standing room only in there, but don’t worry, your folks saved you two a seat in the back.

Mrs. Dennis was Susannah’s history teacher as well as Hannah’s mom. Susannah really liked her, but she demanded the best from her students even if they were best friends with her daughter. Mrs. Dennis graduated from West Point Military Academy and was not to be trifled with.

Sorry I won’t be able to stay for the show, but you can have my parking space when I leave, Mrs. Dennis said, pointing down the row of cars directly in front of them.

Thanks, Mrs. Dennis.

You’re welcome. See you tomorrow, she hollered back over her shoulder as she headed for her car.

After parking, they walked into the school together and made their way to the auditorium ticket booth. Susannah did not recognize the gentleman who was selling tickets.

Hi. My name is Susannah. My parents left a ticket for me.

He looked down and started to thumb through several envelopes that had names on them.

What’s your last name? he asked.

Mickelson.

Okay, here you are. You are good to go in, he said, not bothering to pass Susannah her ticket.

Do you mind if I keep the ticket stub for my scrapbook? Susannah asked.

Of course not, he said, pushing the ticket through the window opening.

Thank you, Susannah said, heading for the rear doors of the auditorium.

C’mon, she said, yanking him in behind her. You better keep—

Young lady—uh… Susannah, the gentleman from the ticket booth abruptly said as he rushed toward her. You cannot go in there with him.

Sir, Susannah politely said, he is a companion dog. See? Look at his vest.

And here comes the interrogation. Yes, I am telling you the truth. Yes, there is such a thing as a companion dog. No, he won’t pee on the floor or chew a hole in the seat. Blah, blah, blah.

Oh. I see. I just wanted to be sure. So many people try to take advantage of that these days. Enjoy the show, he said with a smile as started back toward the ticket booth.

Susannah was taken back by his courtesy. Uh…yeah… Thank you. I will.

My faith in humanity has temporarily been restored.

Let’s go, Mutt, she whispered as she opened the door again.

It was true. Mutt was a companion dog but not for her. You see, Jill, Ethan, and Noah were all three autistic; and wherever they went, Mutt went. At least, that was the way it was supposed to work, except for when Mutt went out on one of his untimely jaunts through the woods when everyone was supposed to be leaving together for the play. In those instances, Susannah was the one always left holding the leash, as it were.

Her parents, Luke and Heidi, didn’t seem to be phased by it. He will be back soon, her dad told her. When he does, you can drive up and meet us.

Susannah and Mutt slipped quietly into the last row closest to the wall and sat down next to her parents. She made sure Mutt sat in the chair to the outside of the row away from her father.

You didn’t miss much, her dad said, leaning over to whisper to her. Everyone but the lunch lady had to make an announcement before it got started, her dad joked.

She had to put her hand over her mouth to suppress a laugh.

Susannah tried to sit tall in her seat to see Noah. She was so excited for him when he got the lead role in Napoleon Dynamite. What made it even more exciting is the fact he was the one who suggested it for his senior-year play.

They all knew Noah loved movies and that, one day, he wanted to replace Spielberg, but his interest in stage performance kind of came out of nowhere.

One day, early in his sophomore year, he didn’t come home on the bus. It took a little over an hour for Heidi to realize that he never made it back from school.

Ethan, did Noah get on the bus with you? Heidi asked walking into his room.

Ethan had to stop and pause his country music and take his earbuds out.

What?

Heidi sighed. Did Noah get on the bus with you?

No, Ethan said starting to put his buds back in his ear.

She just loved these one-word conversations with her oldest three, but this one was not over yet as she knew Ethan would not make the discernment between getting on the bus together with Noah and actually seeing him anywhere on the bus.

Ethan, did you ever see Noah after school?

No.

A few phone calls later, Heidi figured out that Noah stayed after school to try out for the play. She had the same conversation with Ethan and made the same phone calls the following week when he tried out for choir. In the end, Heidi realized that when Noah doesn’t get off the bus, he stayed behind to try out for something.

As the play continued through the acts, Susannah could tell that Mutt was getting anxious. He stood on his hind legs and put his front paws on the seatback in front of him. It made Susannah nervous.

You better not be starting this now, Mutt.

Susannah looked at her parents to see if they were watching, but they were fixed on Noah’s dance routine resembling something from Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack.

Mutt started to raise up, and Susannah quickly pushed him back down. He started to do it again. Susannah grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back down a second time.

Mutt… she whispered angrily. Knock it off.

Mutt sat as he was supposed to; that is, until Susannah unconsciously let go of his collar as the play continued.

Mutt started to raise up a third time, only he didn’t have his front paws on the seatback in front of him. In fact, his rear paws were not touching the seat he was in either. Mutt was floating in midair. Not only could Mutt levitate; Mutt could also fly, but that was a secret.

Mutt! Down!

Chapter 2

Mutt Drops In

It all started about four years earlier. Luke was on his way home after picking up an extra twelve-hour shift. It was dark out, and traffic was moving slowly because of a strong thunderstorm moving through the area.

It’s raining cats and dogs out here, he thought to himself as he slowed even more because of reduced visibility. He started to hear the sound of hail as it began making a pinging sound off the front hood.

Just as he was reaching down to pick up a call from Heidi, something hit the hood of his truck.

What the—? Was that a dog?

As it turned out, it was raining cats and dogs, but dogs mostly.

He pulled over to the side of the roadway and stopped to go back and check. For safety, he pulled a road flare out of a toolbox in the back and lit it.

As he walked back through the pouring hard rain, the lighting illuminated a dog lying on its side and did not appear to be moving. Getting closer, the light from the flare confirmed what he just got a glimpse of: a dead dog.

Luke looked for a collar and did not see one. Then he carefully placed his hand on his ribs and could feel him breathing. Luke quickly drew his hand back. He didn’t think the dog would still be alive.

Okay…whatever you are, Luke said as he leaned over so he didn’t have to move the dog’s rear leg to see if it was a boy or a girl.

Okay, boy, I am going to get you some help or, at least, put you out of your misery.