Prune, my star

A few days ago I arrived home, the first homecoming since I left, and as sweet as they come. Driving through the dark country lanes, stars tiny pinpricks in the indigo sky, I couldn’t wait to see my dog. And I guess she was just a little bit pleased to see me too. We all know the Prune way of welcoming you home, and standing there in the doorway, I’ve never been more grateful that my Prune girl was there for me too.

It was a chilly night, but exactly one year ago, it was colder, inside and out. That fateful Thursday evening, standing in the vets’ parking lot, crying my heart out. There aren’t many days I don’t think of that time, how we fell so low. How we almost lost what we love the most. But the calm, cold evening reminded me of other times, too. Years ago. We were leaving Belgium early morning, a long drive to France ahead. We were packing up the Audi, barely four a.m, bitterly cold. An owl called from the bare branches of a tree, Prune jumped into the car, eager for a new adventure.

It felt like summer just now. I was sitting outside in my shorts, Prune was lying behind me in the shed. We’d amble lazily through the garden, listening to the birds, watching the wind whip up the leaves on the lawn. I was lost in thought, reminded of summers past. Prune and Suzi sniffing as we raked, Prune watching boats on the Broads, Prune with her toenails painted, a rose in her collar. Prune, Suzi and me lying on the grass, staring at the sky, watching the clouds. Carefree. We let Prune run on Ruggs Lane. She wanders here and there, and trots to us when we called. Far from the rabbit-hunting days, or how she used to tear through the fallow fields after pigeons and hares. But she was out there, she was happy, she is alive.

I sit next to her on her place. She no longer squirms away, but asks me to tickle her. She purrs and whistles with contentment. But the day ends with the stars. I let Prune out, she sits a while and listens, to the goodnight calls of birds and the chirps and squeaks of nocturnal critters. The sky is silver- illuminated with stars stretching away infinitely. It makes me feel tiny, lost in the vastness of the universe. Wherever I am in the world and whenever I look up to a sky of stars, I think of here. Of Prune and me, looking up at the universe, small and insignificant. Two bodies on this one planet, but united forever.

Thank you Prune for sticking around, brave girl. You’ll always be my star.

The hardest part of being away is missing my girls. I wish I could see Suzi too this time but she’s off being a good mum. I’m so proud of her too xx