This would be Shadow’s last Christmas in Memphis. Poppa had gone ahead to Maui back in November for what was planned as a temporary job teaching Scuba. Heather followed for Christmas night and a week plus while Shadow visited with Judy, Ron and Button.

Heather told me that Shadow had been waiting by the front door every night since I had left.  A few visits to Maui later and a job interview with Kihei Professional Pharmacy removed Heathers illusions that I might just be going through a phase. We started making preparations to sell the House on Kings Arms. I flew back that spring to open the pool, pack my study and move a lot of stuff out of the house to storage. When I arrived at the front door Shadow pretty much jumped into my standing lap.  I had been gone 7 months and it could have been a week. She hadn’t forgot me at all.

That summer our niece Jessica was born. Shadow always tried to get our attention more when we held children. I think Shadow was a little jealous of every new baby in the family but no amount of practice or planning could prepare her for what was to come a little more than five years down the road.

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