Chapter Text
As they drove away from the shelter, Lucy looked into the backseat and then turned her attention toward the window. Kojo was no longer there, and the empty space seemed to bother her more than she wanted to admit. Tim noticed the way she kept looking back, so he reached across the center console, took her hand, and simply held it.
They drove for several minutes before the beach came into view. Lucy looked out at the water and then turned toward Tim, her voice soft as she finally said what had been weighing on her since they left.
“I’m not ready to leave him there, Tim.”
Tim tightened his fingers around hers and looked at her. “Neither am I.”
He glanced toward the beach and then back at the road before signaling and pulling into the parking lot. He found a spot and parked, turning off the engine as they both sat there for a moment.
Tim looked over at Lucy. “Love, if we’re serious about this, we need to talk about it. We need to make sure this is something we can really handle and that we’re not making a snap decision because we’re emotional right now. I want Kojo, but I want to make sure we’re doing what’s best for him too.”
Lucy nodded. “Okay. Let’s sit on the tailgate and talk. Let’s figure this out.”
Tim smiled. “Good idea.”
They got out of the truck, and Tim lowered the tailgate before helping Lucy sit down. He climbed up beside her, and they turned toward each other. Lucy reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his as she looked at him.
“He was such a good boy today,” she said. “He listened, he was comfortable with us, and he was happy. I know we only wanted to take him out for the day, but, baby, he stole my heart with those big brown eyes and that sweet face.”
Tim smiled as he looked at her. “Yeah, he stole my heart too. It took everything in me to walk back into that shelter and bring him back.”
Lucy squeezed his hand.
Tim took a breath before continuing. “Baby, if we do this, we need to make sure we’re fully in. We can’t just let our emotions decide for us because we had a great day with him. We talked about getting a dog before, and we both knew there were things we needed to consider. Our schedules, the responsibility, making sure we can give him the time and attention he needs. If we’re going to bring Kojo home, I want us to know we’re ready for all of it.”
Lucy leaned toward him and kissed him slowly, letting the affection between them say some of what she was struggling to put into words. When she pulled back, she kept her hand in his and looked directly at him.
“Love, these aren’t just my emotions talking. I thought about it today while he was with us. I watched how he fit into our home, how he listened to us, how happy he was running around the yard, and how comfortable he became with us. We could do this.”
Tim nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I agree. I kept watching him throughout the day, and he wasn’t just being good because we had him for a few hours. You can tell he’s a good dog. We can still train him a little, but he’s already house-trained, and he let us know when he needed to go outside. He listened when either of us spoke to him, and he was gentle with us.”
Lucy smiled. “He really did listen when you or I spoke to him.”
She looked down at their joined hands for a moment before raising her eyes to his again.
“We can make it work, baby. It might take some adjusting for us, and we’ll have to figure out a routine that works around both of our schedules, but I feel like we can really do this. I don’t want us to make this decision just because we miss him already. I want him because I think he belongs with us, and I think we can give him the home he deserves.”
Tim watched her for a moment, taking in everything she had said.
“Everything you just said, I agree with.”
Lucy smiled.
Tim gave her hand one more squeeze before standing from the tailgate. He looked down at her with a smile that made her heart jump.
“Let’s go get our boy.”
Lucy stared at him for a second, making sure she had heard him correctly. “Oh, Tim. Are you serious, baby?”
Tim laughed as he reached for her hands and helped her down from the tailgate. The moment her feet touched the ground, he pulled her into his arms.
“Yes, I’m serious.”
Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss, all the uncertainty that had followed them out of the shelter giving way to pure happiness. Tim held her close as she kissed him, both of them smiling when they finally pulled apart.
He kept his arms around her and smiled against her lips.
“Yes, I’m serious. Let’s go.”
Lucy laughed, her eyes shining as she looked at him. “Let’s go get Kojo.”
Tim kissed her once more before taking her hand.
Together, they climbed back into the truck and turned around, heading back toward the shelter with one thing finally certain.
They were going back for their boy.
They got back into the truck, and neither of them could quite contain their excitement. Tim reached across the console, took Lucy’s hand, and kissed it, making her smile as she looked over at him.
“We’re going back,” she whispered, almost as if she still couldn’t believe it.
Tim smiled and gave her hand another squeeze. “Yeah, baby. We’re going back.”
He started the truck and pulled out of the beach parking lot, turning them back toward the shelter. The mood inside the truck had completely changed. Just minutes earlier, they had been sitting at the beach trying to decide whether they could really take on the responsibility of a dog, and now they were heading back with a decision they both knew felt right.
As Tim drove, they kept glancing at each other and smiling. Lucy looked out the window for a moment before turning back toward him, her excitement impossible to hide.
“I can’t believe we’re really doing this.”
Tim smiled. “I can.”
Lucy laughed softly. “You were just as attached to him as I was.”
“I know,” Tim said, giving her a knowing look. “I just needed to make sure we were doing this for the right reasons.”
Lucy squeezed his hand. “We are.”
When they pulled up in front of the shelter, they were both out of the truck almost before Tim had fully turned off the engine. Tim reached for Lucy’s hand, and they hurried toward the entrance together, both of them smiling.
Carley looked up from her computer when they walked through the doors.
“Oh, hi. You’re back.”
Lucy smiled as she walked toward the desk. “We want to adopt Kojo.”
Carley’s face immediately brightened. “To be honest, I’m really happy it’s the two of you who want him. I knew from the minute you saw him that he was going to be it.”
Tim laughed and nodded. “Yeah, he stole our hearts.”
Carley smiled. “He tends to do that with everyone he meets.”
She looked between them for a moment before closing out what she had been working on at the computer. “Well, then I think we have some paperwork to do.”
Lucy looked at Tim, and the smile that spread across her face was impossible to miss. “We’re really doing this.”
Tim squeezed her hand. “Yeah, we are.”
Carley stood from behind the desk and motioned for them to follow her toward a small seating area beside the reception desk. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’ll get everything together for you. There are a few forms we need to go through, and I’ll explain everything as we go so you know exactly what you’re signing.”
Tim and Lucy sat beside each other, their hands still joined between them. There was something almost surreal about being back inside the shelter only minutes after leaving, but this time they weren’t there to borrow Kojo for a few hours.
They were there because they had decided they wanted to give him a permanent home.
Carley returned with a folder and several sheets of paperwork, setting everything down in front of them. She took the seat across from them and opened the folder.
“Okay, so the first part is the adoption application. Most of this is basic information, but I want you to take your time with it. Your names, address, phone numbers, employment information, and emergency contact information.”
Tim picked up the pen while Lucy looked over the first page with him. “We can do that.”
Carley smiled. “I figured you two would be pretty easy.”
Lucy laughed softly. “You say that now.”
“I’ve met plenty of people who come in absolutely convinced they’re ready for a dog and then spend an hour trying to decide whether they can commit to the responsibility,” Carley said. “You two already spent an entire day with Kojo and came back because you couldn’t leave him here.”
Tim looked down at the paperwork, a small smile appearing on his face. “That probably says something.”
“It definitely says something.”
They began filling everything out together. Tim wrote down their information while Lucy checked each section before they moved on to the next one. Every so often, Carley pointed something out or explained a question that needed a little more information, making sure they understood each part before they continued.
They reached the section asking about the primary caregiver, and Lucy looked at Tim before turning toward Carley.
“What do we put here?”
Carley smiled. “You can put both of you. Since you’re adopting him together, I can note that you’re both responsible for his care.”
Lucy smiled as Tim wrote their names down.
“Both of us,” he said, looking over at Lucy.
“Both of us,” Lucy repeated warmly.
They continued through the application, answering the questions carefully rather than rushing through them.
Carley nodded as she made a note. “That’s good. And just like we talked about earlier, you’ll want to make sure Kojo has a space where he can settle in when he needs some time to himself.”
“We can do that,” Lucy said.
Lucy glanced at Tim, and he gave her a small grin.
They continued filling out the forms, and with every page they completed, the reality of what they were doing became a little more real. This wasn’t another day out with Kojo. They weren’t going to bring him back to the shelter at the end of the afternoon.
They were filling out paperwork to bring him home.
Carley watched them work together, smiling to herself as they moved through each page. There was something reassuring about the way they approached the paperwork. Neither of them was rushing to get to the end. They were reading everything carefully, asking questions when they needed to, and making the decisions together.
“You two really did think this through, didn’t you?” Carley asked.
Lucy looked up from the form in front of her and smiled. “We tried to.”
Tim nodded. “We talked about our schedules, walks, feeding, everything we could think of on the drive back.”
Carley looked between them. “And?”
Lucy turned toward Tim before answering, her fingers finding his hand again. “We think we can give him a good home.”
Tim’s eyes met hers, and there was complete certainty in his expression. “We know we can.”
Carley gave them a warm smile. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
She took the next form from the folder and placed it in front of them. “This one is the adoption agreement. This is where you agree to provide Kojo with proper food, veterinary care, exercise, a safe environment, and everything else he needs. It also covers what happens if, for some reason, you ever find yourselves unable to care for him.”
Lucy picked up the page and began reading through it carefully while Tim did the same. They took their time, making sure they understood what they were agreeing to.
Carley continued explaining each section. “If something changes and you can’t keep him, the first thing we ask is that you contact us. We don’t want him ending up somewhere unsafe or being passed around from home to home. We’ll work with you to figure out the best option for him.”
Lucy nodded immediately. “Absolutely.”
Tim nodded as well, then looked at Carley with complete confidence. “You don’t need to worry about that. We are his forever home.”
Lucy squeezed his hand, her heart filling at the certainty in his voice. She looked at him with a smile, and Tim turned his hand beneath hers so he could lace their fingers together.
Carley smiled at them before gesturing toward the bottom of the page. “Then just sign here.”
Tim picked up the pen and signed his name at the bottom of the agreement. He slid the form toward Lucy, and she signed beside him.
Carley collected the page and placed it with the completed forms before moving on to the next one.
“This is his medical information and transfer of records. Kojo is up to date on the vaccinations we’ve been able to provide here. I’ll give you his complete record before you leave, along with the information for the clinic he has been using.”
Tim nodded. “We’ll get him set up with our vet.”
“Good,” Carley said. “You’ll want to make an appointment fairly soon so they can establish his care with them and give him another once-over after he settles in. It also gives you a chance to talk about anything you notice once you’ve had him home for a little while.”
Lucy nodded. “We’ll do that.”
Carley continued through the paperwork, answering every question they had and making sure neither of them felt rushed. She went over Kojo’s microchip information and explained that the registration would need to be updated with their contact information so that if he were ever lost, whoever found him would be able to reach them.
Tim carefully wrote down the information they would need, while Lucy looked over the paperwork beside him.
“We’ll make sure that’s updated as soon as we get home,” Tim said.
“Perfect,” Carley replied.
She then went over the adoption fee and explained what it covered, along with the documents they would receive once everything was finalized. She pointed out which records they needed to keep and answered a few more questions from Lucy about settling Kojo into his new home.
By the time they reached the final pages, the stack of completed forms had grown considerably.
Lucy looked down at everything they had filled out, then looked over at Tim. Her smile slowly grew as she realized there was only a little left to do.
“That’s a lot of paperwork,” she said with a small laugh.
Tim smiled. “Worth it.”
Lucy looked at him for another moment before nodding. “Definitely worth it.”
Carley smiled as she gathered the final pages. “We’re almost there.”
When they reached the final pages, Lucy looked down at the stack of completed forms in front of them. So much had happened since they first walked through the shelter doors that morning, and now there was only one small section left between them and bringing Kojo home.
“Is that everything?” Lucy asked.
“Almost.” Carley reached into the folder and pulled out one final sheet. “This is the ownership transfer. Once you sign this, Kojo officially becomes your responsibility.”
Lucy looked at Tim.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
They both knew this was the moment they had been working toward since they had turned the truck around at the beach. What had started as a simple idea to spend a day with a dog from the shelter had become something neither of them had expected when they first walked into the building that morning.
Tim reached across the small space between them and took Lucy’s hand.
“You ready?”
Lucy smiled at him, her eyes a little brighter than they had been when they first walked through the doors. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
Tim smiled back, and together they picked up their pens.
They both signed the form.
Carley took the paper from them and checked both signatures before placing it with the rest of the completed paperwork. She closed the folder and looked at them with a smile.
“Well,” she said warmly, “congratulations. Kojo has a home.”
Lucy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Her eyes dropped to the folder before she looked back at Tim, and the smile on her face grew as the reality finally settled in.
Tim squeezed her hand again.
“We did it,” he said softly.
Lucy nodded. “We did.”
“Thank you,” Lucy said, turning toward Carley. “Really.”
Carley shook her head. “You don’t have to thank me. I’m just glad he found the right people.”
Tim smiled. “We feel pretty lucky too.”
Carley stood and gathered the paperwork into a neat folder. “I’m going to make copies of everything for you. I’ll also get his medical records, microchip information, and the rest of the things you’ll need to take home.”
Lucy nodded. “Okay.”
“And before you leave, I’ll go over his routine one more time. His food, how much he gets, when he normally eats, his walks, bathroom schedule, anything he likes or doesn’t like, and some things to expect during the first few days.”
Tim nodded immediately. “That would be great.”
Carley smiled. “Good. Because the first night can be an adjustment. He’s going from the shelter to a completely new environment, even though he’s already comfortable with the two of you. Give him time to settle in, keep his routine as consistent as possible, and don’t worry if he’s a little unsure at first.”
“We’ll make sure he has everything he needs,” Lucy said.
“I know you will.”
Carley gathered the remaining papers and tucked them safely into the folder. “I’m going to get everything ready for you, and then we’ll bring Kojo out. Once he’s with you, we’ll go through the rest of his things before you leave.”
Lucy immediately looked at Tim, her smile returning.
“Kojo’s coming home,” she whispered.
Tim leaned closer and kissed her forehead. “Yeah, baby. He’s coming home.”
They sat there together while Carley stepped away to finish preparing the paperwork, both of them holding hands and trying to take in the fact that in only a few more minutes, the dog they had met that morning would no longer be a shelter dog they were taking out for the day.
He would be their Kojo.
As they waited for Carley to come back, Tim stood and held out his hand to Lucy. She took it and stood beside him, and he immediately wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. Lucy leaned closer, resting her head against his shoulder for a moment as she let herself take in everything that had happened.
“I can’t believe we came back,” she whispered.
Tim looked toward the hallway where Kojo was waiting. “I can.”
Lucy lifted her head and looked at him. “You can?”
Tim smiled as he looked down at her. “The second we got in the truck, I knew we weren’t going home without him.”
They both leaned in and shared a soft kiss, the kind that carried all the happiness they were feeling without either of them needing to say much.
Tim gave her hand another squeeze. “The second we got in the truck, I knew we weren’t going home without him.”
Lucy smiled. “You could’ve said that before we left.”
“I was trying to be reasonable.”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “You?”
“Yeah, well, I tried.”
“You did,” Lucy teased, still smiling. “You were very responsible.”
Tim gave her an amused look. “Thank you.”
“A little too responsible.”
“I had to make sure we were doing the right thing.”
Lucy reached up and touched his cheek. “And we are.”
“I know,” he said, smiling at her. “We are.”
A few minutes later, Carley returned carrying a folder, a small bag, and Kojo’s records. She set everything down on the desk in front of them and smiled when she saw how quickly Lucy’s attention shifted toward the hallway.
“Okay,” Carley said, “I have all of his paperwork here. I’ll go through everything with you, and then I’ll get Kojo.”
Lucy immediately looked toward the hallway again.
Carley noticed and smiled. “I know. You’re ready.”
Lucy laughed. “I’m trying to be patient.”
“I can tell.”
Carley picked up the folder and looked between Tim and Lucy. “Let’s make sure you know everything you need to know before you take your boy home.”
Tim nodded. “Absolutely.”
Carley began organizing the papers so she could make sure everything was in order, but before she started, she paused and looked at both of them.
“Actually, there is one thing I want to say before I completely distract you with paperwork and then Kojo.”
Lucy smiled. “Okay.”
Carley looked at them warmly. “Thank you for adopting him. I know he’s going to a great home with the two of you. From the way you interacted with him today, it was obvious how comfortable he became around you. He trusted you, and that’s not something every dog does right away.”
Tim and Lucy exchanged a smile.
Carley continued, “I wish you both the best of luck with him. Give him time, keep being patient with him, and enjoy him. I have a feeling he’s going to bring you a lot of happiness.”
Lucy smiled warmly. “Thank you, Carley. For everything.”
Tim nodded. “Yeah, thank you. For letting us spend the day with him and for helping us through all of this.”
Carley smiled. “You’re very welcome.”
She stood and gathered the folder and small bag before setting them safely aside. Then she turned toward the hallway.
“Well, I think I’ve kept you waiting long enough.”
Lucy immediately smiled.
Carley laughed softly. “I’ll go get Kojo.”
She headed toward the back, leaving Tim and Lucy standing together near the reception area. They looked at each other, both smiling as they heard the faint sounds coming from the hallway.
Tim reached for Lucy’s hand and squeezed it.
“Ready?”
Lucy smiled at him. “More than ready.”
And this time, when Kojo came through those doors, they wouldn’t be taking him out for a few hours.
They were taking him home.
They stood together near the reception area, watching the side door as they waited for Carley to come back with Kojo. Tim wrapped his arms around Lucy, pulling her close, and she looked up at him with a smile that said more than words could.
“I love you so much, baby,” she whispered.
Tim smiled and kissed her forehead. “I love you too.”
They both looked toward the door when it finally opened, and Carley stepped through with Kojo on his leash.
Lucy’s face immediately lit up. “Kojo, come here, baby.”
The second Carley released the leash, Kojo took off toward them, his tail wagging so hard that his whole body moved with it. Lucy crouched down, laughing as he reached her, but before she could get a proper hug around him, Kojo was covering her face with kisses.
“Okay, buddy,” Tim said through his laughter. “Okay.”
Lucy laughed as she tried to pet him between kisses. “I missed you too, silly boy.”
Tim crouched beside them and scratched Kojo along his back. “Hey, Kojo, sit.”
Kojo immediately sat, his tail thumping against the floor while his tongue hung happily from his mouth. He looked between Tim and Lucy, just as excited as they were.
Tim smiled and rubbed the side of his neck. “You ready to go home, buddy?”
Kojo let out an excited whine and shoved his head against Tim, making Carley laugh.
“Yeah,” she said warmly. “He definitely picked the right people to be his family.”
Lucy looked up at her, her smile full of gratitude. “Thank you so much. We really appreciate everything you all do. Not just for Kojo, but for all the dogs back there.”
Carley smiled. “You’re very welcome. And thank you for giving Kojo the home he’s been waiting for.”
Tim picked up Kojo’s belongings while Lucy took hold of his leash. She looked down at him and gave the leash a gentle tug.
“Come on, Kojo. Let’s go home.”
They took a few steps toward the door when Tim suddenly stopped.
“Baby, wait.”
Lucy turned toward him, curious. “What?”
Tim reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked toward Carley with a smile. “Would you mind taking our first family photo?”
Carley’s expression immediately softened. “Oh my goodness, this is so sweet. Yes, I would love to.”
She took the phone from Tim and stepped back to find the right angle while Tim and Lucy knelt beside Kojo. Lucy slipped an arm around Kojo as Tim moved closer, both of them smiling as Kojo sat between them.
“Okay,” Carley said. “Look right here.”
A staff member standing nearby called Kojo’s name.
Kojo turned his head toward the voice, his ears perking up as he looked away from the camera.
Carley laughed. “Kojo.”
His attention shifted back toward her, and she quickly took several pictures.
“Got it,” she said, lowering the phone. “And I got a few, so you have some choices.”
Tim stood and helped Lucy to her feet before taking the phone back from Carley. He looked at the pictures and smiled.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome,” Carley replied.
Tim turned toward Kojo, who was already watching them with his tail moving happily against the floor.
“You ready to go home, boy?”
Kojo answered with an excited bark.
Lucy giggled. “I think that’s a yes.”
Tim reached for her hand, and Lucy took it as they gathered Kojo’s belongings and the paperwork Carley had prepared for them. Before they walked through the doors, they turned back toward Carley.
“Bye, Carley,” Lucy said.
“Thank you again,” Tim added.
Carley smiled at them. “Bye, you three. Take good care of each other.”
Lucy smiled at that, tightening her hold on Tim’s hand as Kojo stood happily beside them.
“We will.”
They walked out of the shelter together, Kojo trotting between them as though he already knew exactly where he belonged.
Outside, Tim opened the truck and helped Kojo into the backseat, where his blanket was already waiting. Kojo immediately settled onto it, looking from Tim to Lucy with his tail still wagging.
Lucy laughed as she looked into the backseat. “He’s really coming home.”
Tim closed the door and walked around to her. “Yeah, baby. He’s really coming home.”
They climbed into the truck, and before starting it, Tim reached across and took Lucy’s hand. She looked over at him, her eyes shining with happiness.
He kissed her hand, then looked toward the backseat where Kojo was watching them.
“You ready?”
Lucy smiled. “I’ve been ready.”
Tim started the truck, and they pulled away from the shelter with Kojo safely settled behind them.
Lucy turned in her seat to look at him one more time, smiling when his tail started wagging the moment he caught her eye. She turned back toward Tim and rested her hand in his.
For months, they had talked about whether they were ready for a dog.
They had worried about their schedules, the responsibility, and whether they could give another life everything it deserved.
They had gone to the shelter expecting to spend one day getting to know a dog.
Instead, they had found Kojo.
And as Tim drove them home, with Lucy beside him and Kojo happily settled in the backseat, they both knew they hadn’t simply brought a dog home.
They had brought home the missing piece of their family.
Their lives had changed that morning when they walked into the shelter.
Now, as they drove away together, they were no longer wondering if the right dog was out there waiting for them.
They had found him.
And Kojo was finally going home.