With those deep, soulful, curious eyes, how could one resist her? Even my 90 year old mother who can barely see anymore, was transfixed. She would just smile back at Zorra and all was well with the world. |
But it's been Selene who Zorra truly worshipped, since the day Selene found her as a puppy in eastern Oregon and brought her to Steven and me.
And then there is Brian, Selene's man, who was clearly the Alpha male of the pack, and if those two did ANYTHING to Zor, she happily complied.
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She was 14 this May, old for a dog her size, even if it did seem she was still a puppy when she had a stick in her mouth.
She had begun to get sick. The day she died she was bouncing back from 2 days of being weak and unable to eat. That morning she ate some boiled chicken, even jumped into the car for a ride to Bishop which was a favorite thing for her to do.
But when we got home she couldn't get out of the car by herself, and clearly something was wrong.
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Over the next hours she began to have labored breathing, would look up to make sure I was still there, then lay her head down again and work at the breathing. I lay next to her, talking and holding her.
Then late that night her breathing began to change. Like Steven's had. Long gaps between each breath.
I just wrapped my arms around her, and her breathing softened, and then finally, just stopped.
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I think the only time Steven in his last years had a real belly laugh, was because of young Zorra entertaining him. She made a difference in Steven's dying. And she made a difference in my grieving when Steven did die. With Zorra now gone, it is the beginning of a new era for me. It changes my world. I am better because of both Steven and Zor, so though I go on without them into this new world, they are of me. |
