Chapter Eight

~ Miko ~

The food tasted like sawdust in my mouth, but I didn't dare refuse it. Jos has specifically put the sausage links on my plate when I had just asked for eggs, which told me all I needed to know.

I didn't dare refuse to eat what he had given me no matter how hard it was to gag it down. I knew this rule without question. It had been drilled into me every second of every day for my entire life.

I finished the eggs on my plate, set my fork down, and then wiped my mouth with a napkin. "May I be excused?"

I needed to go throw up.

Jos gave a grunt, which I took as a yes.

I stood, bowed respectfully to Mrs. Gibbons. "Thank you for the meal." I grabbed my dishes and carried them into the kitchen. It didn't take me more than a few minutes to wash them, dry them, and put them away.

I grimaced as I glanced around the kitchen. Mrs. Gibbons kept it pretty clean, but there were still a few dishes left over from cooking breakfast. It wouldn't take me long to clean it all up for her.

I grabbed all the dirty dishes and put them in the sink, adding some hot water and soap so they could soak, and then grabbed a clean rag and some cleaner and began wiping down all the counters. Once I was done with that, I dealt with the dishes I had been soaking.

I smiled with satisfaction as I glanced around the clean kitchen. My grandfather had always said hard work was honest work and honest work was satisfying work.

He was right.

I started to head back to my room when I heard a noise outside I couldn't decipher. I cautiously walked to the back door and peered out of the window on the upper half.

I couldn't see anything, but I could hear it. It sounded like whimpering, but not from a human. From an animal. I didn't have a ton of experience with animals. Mostly birds and butterflies.

I had no idea what was making this noise.

I turned the handle and pushed open the door, stepping out onto the back porch. When I walked to the edge of the porch, the noise grew louder. I went down the steps and started to look around. I didn't see anything, but the sound of painful whimpers was growing louder. I followed it, dropping down to my knees to look under the porch.

Two bright blue eyes peered back at me from the shadows.

"Hey," I said in the calmest tone I could muster at that moment. I had no idea what I was facing, but if the whimpers were anything to go by, this little thing was in pain.

I crawled under the porch as far as I could and then lay down on my stomach and scooted closer. It wasn't until I was just a couple of feet away that I realized I was looking at a dog. Maybe a puppy. It was hard to tell its age.

"What seems to be the problem, little guy?" I kept my tone soothing as I moved closer.

When I spotted bits of bloody metal wire wrapped around the dog's leg, I wanted to howl as loud as he did. Someone had hurt this poor thing, and it looked as if it was on purpose.

I crawled a bit closer and then very slowly reached my hand out. I jerked it back fast when the dog snarled and snapped at me. Considering what was done to him, I'd be wary of humans, too.

I had to figure a way to get this dog out from under the porch so I could treat its wounds. I hated leaving it here, but I crawled back out from under the porch, jumped up, and ran into the house.

The only thing I could think of to do was wrap it in something until I could get it out. I doubted they had a muzzle on a cattle ranch and I really didn't want to do that to an injured dog, but a big thick towel might work.

And some gloves, something to protect my hands. I also needed some wire clippers and a first aid kit.

I grimaced as I paused in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room. That list was going to be a big ask. I wasn't sure what I had for compensation. I doubted Jos would accept an IOU.

I remembered the jade necklace my grandfather had given me. He had said it wasn't worth much, but maybe it would be enough to save the little dog.

Instead of going into the large dining room where I could still hear people talking, I ran upstairs to my bedroom. I went to the top drawer of my dresser and pulled out the small wooden box I kept my treasures in.

I grabbed the jade necklace and stared down at it for a moment. It had been one of the few presents I had ever been given, but this was a life or death situation.

I had no choice.

I closed my hand around the necklace, put the box away, and then headed downstairs. Time was of the essence here. I didn't know how long the dog would survive. I needed to hurry.

I ran into the dining room and over to where Jos was sitting. I swallowed tightly when I saw everyone watching me. I didn't know what the protocol was here. How did I ask for what I needed without letting Jos lose respect?

Life in Japan was all about respect. Failure to be respectful to your elders was incredibly painful, and in this case, Jos would be considered my elder.

"Forgive my impertinence for interrupting you. I meant no disrespect," I said as I gave a quick bow. "A moment, please."

"What's wrong, Miko?" Jos asked.

I shot a quick look around the table before looking back at Jos. "A moment, please," I repeated.

"You can talk in my study," my father stated.

I took a quick step back when Jos stood. If he decided to reprimand me for interrupting his meal, I'd never survive it.

I followed Jos out of the dining room, but tugged on his shirt sleeve before we could head down the hallway to the study. I seriously needed to get back to the dog. "A moment, please."

Jos huffed before turning to look at me. "What is going on, Miko?" he asked. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Please." I held up my jade necklace. "Need towel, clippers, first aid kit, and maybe gloves. This is all I have for payment."

When Jos's eyebrows snapped together, I hurriedly said, "Will work to pay more."

Jos picked up the necklace and turned it over in his hand. "What do you need it for?"

Was he agreeing to the deal?

"There is injured dog."

Jos's frown grew even darker. "An injured dog? Where?"

"Under porch."

Jos's eyebrows shot up. "Our porch?"

I nodded. "Back porch off kitchen."

Jos shoved the necklace back into my hands and took off back into the dining room. I slid the necklace into my pocket as I chased after him. Jos called out orders to the ranch hands as he hurried through the dining room to the kitchen.

He paused to grab a flashlight out of a kitchen drawer and then he was out the door. He hopped off the porch and crouched down, shining the light under the porch.

"Where'd you see him, Miko?"

"Here." I moved to where I had climbed under the porch before and then dropped down to my hands and knees. "He's in the back."

When Jos dropped down beside me and started shining the light underneath the porch, I grabbed his arm "Dog is afraid. Hurt. Must be careful."

Jos nodded before standing back up and looking around. Just then, one of the ranch hands we'd had breakfast came running up with a blanket and a pair of gloves.

"Here, Boss."

Jos hurriedly pulled the gloves on. They looked a little different than the gardening gloves I'd been imagining, hardier and made of tan leather. I hoped them would protect Jos's hands.

"Miko, I want you to stay on the porch," Jos directed. "I'll bring the dog out."

I nodded and quickly climbed the steps. I wanted to argue because I was worried, but that wouldn't get the dog out any faster. It also might make Jos angry. He'd already agreed to do this for me. I wasn't going to push my luck.

Jos dropped back down and then moved out of sight as he crawled under the porch. Another man joined him. The whimpering I'd heard before started up again, growing louder by the second.

When the dog let out a painful yelp and Jos began to swear, I couldn't stop myself from going back down the steps and crouching so that I could see under the porch.

Jos had the blanket wrapped around the dog, but he seemed to be having a hard time pulling him out because the dog was struggling to get away.

I dropped down to my hands and knees and crawled under the porch. There was a lot of yelling and at one point I felt someone try to grab my ankle. I kicked the hand away and crawled a little faster.

When I reached Jos and the dog, I started talking in a low calming tone, and I spoke in Japanese, telling the dog that he was in no danger, that he was safe, and that I would make sure he was taken care of.

The dog slowly stopped struggling, enabling Jos to pull him out from under the porch. I scrambled out behind them. Jos stood up and carried the dog directly into the house. I followed as quickly as I could with my much shorter legs.

Jos carried the dog into the living room and then sat down on the floor with him. "Axel, did you get the stuff I asked for?"

"Got them right here, Boss," Axel replied as he held out a pair of wire clippers and a first aid kit.

"Come help me hold him."

When Axel went to help hold the dog down, the little guy started howling, but it was the saddest, most frightened howl I had ever heard in my life.

"Please, stop," I begged as I moved closer.

"Miko, we have to get the wire off his leg so we can treat his wounds."

"Yes." I nodded enthusiastically. "Wait, please." I turned and looked around until I spotted Mrs. Gibbons. "Need long green leather cylinder in top drawer of dresser."

When Mrs. Gibbons hurried up the stairs, I turned my attention back to the dog and began speaking to him in Japanese again. I kept my tone low and didn't make any sudden movements as I approached the dog.

"Don't get too close, Miko," Jos stated. "Injured animals can be vicious. They don't mean to be, but they are scared and hurt and will lash out at anyone that gets too close."

"He won't hurt me." I made shushing noises as I scooted closer and then continued to speak to the dog in Japanese. It seemed to calm him down, but every time someone in the room moved, he went off again.

I did notice that he was leaning closer and closer to me.

When Mrs. Gibbons came down the stairs with the item I had asked for, I held my hand out for it. As soon as I had it, I opened it up and pulled the medium sized bundle out.

I put the cylinder aside and laid the bundle down on the coffee table, untying the leather straps and rolling the material out. I glanced at the dog and then back at the needles secured in the material.

I grabbed one of the needles and reached out toward the dog. Jos grabbed my wrist before I could reach it.

"What are you doing?"

I so wanted to roll my eyes, but that would be disrespectful and I'd get punished. I needed to treat this dog before that happened.

"It's okay." I gave a gentle tug until Jos released me and then reached back for the dog. As gently as I could, I inserted the needle in the one spot guaranteed to make the dog go to sleep.

"What did you do?" Jos asked.

"I put him to sleep," I replied. "You can treat him now, but don't dislodge the needle. He'll wake up."

I scooted back out of the way so Jos and Axel could cut the wire and treat the dog. Jos barked some orders and a couple of the people standing there took off. Only one of them came back. He had an electric shaver in his hand.

I watched as Jos carefully cut the wire off the dog, my confusion—and a bit of anger—growing when I saw how perfectly the wire was wrapped around the dog's paw.

"Was done on purpose?" I asked.

Jos had a grimace on his face when he raised his head. "It looks that way."

"Why?" I couldn't think of a single reason why someone would harm a dog like this.

"Some people are just mean, Miko," Jos said as he went back to treating the dog.

I watched as he freed the dog from the wire, then shaved the area around the wound, and then finally treated it with medicine and wrapped it in gauze and medical tape.

I was a little confused when Mrs. Gibbons handed him some plastic wrap and Jos wrapped it around the gauze and tape before securing it into place.

"Miko, we need to bath this little guy," Jos said. "Will your needle stay in for that? It would be easier to get this all done before he wakes up."

"Can make no sudden movements."

Jos nodded before sliding his arms under the dog and lifting him up. He carried him into the bathroom. A tub half full of warm water was waiting.

I stayed close as Jos scrubbed the dog up with blue colored soap and then rinsed him off with a hand held shower head. Jos did this twice more before he seemed satisfied.

When he was all done, I held a towel out. Jos grabbed the towel and used it to dry the dog as much as possible before using a hair dryer to finish the job.

"This little guy doesn't look to be more than three or four months old," Jos stated, "but by the size of his paws, he's going to be a big guy when he's full grown, maybe even upwards of a hundred pounds."

"Is that bad?" I asked.

"No, but I'll bet he'll eat someone out of house and home."

Yeah, I had no idea what that meant beyond the fact that the dog would eat a lot. Maybe I could share my food with him?

Assuming I could keep him.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I considered my options. Everyone had said that life on a ranch was hard. People worked from sun up till sun down. One more mouth to feed wouldn't help the situation, but could I really let the little guy go?

Who knows who he would end up with?

I gave a deep bow, bending at the waist. "Please forgive my impertinence, but may I keep?" I asked. "Will work hard, share food. Will take care of dog. Will not cause trouble."

"Jesus-H-Christ, Miko, would you stop bowing?"

I hesitantly stood straight, but I dared not look up. I dug the jade necklace out of my pocket and held it out to Jos again. He hadn't taken it last time, but maybe he would this time.

It wasn't like I had anything else to offer.