The Curse Оf Hollister House

When I arrived at the shelter, the parking area was fairly full. Naomi had texted to let me know that the training class was going to be held in the indoor area where Cass and I’d played with the dogs that first day because the rain hadn’t let up and the forecast didn’t call for it clearing anytime soon. The dirt lot was muddy, making me wish I’d worn my old boots rather than my new tennis shoes. Oh, well a little dirt never hurt anyone.

“Callie, I’m so glad you made it,” Naomi greeted me as I walked into the room.

“I’m eager and ready to learn.”

“That’s really great. All I really want you to do today is sit and watch. Watch the trainers, watch the dogs, and listen to my instructions. Maybe visualize what you would do and how you would handle specific situations should they arise. If you are free, I thought maybe you could stay after. I’ll make us some lunch, and we can talk about what happened, what to expect, and some of the scenarios you might be faced with when you are assigned a dog of your own.”

I nodded. “That sounds great, and yes, I can stay. I have nowhere to be until three when Paisley is due to come by for her first official piano lesson.”

Naomi smiled. “You know Paisley?”

“She lives near Gracie and comes around sometimes to hang out with her. I just met her a few days ago, but I think we’ve really bonded.”

“That’s fantastic. She really needs someone.” She looked toward the group that was still gathering. “I need to get started, but we’ll talk more later.”

The class I observed seemed simple enough. Each human had been assigned a dog that they put through the paces Naomi described. She had them practice sit, down, stay, come, and heel. After every few minutes of training, the dogs would be given a minute or two of snuggle time with their trainer. The group must have been training together for a while because everyone seemed to know what to do even before Naomi demonstrated the desired behavior. I did notice that some dogs seemed to understand what they needed to do right away and others seemed preoccupied and needed to be given the command several times, but in the end, Naomi had everyone doing what they were supposed to be doing.

After the class ended, Naomi introduced me to the other trainers and explained that I would be taking on a couple practice sessions. I guess there were some trainers who took the dogs through their paces in the class with other dogs, and other trainers who came during the week and practiced the commands learned in the class with the dogs individually. That was where I came in. I had zero experience with dogs, so I really, really hoped I’d be up to the task.

Once everyone had left, we headed to Naomi’s house. It was a nice home, simple yet cozy. The wooden structure had log walls, a wood floor, and big windows that overlooked a gorgeous meadow and a seasonal stream.

“Have a seat at the table,” Naomi instructed.

I sat down at the round table that was tucked into a nook. There was a vase with wildflowers on the table that I pushed to the side to make more room. “Your home is lovely.”

“Thanks. It’s small, but I love it.”

“The rock fireplace is great. I bet it is very cozy in here on a snowy winter day.”

“It is. The cabin is cozy anyway, given its tiny size, but when you add the crackle of a wood fire and a gentle snow, it’s magical.”

I looked around the room, which contained a small kitchen, good-sized living area, and a small dining nook. It appeared there was a bathroom tucked under the stairs, but I didn’t see any other rooms. “I take it you sleep up in the loft?”

Naomi nodded. “There is a pretty large space up there. I not only sleep in it, but I have a desk in a small office area upstairs as well. Are you okay with onions?”

“Sure. I liked onions.”

Naomi set two sandwiches on the table. There were tons of yummy veggies in them, layered onto thick slices of whole grain bread. “I hope veggie is okay. After working with the animals for a while, I went vegetarian,” she explained.

“Veggie is great. Do you eat eggs? Cheese?”

“I have a neighbor who gives me milk and eggs, which I know have been provided by animals who are treated as members of the family, and I will sometimes eat cheese, but generally speaking, any animal product I consume needs to come from a source I am familiar with. I suppose my biggest exception is when Hancock is here. He loves pizza and will agree to veggie, but he refuses to skimp on the cheese.”

“Hancock?”

“My neighbor and sort of boyfriend. Actually, he is not so much a boyfriend as a lover.”

“I see. Is Hancock his first name or last?”

Naomi shrugged. “I have no idea. When we met, he told me to call him Hancock. I don’t know if Hancock is his first name, last, or neither, but in the end, I suppose it doesn’t matter. Everyone calls him Hancock, so if you mention the name to anyone in town, people will know who you are talking about.”

I supposed if it worked for them, it worked for me. “I look forward to meeting him.”

“Hancock is in naval intelligence. He is away as often as he is here, and you never know when he might pop in or out or how long he will be gone when he is away.”

“That must be difficult.”

Naomi shrugged. “Not for me. Like I said, ours is a friendship with benefits. I enjoy him when he is here, but I do fine when he is away as well. To be honest, if he was around twenty-four/seven, I’d probably want to shoot him. He is very sweet and very good-looking, but he is very intense.”

“I guess working in naval intelligence would require him to be somewhat intense.” I glanced around the room, enjoying the feeling of comfort Naomi had created. “I take it he is away now?”

She nodded. “He is. Been away almost two weeks. I have no idea where he is or when he’ll be back, but I’ll welcome him with open arms when he does show up. I have a fruit cobbler for dessert if you’d like some.”

“That sounds great.” I got up and took my plate to the dishwasher. “Do any of the dogs live here in the house with you?”

“Just Humper. He’s an old hound dog that is blind in one eye.” She glanced around the room. “I built a ramp so he could get up into the loft, so I’m betting he is up there taking a nap. He takes a lot of naps.”

“Why do you call him Humper?”

She raised a brow.

“Oh. I see.”

“He isn’t as bad as he was when he was younger, but it is best to let him know right off the bat where your boundaries lie.”

“I’ll remember that.” I followed Naomi out of the kitchen as she set the bowls of cobbler on the table and offered me coffee, which I accepted. It was nice sitting here in this charming little cabin having lunch with someone I knew from high school while the rain pitter-pattered on the roof. I never had any girlfriends after Stella. In fact, after Stella died, it was really just Cass and me. I mean, we had a circle of people we hung out with from time to time, but I never really bonded or shared my secrets with anyone other than Cass once Stella was no longer in my life.

“So tell me about your life after you left here,” Naomi said after setting a cup of hot coffee and a carton of almond milk in front of me.

“There isn’t a lot to tell. I pursued a career as a concert pianist, traveled the world a bit, was T-boned by a drunk driver, and ended up right back here.”

“Any serious relationships?”

“Not a one.” I took a sip of the coffee. “How about you? Anyone who was more than a friend with benefits?”

“I lived with a wonderful man named Jordan for two years. I really loved him. Might even have married him despite my negative views on that subject, but he died in a climbing accident five years ago.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah. Me too. He was a pure and genuine soul. In some ways, I feel like a part of me died with him, but I have my cozy home and my animals. I do okay.”

I supposed I wasn’t the only one who had lost the thing closest to my heart only to be left with a broken life to see me into the future. The conversation segued toward a discussion of dog training techniques after that, and before I knew it, the afternoon had waned, and it was time to go home to meet Paisley.