SHADOW OF A RECLUSE 

By Tessa Harvey


    When Tarrant woke up the next day, he was very quiet. He and Sylvie had organised a special trip out to get the children a puppy. It was a surprise for them, especially Johan.
    After breakfast they all cleared up, even Robin carrying his plastic plate and cup. He dropped the plate, scattering crumbs, but everyone just thought it was funny. At first, Robin's bottom lip went down, his face screwed up, then Anneke tickled him and the bottom lip-drop was gone.
    They went to a private home on a large acreage. An older lady met them. She had two crutches, a leg missing. The children were half-appalled, but also fascinated.
    "I'm Renate. A truck ran over my leg when I was eleven. "Come and see the puppies."
    She hopped around with great dexterity and showed them the most beautiful puppies, all big eyes and floppy ears and clumsy too-large feet! The children were clutching armfuls of warm wriggly dog, being licked, and laughing. "Not too tight, little guy," Renate admonished, "or," she whispered, "you might get dog wee on you." Startled, the toddler relaxed his grip. Sylvie knew Tarrant had been greatly upset last night. He was visiting a minister.

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