one thing she insisted on or there was no deal.”
“What’s that?”
“That the valley portion of the land stay untouched forever. Mildred died a few years back, but it’s still against city ordinance to step foot on that part of the property. See, she believed there was something special about that valley.”
“Special?”
Gus lowered his voice dramatically. “She believed it was a spirit world tied to earth where animals go after they pass on.”
Kari smiled. “Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah. And once the animals arrive there, any disease they had is gone. They forget any abuse they might have suffered. Age is erased, too, and they’re young again. And they stay in that little piece of paradise, just playing and eating to their hearts’ content and sleeping in the grassy fields, until…”
Kari leaned forward, feeling like a preschool kid during story time.
“Until their human companions arrive,” Gus said. “And when they do, they run toward each other and have a wonderful reunion.”
For some reason, Kari’s eyes teared up. She realized if the story was true, then someday she’d go to the valley and Boo would be there. He’d see her out of the corner of his eye. His head would pop up, and those tiny legs would carry him as fast as he could run toward her. She’d scoop him up and probably cry all over him.
“Then after they reunite,” Gus said, “the most amazing thing happens.”
“What?”
“A rainbow appears, stretching into the clouds as far as the eye can see. All the animals a person has known and loved gather with him, and together they cross that Rainbow Bridge to heaven.”
Kari tried to swallow the lump in her throat. No such luck. “That is such a cool story. So that’s why there’s so much animal stuff in Rainbow Valley?”
“Yup. Most people don’t believe the legend, of course, but they can’t argue with the money it brings into the town, particularly during the Festival of the Animals we have every fall. Tourists love the animal thing.”
She smiled. “So do I.”
“Got a pet?”
“A cairn terrier. He’s mostly that, anyway. I think he’s a few other things, too.”
“Where are you from?”
“Houston.”
Gus shook his head. “Houston’s a hellhole. Crime. Pollution. Clogged-up freeways. Take my word for it, honey. This is the kind of place you need to be living.”
Kari wasn’t completely sure about that. She’d always been a big-city girl. But it did seem like a really nice place to visit.
“So where’s the valley from here?” she asked.
“There’s an overlook down Rainbow Way a piece. That’s the best place to get a good look at it. You can’t go into the valley itself, of course. It’s off-limits.”
“How about you? Do you believe the legend?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Why not? Nobody knows what happens to us after we’re gone. Or to our pets. I figure that’s as good an explanation as any.”
“But do you believe the Rainbow Bridge is in this valley?”
“I guess you’re thinking, Why there? ”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Maybe a better question is, Why not there? Maybe Mildred knew something the rest of us didn’t.”
Good point.
“How about Marc?” Kari asked. “Does he believe the legend?”
“Marc doesn’t believe much of anything he can’t see with his own two eyes,” Gus said. “But he knows tourists like it, and he likes tourists.”
Kari rose from the stool. “Thanks so much for the sandwich. It was nice of you to think of me.”
“It was Marc’s doing. He told me you hadn’t eaten much in the past few days, and he wanted to make sure I fixed you something.”
For the first time Kari stopped to think about just how much Marc had done for her that night. Taken her into his house. Found her car. Retrieved her luggage. Taken her to a place to stay for the night. Helped her up the stairs. Unbuttoned her dress. Asked Gus to make sure she ate something. And he was going to make sure somebody took care of her
“What’s that?”
“That the valley portion of the land stay untouched forever. Mildred died a few years back, but it’s still against city ordinance to step foot on that part of the property. See, she believed there was something special about that valley.”
“Special?”
Gus lowered his voice dramatically. “She believed it was a spirit world tied to earth where animals go after they pass on.”
Kari smiled. “Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah. And once the animals arrive there, any disease they had is gone. They forget any abuse they might have suffered. Age is erased, too, and they’re young again. And they stay in that little piece of paradise, just playing and eating to their hearts’ content and sleeping in the grassy fields, until…”
Kari leaned forward, feeling like a preschool kid during story time.
“Until their human companions arrive,” Gus said. “And when they do, they run toward each other and have a wonderful reunion.”
For some reason, Kari’s eyes teared up. She realized if the story was true, then someday she’d go to the valley and Boo would be there. He’d see her out of the corner of his eye. His head would pop up, and those tiny legs would carry him as fast as he could run toward her. She’d scoop him up and probably cry all over him.
“Then after they reunite,” Gus said, “the most amazing thing happens.”
“What?”
“A rainbow appears, stretching into the clouds as far as the eye can see. All the animals a person has known and loved gather with him, and together they cross that Rainbow Bridge to heaven.”
Kari tried to swallow the lump in her throat. No such luck. “That is such a cool story. So that’s why there’s so much animal stuff in Rainbow Valley?”
“Yup. Most people don’t believe the legend, of course, but they can’t argue with the money it brings into the town, particularly during the Festival of the Animals we have every fall. Tourists love the animal thing.”
She smiled. “So do I.”
“Got a pet?”
“A cairn terrier. He’s mostly that, anyway. I think he’s a few other things, too.”
“Where are you from?”
“Houston.”
Gus shook his head. “Houston’s a hellhole. Crime. Pollution. Clogged-up freeways. Take my word for it, honey. This is the kind of place you need to be living.”
Kari wasn’t completely sure about that. She’d always been a big-city girl. But it did seem like a really nice place to visit.
“So where’s the valley from here?” she asked.
“There’s an overlook down Rainbow Way a piece. That’s the best place to get a good look at it. You can’t go into the valley itself, of course. It’s off-limits.”
“How about you? Do you believe the legend?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Why not? Nobody knows what happens to us after we’re gone. Or to our pets. I figure that’s as good an explanation as any.”
“But do you believe the Rainbow Bridge is in this valley?”
“I guess you’re thinking, Why there? ”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Maybe a better question is, Why not there? Maybe Mildred knew something the rest of us didn’t.”
Good point.
“How about Marc?” Kari asked. “Does he believe the legend?”
“Marc doesn’t believe much of anything he can’t see with his own two eyes,” Gus said. “But he knows tourists like it, and he likes tourists.”
Kari rose from the stool. “Thanks so much for the sandwich. It was nice of you to think of me.”
“It was Marc’s doing. He told me you hadn’t eaten much in the past few days, and he wanted to make sure I fixed you something.”
For the first time Kari stopped to think about just how much Marc had done for her that night. Taken her into his house. Found her car. Retrieved her luggage. Taken her to a place to stay for the night. Helped her up the stairs. Unbuttoned her dress. Asked Gus to make sure she ate something. And he was going to make sure somebody took care of her
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