I didn’t expect to make a decision that would cost me my marriage when I walked into that shelter. But as I knelt in front of that frail old dog, I knew one thing that she needed me. And maybe, I needed her too.
Greg and I had been trying to fill the quiet in our marriage for years and can’t have kitchen.
Then one evening, when we sat in the dim glow of our kitchen, I said,
“Maybe we should get a dog.”
Greg looked up from his plate, unimpressed. “A dog?”
“Something to love,” I said softly. “Something to fill the silence.”
“Fine. But I’m not dealing with some yappy little thing.”
In the farthest kennel, curled in the shadows, was Maggie.
The tag on her door made me surprised.
Senior Dog – 12 Years Old – Health Issues – Hospice Adoption Only.
I felt Greg stiffen beside me. “Oh, come on,” he scoffed. “We’re not taking that one.”
“This one,” I whispered.
Greg’s voice was sharp. “You’re kidding, right? Clara, that dog is already halfway in the grave.”
“She needs us.”
“She needs a vet and a miracle,” he shot back. “Not a home.”
I turned to face him fully. “I can make her happy.”
Greg let out a bitter laugh. “You bring her home, I’m leaving. I’m not going to sit here and watch you obsess over a dy:ing dog. That’s pathetic.”
I was stunned. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do,” he said coldly. “It’s her or me.”
I didn’t hesitate.
Greg was already packing his bags when I carried Maggie home.
As we entered, she hesitated in the doorway, her frail body trembling as she took in her new surroundings.
“It’s okay,” I whispered, kneeling beside her. “We’ll figure it out.”
Greg stormed past us, dragging his suitcase behind him. “You’ve lost it, Clara.” “You’re throwing everything away for that dog.”
I didn’t answer.
His hand hovered on the doorknob for a moment, waiting. Waiting for me to stop him. Waiting for me to say you’re right, come back. Instead, I reached for Maggie’s leash and unclipped it.
Greg let out a humorless laugh. “Unbelievable.” And then he was gone.
The first few weeks were brutal.
Maggie was weak, and some days, she barely touched her food.
Meanwhile, the divorce papers arrived, I laughed at first. He’s actually unhappy.
Then I cried.
But Maggie was there. She would be my friend in this time. And over time, something shifted.
She started eating more, and her fur, once dull and patchy, grew shinier. And one morning, as I reached for her leash, she wagged her tail.
“Feel like a walk today?” I asked.
For the first time in months, I smiled.
We were happy. Together.
Six months later, I was stepping out of a bookstore, coffee in one hand and a novel in the other.
“Clara,” a familiar voice drawled.
I froze.
Greg.
He stood there, smirking like he’d been waiting for this moment.
“Still all alone?” he asked
“How’s that dog of yours?”
I responded calmly, “Maggie?”
“Yes, Maggie.”
“Let me guess. She’s gone, isn’t she? All that effort for a dog that barely lasted a few months. Was it worth it?”.
“You don’t have to be so heartless, Greg.”
“I’m just being realistic. You gave up everything for that dog. Look at you now. Alone, miserable. But hey, at least you got to play hero, right?”
“What are you even doing here, Greg?”
“Oh, I’m meeting someone.” His smirk widened.
“But I couldn’t resist saying hello. You know, you were so obsessed with that dog that you didn’t even notice what I’d been hiding from you.”
A cold weight settled in my chest. “What are you talking about?”
Before I could respond, a woman walked up beside him—young, stunning, the kind of effortlessly beautiful.
“Hey, Clara. Sorry, I’m late.”
Greg’s smirk faded. His eyes flickered past me.
There was Mark.
He walked up, effortlessly slipping into the moment like he belonged there. In one hand, he held a cup of coffee. In the other? Maggie’s leash.
Mark handed me my coffee with a smile, then leaned to plant a kiss on my cheek.
Greg’s jaw dropped. “Wait… that’s…”
“Maggie,” I said, scratching behind her ears as she leaned into me. “She’s not going anywhere.”
“She’s thriving,” I said standing up. “Turns out, all she needed was love and care. Funny how that works, isn’t it?”
Mark, unfazed by the tension, handed me the leash. “Ready to head to the park?” he asked.
“This is… ridiculous,” he muttered.
“You’re right,” I said.
“What’s ridiculous is you thinking I’d regret letting you go.”
His face twisted with anger, but I didn’t care.
“Ready?” he asked, nodding toward the park.
I smiled. “More than ever.”
Six months later, we were back at that same park, but this time, everything felt different.
I frowned. “Maggie, what’s this?”
Mark grinned. “Why don’t you check?”
I untied the tiny box, my fingers trembling. Before I could process it, Mark was on one knee.
“Clara,” he said softly. “Will you marry me?”
I glanced at Maggie, laughed through my tears. “Of course.”
