A Nantucket Christmas by Nancy Thayer Page A

had taught him, so the dog could sniff him, so the dog wouldn’t feel threatened.
    The dog sniffed Maddox. Its dark eyes raised expectantly to meet Maddox’s eyes, and its tail wagged hopefully.
    “Who are you?” Maddox asked. “Are you lost?”
    The dog dropped to its belly and crept closer to Maddox, still wagging its tail. Maddox reached out and patted the dog’s head. The dog responded by scooting even nearer, keeping his yearning black eyes on Maddox’s face.
    “You’re a nice doggy, aren’t you?” Maddox said. “What’s your name? Where’s your collar?” He felt around the dog’s neck but no leather or metal met his fingers.
    The dog, encouraged by the touching, moved closer to Maddox and licked his fingers.
    A wonderful thought suddenly appeared in Maddox’s mind. Could Santa have brought him this dog for Christmas?
    But Christmas wasn’t for two more days. And his mom didn’t want a dog.
    Running his fingers over the animal, he felt its ribs. Even as a small boy, he understood that the dog hadn’t had much to eat recently. This dog was lost. And hungry. Maybe this dog was hiding from a mean owner. Maddox had once seen a man kick a dog. Maybe this dog had run away. Maddox knew what it felt like to want to run away.
    “Maddox!” His father’s voice boomed out into the yard, making Maddox jump with surprise.
    “Just a minute, boy,” Maddox whispered. He crawled out the lawn chair entrance, stuck his head up, and called, “I’m here, Daddy, in my fort.”
    “Let’s build a snowman. We’ve got time before dinner.”
    “Okay, Daddy. I’ll be right there.”
    Back in the fort, the dog sat very obediently, his eyes searching Maddox’s face.
    “You’re hungry,” Maddox whispered, “but I can’t bring you into the house because Mommy wouldn’t like that. I’ll sneak food out after dinner, I promise. Lots of good food, okay?”
    The dog wagged his tail.
    Delight flashed through Maddox as he realized he had a secret friend, his own private buddy. He could have adventures with this dog!
    The dog needed a name. Maddox thought of famous best friends. Frog and Toad. Well, he couldn’t call a dog Frog or Toad, that would be silly. He giggled to himself and the dog caught his mood, wiggling all over and climbing into Maddox’s arms, licking his chin, wagging his tail. Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh! Maddox fell over backward, snickering.
    “Pooh!” he gurgled as the dog licked his face. “I’ll name you Pooh.” Pooh was one of Maddox’s favorite words because it had two meanings, one that could make his grandmother Katya raise her eyebrows. He hugged Pooh, who was cuddling as close as he could get.
    “Maddox?” His father’s voice sounded again.
    “Coming!” Maddox answered. He sat up and put his hands on the dog’s face. “Now listen. I have to go in. You stay here. I’ll bring you some food as soon as I can, okay? You’ll be nice and warm here. I’ll be back pretty soon.”
    Pooh cocked his head, his dark eyes deep with intelligence, as if he understood every word.
     
    Daddy decided they should build the snowman in the front yard so people could see him. He showed Maddox how to squeeze the snow tight to pack it. Together they rolled up three balls, stacking them up before adding fallen sticks for arms. Daddy opened the front door, calling in to ask Nicole for a carrot for the nose while Maddox looked beneath the bushes until he found two rocks for the eyes. The rocks were different sizes, so the snowman looked kind of funny but still cute.
    When they stepped inside, the house seemed hot and bright. As his father helped him strip off his snow boots, mittens, coat, and hat, Maddox realized how dark it looked outside if you were inside a building, even though a pearly sheen of light lingered in the air from streetlights and moonlight falling on the snow.
    “Let’s wash your hands and face,” Daddy said, taking Maddox’s hand and leading him to the bathroom.
    Mommy was