Level Two. Leaving Lana.

Level Two. Leaving Lana.

By Michelle Lloyd.

No. He would not do it. New One had made himself clear and he expected to be listed to on the matter.

Having been sat in the car and surrounded by cases New One felt his eyes fill with tears. He could not leave his beloved Lana…

Lana the dog had practically always been by his side since the moment she had adopted New One and the family as her own. They had been inseparable and now here they were leaving Lana.

New One tried for what felt like the hundredth time. He attempted to reason with the parents but his pleas fell on deaf ears as once more it was explained to him that the family would be going on holiday and Lana was going to be looked after by Mr and Mrs Next Door.

New One still felt the vain hope that something would happen, his dad would suddenly change his mind or his mum would insist that they take Lana with them but as they pulled out of the drive, none of these longed for scenarios immerged.

Lana watched with depressed expression and New One waved sadly as the two were pulled away from each other. New One closed his eyes as his parents promised that they would have a good time and it would only be a short break but nothing could enthuse him.

New One’s parents chivvied him along and chided him for being sullen on what should have been a good experience. New One remained firm in his view that they should not have left Lana.

It was a terrible drive. No one was too happy about how the other felt and nobody was willing to give on the matter. It took three quarters of the journey to their destination before anybody actually spoke and even then it was because someone needed use of a facility.

Getting back on the road again and New One felt his lower lip wobble. He felt so sad about leaving his lovely Lana and nobody seemed to understand. New One’s parents caught sight of his expression and relented. They finally broke the second lapse in conversation with a different approach suggesting that perhaps New One would want to skype one of his friends.

Feeling a little happier at the prospect New One did as was suggested and then subsequently spent quite a bit of time reminiscing talking to R V, his friend, about the fun they had experienced playing together with Lana. Both his parents rolled their eyes but even they had to admit that they had started to miss the mad but lovable antics of Lana just a teeny weeny bit.

At the end of the conversation New One’s parents spoke to him about how he felt if they called ahead to their holiday destination to see if dogs would be allowed on the grounds. New One was beside himself with excitement. His parents told him that if they had to go back and get Lana then it would be too late to set off for the holiday again that same day and so they would lose out on some of their break away but everybody seemed so jubilant about including their dog that no one seemed to mind the sacrifice TOO much.

It was just as New One’s dad was contemplating pulling over on to the hard shoulder so that he could plan a route back that a familiar bark had everybody looking about in the car in surprise. New One shrieked with delight as from underneath several of the cases and a blanket Lana’s head poked out.

Nobody could understand how she had managed it but it appeared that Lana felt the same way as the family did about being separated and so she had solved the problem herself. At that moment New One’s mum got an incoming notification on her tablet and Mr and Mrs Next Door launched into apologies for a missing Lana. They were much relieved to hear that she was more than fine and well and with them and that they were all going off on holiday together.