Once upon a sunny morning, little Dot the puppy sits by the garden gate. Dot is small and fluffy like a cloud, with one brown ear that flops when he wags. He waits. He wiggles.
He waits more."Squeak-squeak!" says the old wooden gate."Hello, Dot!" Dot gives the gate a happy lick. He is waiting for his very best friend. Every day at the same time, Mia comes home from school. She has bright red boots that go stomp-stomp-stomp and a big smile just for Dot.
Dot’s tail goes swish-swish-swish! He cannot see the road yet, but he listens with his floppy ear. Listen with Dot - do you hear anything? The wind goes whoosh-whoosh through the flowers.
The bees buzz-buzz-buzz. Then - what’s that? Far away, Dot hears tiny feet. Clomp-clomp-clomp.
That must be Mia! Dot spins in a circle."Soon!" he barks.
The gate squeaks again, like it is giggling. But today something is different. The feet stop. Dot hears a sad little sniff.
No red boots appear. Dot whimpers,"Where is Mia?" He puts his paws on the gate. It squeaks louder, like it is worried too.
Dot thinks and thinks."I must help my friend!" He pushes the gate. Creak-creak - open it goes.
Dot trots out onto the path. His tiny paws go pitter-pat, pitter-pat. He follows the red-brick road past the daisies. Can you see the daisies?
They are white like Dot’s fur. Up ahead Dot spots Mia. She is sitting on a log, looking down. Her red boots are muddy.
One bow is gone. Dot runs - zoom-zoom-zoom - straight to her. He gives her nose a soft lick."Dot!" Mia cries."I missed you! My boot came undone and I tripped. Now my knee hurts." Dot looks at her knee. He sees a tiny scratch. He knows just what to do. He gives the scratch tiny puppy kisses - lick, lick, lick.
Mia giggles through her tears."Thank you, Dot. You always make me smile." Mia stands up.
She holds Dot close. Together they walk back home. Dot’s tail goes swish-swish. Mia’s boots go clomp-clomp.
The gate sees them coming and squeaks,"Welcome home!" Mama opens the door."There you are!" she says.
She gives Mia a bandage with stars on it. Dot gets a little dog biscuit shaped like a bone. Crunch-crunch-crunch! Yummy!
Every day after that, Dot still waits by the gate. He wags. He wiggles. He listens.
Sometimes Mia is early. Sometimes she is late. But Dot always waits, because good friends wait for each other. And every time the gate squeaks, it reminds them both that love is waiting at home.
Do you have a friend you would wait for? Give your friend a big hug right now!