Ten more minutes and she would be done. Her morning jog always cleared her mind before she headed in for work. For the last year, Tasha Parker had taken her fitness seriously and was happy with the fifteen pounds that she’d lost. Let her friends, Kimberly and Jessica tell it, she was doing it because she didn’t have a man in her life. To her it wasn’t true. She just couldn’t find the right balance between work and life. If and when a man came, she’d gladly consider the possibilities.

She turned into the park to do one jog around when she heard the sound of a child crying through the music in her earbuds. Standing on a bench was a little girl, no more than four years old crying while a dog circled the bench and barked while he nipped at her shoes.

Tasha jogged over to the bench and picked up the little girl and cautiously backed away. The dog was all black with white patches on his paws that looked like socks. She could tell he was just a puppy and couldn’t have been more than six months old. He cheerfully wagged his tail as he ran over to Tasha and the little girl. Tasha cradled the girl as she sat down on the bench.

“It’s okay. He’s just trying to play. See?” Tasha stuck her own hand out for the puppy to lick. “He won’t bite.”

“He won’t?” The little girl scooted a little closer when she saw the dog sit andw ait to be petted.

“Nope. He’s just a baby. Kinda like you,” she smiled.

“I’m not a baby. I’m a big girl,” the little girl seemed offended at being called anything but.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Tasha chuckled. “I’m Tasha. What’s your name?”

“My mama said I shouldn’t tell nobody my name,” the little girl bravely stuck a hand out for the dog to lick.

“That’s true. You shouldn’t tell anyone your name, but you’re by yourself. I want to make sure you get back to your mom.”

“I’m Apryl. My mama went into a house. She’ll be back though.”

“Which house?” Tasha looked around to the number of houses and apartments that lined the outside of the park.

“It’s across the street. My mama goes there and I get to play on the swings. But…I got scared. Nobody was at the playground today so I started looking for my mama. I thought she left me. That’s when I found Scruffles,” Apryl touched the dog’s head as he put his front paws on the bench they were on.

Tasha smiled to herself, amused that the little girl, who only minutes ago was terrified of the little black puppy had taken it upon herself to name the dog as if he was hers all along. And then she thought about Apryl’s story.

Why would someone leave their four year old unattended for so long? She really hoped that he mother hadn’t abandoned her and left her along like that. She looked along the trail that she’d found the girl on and didn’t see anyone coming either way.

“Well, you shouldn’t have run off. Your mom might be looking for you,” Tasha stood and held out her hand for the little girl to take. “Let’s go back to the playground. Maybe she’s looking for you.”

“Okay,” Apryl took her hand before she turned to the dog that had taken a seat next to the bench. “C’mon, Scruffles. You gotta meet mama.”

As if the dog understood, he trotted right off with them, dodging in between them before taking up stride next to Apryl. Tasha rounded the corner and saw a woman standing by the swings. She looked around frantic and stated calling out into the quiet morning.

“That’s my mama,” Apryl said as she pulled Tasha along.

Tasha saw the woman, dressed in a pink jumpsuit and frazzled hair, walk around the perimeter of the playground before she seemed to catch the two of them waling towards her.

“Whatchu doin’ with my baby?” The woman said as she closed the gap between them and took Apryl’s hand and pulled her to her side.

“I found her around the corner. She was looking for you. She said you’d left her on the swings.” Tasha saw Apryl lean down to try and play with the dog but her mother snatched her back.

“Where you was supposed to stay,” she looked down at the little girl who already knew she was in trouble. “Thanks for makin’ sure she was okay.”

Tasha nodded but sighed. She looked at the woman and everything about her told her she was high. Her eyes were glossed and she swayed as she held onto the little girl. She assumed that the house that Apryl saw her go into was where she got her drugs.

“No problem. I’m just glad that I found her before someone else did,” Tasha smiled at Apryl.

“Yeah, shit ain’t right in the world. Thanks again,” The woman and her daughter walked off, leaving her to deal with the puppy at her feet.

Tasha would have loved to keep the puppy. She loved dogs but after having to put down her Corgi mix a couple of months ago, she didn’t know if she was emotionally ready to take care of another fur baby yet. For now, she would take him down to the rescue she sometimes volunteered at and hoped he would find a good home.

“All right, Scruffles,” she picked the puppy up and actually noticed his weight. He licked her face and made her decision to take to the rescue even harder.

“Excuse me,” she heard a voice call from behind her. She turned, puppy in hand to see a handsome man jogging up behind her. She took him in  as he stopped. A charming smile formed  on full lips while she admired his fresh haircut and full goatee and brown eyes behind full lashes. “Uh, I think you have my dog.”