“It can’t be…” he whispered, barely audible. He blinked hard, convinced his eyes were deceiving him. But Daisy was real—solid, unmistakable, and standing just beyond the fence line.
Cautiously, he stepped closer, each footfall crunching on the frosted grass. Any sudden movement could send her vanishing again, just as mysteriously as she had appeared.
Could it really be her? After all these months, was Daisy truly here?
“Daisy?” he called softly, his voice trembling with hope. He imagined her trotting toward him, the familiar reunion he had dreamed of countless times during the long, lonely months.
But that’s not what happened.
Her ears twitched at the sound of his voice. Her head lifted, meeting his gaze. Those deep, familiar brown eyes—so full of recognition and life—left no doubt. It was her. His Daisy had returned.
Yet she did not move toward him. Instead, she froze, rooted to the spot, her eyes wary, measuring. Bill’s heart sank slightly at her unusual behavior. He stepped forward carefully. “It’s okay, girl… it’s just me.”
Daisy backed a little, lowering her head, her stance stiff, tense—ready to charge if he came closer.
“Easy there… easy,” Bill said gently, raising his hands to appear non-threatening. Confusion and concern coiled tight in his chest. What had happened to his beloved Daisy to make her act like this?