Teddy Has a First Day Assisgnment for his Sister Gracie

 

 One of my first Doggyspace friends to go to the Bridge was Teddy Bond. Since then, he has been head of the Bridge's Intelligence department because he is a super spy. He is who we call if there is a dangerous undertaking afoot.

 

Before Teddy departed, he used his abilities to find his replacement, Gracie May, a darling Shih-Tzu. While his passing broke his mom's heart, Teddy gave Gracie the needed tools to rebuild it. I knew their momma was in good paws, and I would not have to worry about her.

 

It's funny: It's when you're not worrying that things sneak up and shock you.

 

That is an apt term to describe my emotion when I learned that Gracie, now twelve years old, was due to arrive here. It seemed like yesterday that I first met her, and I am sure her mom felt the same way.

Gracie had been battling Cushing's Disease and severe arthritis. When her body became too tired to fight, she signaled that it was time to depart. Her mom lovingly held Gracie as she passed over.

 

When I knew Gracie was coming, I went to Teddy's spy shack built to create new spy technology. He told me that not only was he aware, but Teddy had arranged her passing; because he needed her for a particular assignment.  

 

 I was against sending am an untrained angel on such an assignment. But, she was Teddy's sister, and he had taught her about counter operations, plus we needed someone new to battle the chipmunk cartel. I made Teddy promise he would monitor her activity. 

 

Gracie arrived without fanfare, and it was imperative we keep her mission secret. After a brief hug, Teddy dressed his sister in a giant chipmunk costume, and Gracie bravely undertook her Angel mission. 

 

Gracie returned a half-hour later with a hand-drawn map showing where the chipmunks had dug burrows on Doggyspace land. Teddy sent out a team of secret chihuahuas to drive the invading chipmunks from our land. 

 

When Gracie completed her mission and retaken our land, we held a massive welcome and thank you party for her. At the end of the night, I saw Teddy slip some food to the lead chipmunk. I told him what I had witnessed and asked him why, and he tried to evade the answer. I may not be a trained agent like Teddy, but I am a smart girl and realized the answer.  

 

"You didn't have a special assignment," I said, smiling. "You needed to ease your sister's transition." He smiled and told me it was confidential information.

 

He told me to tell his mom he and Gracie would visit and take good care of her little girl. And someday, he will create something that will light up the sky, showing their mom how much she is loved.