It was a warm Saturday afternoon when I received the call. That dreaded call that changed everything. But before we get to that, let me introduce myself. My name is Maria Dove. I live with my Mom, Dad, and two siblings. My brother Robert is the oldest in the family, he is 19 years old and will be moving soon to college. My sister Ella is 5 years old and of course shes the favorite just because she's younger. I am the dreaded middle child, I’m 15 years old and tall with brown hair and eyes of course. Everyone in my family has brown eyes and brown eyes and brown hair. That is… except for my Grandma. 

She was a short and thin 82 year old woman, with beautiful long blonde hair and hazel eyes. My Grandma was always happy and somehow found the good in everything. One time I had lost a softball game (my favorite sport ever) and she was smiling after! I asked her what was so great about the fact that we just lost the game and she said “without any losses you can’t ever win so you just have to smile through both.” Even if I was the middle child and Ella was the favorite to my parents (although they deny it), I knew that I was Grandma’s favorite. Grandma and I always had a special connection and not even cute little Ella could ruin that. I was the one who visited Grandma the most. Everytime I came over she would spend hours on end telling me stories of her past all the while petting her dog Charlie. Charlie had always been extremely protective of Grandma and was aggressive towards everyone in the family except me.

I’m not entirely sure why charlie liked me but not anyone else, all I know is that he was grandma’s dog and if she loved him so would I. Charlie was  a small brown yorkie who would bark as much as he could if he didnt see Grandma anywhere. 

Grandma and I had just spent the day with each other that Friday after school and we had said goodbye and said I love you. The next morning I woke up and no one was home except Ella, Robert, and I. I was the first to get up and no one knew where Mom and Dad could have gone. Then with a ring I saw Mom’s name appear on the screen, I of course answered and the news could not have been worse. My Grandma had a stroke and was in the hospital, and even worse, she had cancer! The doctor had told her that it had been diagnosed too late to be curable and I just wanted my Grandma to be okay.

 Robert took me to the hospital with Ella and we all went to see Grandma. She was in the hospital bed and looked very fatigued and frail. I went over to her and she said “ Maria, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart along with your brother and sister and parents. Charlie is going to need someone to be his new owner after I’m gone and you seem to be the only other person he likes. Maria I will be leaving Charlie to you.” I was so upset as we said goodbye for the day and drove to pick up Charlie. Charlie came with me and had to stay in the back because he would’ve been mean to Ella and Robert. 

The next day we went to see Grandma and brought Charlie to say goodbye. As I brought him in the room and set him on the bed, Grandma smiled. As she pet her dog and held my hand she said goodbye charlie I love you. Right then her heartbeat had stopped. We cried and mourned and charlie was confused on why his beloved human wasn't moving. But we all knew that Grandma had passed away happy with her dog at her side.

We got home and brought charlie in. “Well Charlie this is your home.” The dog seemed to understand and from that day on was never aggressive towards anyone again, he had done his job, he had loved and protected his master. And now our home had become Charlie’s home too.