The Paw-Print Waiting Game — Under the whispery park trees, Tessa tapped the stroller handle and made up a game. Read the full story →
Under the whispery park trees, Tessa tapped the stroller handle and made up a game. “We only step after Noodle leaves three paw prints,” she told Dad, because she wanted to find the soft tink-tink sound hiding somewhere ahead. Noodle sniffed, pat-pat-patted, and stopped at every leaf. The baby kicked and squeaked. Waiting made Tessa’s toes feel fizzy.
At the curvy path, Noodle left two prints, then sat. Tessa almost stepped anyway, but she counted one slow breath, then another. A breeze shook the branches. Tink-tink! A tiny silver tag on Noodle’s collar tapped the stroller wheel. The secret had been walking with them all along. Next time you spot those little paw prints, can you keep still long enough to hear the tink-tink too?
