Puppy Kisses

"i wonder what he would say
to me if he could speak?" her mother asked
while looking at her dog.

"so, i asked him," she continued.
"i said, would you like a different
dog food? more ice cubes in your water?
what would you tell me?"

"and do you know what he did?"
her mother asked excitedly.

"no, what?" her daughter replied.

"well, he paused and then
stepped forward and licked me on the cheek
and then stepped back again and
just looked at me!"

"so, i think he's telling me
that he loves me," her mother finished.

and she said it with such surprise
that her daughter wondered
how she ever doubted it
in the first place.