Last night...

Last night I prayed for Sophie. She's having such a hard time. She's looking for Harley. And moping around. And not taking treats. And that's so unlike her. I know where he is. She just knows he's gone somewhere without her. She looks at where his bowl used to be. Sniffs at the rug in the laundry room where Harley would slumber the day away while I was at work.
And she lays with her head resting on her paws, looking at me like "What have you done with my bear?"
And I asked God to tell my baby boy goodnight, like I'd done every night before we went to sleep. And I told Him to thank Uncle Scotty for taking care of him. Before Harley took his last breath I told him to go find Uncle Scotty... my dear uncle who died of a heart attack after being diagnosed with cancer. Harley always listened to me. So I'm sure he did just that.
And I asked God to let me know Harley was OK, that he knew that I did what was right for him, but that I missed him terribly. And I went about the task of going to sleep, fighting tears, because I know they only make Sophie hurt worse.
Harley came to bed last night... In my dreams. He ran and jumped on the bed and looked at me with his tail wagging, waiting for a treat. In my dream, I told him "Harley man, you didn't even have to use your ramp. You jumped up there like you did when you were a little puppy." And in my dream I gave him his treat, just like I always did at bedtime.
And I knew. And when I woke up and realized it was a dream, even then, I had to smile. Because it was his way of telling me he knew I had done right by him. That he knew I'd always take care of him.
He's always with me. And he's able to romp around Heaven without the pain of the arthritis that he was too proud to let on he had. He can jump and run without having to wolf down a pain pill — even if that pain pill was always disguised by being wrapped with chicken or a hotdog. And he can hear me again when I tell him how much I love him.
And when I hug him around the neck and put my face in his fur, I don't have to pretend that I'm not feeling his lymph nodes to see if they're swolen... I'm just hugging him.
But God sent him to me in my dreams. I hope He keeps doing that.