James points to a bronze figurine of a dog, “I like that figurine,” he says, “it kinda reminds me of my German Shepherd “Rex”, he died last year. It would be a nice little piece to remember him by, I really miss him,” his eyes start to tear up as he thinks about his lost best friend.
The boy sniffles a little, he then feels a hand on his shoulder, when he looks up he looks in the kind smiling face of Ryan, “don’t be sad, James,” he says, “Rex is in a better place, and he is still with you and looking over you, I am sure of that. I know it’s hard, but that is a part of life, I think he’ll be happy if you’d have something to remember him by.”
James smiles sadly, “I know that, Ryan,” he says, “still, it hurts loosing a loved one, even if it is “just” an animal.”
Ryan nods, “for some dogs are annoying beasts,” he says, scowling, “but for others, dogs are more than just a “animal”: they are like a brother, sister, son, daughter, best friend and so much more.”
James nods in agreement, “yeah, dogs are the best!”
Ryan smiles, he then takes out his keys and opens the glass cabinet, the man reaches in and takes the figurine out. He closes the cabinet and turns around to James, “listen James,” he says, holding the figurine in his hand, “since you love dogs and seem to be still suffering over the loss of your friend, here is what I want to do.”
James looks up at the old man, “wh-what?”
Ryan smiles, “I will give you this figurine for free,” he says.
“WHAT,” James exclaims, his eyes widen in surprise and shock, “I… I don’t understand… first you tell me you’d sell anything to me for 50 Dollars, and now I get to not have to pay?! W-why?”
Ryan smiles, “because, for one: you seem to be a good kid with a good heart, second: I can’t see you suffer under your loss, it would be wrong of me to take money from you and third: because I like you!”
James’s eyes widen, tears of happiness roll down his cheeks, he reaches out a shaky hand to take the figurine from Ryan, but Ryan stops him.
“Not so fast, James,” he says, the boy stops and looks at the man confused, “before I hand this figurine to you, I want you to promise me something!”
“What?”
Ryan smiles, “promise me to name this figurine “Rex”,” he says, “can you do that for me?”
James is taken aback, but then he smiles wide, “OF COURSE,” he squeaks.
Ryan smiles, “then, here,” he says, holding out the figurine, “take “Rex” home with you. Also promise me to drop by again sometime, maybe bring a friend.”
James takes the figurine with both hands, he is surprised at how heave the medium sized figurine is, “man… he is heavy,” he says, then he giggles, he looks up at Ryan and says, “I think “Rex” needs to go on a diet.”
Ryan chuckles, “bronze is a heavy metal,” he says, “good joke, though,” he adds.
James smiles wide, tears roll down his cheeks as he hugs the figurine close to his chest, “I… I finally have something to remember you by… Rex,” he mumbles, “man… I miss you so so much!”
Ryan feels himself tearing up, “man, James,” he says, “now you are making me cry,” he chuckles.
“S-sorry,” James says, “I… I am just so happy!”
Ryan smiles, wiping away his tears, “I am glad that I made you happy.”
James smiles back, they then both hear the door to the shop open, “James, are you done,” they hear a woman’s voice ask.
When the two turn around, they see a young woman in her early 30s with long black smooth hair, brown eyes and a body of a model standing in the doorway.
“Greetings miss,” Ryan says, smiling kindly, “I assume you are the mother of this good boy?”
The woman looks at the man, “yes,” she says, “I am pleased that he has not destroyed your shop.”
“Hey,” James says, pouting at his mother.
Ryan chuckles, “no, he has been really good and very polite,” he says, “you have raised him well, you can be proud of him.”
James blushes, “R-Ryan… stop praising me,” he whines.
“James,” his mother says sternly, “you know, you are not supposed to call strangers by their first names.”
“Not a problem, miss,” Ryan says, “I told him that he can call me by my first name,” he explains.
“I see,” the woman says, “thanks for keeping an eye on my little rascal. The names Jamie Gordon, by the way.”
Ryan smiles, “my pleasure,” he says, “my name is Ryan Van Helsing.”
“What a weird, unique and interesting name,” Jamie says.
Ryan chuckles, “thanks,” he says.
“Look what I got mom,” James then says, holding out the figurine with both hands.
Jamie looks, when she sees the price tag she loses it, “JAMES,” she suddenly shouts, “put that back where you found it! It’s to valuable!”
Before James is able to say anything, Ryan interrupts, “miss Gordon,” he says, “please, calm down. I gave James the figurine, for free.”
“Say WHAT,” Jamie says, Ryan then goes along to explain, the woman soon relaxes and then smiles, “you have a big heart, Ryan,” she says.
Ryan smiles, “I like kids,” he says, “I never had kids of my own. I can’t take it to see kids suffer, so when he told me the story of his best friend “Rex”, I just had to do it.”
Jamie smiles, “thank you,” she says, “James will treasure the figurine and take good care of it, right?”
James nods, “of course,” he says, “I’ll brush and scrub “Rex’s” fur every day!”
Ryan and Jamie look at each other, then they burst into laughter, “I think a damp cloth will be enough to keep “Rex” nice and clean,” Ryan says.
James grins, “just joking,” he says, hugging the figurine close to his chest, “I already know where I’ll be putting him in my room!”
Ryan smiles, “I think he’ll love it in his new home,” he says.
Jamie then says, “come, James. We have to get going, your dad is starting to get hungry.”
James rolls his eyes, “but dad had a sandwich an hour ago!”
Jamie chuckles, “that he has,” she says, “but you know how he is, especially on a trip like this. Also, we need to pack since we are leaving tomorrow.”
“Oh, so you are on vacation,” Ryan says, “where are you guys from, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Not at all,” Jamie says, “we are from Salt Lake City.”
“I see,” Ryan says, he then looks down at James, “well, it was a pleasure meeting you, James. Maybe we’ll meet again someday?”
James nods, “sure,” he says, “you are a cool grandad, Ryan,” he then cheekily adds with a grin.
“JAMES,” Jamie says sternly.
Ryan chuckles, “hehe, all good,” he says, “at least I am a “cool grandad” to someone,” he adds with a smile, ruffling James’s head.
“He-hey…,” James squeaks, both Jamie and Ryan chuckle, before Jamie takes her son’s hand and with a last “farewell”, exit the shop. James and his mother are unaware that their live will soon change drastically, Ryan has unknowingly given James a figurine which has a curse attached to it.