Safe, Sound, & Up-to-Date by Susan Kroupa

When my phone rang, I
was up in the mountains near Kingman, Arizona at the memorial service for my
mother. It was snowing, seven inches on the ground and the air clotted with fat
snowflakes.

I peered at the screen,
not recognizing the number. “Hello,” I said.

“Do y’all have a dog
named Shadow?” the voice asked.

“Yes.” My heart started
to pound.

The lady was calling
from Virginia. Shadow, my