Rating: G

"Restitution"
by Mary Healey

Another golden autumn day was dying, staining the plain wood floor red and lending a sinister cast to the long shadows. Tall buildings disrupted the crisp brilliance of the season and invigorating fall air became merely a hint of wildness filtered through a miasma of car exhaust and cooking smells.

Fraser shook himself slightly. Gloomy comparisons of autumns past to his current situation didn't get dinner started. Tendrils of melancholy remained, though, and he thought longingly of the Vecchio home. Octavia Street was a little bit wider, the homes considerably shorter, and the tired late-summer lawns and tiny gardens full of leggy petunias and straggly snapdragons allowed greater distances between the buildings, which made the full expression of seasonal change possible. Nothing could replace the Territories in his heart, but Octavia Street in autumn brought its own contentment.

They'd been banned from Octavia Street. But for that, Fraser would be sitting next to Ray at the family dinner table, partaking of a delicious home-cooked meal, surrounded by Vecchios. Fraser himself was still quite welcome to visit, a little too welcome if Francesca's behavior was anything to judge by, but the same could not be said of Diefenbaker.

Dief was lupine-non-grata to the whole street. Last week, he disgraced himself and his human by indulging an unfortunate impulse to celebrate the season with an act of wanton vandalism. Ray referred to the incident as "the slaughter of the innocents", and it would be January before Fraser could completely repay him for the damage done. After getting over his initial shock, Ray seemed to be more amused than upset with Dief's hooliganism.

His continued reverie was interrupted by a knock on the door. He'd missed the sound of prefacing footsteps, and chided himself for inattentiveness as he went to answer the summons.

"Ray!"

"Benny!" Ray parroted, and thrust an aluminum foil clad bundle at his friend. "Here, this is from Ma. Frannie made me promise to tell you she made the banana bread, but it's just that boxed stuff. Nothing to get excited about. Oh, and Ma said that Dief's still in the doghouse, so no lasagna for him."

Fraser spoke over Diefenbaker's protesting moan. "Dief has been very contrite all week. I'm sure he didn't realize the seriousness of his offense."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Ray grinned. "About that, we may have idea for how Dief can make reparations."

"We?"

Ray moved to one side, exposing two hopeful, cherubic visages. "You remember my nieces, Toni and Rose?"

"It's nice to see you again," Fraser said politely. He couldn't have picked the two young Minettis out of a lineup, but they had the Vecchio nose. "Please, come in."

They trooped into the small apartment silently, looking around with wide, critical eyes. As Fraser stowed Rosa's gift, unopened, in the refrigerator, Toni (or perhaps Rose) asked, "You live like this?"

Wearing his blandest face, Fraser gravely replied, "Yes, I do."

Simultaneously, Ray growled, "Manners. Sit." He pointed to the neatly made bed. "Seen, not heard, or you wait in the car."

Rose (or perhaps Toni) rolled her eyes, but both children obediently sat in the indicated spot and folded their hands. Dief crawled onto the bed and wedged himself firmly between the two girls, angling for the greatest number of petting hands in the smallest possible space.

"Sit down, Ray. What can Diefenbaker and I do for you?" Fraser lowered himself gingerly into the flimsier chair, and Ray dropped gracefully into the other.

"It's like this, Benny. Halloween is coming up, and it's Ginetta's first Beggar's Night with the big kids." Ginetta, Fraser vaguely recalled, was the youngest of Maria's children. Second-youngest? "She's pretty sturdy for a three-year old, but these two," here Ray waved a long-fingered hand in the direction of the menage on the bed, "want to hit every house in Chicago, probably twice over. Ginetta wants to go, but she won't be able to keep up."

"How can I help you, Ray?"

Ray ducked his head, embarrassed. "Well, we were thinking that maybe Dief would like to come along and help with Ginetta?"

The half-wolf in question barked an affirmative.

"Dief? Of course, if he agrees, I have no objections. I'm not entirely clear on what you expect Diefenbaker to do?"

Toni (Rose?) piped up, "We though Ginny could ride him, like Lady Godiva."

"Or a Wolfrider, like in Elfquest," added her sister.

Fraser looked at Ray for help. Ray shrugged. "I know packing a kid around isn't in the wolf's job description, but it's only for the one night..."

"Wolfrider?"

"Elfquest. It's a comic book. It's a comic book certain young ladies aren't supposed to be reading," Ray glared at his unrepentant nieces. "Anyway, that's basically a Peter Pan costume, with wolf. The Lady Godiva thing, we were thinking a long, blonde wig. And a diaper," he added hastily, as Dief's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Definitely a diaper."

"Is that entirely wise? Even I wear a jacket at this time of year."

"You're probably right. No Godiva. Tony will be relieved to know his youngest isn't streaking the neighborhood. Wolfrider, then?"

Fraser cocked an eyebrow at Diefenbaker, who grumbled a short reply.

"No."



"I really don't think you're in a position to argue."



"NO. You may be only six years old, but that's 42 in human years. You have children of your own, for Heaven's sake."



"Well, you're right about that, in any case." Fraser turned to address Ray, keeping one stern eye on his familiar. "Dief suggests, and I concur, that it can be even more tiring to ride than walk, if the child isn't accustomed to long hours astride. Before he lost his hearing, Dief was an excellent sled dog. With certain provisions, he's willing to pull a sled or wagon with Ginetta aboard. Will that suffice?"

"What provisions?" Ray asked suspiciously, as Toni and Rose immediately began estimating the increased candy-gathering capacity of a large wagon minus the bulk of a small child.

"He wants his own candy bag."



"A plastic pumpkin?" Fraser rolled his eyes, his disgust shared equally between wolf and laughing Italian. "You should be grateful that Ray has forgiven you, not making demands. And I think a pumpkin, plastic or otherwise, is totally inappropriate under the circumstances."

"No, it's okay, Benny. In fact, I think it's perfect. I think it's so perfect, Dief can have my old plastic pumpkin, I think it's still got a handle on it and everything. He can carry it himself."

"You shouldn't encourage him, Ray."

"Probably not, but what the heck. It's for Halloween."

"Uncle Ray?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we take Diefenbaker for a walk?"

Ray consulted silently with Fraser, who checked with the wolf. Agreement was as voicelessly achieved. "Sure. Stay on the sidewalk, don't cross the street, and don't talk to strangers. Twice around the block, then come right back, okay?"

The two young ladies and their furry white chaperone bounded down the rickety stairs, almost before the last admonition had sounded. "Hey, Benny? I'm going to need a hand with the kids this year. Wanna play dressup and help me out?"

"I'd be happy to, Ray, but I don't have a costume. Is it really necessary for the adults to wear costumes?"

"Hey, we can't beg for candy, so dressing up is the only fun adults are allowed. Speaking of which, I need your help with my costume . . ."

EPILOG:
Amidst the elves and Elvises that paraded from house to house in search of edible treasure on All Hallow's Eve that year, strode one of the stranger dog-as-pony shows ever seen on fair Octavia Street. A shaggy ("no, you may not shave him, for authenticity or otherwise") wolf in harness and Halti pulled a red Radio Flyer done up as a miniature Conestoga wagon driven by a smiling frontier midget in full skirt and bodice from house to house in the late afternoon glow. An orange plastic treat-pumpkin dangled from the draft animal's mouth.
Riding shotgun were a buckskin-wearing frontiersman ("suede suits you, Fraser") and a balding Italian Mountie in full dress reds, who released the four-footed beggar at every house to accompany Ms. Frontier and her variously-accoutered siblings, cousins, and friends to the door for his well-earned reward.

A good time was had by all, and Diefenbaker's uncomplaining tour as beast of burden once again endeared him to all but the most hardened hearts.




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