Adam looked up at his mother with eager eyes. "Can you tell me a story about when you were little?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
Mama smiled softly, her eyes twinkling with nostalgia. "Did I ever tell you about Alma, the dog I had when I was little?"
Adam shook his head, intrigued by the mention of a dog he had never heard of before.
"Alma was small and white," Mama began, "with one black ear and one black spot on her back. She was the best dog ever. She'd wait for me after school and wag her tail like crazy when she saw me."
Adam grinned, picturing the joyful reunion. "Did she know tricks?" he asked eagerly.
"She sure did! She could sit, roll over, and even fetch my slippers!" Mama laughed, her voice like a gentle melody.
"One time, Alma found a lost kitten and gently carried it home in her mouth," Mama recounted with a fond smile. "She was the kindest, smartest dog I've ever known."
Adam's eyes widened with admiration. "I wish I could've met Alma."
Mama brushed a strand of hair from his forehead tenderly. "She's not with us anymore... but she'll always live in my heart."
"Where is she now?" Adam asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and wonder.
"She's in heaven," Mama whispered softly, her voice filled with love and longing.
Adam furrowed his brow, contemplating the concept. "Where is heaven, Mama?"
Mama paused, gathering her thoughts. "Heaven is a special place," she explained gently. "It's where souls go when they leave this world."
The moment he saw it, his heart skipped a beat. "Mama, look!" he exclaimed, pointing at a small, white stuffed dog with one black ear and one black spot on her back.
Mama's eyes widened in surprise. "Adam... she looks just like Alma!" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Adam hugged the stuffed dog tightly. "Can we get her, please? She looks just like your Alma!"
Mama nodded, tears of joy in her eyes. "I think we have to take her home."
"What should we name her?" Adam asked thoughtfully.
Mama smiled softly. "Maybe... we could call her Alma."
Adam beamed. "Yes! She'll be my Alma now."
As Adam snuggled under his blanket that night, he hugged Fluffy in one arm and his new Alma in the other. "Goodnight, Mama," he whispered sleepily. "I'll take care of Alma forever."
Mama kissed his forehead. "I know you will, sweetheart."
And just as Adam drifted off to sleep, he could almost hear the soft woof of a happy dog... somewhere in his dreams.
















