Nano-Sapiens: Carter and the Valentine's Distraction
Carter contributes chaos in a positive way. He also learns the true meaning of Valentine's Day and about carob, the dog-safe version of chocolate.
Happy Valentine’s Day
It is February which means Valentine’s Day! Yes, each month appears to have a holiday and Tod is being wonderfully organized and writing holiday Nano-Sapiens shorts for many of them. Growing up, Valentine’s Day was not one of my favorites, and now… well lets just the say any week when we get extra chocolate is marvelous, just marvelous. I have always like the thought of trying to reach out to those you care about or being sweet to your spouse. Use Valentine’s as a reminder that it should be an everyday thing.
Somehow having a date shared by there rest of the US makes the non conformist in me balk - we do something special, but never on Valentine’s Day, since everything is too crowded and hectic on the day. But to those enjoy celebrating it on time, Happy 13th days until V-Day!
Make a nice dinner for your loved ones, have a sit down with the one that makes your heart sing, and most importantly cuddle the ones you love most, because Valentine’s Day should remind us of all the people we should reach out to that matter to our lives.
Carter and the Valentine’s Distraction
Carter, the big Landseer Newfie puppy, tilted his head at the short, dark human female. A blue LED glowed on his collar as it translated his words into English. “You want me to distract Edmund?”
Raihana adjusted her scarf, which appeared dark brown. But she’d told him it was red.
“For Valentine’s Day. I want to make a treat for him.”
Carter’s tailed brushed back and forth at the T-word, endangering the contents of the table behind him. He perked up. “Treats for Edmund? Can I help?”
This time, Raihana tilted her head. “Can you distract him and help?”
***
The black and white puppy tilted his head while looking up at the tall, pale giant with a shock of blond hair. “You want me to distract Raihana?”
A rich East Texas accent answered. “Yup. I want to make her a card without her knowin’. You reckon you can do that?”
Carter’s ears went up and down. Humans are weird.
“Yes. But I want to help make the card, too.”
Standing in the doorway, “watching for Raihana”, Carter’s big, brown Newfie eyes followed as Edmund got colored paper. He was pretty sure the bright brown shades were red.
The lace caught his attention. “Mom would love that.”
Edmund laughed. “Veronica’s a Maine Coon cat, so I reckon she does. The kittens can’t leave lace alone.”
Noises came from the kitchen. The pure Newfie part of Carter wanted to check on the treats. But his Nano-Sapiens side, generated by nanotech shots, let him do his job as a distraction.
“Edmund, what’s Valentine’s Day? I don’t remember that from the lab.”
The former graduate student checked his phone. “Well, Critter Explainer says Valentine’s Day started as a fertility festival. In the fifth century, Catholics replaced that with a martyr’s feast.”
With a deep Newfie sigh, Carter lay down. His eyes followed Edmund’s hands, occasionally darting towards the kitchen.
“Raihana isn’t Catholic. And I don’t think she wants to take part in a fertility rite. She gets upset when a Nano-Sapiens forgets himself and sniffs her inappropriately.”
***
A little later, Carter was in the kitchen, distracting Raihana, while Edmund composed something.
Carter quietly watched as she whisked together already measured ingredients: carob powder, chopped cashews, a bunch of sesame seeds, and some shredded coconut. The big bowl loomed large next to the small scientist.
The puppy shook, careful not to get drool on the countertops. “Why do this on Valentine’s Day?”
Raihana also checked her phone before responding. “Well, little guy, according to Critter Explainer, it started in the Middle Ages, when poets associated February with bird mating season.”
“Birds?” Carter felt a slight pull to be outside, chasing something flying away from him.
Raihana laughed and scritched his head. “I’m not sure why either. The truth is, Valentine’s Day was created to sell cards. That doesn’t make the day less special.”
Stretching, Carter put his paws on the counter, carefully away from the stove. His mom was very strict about fuzzy Newfies being too near flame.
His enormous brown eyes followed honey and peanut butter into a saucepan. Raihana stirred the mess constantly.
A couple of neurons finally fired in Carter’s head. “How is today special?”
Raihana’s face got her thoughtful look as she slowly mixed the dry ingredients into the wet. “It’s a day to tell those you’ve chosen that you love them.”
At a noise, both darted glances at the door.
Carter didn’t use his nose as much as other breeds, but he took a big woofle. “It’s Edmund. I’ve got it.”
As he dashed out, the words “20 minutes” drifted after him.
***
He wagged his tail, looking at the blond-haloed face far above him. “Edmund? Can you help me in the other room? If Raihana knows, she’ll tell Mom.”
Two large, warm hands burrowed around him. The ground dropped away from his feet.
Edmund carried Carter back to the room with the construction paper and lace. “What can I do for you?”
“Can I borrow paper, some lace, and scissors?” Carter shook his fur out as he was released.
He looked up at Edmund. “Oh. And I need your thumbs too. Don’t tell Mom I said that. She says thumbs are overrated.”
Soon, he had the young man totally wrapped up in a new project. Now they’re both distracted.
***
Back home, he presented a plastic bag to Veronica, his orange tabby Maine Coon cat mother. “Mom! I missed you.”
He gave her a quick Newfie slobber lick that she barely shuddered at.
“How was your day with Edmund and Raihana?”
Carter felt his whole body wiggle with happiness. “I learned about Valentine’s Day. And I was a distraction--”
At the look his mom gave him, he quickly added, “That was a good thing. I promise. But I need to tell you about Valentine’s Day.”
He wracked his brain. He really needed his own phone to consult Critter Explainer. “A fertile saint... who liked to feast... said you should tell those you’ve chosen that you love them.”
Veronica cocked her head.
His ears drooped.
He helped her pull open the plastic bag. The smell of glue and fudge hit them.
“Carter, chocolate isn’t safe for Nano-Sapiens.”
He nosed a piece towards her. “Raihana made it with carob. She says it isn’t as good as chocolate, but it’s safe for us.”
He joined her in sampling some. “Too bad we can’t really compare. And Edmund helped me make this.”
Careful for once not to drip drool, he extracted a lace bestrewn heart-shaped card from the bag. In the middle of the card was a paw print. One of his paws. All around the edges were little red mice. Edmund hadn’t been sure about them but let Carter make his own card.
He wiggled with happiness again. “Mom, I know you chose to love me, even before you gave me the shots that made me a person. And you know what? I chose to love you back.”
Chaos Critter Pictures
Chaos Tip of the Week
Subtle can be sweet, direct can be elegant, and love that isn’t expressed is held hostage and will wither and die. Be elegant or subtle, but remember your family - found or biological - need to know you care.
Chaos Question of the Week
What is your best sweet relationship memory? Something your spouse or significant other and you did for each other that just thinking of it makes your heart warm.
~ Tod and Anna
PS - come back next week if you are interested in what Raihana was making, as that is be next week’s Chaos Kitchen Creations. WHOO! ;-) I think Tod’s V-Day present to me is writing so many of the blogs this month. Which is great, since it means I can focus on getting a nice Chaos Tales written and a few videos for Leash Lessons. Yay Tod.
PPS - This was news to me, but sure. It’s a present for Anna!
More Nano-Sapiens!
Do you want to know more about Carter and his pals?
How did a Maine Coon cat become Carter’s mom?
How did Edmund and Raihana meet?
These questions and more are answered in “Peer Review Parenting” part of Raconteur Press’ anthology Or All Will Burn! Buy it for the chaos and share it with a graduate student in your life!
Available on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/Will-Burn-Raconteur-Press-Anthologies-ebook/dp/B0CKX6KXVR
Our story is preceded in the book by our friend J. Kenton Pierce. Like us, his story features chosen family!
For other Nano-Sapiens adventures check out our author’s page at https://amazon.com/author/casasent