Alone

She was alone.  Some noises came from the radio in the other room, but those weren't the noises of the children or the lady or the man.

Betty cried.  She shook.  She paced and peed and screamed so much that drool pooled at her paws.  She dug at the towels and blankets so furiously that one of the towels was shredded and the bits, strewed about.

The sound of the front door opening made her heart race with joy.  The man and the children were home!  The man opened the cage, heaving a deep sigh and shaking his head, as Betty raced around, jumping from couch to couch to kid.  "Really, Betty?" he said, "we were only gone twenty minutes!"