As she was fading,

I lay next to her.

I needed the moment to reflect overcast afternoons and cool evenings

Enjoying the room's ambient tone

Grazing the liminal edge of dream, then sinking back up into awareness, and seeing my puppy's eyes seeing mine, and knowing everything was okay.

"Remember this.

This is the best of it."

At the end, she smiled.

She was home.

And I was there.

And everything was okay.