Last night was a rainy, icy mess. The weather could not decide between rain or snow, so it coated everything in a slick layer of ice. I got a call from my oldest son who needed a ride home from work. I grabbed my coat and shoes and got ready to head out into the storm.
Just before walking out the back door, I looked down and saw Sasha, our 13-year-old, 12-pound chihuahua, waiting patiently by my feet. She had not been on a ride in a while, and her little eyes said it all. I decided to bring her along for the short trip.
I picked her up and stepped outside, unaware of just how slippery everything had become. The first step at the top of the back stairs sent my feet flying. My only thought was to protect Sasha. I twisted my body, curling around her as tightly as I could.
My back and ribs slammed into the railing, snapping part of it. My head hit the banister with a sound like a bat cracking against a ball. I rolled to the ground in pain, dazed and soaking wet as rain poured down from the roof. Sasha had slipped from my arms, landing softly on her feet a few inches away.
For a moment I could not move. The rain soaked through my clothes, and my thoughts went straight to her. I lifted my head, expecting her to run inside, but instead she stood right next to me. Water poured over her tiny body as she refused to leave my side.
She stayed there, shivering but determined, keeping watch over me until my kids rushed out to help. I finally got to my feet, sore but thankful, and made it to pick up my son.
Today my back hurts, my ribs ache, and the stairs are heavily salted. But Sasha is getting all the extra love she deserves. She might be small, but her heart is enormous. Last night she showed me what loyalty really looks like.
She truly is my little hero.
