The front door closed.
The car drove away. And just like that...
Stella's mission became crystal clear. Find Mom!
She checked the front window. Then the back door. Then the front window again...
...just in case Mom magically reappeared in the last thirty seconds. Every little sound outside earned a hopeful head tilt.
Every passing car was worth investigating.
"Is that her?"
Nope.
"How about now?"
Still no.The good news is Mom always comes home. And the moment Stella hears that familiar vehicle pull into the driveway, all that waiting instantly turns into tail wags, happy spins, and the kind of welcome that makes you feel like you've been gone for a month instead of an hour.
Until then...
She'll keep watch.
Just in case the next car is Mom's.