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stop. I was nine.”
    Even her mother knew this was going too far and gave her dad one of their secret signals to knock it off.
    Jane put down her spoon. “Can we not talk about pets anymore? I’m just now getting used to the fact that Snowball’s tormenting dogs in Heaven this year and not here with me.”
    She caught Dr. Noah’s crooked smile from the corner of her eye. He was laughing at her.
    She no longer cared about her sweatpants or her clammy hands.
    She did care about telling him what she thought.
    “I know it sounds juvenile and you can laugh all you want, but I happen to believe there are animals in Heaven. So have your big laugh and get it all out of your system.”
    “I’m not laughing at you. I’m only wondering what you base your information on.”
    “Have you ever read your Bible?”
    “I may have been through that piece of Divine literature a time or two.”
    “Then you remember Revelation chapter nineteen. There’s a whole passage about the Heavens opening and the One called Faithful and True riding the white horse. In fact there’s a whole army of white horses. And I figure if there’s a whole army of white horses in the Heavens, there must be one big ol’ holy corral up there somewhere.”
    He seemed to be mulling it over.
    She turned slightly in her chair. “What are you thinking?”
    “I understand your reasoning, but I was thinking also of Revelation chapter six.”
    “And?”
    “You know, the white horse, the red horse, the black horse, the pale horse. I always thought those were more figurative. Given that the book of Revelation could be called one big symbolic puzzle, I thought those horses represented something else. At least in chapter six.”
    “True. But you know, Dr. Noah, sometimes a horse is just a horse.”
    “Can I have more chili?”
    She pushed away from the table. “Sure, Grandpa. Anyone else need anything?”
    “Don’t get up, Jane,” her father instructed. “I’ll get it. I need some myself. Anybody else? Noah?”
    “Sure,” he said. “I don’t cook much so you don’t have to ask me twice.”
    “Bring the whole pot, Rich.” Her mother moved the pine-scented centerpiece to make room.
    “Bring the cookies, too, Dad. That’s what he really wants.”
    “I won’t deny it. Jane said they were the best ever and she was right.”
    “I’ll make a copy of the recipe for you,” her mother offered. “If you ever start baking you’ll be ready.”
    “Yeah, I don’t think that’s gonna happen. But thanks.”
    “Jane’s going to make the dog cookies,” Grandpa said as her father refilled his chili bowl.
    “Soon, Grandpa. I have to figure out how.”
    “Ask Noah. He should know what goes in them.”
    “I don’t think so. He just admitted he doesn’t go near his stove.”
    Dr. Noah swiped his napkin across his mouth. “What are you trying to do?”
    “I was helping my mom bake gingerbread the other day. Major was hanging out by the kitchen, and I swear his mouth watered every time I opened the oven door.”
    “Dogs are all about the food. They smell stuff cooking and anticipate it like we do.”
    “I got to thinking about making homemade dog biscuits, but we’ve been so busy I haven’t had much time to try it. I looked online and I think the main thing is to use as many natural ingredients as possible and cut out the sugar. I need to find a recipe.”
    “You’re on the right track. I’m not an expert, but I think those gourmet dog bakeries use whole wheat flour and ingredients with no sugar added. I’ll be happy to come by and collaborate.”
    “You did hear me say these are dog biscuits, right?”
    “I can bring Bridget. Besides, there shouldn’t be anything in there a human can’t eat.”
    She pushed the cookie platter his way. “Here. Stick with these. I’m going to clear the table.”
    “Don’t worry about it,” her father said. “Me and Grandpa are going to clean up. I think your mom’s going to check on Melody. Why don’t