Okay, well....

...I feel better today.

There is some peace in my heart that hasn't been there all week.

My heart still aches, I still miss him terribly. It's just not quite as raw as it was.

My vet's office called yesterday, excited. One of their clients had found a male Yorkie and wanted to know if anyone had reported one lost. The woman who found the male said he was 3-4 pounds and neutered. She would bring him in to get him scanned for a microchip. The vet wanted me there in case it was Bentley...wanted me to be able to take him home right away.

It wasn't. Not. Even. Close. The woman brought in a 10-12 pound, fully-intact, male Yorkie. I stayed while they tried to scan him for a microchip. He didn't have one. Just a collar with no id. And fleas. The woman didn't want him. She has two other dogs and can't afford another. I told her about the Yorkie and small dog rescues I had seen recently on the internet. I asked her not to take him to Animal Services. I couldn't take him home because you just can't trust a dog with an unknown background around small children.

It did give me a renewed faith in humanity. There are good people out there that will try to help lost animals find their homes again.

But I don't think Bentley is lost. I think he was stolen or maybe he was attacked in the backyard by a predator. I will always have a small sliver in my heart that will hold on to the hope that he will be back with us someday.

I miss him.

And probably always will.