Chapter 19 - The Last Day in Uniform
Titan’s retirement ceremony happened on a clear morning in March.
The department hallway was packed.
Officers.
Firefighters.
Wildlife staff.
Federal agents.
Families.
Reporters outside.
Inside, no cameras except official department media.
I wanted one moment that wasn’t immediately turned into content.
Titan wore his badge.
No tactical vest.
His muzzle had grayed.
His left shoulder remained slightly lower than the right.
But his eyes were the same.
Alert.
Interested.
Hungry.
Ramirez read the citation.
Eight years of service.
Hundreds of deployments.
Narcotics seizures.
Apprehensions.
Missing-person searches.
And then the line everyone waited for:
“For extraordinary courage in protecting seven-year-old Sophie Mercer from immediate deadly danger at Centennial Park…”
I stopped listening after that.
My hand stayed on Titan’s head.
Sophie walked forward.
She had asked to speak.
Her voice shook at first.
“The first time Titan saved me, I thought he was hurting me.”
Silence.
“I screamed.”
“My mom screamed.”
“Everybody screamed.”
“Officer Cole screamed too.”
Laughter.
I nodded.
True.
Sophie continued.
“But Titan didn’t stop.”
“Because he knew something we didn’t.”
She looked down at him.
“I used to think that meant Titan was smarter than everybody.”
More laughter.
“He might be.”
Even Ramirez smiled.
“But I think it means something else.”
She took a breath.
“Titan listens to danger before he listens to fear.”
The room became very quiet.
I looked at her.
That was better than anything I could have said.
Sophie continued.
“When everybody thought he was wrong, he stayed.”
“When people were angry, he stayed.”
“When he got hurt, he came back.”
“And when I needed him again, he came.”
Her voice broke.
“So I don’t think Titan is brave because he isn’t scared.”
“I think he is brave because being scared never made him leave.”
Nobody laughed now.
I looked away.
Claire squeezed my hand.
Noah pretended to study the floor.
Titan yawned.
Perfect timing.
Sophie hugged him.
The room applauded.
Titan immediately tried to eat the ribbon attached to his medal.
The ceremony ended exactly the way it should have.
Not with dignity.
May you like
With us pulling fabric out of his mouth.
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