Every night, my old dog's tail thumped beside my bed

Every night at 2 a.m., I hear Bella's tail thump against the floor beside my bed, the way she does when she wants out.

Half asleep, I reach down and scratch behind her ears until the thumping slows.

Last night I couldn't sleep, and I felt Bella curled on my feet the whole time.

At 2 a.m., the thumping beside the bed started anyway. Slow and happy, like it knew me.