She still believed in him.

He gazed into her brown eyes, and hot tears welled unwelcome in his own. Bad choices, bad decisions, bad luck – whatever he called it, he had made a mess of his life.

And now here they were, no job, no home, no money. The family he had once had were now hostile strangers, friends had melted away like dew in the sunshine.

“Big Issue”, he called.

She wagged her tail as he stroked her head, wet with winter rain. She deserved better, and for her he would succeed.

“We’re going to make it, I promise.”