Markus loved his Saturday mornings. The warmth of his blankets and the quiet hum of the house made sleeping in his favorite weekend tradition. But this Saturday was different. A loud splash and frantic barking jolted him awake. He groaned, rubbed his eyes, and stumbled to the window. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.

Bubbles. Everywhere. The backyard pool was overflowing with sudsy white foam, and in the middle of it all was a large, fluffy white dog, happily splashing and barking. Markus squinted. Was the dog wearing bubbles? He laughed until he couldn’t breathe. Then he heard his dad yelling from the yard.

“Go! Get! Dog, you get out of here now!”

Markus ran outside, still in his pajamas. “Dad! Wait! Stop! Can I keep him?”

His dad turned, arms crossed. “What are you talking about, Markus? You can’t even clean up after yourself. Look at this mess! Your bubble solution must’ve spilled, and now the pool is ruined!”

“Please, Dad! He’s so friendly! Look at him!”

Just then, the dog bounded out of the pool, foam flying everywhere. Markus grabbed him, and the dog, covered in bubbles, licked his face enthusiastically. Markus’ mom appeared at the door with her coffee, laughing. “Well, he certainly looks like he belongs here,” she teased.

“Mom, please? Can I keep him?” Markus begged.

“Don’t look at me,” she said, retreating inside. “This is between you and your dad.”

Before his dad could say no, a truck pulled into the neighborhood. Two men got out and looked around. One spotted the dog and shouted, “There he is! That’s our dog!”

Markus’ heart sank. “Dad, no! That’s not their dog! He’s mine!”

His dad narrowed his eyes. “I’ve seen these guys before. They were on the news—dog thieves.”

The men walked up, trying to take the dog. “Thanks for finding him for us,” one said with a fake smile. “We’ll take him now.”

Markus’ dad stepped in front of them. “Not a chance. Get off my property.”

The men hesitated, then turned and left, grumbling. Markus hugged the dog tightly, tears in his eyes. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll take care of him, I promise.”

His dad sighed, ruffling Markus’ hair. “Alright, you can keep him. But you’re cleaning up every bubble in that pool.”

Markus beamed. “Thanks, Dad! I’ll call him Bubbles!”

Over the next few days, Bubbles became a part of the family. He followed Markus everywhere, wagging his tail and bringing laughter into the house. Markus kept his promise, scrubbing the pool until it sparkled, even though some soap bubbles refused to leave. His mom joked, “Looks like you’ve turned the backyard into a bubble palace.”

One evening, Markus discovered that Bubbles had another talent. “He fetches!” Markus called out as he tossed a tennis ball. Bubbles leaped through the air, catching it mid-jump and landing gracefully in the pool. Water and suds splashed everywhere, and Markus’ mom groaned. “Not again!”

The family couldn’t stay annoyed for long. Bubbles seemed to bring lightness to their lives. The neighbors even started coming by to visit him. One little girl from down the street asked if she could play with him, and Markus happily agreed. Soon, the yard became a gathering spot for laughter, bubbles, and joy.