Five Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Four

Normally on Saturday mornings, I wake at 6:17, then go back to bed. Barbara was having none of that. But waking up to her wet nose and little whimpers was delightful. Some pet owners have strict rules about not allowing their dogs on furniture, but apparently I had a much more liberal philosophy because the dog jumped from my bed to my loveseat to the chair on a loop. I couldn't care less. If Barbara was happy, I was happy.

I was dying to send some pictures to Eric, but it was too early to text him. I'd been lectured more than once about that. Even though it was his own fault for not silencing his phone. Instead, I bundled up and took Barbara for a walk. It was a cold morning, but I hardly noticed for all the attention Barbara was getting. Was this how new parents felt? No wonder moms and dads were so proud, if people raved half as much about babies as they did my puppy. Of course, Barbara was exceptionally cute.

Back at my apartment I at my leftover Chinese just as slowly as possible. Finally, I couldn't wait a minute longer and sent Eric a stream of Barbara pics. Then sent the same ones to Gwen (who did have the good sense to silence her phone). My phone rang almost immediately. "Hi there!"

"Who's dog?" Eric didn't sound like he'd been abruptly woken up.

"Mine!" I burst, "Her names Barbara. Isn't she the cutest little thing you ever did see?"

"You got a dog?" He could have been saying "You got abducted by aliens?" and he wouldn't have sounded more shocked. I laughed.

"I did! Can you believe it?!"

"I can't, actually. What? Or how? Whaaaa got into you?" There was some muffled noises in the background. Eric whispered, "It is hers!"

"Who are you talking to?"

"Megan. We just got back from a jog. I told her there was no way that was your dog."

I had so many follow-up questions, I barely knew where to start. "Hang on a sec," he said. Then, "Yeah, see you later. Thanks." There was a pause that I assumed was a kiss, then a sweet soprano voice yelled, "Bye Nora! Your puppy's adorable!"

"Tell her thanks!" Eric relayed the message. "So. The lawyer has a name, huh?"

"Megan," my brother's voice was dreamy.

"Aaaaaand you got up early on a Saturday to go for a run with her?"

"Yeah yeah. I know," he was smiling, I could tell. "Enough about me though, you got a dog!"

"Yeah yeah, I know," I mocked him. I told him all about Barbara.

"I've always wanted a dog," he said wistfully. "Remember that time we found the stray?" I did sort of. In that Abby, Eric and I loved it, but my dad wouldn't let us keep it. Eric continued, "Dad let us bring him in and give him a bath. Then he helped us make the lost posters. We put them up all over the neighborhood."

"I remember. I remember you bawling when somebody claimed him. That was traumatic for you."

"Nah. Dad felt so bad, he let me stay up late and made me a root beer float."

I stroked Barbara's ears. Her face was on my leg. She was as still as my heart. "Dad made you a root beer float?"

"Yup. He made me one when I got cut from the basketball team and when he couldn't get tickets to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs." We were quiet. "I still have a root beer float when I'm feeling down. Old habits, you know?"

"Yeah. Old habits. Speaking of dad," Focus on others. Are you good? It sucked having dad arrested in the middle of my high school years, but it must have been really hard for you. A boy should have a dad, you know?"

"Yeah. I did though. Dad and I are cool. Then mom met Tim and he was cool too. Things worked out okay."

"Well, I'm no father figure, but you know- if you ever need anything... I'd always help. Always always."

"Wow. Getting a dog has really made you soft." We smiled together, three hundred miles apart.

We chatted a few minutes longer about nothing so deep. When I hung up with him there was a text waiting from Abby, "Still cool if we come over?"

"Definitely!" I sprung into action tidying up. My house wasn't as fancy as hers, but it could be clean at the very least. Barbara followed my ankles like they had bacon strapped to them, but by the time my buzzer rang, her toys were all in one basket and my dishes were done.

Abby had the same reaction to the dog that Eric had. Shock. More shock. "I just didn't think you were a... pet person?"

I shrugged. "I don't think I was. But now I am."

Morgan was over the moon, practically being a puppy herself. She and Barbara were immediate friends. I gave Morgan a bag of treats and put her in charge of teaching her to sit. When Morgan demanded she was hungry, I realized all I had was turkey. "Boring!" she announced.

"Boring?! What if I turn your turkey into a gourmet crepe, and make you speak in French the whole time you eat it." She was on board with that, so I made turkey cream cheese crepes with spinach (in mine and Abby's, sans spinach for Morgan.) Abby grinned like a crazy person watching me cook, but didn't comment, which I appreciated. It felt good to cook again, but not so good I would risk taking it back up as a profession.

We took Barbara for another walk (I was getting more exercise in the last couple days, then I had in my entire adult life!) Morgan and Abby wound up staying for dinner too. We ordered out though, because Morgan wasn't buying the French crepe story again. By the time they left I was dead on my feet. It was also the happiest I'd been in... "years" I whispered to Barbara. She sighed on my pillow. I relished the day and was glad I did because the very next day was the worst I'd had in as many years.