60 Days of Salt and Sand

D a y ~ 4 0

I got up early to drive around town. I usually prefer to walk places, since everything I need is within a mile of me, with exception to the hospital. But I wanted to find her house as soon as possible, maybe catch the neighbor and ask questions.

The house wasn't too hard to find, and it only took me a half an hour. I started with the neighborhood closest to the store where I bought the painting and worked my way out.

It was a spitting image of her drawing, blue house, white shutters, the flowers and the window above the door. The numbers matched and there were even the same little wind chimes on the porch.

So I got out of the car. For a moment I wasn't exactly sure whether I should be doing this... whether I was just completely wrong and I was about to knock on some random person's door. But then I shook myself out of it. This was her house.

When I knocked on the door, there was no answer. I tried knocking again, but still, the same thing.

I walked up the stairs to the next door neighbor's house and tried their door bell. An older man showed up looking tired and slightly hung over. He told me through the screen door to go away.

I headed to the neighbor's house on the other side of Emma's. This time, someone did open the door, a sound like barking coming with her. A woman, probably in her thirties, looked back at me.

"Hi, can I help you?"

I told her who I am, the truth, and what had been going on. How I was trying to figure out who Emma was and how I thought she lived in the house next door. "She's got dark hair, about five-four?" The hope was obvious in my voice.

"Thank god, kid." She smiled and disappeared back into her house for a moment, leaving me to stand there, confused. She came back with a leash and a black lab. "That girl's been gone too long. Left her dog behind too. Real nice girl, but that dog. I had a spare key when I heard him barking and went over to see if she's okay. Papers were stacking up, you know?"

I shook my head, trying to catch up. "Um, sure."

The woman rambled on, reaching out and pushing the leash into my hand. "You can take the dog, right? Damn thing's been driving me bonkers. I'm not a dog person, but I couldn't just leave it, ya know? Anyway, good meeting you." She grabbed a bag and shoved it in my direction with a smile before walking back inside. "Good luck with that one. He's a riot."

I looked down at the dog sitting on the porch once the door closed, stunned by whatever just happened. Did this woman just... give me a dog? Emma's dog?

I cleared my throat and knock on the door. When she opened it back up, I tried to smile politely. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'm not sure—"

She cut me off, speaking really fast again. "I'm not taking that back now, you hear? He's yours to deal with till that girl gets better. You have a good day now."

She shut the door back.

I sighed, knocking one more time.

When she opened it, she just looked at me with raised eyebrows.

I shook my head, looking down at the lab. "What's his name?"