eb93c43e214c621f9157c05b4b6a6878

“It’s shoes, Shelley. They’re a basic commodity, as in you need to wear them or your feet will hurt. As far as I’m concerned it’s not something you can either like or dislike.”

“Looks like we’re both unhappy with our lot in life then, aren’t we?”

“Worst part is that my dad wants me to take over soon. Says we could open a second store and I could run it. Expand our ‘empire’ as he calls it.”

She smiled.“We should run away together, you know. Me to get away from my cement heritage and you from your dad’s shoe empire.”

“Now wouldn’t that be a thing?” said Gavin, returning her smile. “But where would we go?”

“Anywhere. As long as it’s far away from here?”

“And what about the shelter?”

Her smile dimmed as she watched Pimkie’s hairy little face twitch and his beady little eyes give her what she imagined was a longing look. A look that said: ‘Are you going to take care of me from now on, please nice lady?’

She sighed.“Yeah, we can’t leave our precious babes behind. That wouldn’t do.”

“So shoes for me and cement for you and our precious babes on the side?”

Just then, Marsella walked in and Gavin went back to sweeping the floor and Shelley informed the boss about Pimkie’s irresponsible pet parents, repeating her earlier lament.

But it seemed as if Marsella had her own problems to deal with, and hardly paid attention.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_2]

I must confess I’d completely forgotten about Windex, but of course the moment we walked in the door, there she was, sleeping peacefully on the sofa, and in my favorite spot, no less.

“Is that my new dog?” asked Chase as he stared at the tiny creature.

“She’s not your new dog, Chase,” said Odelia. “She’s going back to the shelter ASAP.”

But just then Windex opened her eyes and gave us her trademark sad look. I could tell that Odelia’s heart melted, and Chase’s heart, which he usually only gives to big dogs, opened up to the concept of having a dog that looks like a bat in the home.

“Aww,” said Odelia.

“Ooh,” said Chase.

Windex sneezed, a funny little sound, then gazed up at Chase, who bent over, reached out a large hand, and Windex gave it a tentative lick.

“Aww,” said Chase.

“Ooh,” said Odelia.

“He’s so cute!” said Chase, picking up the tiny doggie, now dwarfed in his arms.

“It’s not a he, Chase,” said Odelia, but already she looked less like a schoolmarm.

“So is Windex here to stay, Max?” asked Dooley.

“Yeah, looks like she is,” I said. I took a sniff at the spot where the dog had lain—my spot—and discovered it now smelled fully like dog and not like myself anymore.

I didn’t like it.

Just then, Gran walked in, once more without her billionaire appendage.

“Hey, Vesta,” said Chase. “I see you decided to give me a dog?”

“Dog? What dog?” said Gran, then caught sight of Windex and said, “Oh, that’s right. I completely forgot about that. Cute little fella, isn’t he?”

“It’s not a he, Gran,” said Odelia. “It’s a she. And why did you have to go and get Chase a dog?”

“Babe!” said Chase, cutting a warning look at Windex, now asleep in his arms. “She can hear you.”

“Why did you get us a dog!” Odelia loud-whispered. “Don’t you think four cats is enough for one household?”

“Two households,” Gran corrected her. “And please don’t give me that crap. Don’t you think I’ve got enough on my plate already? I’ve been trying to find a Finnish translator but do you think I found one? No, of course not. And meanwhile Dallas took a room at the hotel just because I couldn’t get him to understand he can sleep in my room.”

“You want Dallas to sleep in your room?”

“Of course! We’re engaged to be married, aren’t we?”

“Is he even aware of this so-called engagement?” asked Odelia

Gran folded her arms across her chest and gave her granddaughter a scathing look.“Are you calling me a liar?”

“No, but—”

“For your information, Dallas can’t wait to get married.”

“How do you know if you can’t talk to him?”

“I know, all right? You don’t have to teach me about men.”

“Where is he now, this billionaire of yours?” asked Chase, gently rocking Windex.

“I left him at the hotel. I suggested I join him for a nap but he just kept smiling and muttering something about muffins. I tell you, it’s tough, having to deal with this language barrier.”

I saw that Dooley was staring up at Chase, who now seemed thoroughly smitten with Windex.“Is Windex going to stay with us forever, Max?” he asked.

“I’m afraid she is, Dooley,” I said, watching on as even Odelia seemed affected by the doggie’s peculiar charm. A charm I frankly didn’t see, to be absolutely honest.

“So now we’re going to have a baby in the houseand a dog?”

“Yeah, looks that way.”

“But Max—it’s too much!”

“I know, but what can we do?”

“We could keep Windex and tell Odelia to give the baby to the shelter?”

“Shelters don’t take babies,” I said. “It’s probably against the law.”

“Maybe they can make an exception for this baby?”

I gave my friend a pat on the back.“It’ll be fine, Dooley. Somehow we’ll manage.”