Hello Love

by McQuestion, Karen

  Dan felt the kindness in her words and knew she meant well, but still. “I appreciate the thought, but please, do not do that again.”

  Doreen smiled. “Always the gentleman. Even as a little boy you had good manners, and I’ve always liked that about you, Dan. Most men would have told me off for being pushy and annoying.”

  “I’m serious, Doreen. Don’t even think about doing this to me again.”

  “Oh, I know you’re serious. But I won’t have to do it again. You already did your one small thing, and so it has begun. Next time you go to lunch with a lady, it will be much easier.”

  He’d intended to stay angry with her, but found it impossible. There was so much love in her eyes, it disarmed him. “If I ever go to lunch with a lady again.”

  She laughed. “You will. Just wait and see. One day you will.”

  TWENTY

  Andrea decided Anni was the smartest dog on the planet. And not only intelligent, but possibly psychic too. All Andrea had to do was think about maybe taking Anni for a walk and her girl would excitedly troop to the door, pawing at the leash that hung over the knob. Within a few weeks, Anni knew Andrea’s morning schedule, nudging her awake moments before the alarm went off on weekdays, and letting her sleep in a bit later on the weekends.

  Originally she’d set up Anni’s bed downstairs in the kitchen, scattering a few toys nearby so she’d get the idea that this was her space. Agreeably the dog settled into bed, but when Andrea headed up the stairs to go to sleep, Anni followed. She just didn’t get that the dog bed was her place to sleep. That first night Andrea had been wary of letting the dog sleep in her bed. She really didn’t know this animal, and besides, Anni had been mistreated. What if she bit or scratched Andrea while she slept? Anni looked so sweet, but anything was possible. Andrea’s solution, setting the dog bed up in the bathroom and shutting the door, did not go over well. Anni cried pitifully until the door opened and then she happily scampered out. Finally, exhausted and defeated, Andrea patted the bed, “All right, you can sleep here.” Anni immediately jumped up and curled up next to her. There was no turning back after that.

  Almost by accident she discovered that Anni could follow commands. “Sit,” came out of her mouth at one point and Anni sat with almost military precision. After that Andrea ran through the gamut of dog tricks and found that Anni knew all the basics: sit, stay, come, roll over, and play dead. The last one she discovered, “beg,” Anni had done on her own, begging when she saw Andrea bring out dog treats. Such a smart dog.

  And she was affectionate too, snuggling up against Andrea when she watched TV, and keeping her feet warm in bed. Sometimes Andrea caught the dog looking up at her adoringly, and her heart swelled. So this was why dog people were so insane! It all made sense now.

  At the office, Anni sensed when she needed to be absolutely silent and would rest quietly at her feet. During the lunch hour, Andrea had to abandon her former habit of eating at her desk and actually venture out into the world. A quick outing to let Anni do her business evolved into a daily walk through the downtown area. Anni always leapt with delight the minute Andrea got out the leash and it seemed mean not to keep going. The world looked different with a dog leading the way. People who might have walked on by, not making eye contact at all, stopped to pet Anni and make small talk. Soon enough Andrea had talked to more people coming and going from the office than she had in years.

  The first day Tommy came in after his vacation, Andrea braced herself, expecting him to say she couldn’t bring a dog to work. But, just like everyone else, he was charmed by Anni. “Who do we have here?” he asked, crouching down to rub behind her ears. Anni lifted her head, luxuriating in being the center of attention.

  “This is Anni,” Andrea said, glancing down nonchalantly as if this were business as usual.

  But Tommy McGuire was nobody’s fool. “Is Anni now a regular here at McGuire Properties?” he asked, rising.

  “You could say that,” Andrea admitted. “I think she adds a certain something to the place, don’t you? A touch of class?”

  “So this is your dog?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you plan on bringing her every day.” It was half statement, half question.

  Andrea hesitated. “If I can. I mean, if it’s okay with you.”

  Tommy had a thoughtful expression on his face. “If she’s always like this, I don’t have any objections to her being here. If she causes any problems, though, I reserve the right to change my mind.”

  “Fair enough,” Andrea said. Looking at Anni resting with her nose on her paws, it was hard to believe she could ever cause problems.

  Luckily, Anni was well behaved, and Tommy became quite fond of her, usually greeting the dog first when he came through the door. One day Andrea and Anni came in to find a large glass jar filled with dog treats on the top shelf of the office bookcase, a jar supplied and replenished by Tommy himself. Anni got excited any time either of them even walked in the direction of the jar, and Tommy reinforced her expectation by getting her a treat every time. “Aren’t you a sweet thing,” he’d say.

  So that was good.

  A wonderful bonus to all the walking was the discovery that her pants now hung loosely off her hips. Puzzled at first, she wondered if they’d become stretched out in the laundry, but after trying on multiple pairs of pants, it was confirmed: she was thinner. Andrea dug out a pair of designer jeans, the ones she’d foolishly spent $150 on. She had only worn them once. Even in her thinner days, they’d just barely fit. She’d bought them thinking the fabulous cut, the stitched back pocket, and the amount of money she’d spent would motivate her to lose weight. But she never did, and eventually the sight of them brought a flush of shame. She finally hid them in the back of her closet and almost threw them out when she’d moved out of the house she’d shared with Marco. They seemed emblematic of her failure as a wife. What kind of woman couldn’t even lose ten pounds? No wonder her husband’s head was turned by a thinner, younger, curvier woman.

  Andrea held the jeans up and turned them, once again admiring the cut and stitching. If only. She took off her pants, and held her breath as she stepped into the legs of the designer jeans. Here went nothing. Up they went, over her calves, and then her thighs, and finally over her hips. She zipped them with ease and felt like cheering. How had this happened in just a few weeks? She turned to look at her backside in the mirror, pulled up her shirt, and noted a lack of muffin top, not even a small one. Huh.

  She studied the reflection of her face and neck, turning her head from side to side. Her cheeks looked less rounded and more sculpted, she thought. Nights filled with solid, restful sleep were another bonus of their long walks. She was so tired at the end of the day that she drifted off as soon as her head hit the pillow. As a result, her dark under-eye circles were nearly gone now. And here she’d thought they were unavoidable, a mixture of age and genetics. It wasn’t until she’d noticed that people no longer randomly asked her if she was tired that she’d made the connection. Apparently, even when she didn’t feel tired, the under-eye circles had made her look weary. Who knew having a dog would improve your appearance? Once pudgy cheeked (and full hipped) and tired-looking, she was now somewhat svelte and well rested. She’d have weighed herself to see the actual difference, but she’d let Marco have the scale in the divorce and she’d made a deliberate decision not to purchase a new one, reasoning she was already depressed enough. But now she put it on her list of things to buy the next time she was at Target. A nice new scale with a bright LED display.

  Andrea started eating lunch at Café Mocha, the coffee shop that allowed dogs. It was nearly a mile from the office, a walking distance that would have seemed daunting in the past, but after regularly walking Anni, she was now used to it. If no one stopped them to socialize, they could make it in fifteen minutes.

  Today she walked into the coffee shop, stamping her feet on the mat
inside the front door. The Café Mocha was a good-size space, with fifteen tables and an assortment of upholstered chairs around the perimeter. The décor was modern with some vintage touches—black-and-white checkerboard tiles on the floor, light fixtures with a 1960s’ look. A redbrick fireplace graced one wall. During the winter months, a fire was always blazing and the warmth and beauty of the flames made the surrounding tables highly coveted. The owner of the place, Joan, knew everyone and had an incredible memory for names and customer preferences. And she loved Anni.

  “There they are,” she called out from behind the counter. Anni strained at the leash to get the dog biscuit she associated with Joan’s voice. “Andrea and Anni. The daring duo. The cutest of cute. The ones to beat. Two of my favorites.”

  Andrea had a feeling that most of the customers were her favorites, but there was still something nice about being included in that group.

  Joan reached over the counter with a dog biscuit and dropped it down to Anni, who caught it between her teeth. “Oh man!” Joan said with admiration. “Did you see how fast she did that? I think we set a record here. Anni, you are awesome.” Andrea ordered her usual cup of soup, iced tea, and half sandwich, paid, and went to sit down. Anni followed amiably as she wove around the tables, scanning the room. When Andrea saw a young couple, college kids from the looks of them, vacating one of the tables by the fireplace, she tugged on the leash and moved in to take it. The guy had already made his way to the door, but the girl still stood next to the table, adjusting her scarf around her neck. “You can have the table. We’re all done,” she said, sweetly stating the obvious. “Oh, what an adorable dog.” The girl bent down, a sheen of dark hair curtaining either side of her face. She gave Anni’s head a quick pet before gathering up her backpack and gloves.

  “Thanks,” Andrea said. She was getting used to taking credit for Anni’s cuteness.

  After the girl hurried away, Andrea took a seat, looping the end of Anni’s leash around her chair and scooting Anni’s hindquarters close to her feet so that she didn’t block the aisle. Joan or one of the other women who worked here usually delivered the food within a few minutes, so Andrea took the time to gaze at the fire and think about the rest of her week, particularly her weekend. She definitely had to fit in a visit to Gram at the nursing home on Saturday. Okay, technically they weren’t called nursing homes anymore; they were rehab facilities. Gram’s was called the Phoenix Health Care Center. Phoenix. As if someone would be rising from the ashes. Well, they could call it what they wanted, but in Gram’s case it was a permanent placement. Her dementia had progressed to the point that she couldn’t live independently and no one in the family was equipped to take care of her. Andrea had been guilty of not visiting for a few weeks. It was always so depressing now that Gram didn’t always recognize her, but she’d called the center and gotten permission to bring a dog. “Anni is very small and well behaved,” she’d campaigned over the phone. She’d expected some resistance, but the nurse she’d talked to sounded rushed and, frankly, not all that interested, saying she thought it was probably fine for the third floor. “Visiting pets must be up to date on their shots, well trained, and leashed to ensure everyone’s safety,” she said. “Additionally, you must sign in at the front desk when you enter the building.” Knowing she could bring Anni along put a new slant on the whole thing and now Andrea looked forward to visiting Gram.

  Andrea watched the fireplace flames dance and made a mental list of everything she had to do that afternoon. She was completely lost in thought when a man’s voice interrupted.

  “Is this seat taken?”

  She looked up to see a gorgeous man standing next to her, gesturing to the empty chair on the other side of the table. Breathtakingly gorgeous. She mentally cataloged his looks for the purpose of storytelling to Jade later: Tall? Check. Dark? Check. Handsome? Yes, yes, and yes. The kind of good looks that could make a woman speechless. She stammered, “The seat? No. I mean, no, it’s not taken. Feel free. Of course you can sit there.”

  He sat, making apologies as he went. “I’m sorry to intrude, but all the other tables seem to be occupied.”

  “No, it’s fine.” Now that he sat across from her, she could see his face more clearly. He could have been a model, with his flawless skin, chiseled features, and strong jaw. His clothing could have said college student, but he was older, maybe thirty-five or so? Definitely worth chatting up, if she had the nerve. Jade’s philosophy about the interconnectedness of the universe came to mind. Even if it came to nothing, who knew if he had a friend, or a younger brother? How bizarre to even be thinking this way. A few months ago she thought she’d be alone for the rest of her life. Now the world seemed full of possibility.

  “Nice dog,” he said, before getting out his phone.

  “Thanks.” If Jade were here, she’d already have this conversation started, but Andrea had never been a master of small talk. Luckily, just then Joan approached with her tray of food. “Well, hello there, Philip,” she said, greeting the man while setting down Andrea’s food. “How did I miss you coming in?”

  Ah, so his name was Philip. He looked like a Philip. Suave and debonair, yet rugged. Philip looked up from his phone to flash a smile at the coffee shop owner. “Hey, Joan. I snuck in when you weren’t looking.”

  “Where’s your better half today?” Joan asked.

  “At work,” he said, sighing. “She should be here already, but things got crazy at the office. She texted and said she’d get here as soon as she could.”

  “Too bad.” Joan’s head tilted sympathetically. “Hopefully you won’t have to wait too long. Do you know Andrea?”

  “I do now.” He reached over and Andrea dutifully shook his hand.

  “You two should get along,” Joan said. “You both have beautiful dogs.”

  As Joan walked away, Philip said, “My wife and Joan are friends. They went to college together.”

  How had she missed the wedding ring? His beauty had blinded her and jangled her nerves. Knowing he was married, though, made it easier. Andrea said, “Oh, I love Joan. It’s amazing the way she remembers everyone’s name.” Philip agreed and they began talking about the coffee shop and the college Joan and his wife (her name was Vanessa) had attended, and before she knew it, they were completely engrossed in conversation. He and his wife had a sheltie, and soon enough he and Andrea were trading anecdotes about their dogs. Look at me, Andrea thought, acting all casual while eating with a perfect stranger. A really perfect stranger. Of course, he talked about his wife like they were newlyweds, which they very nearly were. He told Andrea, “I never knew someone like her existed in the world until I met her, and now I can’t imagine the world without her.”

  Andrea could not imagine Marco saying anything close to this about her, or anyone else for that matter. Philip and Vanessa were a couple to envy.

  Vanessa hadn’t arrived by the time Andrea had finished her lunch, but Philip had acquiesced and ordered a coffee. He took small sips, like trying to make it last until his wife arrived. “It was nice talking with you, Andrea,” he said as she gathered up her things. A simple thing like leaving became so complicated in the wintertime. There were gloves to keep track of and a scarf to adjust. A zipper to take care of before she stepped outside into the brisk air. A cumbersome routine, but there was no getting around it.

  “I enjoyed talking to you too,” she said. “I hope your wife gets here soon.”

  “Me too.” He sighed again, like a lovesick teenager.

  Anni yawned and then rose, shuddering a little as she got to her feet. Andrea said, “Time to go, Anni,” and the familiar phrase gave the dog a surge of energy. When they got to the door to leave, Andrea glanced back to see Philip watching them. He gave her a little wave and she raised her hand in return. What a nice man.

  When they stepped outside onto the sidewalk, the snow crunching under Andrea’s boots, Anni took the lead and turned i
n the direction of the office. The sudden cold air sweeping across Andrea’s cheeks made her eyes water; she pulled out her sunglasses and stuck them on her face.

  A large man stood blocking their path, his short shadow a blot on the sidewalk. Andrea’s eyes were on Anni, so she didn’t get a good look, but she said, “Excuse me,” before stepping to one side.

  “Andrea!” The familiar voice penetrated right to her spine, making her heart sink.

  She glanced up to see Marco. Even though he looked exactly the way she remembered, the sight of him was a shock. Several times after they’d separated and once after they’d divorced, she’d driven past her old house hoping to see him coming or going. Obsessive behavior, she knew, and unhealthy too. She wasn’t even sure what she’d hoped to see or what it would accomplish, but it didn’t make a difference, because she’d never spotted him. Once she saw Desiree backing her car down the driveway, and she panicked, thinking Desiree would see her and tell Marco. But Desiree drove right past, oblivious, actually using the rearview mirror to put on lipstick, which Andrea did not approve of for safety purposes, but at least it meant Desiree didn’t see her. A few times she and Jade had made a point to go to a bar that had been a favorite of Marco’s, but although they saw his brother one time, Marco was never there. Jade made Andrea pretend to laugh loudly and talk to some college guys because she was sure Marco’s brother would give him the full report. They had no way of knowing if that ever happened, though, which was very unsatisfying.

  “Marco,” she said, not able to keep the surprise out of her voice. Funny that she’d run into him now when she’d given up caring.