Be the Girl(42)

“Did you remember to pick up after him, Cassie?” Pat calls out from the front desk.

“Yes!”

I give her a flat look.

She grins. “AJ did it for both of us.”

And I think I’ve been manipulated. Last week, she struggled with holding the bouncy dog still while she bent down to collect, so I did it for her. This week, she didn’t even bother trying. She simply smiled, handed me a bag, and asked, “Oh, could you help me again? I’m having trouble.”

“Teach a girl to fish, Cassie …” Pat scolds softly.

“Yeah, I know.” She laughs, bending down to pat Roger’s head. “But I don’t like dog poop.”

“Neither do I.” I lead Murphy to his kennel. But when I open the door, he backs away, lifting his nose to graze my hand, leaving a wet trail across my palm. “I’m sorry, Murph.”

Gloomy brown eyes peer up at me.

“I know. It’s not fair. But you’ve gotta go. Come on.”

He bows his head and ambles in, easing himself down to settle his chin on the piece of ragged remnant carpet that lines the bottom.

And my heart aches, looking down at him. He’s going to lie there until he’s taken for his next walk, whenever that is. Sit here, in this drab room. His home, until he dies.

Is he counting down his days like Uncle Merv?

“Aww. He looks so sad.” Cassie’s brow furrows deeply as she studies him. As much as she misses human emotional cues, she seems acutely in tune when it comes to animals.

“He does, doesn’t he?” An idea strikes me. “Hey, Pat?”

Pat pokes her head around the corner.

“Are dogs allowed out of the shelter for the night?”





“I wish I could bring Roger Dodger home,” Cassie pouts as Heather pulls into their driveway. Emmett’s SUV is gone. So is my mom’s, I note. She must still be out grocery shopping.

“Well, we can, but we’d have to get rid of your father.” Heather smiles at her daughter. “Should we do that?”

“Yeah.” Cassie grins. “Let’s get rid of him and bring Roger Dodger home.”

Heather chuckles. “You know, I’m not sure you’re joking.” Her wary blue-gray eyes peer through the rearview mirror at the big old Labrador in her back seat. It took both Cassie and I to help him in. “Are you sure Merv and your mom are going to be okay with this?”

I shrug. “You know Merv.”

Those eyes in the mirror shift to me. “Exactly. I know Merv.”

“I already suggested it to him, and he didn’t say no.” Both are true facts. “And it’s only for the night.” For now. I’m crossing my fingers that Uncle Merv will like having Murphy around. I can’t believe Pat went along with the idea in the first place, but I think she feels as sorry for the poor old dog as I do. I guess it’s not the worst thing if I have to take him back tomorrow.

“I’m pleading ignorance.” Heather sighs. “It is a nice thing you’re doing for him, though.”

“Maybe you can remind my mother of that in case she brings this up.”

Cassie giggles as she climbs out and opens the back door. “Come on, Murph!”

“We might have to help—oh, maybe not.” I watch as he carefully picks his way down, first to the floor of the back seat, before hopping out of the car. His nose lifts in the air to inhale the crisp scent.

I collect his leash, though I don’t bother to put it on. He’s not going to run.

“Can I come with you?” Cassie asks.

“That’s a good idea. You can be a witness if Uncle Merv kills me.”

She bursts out laughing. “You’re joking. Mom! I’m going next door!”

Heather smiles after her. “For a minute. You’re helping me with dinner tonight. Send her home in five, Aria.”

Murphy hobbles along beside me as we cross the front lawns, his nose to the grass, his tail wagging. He slows by Uncle Merv’s prized rose bush, sniffing around its base.

And then he lifts his leg.

“No!” I whisper-cry, checking the bay window off the living room to make sure Uncle Merv’s not watching, wishing now that I had put on his leash. Not that I’d be able to drag the seventy-pound dog away without hurting him.

Meanwhile, Cassie laughs hysterically.

“Whatever you do, don’t tell Uncle Merv,” I warn her with wide eyes. “He’ll get mad.”

Her face goes slack, the humor gone in an instant. “At me?”

“No! At Murphy.”

“Oh. Okay.” She nods solemnly.

“Not a smart move if you want to stay, Murph.” I climb the porch steps. He limps up behind me.

Cassie opens the front door as if she lives there, gesturing for Murphy to follow her. “Hello, Uncle Merv!” she bellows. “Guess who came to visit you?”

“Eh? What’s that?” comes the gruff response from the living room.

I hold my breath.

“What the hell is that?”

Cassie laughs. “This is Murphy. Say hi, Murphy.”

I dare poke my head around the corner to see Uncle Merv frowning at Murphy as he ambles around, sniffing everything. “So, remember that dog I was telling you about?”