Forever comes in threes, p.12
Forever Comes in Threes, page 12
“I had a rough-coat Jack Russell terrier like him when I was a kid. He went everywhere with me, even walked me to the school bus every morning and was waiting when it brought me home. Mom used to worry he’d get in the road and tried keeping him in the yard or house, but he’d find a way out and be waiting at the bus stop anyway. So, she gave up. Just like she gave up making him sleep somewhere other than in my bed.” She held out her hand to Tucker again. “Hey, handsome. Won’t you come over for just a minute?”
Tucker turned away, refusing to look at her.
“Just ignore him and give him time. He’s slow to warm up to new people.” She sat on the ground, too, and snagged Tucker to bring him around in front of her so Gigi could scratch his ears and talk to him.
“Hi. Can we look at your dogs, too?” A middle-aged couple stood outside their fence. The woman was making the inquiry, but the man looked like he’d rather be anywhere but at the park. “We’re looking for an older dog for my father-in-law. He’s pretty much housebound, and I’d like to find a companion for him. I think an older, calmer dog would be best.”
The man pointed in the direction Ming had gone. “The Chinese woman said yours are older dogs.”
Perry wanted to grind her teeth. How could people be so clueless? “You must be referring to Ming. She’s not Chinese. She’s one hundred percent American.”
“I’m so sorry. My husband didn’t mean to offend. He meant the woman with Asian features.”
“Well, we’re trying to place all three of these dogs together. Their owner died unexpectedly. They’re a bonded pack.”
“They’re dogs. They’d adjust.”
Perry didn’t like this man’s attitude. Did he treat people at his workplace with that same arrogance?
“You said the same thing about your father when you insisted on moving him here, away from his friends,” the woman told her husband.
“Molly’s almost deaf, and the two boy dogs help her compensate for her hearing loss. They nudge her when I call them. Or if she’s stuck under a bed or accidentally becomes closed in a room, I just have to ask Tucker to find her, and he will.”
JT had settled on Gigi’s lap, and Molly was licking his face so that his beard poked out in wild directions. The woman smiled at the dogs’ interaction. She had kind eyes and deserved better than this arrogant, selfish husband.
“Why don’t you give me your name and phone number? I’ll pass it on to Ming because she’s the coordinator between a lot of the rescue groups here today, and if we’re unable to place these three together, then maybe JT or Molly would work out for you. Or Ming could find your father-in-law just the right pup from some other foster home.” Perry held out the notepad and pen.
“That would be really great. Next time, I’ll bring my father-in-law, Russell, with me instead of Harry to look at dogs.” She scribbled her name and cell number on the pad.
“Dogs can be a lot of company,” Gigi said.
The woman smiled as she handed the pad back to Perry. “Perhaps a dog a bit larger would be good. We got Russell into a nice senior development, and having a dog to walk could help him get out and meet some of his neighbors.”
“Good idea,” Gigi said.
They waved good-bye to the couple, well, to the woman, and Gigi held out her hand for the notepad.
“I need to go. I can see why you’d like to place these three together, but I can realistically afford to care for only one. I refuse to be that person who has so many pets they can’t pay for vet care. Even annual shots and a checkup can cost hundreds of dollars. Three together would probably be nearly two thousand. And they will surely have some health issues that come with age.”
“I admire you for thinking ahead like that and admitting limitations. All three are great dogs, and I’m going to put a star by your name, so you’ll get first choice in case we do have to break up the pack. That is, if you haven’t already adopted some other dog.”
“Thank you…”
“Perry.” She took the pad from Gigi. “Sorry. I’m a little off balance still because we had a throw-down between Molly and a bad-tempered chihuahua right before you showed up.”
Gigi laughed. “I can imagine. Those can be nasty little dogs. But, like the terriers I love, some people understand and love chihuahuas too.”
Perry waved good-bye to Gigi and let out a relieved breath when she spotted Ming heading back. After Ming arrived, Perry handed over the notepad and offered unsolicited commentary on both prospective adopters.
“You’ve been busy. It sounds like either one of these could be a good placement.”
“Maybe we should keep looking. This is only the first day. We could still find someone to take all three.” Perry envisioned orphans being torn from the arms of their siblings. “They really do depend on each other. Although the boys act jealous of each other, they wrestle and play together several times a day. They’re sort of fun to watch.”
Ming hooked her arm around Perry’s and closed the gap between them. Her petite but strong body felt good pressed against Perry’s side, and she wanted so, so much to draw Ming closer for a kiss. But those lips were moving. What were they saying? “Keep it up, and somebody might think you’re getting attached to them.”
“Nope. I do like the little buggers, but I just don’t have any time for them. I work too much.”
“Maybe you need them to show you how to find a better balance between work and your personal life.”
“Now you sound like that crazy Dr. Lee podcast.” The second the words were out of her mouth, Perry wanted to take them back. She didn’t know Ming well enough. She might really like that podcast, and it was rude of Perry to criticize a rival openly. Not just rude. As a well-known—in business circles—personality, making rash statements of any kind could always come back to haunt her. “Sorry. I shouldn’t—”
“Hey. The guy over there said you have some pups we should meet.” The couple appeared to be around retirement age but in good physical shape. “I’m Tom, and this is my wife, Roberta, but everybody calls her Bob.” The man shook hands with Ming and Perry. “I’ll shake hands for both of us. Bob finished chemotherapy a year ago and has been declared cancer free, but we’re still cautious, with the pandemic and all.”
Perry took out her hand sanitizer and offered him a squirt, too. “Can’t be too safe,” she said.
“So, Tom, do you guys live in Fresno?”
“We did, but we just sold our house and bought one of those bus-type RVs. We plan to become full-time travelers. We decided to go with an RV so we could take our dog with us. Unfortunately, Bandit was diagnosed with lymphoma about the same time Bob got her diagnosis for breast cancer, and he didn’t make it.”
“I’m so sorry,” Ming said. “What kind of dog was he?”
“Just a mutt,” Bob said, her eyes welling with tears. “Our best guess was boxer-beagle, if you can envision that. He weighed about forty-five pounds before he got sick. We still miss him.”
Tom pointed to Tucker. “That rough-coat guy there would be about perfect for us. Wire-haired dogs don’t seem to bother my allergies much.”
Perry shook her head. “Tuck wouldn’t do well. He’s nervous around strangers, and traveling would put him constantly in new situations and around new people. Actually, the three of them are very dependent on each other, so we were hoping to place them together.”
Tom shook his head. “You might place two of them together, but good luck with finding someone to take all three.”
Bob folded herself over the fence and was petting Molly and JT. “I just love this little guy. Is he a schnauzer mix?”
“Yes,” Ming said. “He’s a really sweet cuddler, too.”
“JT? He’s shy in new situations, also, unless he’s with his packmates,” Perry said. “Molly is the brave one. She loves going on a walk and greeting everyone she sees. But the two boys do better at home or together when they’re out in public.”
“Are they housebroken?”
“Yes,” Ming said.
“Well, Molly is,” Perry said. “But the boys are hit-and-miss. And if one of them pees, the other one has to add to it. They’ll mostly go out to pee, but if it’s raining or they get anxious because I’ve been gone too long…look out. I hate to think what they might do if we break up the pack. Being with each other is their security.”
“They were accustomed to having a pet door and going out whenever they wanted,” Ming explained. “But they’re adjusting. Both are very smart dogs and anxious to please.”
“They also are good about not chewing up things if you keep some bones around for them,” Perry said. “I mean, mostly. You don’t have any stuffed animals or dolls in your house, do you? Those things are toast if the trio of terrors is around. Their hunting instinct kicks in. I had a pair of slippers made from real rabbit fur and didn’t close the closet door all the way one morning. After they sniffed them out, I was finding bits of bunny everywhere for days. I had to laugh about it because they were very proud of their kill. I didn’t like the slippers anyway. A girlfriend who was kind of a stalker gave them to me.”
Ming was looking at her like she’d grown a second head, while Tom and Bob were discreetly backing away.
“Like I said, good luck. I do hope you can place them all together since they’re so bonded,” Tom said before they both turned and fast-walked to the pen of Labrador-mix puppies.
Ming, hand on her hip, whirled on Perry. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you deliberately ran them off. They could have been a good option for one of the dogs, maybe even Molly.”
“I didn’t get a good vibe from them.” That was a lie. They seemed like very nice people, but Perry was sure Bob had already zeroed in on JT. Everybody did. He was the cutest, the friendliest, and the youngest. But he was Tucker’s only playmate and Molly’s wingman. He also was the conductor of their three-dog choir. Taking him would be like removing one leg of a three-legged stool and expecting it to still stand.
“They were perfectly nice.” Ming’s expression softened. “Of course, the dogs are already living with their ideal owner.”
“Don’t even start with that.” Perry didn’t need to hear why the dogs should stay with her. They were wrecking her schedule.
Ming was not dissuaded. “Tucker bonded with you right away, and all three obviously listen to and recognize you as the alpha. I couldn’t believe Molly let go of that chihuahua when you told her to leave it. And JT crawls into your lap every chance he gets.”
“JT pees on my floor.”
“You can order a pet door online that fits in your sliding-glass door with no major construction.”
“No. No, no, no. I’ll find them a home. Not just an option, but a really special home for all three of them.” She couldn’t keep them. She was too busy. They needed someone who had time to take them on walks and play with them. But she couldn’t deny that she identified with their situation, left adrift without an alpha presence for security and guidance—just like she’d been as a child. She wanted, needed to make sure they landed in the right place.
“Okay.” Ming’s smug expression made it clear she wasn’t buying Perry’s story. Ming looked around at the crowd that was beginning to thin. “Are you ready to head back? I have a meeting with my lawyer at five thirty.”
Disappointment instantly drained Perry’s enthusiasm for the day. She could barely call their outing a date. Lunch had been rushed in their hurry to get to the park, and once they got here, Ming had spent most of the time with other rescuers. The only highlight was a chaste kiss that the dogs interrupted before it could go further.
“I thought maybe we’d go out for dinner. Or order in, if you prefer. Netflix premiered several new movies last night that look interesting.”
Ming looked truly regretful as she clasped Perry’s hand and squeezed it. “That sounds wonderful, but I really need to be at this meeting.” They walked in silence for several blocks before Ming spoke again. “I have to work a few hours in the morning, but if my meeting goes well this evening, I’d like to show you something tomorrow afternoon. And perhaps we could have dinner together. The pups can come, too.”
It would mean another wrecked schedule, but she’d make that sacrifice for a chance to kiss Ming again. Perry couldn’t stop thinking about this woman and wanting to be near her, or just hear her voice. “Sure. That sounds good. I’ll add you to my calendar.”
That comment earned her a playful jab in the ribs. “Just make sure your calendar is free until Monday morning.”
* * *
“Wonder Woman has nothing on me.” Imani’s bragging was unnecessary as Ming scanned the second pile of paperwork her friend and attorney laid in front of her.
“Woman, you are preaching to the choir. I’ve always known you could move mountains, but this is miracle work, even by your high standards.”
“Well, I can’t take all the credit, but I have been smart enough to partner with and hire the very best people possible. And I called in a few favors, especially to get your name change through in record time and under confidentiality rules. I might have laid it on a little thick about the internet crazies stalking you and you having to sell your home and practice because of them. I might have also insinuated that a couple of the nutcases might physically harm you.”
Ming shuddered. “That’s actually crossed my mind when I’ve walked out to my car at night.”
Imani studied her. “I’m sort of puzzled about why you’re moving out to a remote farm where it would make it even easier for some mental case to—” Imani imitated Ming’s shudder. “I can’t even think about it, much less put it into words.”
“First of all, this incredible deal you negotiated for me will pay for major upgrades to the property I’m buying, one of which will be a top-of-the-line security system. Secondly, the people in that small town mind everybody else’s business, so word spreads fast if a stranger is hanging around, and the residents never give out information to people they don’t know. Instead of the clerk at the general store saying, ‘Yeah, she lives just a mile down that road,’ I’d get a phone call from the store owner to let me know someone was in town asking about me.”
Imani laughed. “I hear you. I grew up in a town like that. If I misbehaved at school or anywhere else, my mama knew about it before I got home to confess.” She edged forward in her chair and held Ming’s gaze. “Seriously, Ming, have you really thought this through? You won’t find much in the way of dating prospects out there in the wilderness. You’re a young, attractive woman—too young to become a hermit.”
“Actually, I have.” Ming relaxed into the comfortable, high-backed conference-room chair. “I need peace and to feel…I don’t know. My life has gotten a little out of control, so I’m making some changes to get a firm grip on the reins again. The best times of my life were the summers I would spend with my grandmother. She had a greenhouse and a huge garden, and would teach me how to grow all kinds of things. I want to feel that way again—my hands in the warm dirt, coaxing living plants from dry seeds to make medicines that will help people.”
“I hope it’s everything you want, not just a childhood memory you’re trying to recapture.”
Ming placed a reassuring hand on her friend’s forearm. “Everything in my life seems to have led me to this moment, and that includes giving me the resources to do this. How quickly will my soon-to-be former colleagues’ money be in my account?”
“Let’s see. Their offer proposes three payments. The first payment, which would transfer upon signing the agreement, will cover the purchase of the property you want. If you agree to their proposal and sign the papers today, that could be as early as Monday. The second payment will come in sixty days, which will give them time to sell some of their real-estate portfolio to pay out your share. The final payment will be due to you in ninety days, basically allowing them time to reorganize and find someone to buy into the practice and take over your open slot.”
“I think their offer is reasonable.”
Imani nodded. “It is, or I wouldn’t have brought it to you. But I could get more if you want. You guys probably paid more for the properties in the practice’s portfolio than you should have because your guy is a limp dick when it comes to negotiating.”
Ming had to laugh at Imani’s crass reference. “Maybe you should tell them that after they sign under my signature on the agreement.” She was already thinking ahead as she picked up the pen Imani had laid on the table and began to sign the papers every place Imani indicated. “When can we close on the property?”
Imani consulted the calendar on her iPad. “Today is Saturday. Since you’re paying cash and foregoing an inspection of the house, then we only have to research the title, which should be easy since it’s been in the same family for so many years. We could set something up for Wednesday, if the seller agrees.”
Ming wanted to clap her hands in glee. She was so close to fulfilling her dream. “Excellent.”
They both stood, and Ming gave her friend a firm hug. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“Seeing you happy will make it all worth my time.”
Chapter Nine
Finding Natural Balance seems to be getting a lot of attention on an unrelated podcast, where they’re talking about being more efficient to achieve more during your personal time. The host of that other podcast is a recognized expert in the field of business and industry efficiency. She’s also single, without the responsibilities that come with dependents.” Ming could no longer ignore comments made on Timed for Success, because the sniping had nearly doubled her own pageviews and subscriptions. “So, she seems to be struggling with the discussion that keeps circling back to managing shared personal time. The two biggest things that affect our personal time are spouses and dependents, which could be children, an aging or disabled family member, or even pets. Let’s talk about spouses first.
