19

The following Thursday she had another date with Steve, and since they had both acquired the requisite STD-free certification, there was a good chance they would end up in bed together. Would he be a “lights on” or “total darkness” kind of person? She was perfectly capable of adapting to either, as long as the warmth could be felt. She had a particularly happy memory of a camping trip with Matt before they were married where they had done it in a sleeping bag in front of the tent with the sun streaming down. Now, of course, the ground would be way too hard, plus if she lay down on it she would never be able to get up again. But the warmth, the closeness, and above all the abundant light made her smile whenever she thought of it.

She was going to his place again, and Anax was invited. Steve claimed Shelly missed her. It didn’t seem likely, but she went along with it, hoping it would someday turn out to be true. She had never lived in a household with more than one dog. Her impression, from those she had observed, was that they tended to run around together, bark at the same time, and in general overwhelm visitors with their size and energy. Such behavior would be totally uncharacteristic of Anax, who was more likely to creep than to jump. There was nothing threatening about her. She might get herself accidentally stepped on, but she wasn’t going to knock over anyone, even a very small child.

Should she wear the same striped top she had worn for their first date? She reminded herself that other people didn’t pay half as much attention to her clothes as she did, but she couldn’t help herself. It was, after all, a harmless fixation, and one she knew for a fact she shared with many of her friends. Although one or two of them insisted they never paid the slightest attention to what they or anyone else was wearing, they betrayed themselves occasionally by asking her what she was planning to wear to such and such an event. It was mildly annoying when they continued to pretend it was of no importance.

Once she was dressed and had packed a little bag for Anax and herself, containing everything they couldn’t do without for 10 or 12 hours, she bundled Anax into the car and drove off. She parked in Steve’s driveway and took the ever more excited Anax, straining at the leash, to the front door. Steve opened it, holding Shelly by the collar as she tried to come out and greet her friends. Her paws scrabbled at the floor, her mouth opened in excitement; Steve pulled her back to let them past. “I never wonder how they really feel,” said Virginia.

“How about if we follow their example?” said Steve, opening his mouth and panting in anticipation.

“Okay,” said Virginia, dropping her forearms in the direction of the ground.

 “But I draw the line at scuttling around on all fours.”

Steve wagged his rear end. “And I need a tail.”

“Not practical. But I am glad to see you.”

She stepped impulsively toward him. He wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll say it my way.” He squeezed.