epilogue
Four Months Later
I step through the front door, shivering in the cold as snowflakes cling to my skin and hair. Winston runs up with a flurry of barks and excited piddles, dancing around my feet as I remove my boots and coat.
Lex smiles from where she’s peeling potatoes in the kitchen of the new townhouse we moved into last month. “How was Pilates?”
I chuckle. “I’m not sure what hurts the most—my ass or my core.”
“I’m proud of you for keeping up with it! How’s Jasleen?”
“Oh, she’s good. She’s meeting her boyfriend’s parents tonight, so that’s exciting. Can’t wait to hear about how it went at next week’s class.” I clean up Winston’s mess and tousle his grey fur. “And the project is going well! With all the financing they got for it they’ll be rolling out the beta test of the program inVancouver after Christmas break, and hopefully province-wide by next year.”
“That’s great news!”
After throwing out the dirty paper towels and washing my hands, I wrap my arms around Lex from behind, kissing the soft spot behind her ear.
“No offence, my love,” she says, tilting her head to give me more access to her neck, “but you stink.”
I laugh. “I know, I have to hustle if I want to be out of the shower before everyone gets here.” Even so, I don’t stop my kissing. Lex sighs in contentment, her hands stilling from her work. “Are you sure we don’t have time for a quickie?” I ask, my hands gliding from her belly to the apex of her thighs.
Lex turns just enough to kiss me before pulling away and nudging her nose against mine. “You say ‘quickie’ but that always turns into a ‘longie’ with you. People are supposed to start showing up in twenty minutes.”
The doorbell rings, followed by a frenzy of barking. Lex and I look to each other, wondering who could possibly be this early, and I leave Lex in the kitchen to answer the door. “Olsen!” I say, stepping back to let him in and out of the cold. Winston yaps and jumps at him as he shakes the snow off his jacket, his arms encumbered with bags of groceries and bottles of wine. I take the groceries from him so he can remove his boots and jacket.
“Hope you don’t mind I came early,” he says. “Figured you two could use a hand.”
“Actually, I could,” Lex calls from her station. “Can you peel some carrots, please?”
“The turkey smells amazing,” Olsen comments as he brings me in for a brotherly side-hug.
“That’s all Lex,” I say, hugging him back, the melted droplets of snow on his sweater making me shiver.
Olsen lets me go and walks into the kitchen before poking Lex in the ribs. “Your domestic side’s coming out, I see.”
Lex slaps his hand away. “I can follow basic instructions.”
“I’ll be right back, just jumping in the shower!” I say before running up the stairs and into the bedroom I share with Lex. Our bedroom is a mismatched collection of items from each of our previous homes: Lex’s mauve comforter, my jarringly bright throw pillows, clashing dressers and end tables, and a collage of photos on the wall from all our adventures together. I smile at how perfect it is.
In the shower I wash my body but keep my hair dry, then don a festive sweater and some jeans before applying a quick layer of makeup, making my way back downstairs to help within twenty minutes.
“What’s this?” I ask, noting that Olsen has taken over cooking and Lex is stationed at the island counter with two glasses of red wine in front of her.
“We have a private chef.” Lex grins, patting the stool next to her.
Olsen laughs. “So happy I can come to your house for dinner and proceed to do all the cooking.”
I take my place next to Lex and raise my glass toward her. “Cheers to that!” Her dimples pop as she cheers me back, eyes twinkling.
“How’s the business going?” Olsen asks as he finishes a task, drying his hands on a tea towel.
“Couldn’t be better! We placed, what was it, four dogs this week?” I look to Lex, wordlessly asking if I forgot anyone.
Lex nods. “Four dogs out of the shelter and into homes right before Christmas.”
When I’d been fired from my job, I’d been so lost. After spending a week pacing my kitchen, drafting and scrapping résumés, and asking myself over and over again what Ireallywanted to do with my life, I’d come up with a plan for a non-profit business called Old Dogs, New Tricks, where we help place geriatric dogs with senior citizens for companionship, and all the costs associated with the animals are covered.
Lex had been so eager to leave the corporate world behind and make the world a better place that she quit her job and helped me gather data showing that pets improved the physical and mental well-being of the seniors they’re placed with. Since Jasleen had experience working with the government to secure funding for projects at Kindness Forward, she’d lent a hand and was able to help us do the same. In the past few months we’ve helped save over one hundred senior dogs from shelters and placed them in the homes of very thankful elderly people in need of companionship, entertainment, and an excuse to get out the door and go for a walk.
