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Now that I’d told her all about Taylor, I felt something building up inside of me.Pressure to like him.I hated that feeling so I knew it was time to tell her the other part.
“Now, let me tell you about someone else.”
Judy gasped. “What do you mean? You’ve met another man?”
“Yes. His name is Eli and we met at the dog park. The most unbelievable part? We think he owns one of Dolly’s littermates.”
“Hold on, dear. I need to sit down for this one. You know I can't stand and listen at the same time.”
I hammered on. “I mean we don’t know for afactthey are littermates, but they areidenticalin size, shape, hair— He is a boy, that’s the only difference. His name is Carter.”
“A boy and a girl. So, what’s next? Is he single?”
“Carter? I think so.” I teased Judy and she laughed. I knew very wellwhoshe was referring to.
“Well, I assumed he was single, because he invited us for a playdate. And I ordered a new jacket for curbside pickup, and you wouldn’t believe it, but it was hissisterthat brought it out to me, and she was encouraging me I thought.”
Would hissisterknow the details of his love life, though? I wondered.
“Very good signs, indeed.” Judy was hooked on my story. I was sad to give her the next update, for her and myself.
“But then told me his ex-fiancé just got back in touch with him.” I sounded more defeated than I meant to.
“That doesn’t mean anything, dear. I’ve just gotten back in touch with Marlon Brando by turning on the television. Doesn’t mean we are in a relationship.”
“That's a good point. But he seemed… Happy about it.”
“Go enjoy your date. Let’s let Eli think about things for a day and see if he gets in contact.”
She always had the best advice. I looked up at the time. Somehow, I’d been on the phone for nearly an hour.
“Thank you, Judy! I better go get ready. Wish me luck!”
“I expect a full report when I hear from you next time. Buh-bye, sweetie.”Click.
To my relief, my hair loosened up quite a bit more during the phone call. I managed to wear a half-up style, like what I’d been wearing earlier in the day, but just a little dressier.
I looked in the mirror at my finished look. Pairing it with a blazer, I was ready to work at H&R Block. I needed something to jazz me up a little, keep things fresh and age appropriate. I rummaged through my jewelry box and found some rose gold dangle earrings. They polished my look, but it still didn’t looktrendy.
I returned to my closet and found a pair of pleather pants I’d bought last fall. I made the purchase in honor of my tween days when I was obsessed with a television show heroine who wore the style. I remember the pair back then I begged my mother for when I was just a chubby-cheeked twelve-year-old:
She relented and let me try a pair on, and I instantly felt like a superhero, just like the woman on television. Except when the zipper broke the next day, and I had what my mother refers to as my “second nervous breakdown” in her chart of my life that she displays to all her guests like a crime map so they can figure out what went wrong with Katie’s love life; I promised my baby-fat self I would one day own a better pair.
So, when I saw these on sale, I laughed, but I knew what I had to do. I tried them on and surprisingly, they weren’t tight and had quite a bit of room. In the dressing room, I gave each leg a “HI-YA!” karate chop just to test them out. As quiet a person I may be, I did not then and will never care what my fellow shoppers think of me.
I changed into pants and felt much more comfortable. They didn’t have theshine of the teal liquid leather jacket I wore all through sixth grade, but I was pleased with the finish. I slipped on a pair of black ankle boots and felt muchcooler.
Spinning in the living room, I let Dolly take the sight in.
“Do you approve, my sweet?”
She yawned and I covered up her tiny body with a blanket, tucking it in around the edges so she was securely wrapped up. She looked so cozy that I suddenly felt tired too.
“How about a short nap?” I picked up her bed and set it next to me on the couch.
“Virtual assistant: when does my new couch arrive?
“Estimated arrival for Order #548372 is next Tuesday.”
