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“Ready to meet your new kids?” He smiled.
“We’re old friends. Worked a mission together.” She followed him to the back of the vehicle and opened the matte black doors and unhooked the dogs’ leads.
Cosmo jumped out first, then Kramer. Melanie squatted down and wrapped her arms around both their necks. “Hello, my darlings!” Cosmo began to nuzzle her. “You remember me?” Kramer followed suit. “Oh, you guys! I am so happy to see you!” Her eyes welled up, and so did her heart. She felt a loving warmth engulf her. Then she began to babble in doggie-speak. “Oh, my bubbies . . .” She kissed each on the head. “Look at mommy’s new babies. Aw, that’s my good boys.” At least that’s what it sounded like.
She stood to address the officer, who was smiling at the reunion. “What happens next?”
He handed her their leads and asked her to sign the tablet with a stylus. He shook Melanie’s hand, thanked her for giving the dogs a home, saluted them, and went on his way.
Melanie bent down again. “I am so happy to see you.” And she really and truly was. She would thank Gilmour later. Let him sweat it out just a bit longer. She chuckled to herself.
“Come on, fellas. Let’s check out your new digs.” The dogs followed with their tails wagging. They seemed to know this was going to be their new home.
Melanie spoke to them as if they were people this time. “Come with me.” She went into the kitchen and showed them where their kibble and water bowls were. The dogs immediately sat at attention. “This is your dining area.” They looked up at her and then down at the empty bowls. “Are you guys hungry?”
Cosmo made a soft yap.
“Okay. First, I shall show you your posh bathroom facility.” She opened the side door and led them to the enclosed area to the right. The dogs walked on the fake turf, sniffed around, and marked it with a little piddle.
“You guys are really smart. And territorial.” She patted them on the head. “Good boys.” She turned and went back into the house, the dogs following on her heels. She scooped a bit of dry dog food into their bowls. “Have a snack.” The dogs obediently went to the dishes and chowed down. After a few minutes, she called for them to follow her.
“Now this is the living room. Each of you has your own bed. Take your pick.” The dogs looked up at her. “Okay, I’ll pick.” She went to one of the beds and sat down. “Cosmo. Here.” She patted the soft fabric, and he obeyed. “Sit. Lie down.” And just like that, he was in comfort land. “You’re next, Kramer.” Melanie shifted to the other dog bed and repeated the action. Similarly, Kramer sat, and was in comfort land, too. “Okay, guys. I have to get changed and go to a school play. I won’t be gone long.” She opened a wooden box on the mantel and pulled out two very large dog chews. “Here you go. No eating the furniture.”
Melanie climbed the stairs two at a time. She was feeling rather buoyant. She had an instant family, and she was going to see one of the children she’d helped play a tree.
While she was sifting through her closet, she tried to imagine what styles she should buy for her new gig. She was five feet seven inches and 150 pounds. Yes, she had put on a few pounds, but they were in the right places. Her three-day-a-week Pilates classes made sure of it, and most of her clothes still fit her well. Her new job would require her to wear completely different outfits. One each for her four personalities. She’d do some research later. It occurred to her she would have to do her shopping either on Black Friday or Stupid Saturday. Maybe the high-end shops wouldn’t be as crazy as the big box stores. She had never heard of a stampede at Gucci or Dior and decided she would take her chances at Tyson’s Galleria. She got goosebumps thinking about her shopping spree. Melanie wondered what the credit limit was on the card. She figured if she went over it, she would find out! This was going to be fun!
Meanwhile, for the school play, she decided on a deep burgundy pantsuit, with wide slacks and a long, tailored jacket. A citron brooch against the burgundy gave her a festive, seasonal look. She made her way down the steps. Two German shepherd heads snapped to attention. “It’s only me. How do I look?” She made a face. “I guess they didn’t teach you that in doggie school.” She blew them a kiss and headed out to see the play.
The auditorium was filled with almost three hundred people. Parents, grandparents, siblings, staff, and friends. The air was electric. For many, this was a first, including Melanie. Her first elementary school play as a guidance counselor. Her own first performance had been at the school talent show, where she’d performed her favorite card tricks. Who would have guessed she would be using those talents again? This time it would be in a very different way, for a very different reason.
Audrey Alexander entered the stage. “Good evening, everyone! Welcome to the Jesse Moorer Elementary School Season of Giving Festival!” A huge round of applause, hoots, and shouts filled the room. “I’d like to point out that all the decorations along the walls are by our students. As you can see, we have some very talented pupils.” More hoots and applause. “This evening’s play is about the importance of sharing. Each class will make a contribution to the feast of Thanksgiving, not only onstage, but also in the form of generous donations for the Food Pantry.” More thunderous applause. “So, without further ado, I’d like to present Ms. Tilbury’s first grade.” Another round of applause as twenty six-year-old children entered the stage wearing costumes representing farm animals. They began to sing and dance to “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Melanie tried valiantly not to laugh too hard as the cows bumped into the chickens. It was adorable. And hilarious. After they took a bow, two children wheeled out red wagons filled with canned corn and canned beans. Next up was the second grade. Their song was “Baby Shark,” with Jerome dressed like a palm tree. She spotted his parents in the second row. They were smiling and bobbing their heads to the music. When the song was over, Jerome and another child pulled their red wagons across the stage. This time, they were filled with canned tuna and canned salmon. Each class had a theme that coincided with the pantry products the students were donating. Melanie was clapping her hands when she caught Lynch’s eye. He was positioned at the foot of the stairs at stage right. She motioned toward the Walkers. He gave her a thumbs-up.
The play went on for another hour and a half, with parents shooting videos and photos, trying to capture their children’s performances. At the end of each routine, the children presented Audrey with wagons of food. By the end of the festival, the school had collected hundreds of canned goods, and boxes of rice and pasta. The event was an enormous success. As the audience ambled out to the hallway, Mr. and Mrs. Walker approached Melanie.
“Ms. Drake, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for our family. We very much appreciate your going the extra mile for us. Especially me.” Mr. Walker was very congenial.
“I’m so happy things are working out,” Melanie replied.
“Yes, thank you, Ms. Drake.” Mrs. Walker took Melanie’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “From the bottom of my heart.”
“I took your advice and enrolled in two online classes,” Mr. Walker continued. “There’s a position open at my company that will take me off the loading dock and into the office as soon as I complete the courses. I told my boss I wanted to apply for it and was going to school. He suddenly had a different opinion of me and offered to help. Fancy that.”
“I am very happy to hear it.” Melanie was thrilled. “Communication can be a wonderful thing.”
Jerome wiggled his way through the crowd, palm leaves slapping everyone along the way. “Thank you for everything. Have a happy Thanksgiving.”
“Same to you. Remember, my door is always open.” She smiled at the reunited family. “For all of you.”
After several minutes of small talk, Melanie had to make a quick exit. She had two new family members waiting for her. She was relieved Shannon hadn’t asked her to make anything for their Thanksgiving dinner. “Just bring wine,” was the request Melanie had hoped for.
When Melanie returned home, Cosmo and Kramer were sitting at attention near the front door. “Hello, my furry friends.” She bent over to give them pats and hugs. “You guys settling in okay?” She went into the kitchen and let them out. “You know where your bathroom is, right?” They scampered right over to it. “Apparently so,” she said out loud and waited. She wanted to observe their pattern. Would they wander around the yard or come straight back inside? Within minutes, they were back at the door. She thought they might need a little coaching, but that could wait until morning.
She looked down to see if they’d eaten any of their kibble. The bowls were empty. “Aw, you guys want something else?” They looked up at her, trying to understand this new language. She opened a can of food and put it in two separate navy-blue bowls and placed them on the mat. The dogs didn’t move. Melanie remembered they were trained to respond to a command. “Okay. Go for it.” She wasn’t sure if that was the proper way to say it, but they seemed to get the gist and went for the food. Her own stomach grumbled on cue. She hadn’t eaten anything since lunch.
She peered into the refrigerator. There were some leftovers from the Greek takeout. She fixed a plate and poured a glass of wine. She scooted past the two big dogs, went into the living room, and turned on the TV. One of the channels was broadcasting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade preparation, showing the balloons being inflated. She had to admit, she liked this part better than the actual parade. The dogs returned to their beds and settled in. Within an hour, she was ready to hit the sheets. It was going to be a big day tomorrow. It was the first holiday dinner hosted by her sister-in-law, and then she would be on a shopping spree for the next two days. She made a note to buy colored contact lenses and fake nails. She normally wore her nails short with a French manicure, but she would change it up according to her disguise. As soon as she stood, the dogs lifted their heads. “Do you want to come upstairs with me?” She brought her dishes into the kitchen and put them in the dishwasher while the dogs waited for their next command. “Okay, guys, come!” Both sprang to attention and met her at the bottom of the stairs. “Why can’t men be as accommodating?” Kramer cocked his head. “I said, why can’t men be as accommodating?” He just stared. “And there it is. The blank stare.” She chortled. “Come on.” She climbed the steps, and the two dogs followed.
When they reached the bedroom, the dogs sat at attention. Melanie wondered if they would climb into bed with her. It could be rather tight. She was glad she’d opted for the king-size bed. It took up a few more inches, so she’d put her dresser in one of the other bedrooms. Then she wondered if she should go downstairs and get their dog beds. She looked at the dogs. “I guess I didn’t think this part through.” There were two small area rugs on each side of the bed that could serve the purpose until they decided on sleeping arrangements. Or she could buy two more dog beds for her room. Another thought for another day. For the next few, she would be concentrating on creating the various faces of Melanie Drake.
