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Birdie stuck out her wide tongue and panted.
Not reassuring, Birdie.
I followed Sebastian out the back door.
He pointed at a path. “I usually take the trail behind the shelter, it’s a great distance for the dogs. You could also walk them along Main Street. It’s quiet at this time of day.”
“Anything else I should know?” I asked as Birdie tugged the leash.
Sebastian’s dog looked equally impatient. He shook his head. “That’s the gist of it.”
Gary waved us off and Sebastian started up the path with me behind him. He quickly pulled ahead, his dog more athletic than mine. After a few minutes of light jogging, Birdie started to pant. I slowed our pace to a leisurely walk and Birdie enjoyed sniffing everything. It wasn’t long before Sebastian doubled back and passed us with a wave. He looked incredibly handsome with his large body on display, the sleek lines highlighted by his skintight athletic wear.
After a few more minutes, Birdie and I turned around ourselves. At this point she was panting so hard I was a little worried I might have overdone it. Surely they would have warned me if that were a serious concern.
The wind decided to pick up, so I adjusted my jacket zipper until it hit the bottom of my chin. Just as we rounded the last corner, with the shelter in the distance, Birdie stopped walking and crouched into the pooping position.
Nonononononono.
“Please don’t poop. Please. I’ll give you a treat if you hold it. A really big treat. All the treats.”
Alas, she didn’t listen to me and when she kept going and going, I thought I might get sick. Sebastian had already come and gone with another dog, which meant it would be a while before he’d return so I couldn’t ask him for help.
“You can do this, Faith,” I said, shaking my hands out. I removed one of the plastic baggies from my pocket and readied it.
I fought back a gag as I scooped it into the baggie. Determined not to throw up, I tried breathing in and out through my mouth instead of my nose.
Then I realized one baggie wasn’t going to be big enough.
For fuck’s sake.
I got a second bag out of the little fire hydrant holder and made quick work of getting the rest of it.
“Did you just save all that up for me? Birdie, Birdie, Birdie. You’re on my shit list.” I extended my arm out to keep the poop bag as far away from me as possible while managing the leash with my other hand.
I must have had a funny look on my face because when I arrived back at the shelter, Gary winced. “That bad, huh?”
“Where can I drop this?”
He nodded to the large, lidded trash can in the corner. I deposited the baggies in the receptacle and took Birdie back to her home.
“Ready for another one?”
A laugh burst from my chest. Minus the poop gate, the actual walking was fun. “Sure, why not?”
I spent time with three other dogs, two of whom decided to also potty on my watch. My heart raced when I realized I’d used up all the bags in the holder and I kept my fingers crossed that Charlie, the chubby beagle, wouldn’t decide to potty for a second time that morning. At least not with me.
By the end of my last walk, my shirt clung to my chest. I’d peeled myself out of my outer layer, wrapping it around my waist. Those dogs gave me a run for my money. All in all, I walked and ran with three of them. Nothing compared to the nine that Sebastian exercised.
Being here made me think of my mom. She loved the local shelter in Connecticut. Hell, my dad gave them insane amounts of money as a balm to ease his grief. How many times had Mom tried to convince me to volunteer just like this?
I’d like to think she’d be proud.
Sebastian smiled wide as he returned with his last dog. The man looked completely content and seeing him like this made something flutter in my chest.
I still couldn’t reconcile in my head that this was the man who’d avoided me all those years.
I wasn’t sure what changed his mind, but I looked forward to finding out.
