Chapter 19

After class, in her car, Emma messaged Todd back.

“Hi, Todd. I’d love to go out sometime. Just let me know the time and place.”

She stopped by the apartment building and changed into her “dog walking” clothes. There was nothing special about them except that they were more “muddy dog paw” friendly than the rest of her wardrobe with dark and busy stain-hiding patterns. She didn’t think that would be important today for the meet-and-greet, but it never hurt to be prepared.

While she was changing, her phone buzzed again.

“User HotInLongBeach47 has sent this message:”

“The day after tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at 6 o’clock; just send me your address. Oh, and wear something TIGHT.”

Wear something tight? Well, that wasn’t really a problem. Most of her clothes were tight, she thought ruefully.

She had a little time to kill so she headed next door.

<<KNOCK KNOCK>>

When Jess answered the door, Emma was stamping her feet with excitement.

“I have a date!” she shouted before Jess even had the door fully open. Emma held her phone up to show Jess the emails.

“That’s great, Em! Congratulations!” She took the phone from Emma and read the email. The happy-for-her smile that she had at first, faded a bit once she started reading the emails. Emma caught the change.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, suddenly worried.

“Nothing! Really, it’s nothing. Just, be careful. Remember what I said: your legs open on your schedule, not his. Don’t be pressured at all,” she said.

Emma opened her mouth to pursue it but Jess changed the subject. “I got your text regarding your speech tomorrow. Did you pick a topic yet?”

Emma blinked, momentarily confused. “Huh? Oh, yes, I did! It’s on ‘Proper Procedures for Handling an Animal of Unknown Temperament.’”

Jess pretended to fall asleep standing up and began snoring.

“Stop it!” Emma said, laughing. Jess opened her eyes and laughed as well.

“I’m only teasing, honest. Actually, it sounds perfect for you. I can’t wait!” Jess said.

“Hey, I have to run,” Emma said, “I have to meet with a new client, but I just wanted to give you the good news.”

“Ok, no problem.”

Brent’s house was a modest single family situated at the end of a short, quiet street. It had a two car garage, but a green Toyota RAV-4 sat in the driveway. A Firefighter cross sticker was on the rear window.

It was less than a five minute drive from her apartment and she bad another client that lived by also, so it would make him a convenient stop for her.

Emma parked on the street and walked up to the front door. Before she knocked, she was pleased to see a “Save My Pets” sticker on the front window. It indicated that one dog was on the premises.

Peeking through the window, she could see the living-room. The floor was covered in a dizzying array of dog toys, all in various states of chewed-to-pieces. She knocked.

“Coming!” was yelled from inside followed by a series of short, frantic barks. Brent answered the door, dressed as she had seen him this morning save for feet; the sneakers that he had been wearing this morning were replaced with just socks.

“Hi!” he greeted her. “Come on in, please.” He opened the door all the way to let her in. Bruiser was at the far end of the living room, eying her and continuing to bark. “Bruiser! Be nice!” he shouted to the pug.

“Thank you. Do you want me to take my shoes off?” Emma asked before stepping inside.

“Huh?” Brent asked. Then he looked down at his own feet. “Oh! No, not at all. This isn’t that kind of house. My shoes are in the basement sink drying. I had to wash them after I stepped in some, umm, poo in the back yard a little while ago.” He seemed a bit embarrassed at telling her the poo story.

Emma laughed. “Poo happens, you know!”

“It certainly does,” Brent agreed, laughing also. Emma went in.

Upon seeing that his barking had not, in fact, scared off the intruder, Bruiser began bouncing up and down and barking even more furiously. He would dart forward a few steps, let loose with a stream of barks, then dart back to safety.

“Bruiser! Stop it!” Brent ordered. Bruiser didn’t.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m used to it. I am a stranger invading his territory. Let me handle things,” Emma said.

Slowly, she approached Bruiser. About six feet from him, she squatted down. His barking had eased a lot; not because he was ok with her, but rather because he was now cornered and a bit frightened.