“Car,” said Alice, peering out the kitchen window.
“Car,” said Lena.
Mama stood very still for a moment.
“Okay,” she said. “They’re early.”
May knew the people who were adopting her. She had met them twice—once here, once at their house. I couldn’t remember their last name, but their first names were easy. They were both named Tom, man and wife.
“How can that be?” Alice had asked. “Two Toms?”
“He’s Tom and she’s Tommy,” said Mama. “Tomasina, I think.”
Alice snorted. And from that time on they were known as the Two Toms.
I watched them get out of the car. The man Tom smiled at the woman Tom, who carried a pot of flowers. They walked up to the porch.
May put her nose in the air and woofed. She was brushed. She was wearing her new green leather collar.
Mama opened the door.
When May saw the Toms, she ran to them and wagged her huge feathered tail.
“May!” the Two Toms said. They often said the same thing at the same time. It seemed to cut down on confusion.
“Don’t allow her to jump up on you,” warned Mama. “She’s too big for that. Say ‘off.’”
“Off,” said the Two Toms.
“Off!” said Lena loudly.
“Hi, Zoe. Hi, Alice,” said the Tom woman.
“Here’s her leash,” said Mama. She handed them a folder. “And here’s the paperwork you’ll need for your vet: a list of her vaccinations and early health records. You’ll see she’s healthy.”
The Tom woman leaned over and gave Mama a kiss on the cheek. She handed Mama the flowers. “We thank you. We’ll keep in touch, Claire.”
“Call me if you have any questions,” said Mama. “I’d like to hear how she’s doing. She’s a good girl.”
Surprisingly, it was Alice who had tears. She hugged May, who was loving all this attention even though she didn’t understand what was about to happen.
I looked at Kodi, who stood to the side. Tom the man went over and patted Kodi, and Kodi wagged his tail.
But he knew. Kodi always knew that when a new dog came, that dog would go away again.
I moved over and put my hand on his head. He looked at me with those smart black eyes.
When the Two Toms and May went out the door, Kodi left me and walked to the window and looked out. He watched May stand by the car. We all stood there.
May got into the backseat. She turned her head and looked at us for a moment.
Then she was gone.
It is dark night, only the night-light glowing, when I feel something move next to me in bed. I turn over and see his big face next to my face. He has stretched out on my white down quilt.
White on white.
I smile in the dark and put my arm around his big, soft, furry body.
“It’s all right, Kodi,” I whisper. “There will be more dogs soon.”
Kodi sighs a dog sigh.
He sleeps. All is quiet again.