After first nearly burning down her house and having her unsustainable and inexperienced accounting practice rejected by a Buddhist white lady in palazzo pants and a headwrap, Kamila desperately needed a boost to her self-image. Thankfully, she had plans with her friend Asha that afternoon. The Norwegian colorwork sweaters she’d ordered for Darcy and Asha’s dog, Lizzy, had finally come in, so it was time for a photo shoot of the two dogs frolicking in the fall leaves wearing their Nordic attire. Darcy’s fans were clamoring for new glamour shots, and with any luck, she’d go viral again. After rushing home to change and get the dog and her sweater, Kamila drove to her neighborhood dog park.
“You look…autumnal,” Asha said as Kamila got out of her car. Kamila had changed into a full-skirted cream shirtdress covered with huge orange-and-yellow blooms. She’d paired the dress with an open mustard cardigan and knee-high boots in the softest brown leather imaginable.
Kamila kissed her friend on both cheeks. “I’m so stoked it’s finally sweater weather. That septum ring new?”
Asha grinned, tilting forward so Kamila could get a closer look at her ornate new nose ring. “Another gift from Nicole. She likes to adorn me like a Christmas tree, and I’m loving every second of it.”
Asha looked effortlessly luminous, as she always did. Her riot of curls was barely held back with a yellow scarf today, and she was wearing her standard black-leggings-and-dress combo with a red lipstick that looked amazing against her rich brown skin. Kamila had known Asha for about four years, since Kamila had started volunteering at the nearby animal shelter where Asha was the operations manager. They’d chatted while Kamila cleaned up after puppies and cut carrots for rabbits, and Kamila was delighted to learn that Asha lived in the condo on the other side of the dog park. When Asha adopted a one-year-old corgi that had been surrendered to the shelter with the unfortunate name of Lizard-Monster, Kamila acknowledged that as the owner of a dog named Darcy, she had no choice but to be good friends with someone who had a dog named Lizzy. Their friendship had only deepened in the last couple of years.
Kamila looked down at the sweater stretched over Lizzy’s back. “The sweater is a bit…”
Asha frowned. “Tight—yeah, I know. Lizzy’s also getting spoiled these days. Two moms, double the treats. Twice last week he tricked Nicole into giving him a second dinner. We need to figure out a system.”
Kamila patted the dog’s head with amusement, then looped her arm through Asha’s. “C’mon, let’s get some pictures by the trees before going to the off-leash area. If we get good shots, I want to photoshop them into this Norwegian Christmas market picture I found.”
It was supremely basic to wax poetic about fall, but Kamila was happy to own her basic-girl status, because September was so excessively idyllic. The warm sun. The hollow hum of cicadas and laughing children excited to be reunited with their friends after summer holidays. Foliage transforming to the exact tones that best complemented Darcy’s pale-beige and white fur and brown eyes. These pictures would be epic, even unphotoshopped into Norway.
But the moment Kamila unclipped Darcy’s leash for pictures, the dog jumped headfirst into a pile of leaves. Lizzy looked on, head cocked, knowing his mom wouldn’t approve of him joining his free-spirited friend. Lizzy might have had the fine eyes of Elizabeth Bennet, but they were paired with the dignified stoicism of Fitzwilliam Darcy. Kamila had often wondered if the two dogs should trade names.
“Take pictures quickly. Darcy’s sweater will be caked in leaves in about three seconds. I’m not sure wool is best for active dogs,” Asha said, gently urging Lizzy to play with his friend.
Kamila hurriedly took some pictures with her phone.
“How did your client meeting go today?” Asha said as she picked up a suspicious Lizzy and attempted to deposit him in the leaves.
“Terribly. Look at this profoundly drab manicure.” Kamila held up one hand to show off her nails. “I think this is all I’ll be getting from Nirvana Lotus Day Spa. Certainly not a freelance accountant retainer.”
“Oh no! Why not?”
Kamila sighed. “She didn’t seem that impressed with me. It’s fine. I’m not sure I want to work with a born-again Buddhist vegan anyway. I’m feeling a little wounded that she didn’t think I wasrighteousenough, though.”
“Righteous? Is that what she said?”
“She implied it. And she implied I couldn’t possibly have the experience needed to work with them on an expansion. It’s frustrating. I have loads of new clients, but they’re all pretty small. If I got a big client like this, maybe I could convince Dad to go part-time.”
“Didn’t your dad’s client refer someone to you last week? How did that pan out?”
Kamila snorted. “Even worse than the spa. He’s like this sixty-eight-year-old who owns a chain of medical walk-in clinics. I agreed to meet him so Dad wouldn’t take the new client, but that dude’s not going to hire me. I’m learning that I lack a certain something many of Dad’s older clients prefer in an accountant.”
“A penis, I assume.”
“Yep. Or at least glasses and sensible slacks.”
Asha laughed. “Glasses might look cute on you, though.”
“Of course they’d look cute on me.” Kamila snapped some more pictures as Lizzy sniffed Darcy’s nose.
“If it’s any consolation, Nicole is technically one of your dad’s older clients, and she adores you. She’d switch to you in a second if he retired.”
“Yeah, I don’t see that happening, anyway. Dad retiring, I mean. Honestly, if he’d just agree to go part-time, I’d worry less.” She put her phone down and grinned at Asha. “And of course Nicole loves me. I introduced her to the love of her life.”
“And you’ll never let any of us forget it.”
“Nope. I’m a matchmakingartiste. I’m very proud of my work.”
Kamila had always enjoyed playing matchmaker for her friends, but she was particularly proud of Asha and Nicole. They were different races, religions, and tax brackets and had a ten-year age difference, and yet the moment that Asha told Kamila she was looking for something long-term, Kamila knew Dad’s client Nicole was for her. A quiet, Black, plant-loving ob-gyn and a self-proclaimed social-justice-focused Indian dog lover weren’t an obvious match, but as expected, it was practically love at first sight. It was their complementary dry and sometimes absurdist senses of humor. Plus, their love of cheesy movies and romance novels.
Kamila snapped another picture of Lizzy. Darcy was still digging in the leaves, but Kamila at least managed to capture Darcy’s rear end in the shot.
