“This is why I’m getting a bigger place,” she said. “There’s just not enough room here.”
“Why didn’t you hold the pageant outside?” he asked.
“Because my next-door neighbor would have complained about the noise. It’s starting,” she said. She pulled up the Instagram app. “Have you gotten ahold of your grandmother?”
“Doing it now,” Thad said.
The pageant kicked off with the dogs parading in formal wear. Ashanti’s heart melted at the sight of Duchess and Puddin’. With Duchess in her pink ballgown and Puddin’ in a vest and bow tie, they looked as if they were off to prom.
“I can’t believe I’m standing here watching this,” Thad muttered.
“How could you want to be anywhere else?” Ashanti asked. “They are adorable.”
“Yes, they are,” Mrs. Frances chimed in through his phone. “Thaddeus, you should have been on that stage with Puddin’. You two would have made a pair.”
Told you, Ashanti mouthed. She looked down at her phone and noticed the bevy of translucent hearts fluttering across the livestream. Comments were scrolling up the screen.
“Instagram agrees that the dogs are absolutely adorable,” Ashanti said. She could only imagine what their reaction would have been if Thad had served as Puddin’s dog handler. Probably a lot more fire emojis than hearts.
“Dammit, that’s my physical therapist,” Ashanti heard Mrs. Frances say. “Thaddeus, record the rest of the pageant for me. Do not miss a thing.”
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t, Mrs. Frances,” Ashanti said.
They had moved to the talent portion of the pageant. Leslie stood in the center of the stage with Baguette and Cannoli, motioning for the dachshunds to twirl. The audience went wild. Little did they know, they too could get dogs to twirl if they hid a chicken-flavored dog biscuit in each hand.
Mark came out with a Hula-Hoop under one arm and Chi Chi, a Yorkie that had only started at the daycare a couple of weeks ago, under the other. He set the dog down in the middle of the stage and she immediately peed.
“Oh no,” Ashanti muttered. She turned the camera to face her. “We’ll have a brief pause in the live broadcast. I promise we’ll be back.”
“I’ve got it,” Deja called, already making her way to the stage with the accident cleanup kit.
“Guess that’s to be expected,” Thad said.
“Probably nerves. This is Chi Chi’s first time onstage,” Ashanti said. She nodded toward the youth choir, who were all falling over themselves laughing. “But kids love gross stuff, so it’s a win.” She looked over at him. “So you’re living in the house in Tremé? Not that I’m trying to get all up in your business,” she quickly added. “But earlier you said your grandmother would kick you out if you hadn’t come today.”
Maybe shewastrying to get all up in his business, but instead of calling her on it, he answered.
“Yeah,” he said. “I just moved back to New Orleans and into my grandparents’ house a few weeks ago. It’s my housetoo. I grew up there.” He glanced at her. “I didn’t mean to be short with you on Monday.”
Ashanti startled at the unexpected subject change. “Umm… okay,” she said.
“I was irritated at having to deal with the dog, and…” He shook his head. “I just wasn’t at my best.”
“Is this your version of an apology?”
“Yes.”
As far as apologies went, it was a two on a scale of one to ten, but at least he tried.
“Apology accepted,” she said. “But I have to ask, is having to look after Puddin’ really that bad? Everyone who has ever met him thinks he’s a sweetheart.”
“I hate that dog,” he said so quickly that Ashanti knew it had to come from a place of deep truth. “We hate each other. It’s been that way since he was a puppy. Whenever I came home on leave, he’d find a way to terrorize me. Piss in my shoes, chew up my phone case. Puddin’ is a menace.”
Ashanti pulled her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from laughing. After she’d collected herself, she said, “I’ll bet it’s a territory thing. You’re the only other male in the family.”
Thad shot her an incredulous frown. “You’re not a dog psychologist or some shit like that, are you?”
She couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. The expression on his face made her want to lie to him, just to see his reaction.
