Cathy petted Munchie as she talked. “In keeping with the Christmas season, I think you need a reverse wonderful life.”
“What does that even mean?” Kate asked as she showed Cathy a small antler she could put on Munchie for the photo.
Cathy took the antler and put it on her dog. Munchie didn’t even shake his head a bit. Kate was impressed.
Cathy walked over to the backdrop with the very docile Munchie. “InIt’s a Wonderful Life,George sees what life would be like without him. You need to imagine what your life would be like with Hannah in it.”
Cathy sat on the stool. Kate adjusted Cathy’s pose until she was satisfied and used that time to think of her response. “I get it now,” Kate said. She set the timer on her phone and got into position. “When I hit the countdown, we have ten seconds.”
“Got it.” Cathy said. She sat up straight. Kate hit the button and quickly got into position.
“Don’t think we are done talking,” Cathy said through a smile.
“I figured as much,” Kate responded without moving her lips. The camera flashed. Kate had it set to take a burst of photos. Once the camera was done, she removed her phone from the stand and plugged it in so that the pictures displayed on a monitor and Cathy could choose which she wanted Kate to print.
Cathy handed Kate back the prop antler. She set Munchie down and attached his lead. There was a bowl of water sitting out, and he slurped from it.
“It’s a touch screen, so you can scroll through the pictures and then move any you want printed down here to the bottom. My next appointment is in half an hour, so I can print whatever you want right away.”
“I want to use one of the pictures for my Christmas cards. How do I do that?”
“I charge fifty-dollars if you want digital photos and, in that case, I send you all the pictures taken.”
Cathy nodded. “Great, let’s do that.” She pulled out her card, and Kate put it in her card reader. “Have you started thinking about what life with Hannah would be like?”
Kate frowned, “It’s only been five minutes since you said that.”
Cathy smiled a sly smile that reminded Kate of the smile the Grinch grins when he decides to divest the Whos of all their Christmas presents, food, and decorations. “When I write a love story, I always like to plant seeds. I want the reader to let certain scenes, certain dialogue simmer in their subconscious and then bubble up at the climax of the story.”
“You’re priming my subconscious to think about a life with Hannah?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Okay, well, we’ll see. I’m pretty set once I make a decision.”
“Some would call you obstinate,” Cathy took off her hat, smoothed down her gray hair and put her hat back on.
“Including you.”
“I saw the way you two interacted at Friendsgiving. I know love when I see it. I don’t want you to wind up with terrible regrets a year or two from now when Hannah has moved on and found someone else. Just think about it. How would you feel? What would it be like to share a home? Would you get a dog?”
Kate winced. Cathy had hit that sore dog-shaped hole in her heart. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about Hannah and beginning to imagine. If she owned the building, Hannah would move in with Smoky. Would Smoky be able to smell the pet store below her apartment? She realized Cathy had asked her another question and was now staring at her.
“Are you going to be here for the closing carols on Christmas Eve?” The Mistletoe Market closed at noon on Christmas Eve. The high school madrigals and jazz band led everyone in singing Christmas carols, and then at the end Santa gave a gift to every child in attendance. Kate had never attended the event. She usually left to go home the night before.
“This will be my first time going.”
“Wonderful, I hope when I see you, you’ll be under the mistletoe with Hannah.”
“Ironically, there is no mistletoe at the Mistletoe Market.”
“It’s a metaphor, Kate.”
“I’m just being obstinate, Cathy.” Kate winked at her friend.
“And on that note, I’d better run.” Munchie was pulling on his leash, and Cathy started to walk away.
“Thanks for coming out! Oh crap, I just realized I’m on your Christmas card!”
