Hi Cora, Thank you so much for your wonderful submission forEveryday Dogs! We would love to schedule time for a quick interview and video test. Please give me a call and we can talk about dates. Regards—Mia Nguyen
Cora’s fingers tingled. It was happening! She had done it—she had passed the first hurdle, and they wanted to meet her! She forwarded the e-mail to Wade and then stared off into space. She was elated and terrified at the same time.
The sound of a key in the front door interrupted her racing thoughts, waking Josie from her REM sleep and sending her skidding toward the source, barking a fierce warning. Fritz watched her run to the door with a bemused expression on his face.
“Well, hello there! Is that any way to greet your new auntie?” Maggie was well versed enough in dogspeak to know that Josie’s barky greeting was all bluster. “You aresopretty! Look at you!” The barking quieted, and Cora could hear Maggie murmuring to Josie.
The pair walked into the family room. “Oh my God, this is the cutest dogever! Not counting you, Fritz.” She reached down to pet Josie. “She’s like a tiny little supermodel! How’s she doing so far?” Josie looked up at Maggie with a lovesick expression on her face. No creature was immune to her charms.
“It’s only been a few hours, but she’s doing okay. A little on edge, which is to be expected. She and Fritz really like each other.”
Maggie stopped and stared at Cora. “What? What’s going on? Something’s weird. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I just got an e-mail...”
Maggie closed her eyes and crossed her fingers. “Please be what I think it is.”
“... from Bolex Media.”
“Ahhhh, I told you!” She opened her eyes and whooped. “I told you they’d like you! Tell me everything!” Josie looked up at Maggie with her ears back, unsure if her booming voice meant war or peace.
“There’s not much to tell. They want me to call to set up a time to meet. Interview and ‘video test,’ whatever that means.”
“This is so freaking exciting! Why aren’t you more excited? This ishuge! They want to check you out, see how you take direction, make sure you’re not a psychopath ... I can help you prep! Auditions are my jam, baby. Are you freaking out?”
“You don’t even know,” Cora replied.
“Please, I totally know. You look like you’re wearing Kabuki makeup.”
Cora nodded and grimaced.
“You’re going to be fine! They liked you enough to ask you to meet, so just go with it. You were meant for this. Trust me.”
“ ‘Meant for this’? You really think so?”
“What’s your main goal in life, Cora Bellamy?”
“To help as many dogs as I can.”
“Well, this could help atonof dogs. Just remember that when you start to freak out.”
“You’re right. Maybe that’s my mantra. ‘This could help a ton of dogs.’ If I remember it’s about them and not me, I can get through this.”
“Preach!” Maggie sat down next to Josie, who plopped into her lap. She ran her hand gently down the dog’s back, and Josie leaned back against her so her head rested against Maggie’s chest. “This dog is a winner. Whoever winds up with her is going to be very lucky. Right, cutie-face?”
Josie just sighed and snuggled in closer.
TWENTY-THREE
“How long has it been since you’ve had sex?” Maggie asked without lowering her voice. They were sitting outside The Wafflery, polishing off the remainder of their brunch. A table of fit yoga moms looked their way and laughed.
“I’m sure you can figure it out,” Cora replied as she downed her mimosa, squinting at Maggie over the rim. “Count back.”
“Okay, so you and Aaron broke up like ... a year and a half ago?” Cora nodded. “And you qsaid things were pretty shitty toward the end, so...” She paused dramatically. “You haven’t had sex with anyone in two years? Not even a one-night stand with some rando?”
“I came pretty close with that one guy right after Aaron and I broke up, but then I started crying and it totally killed the mood. Kind of unbelievable that it’s been so long, isn’t it?”
“It’s a crime against humanity, darling!” Maggie whispered dramatically in a heavy British accent. “Are you goingmad?”
