“You know, he had some pretty good ideas.” She has her phone out, busily tapping on the screen and ignoring my tease. “A calendar of ladies washing dogs in wet T-shirts would be a big hit with the guys… and some of the ladies, too, I’d wager.”
“It’s also highly inappropriate and sexist.”
“That’s thejoke, Gigi, but you know as well as I do something like that would fly off the shelves. And how is it any more sexist than our calendar?”
Waving my hand, I’m not getting into a discussion of gender-based power dynamics today. I’m still floating on memories of my blissful doggy-family mushroom trip, and I don’t want to kill my vibe.
“So you want to have a dog show where the hockey players walk their dogs in either tight jeans or designer suits?”
Her lips pinch, and she gives me a not-so-innocent grin. “The designer suits would be better… and hotter.”
“It sounds more like a fashion show.”
“Isn’t that basically what a dog show is?”
I shake my head. “Not at all. Handlers have a specific way of walking the dogs. It’s calledgaiting, and it’s used to evaluate whether the dog conforms to breed standards.”
“Can the guys learn to do it?”
“I don’t see why not.” I shrug. “They just have to practice walking their dog at the correct speed to showcase its natural gait.”
“Yay! I’ll spread the word and see how many tickets wecan sell.” Her thumbs continue flying over her phone screen. “Oh, and could you recruit some judges for us? Hopefully ones who’ll work for free? It’s for charity.”
“Oh, sure. I’m not doing anything.”
“Geeegeeeee!” she yells as she walks down the hall to Lucy’s room.
I shake my head. She knows I’m going to help her.
I walk over to where Owen’s daughter is on the sofa hugging Zander and watchingThe Fox & The Hound, Part 2with Spanky and Ladybird on the rug beside her.
“I loved this movie when I was your age.” I lean on the back of the couch near her. “It’s not as sad as the first one.”
“I like Granny Rose!” Maddie rocks, bopping her feet as the dogs start to sing a country-folk song. “Do you think Ladybird could sing like Copper?”
“Hmm…” I watch the group of cartoon dogs harmonizing. “I think Ladybird has her own special way of singing.”
The dogs break into a chant, and Maddie says it with them. “Like a bird in a tree, we’re meant to be…”
Haddy returns to the room holding Lucy. She starts singing the song as well in her perfect, pageant voice as she bounces the baby.
Maddie climbs onto her knees. “Can I hold baby Lucy?”
“Let’s see.” Haddy walks around to sit on the couch, and Maddie scoots closer to her. “Have you ever held a little baby before?”
“No.” Maddie’s brown eyes are wide, and I walk around to sit on her other side.
“I’ll help you then.” Haddy turns her five-month-old around, laying her across Maddie’s lap. “Put your arm under her head like this, and hold her waist with your arm.”
Maddie cuddles the baby, and Lucy blinks up at her.
“She’s so cute,” Maddie coos. “Hey, baby Lucy, I’m your friend Maddie.”
My heart melts, and I put my hand on Maddie’s back. “I can tell she likes you already.”
“You can?” The little girl’s eyebrows shoot up, and she looks up at me. “How can you tell?”
“Well, she’s not crying.”
