Friendly topped her list. She’d never known a mean dog, but she wanted one that would be a companion and interact with her, not keep an aloof distance. Playful and easily trainable also topped her list. Size didn’t matter, as long as the dog would adjust to apartment living. She might not have a yard for the dog, but she’d gladly go for runs and walks to give the dog plenty of exercise. She even knew of a dog park that recently opened.
Satisfied she’d made an adequate list, she set the notepad aside. Shortly after, her doorbell rang and she took her manicotti from the delivery driver, gave them a generous tip. She sat at her table and browsed social media on her phone as she ate.
Listings from the classifieds began popping up in her feed, ninety percent of them pet related. Tiffany rolled her eyes, annoyed how the platform seemed to read her thoughts. She was about to log out when one of the ads caught her attention.
Four black and tan puppies were free to a good home. The litter appeared to be a small breed, perhaps a chihuahua or a mini-pin mix. Whatever they were, they were adorable, but the one on the far right caught her attention, called to her as though that dog alone wanted to be adopted by Tiffany. The dog’s ears stuck straight out at an angle, and it had the cutest black button nose she’d ever seen. It was the only one that didn’t have a visible white spot on its chest.
Despite her decision to look at the shelter tomorrow, she couldn’t help sending a message to inquire about the puppy in the picture. Either way, she’d be giving a dog in need a home. She typed a quick message asking for more information to the owner of the listing, someone with the usernameCon1234.
She scratched her head. What kind of a name was that? Should she send the message? Meeting people online was dangerous enough, but to connect with someone who chose their username as Con? A criminal wouldn’t be that obvious, she concluded. She hit send.
Hitting the back button, she smiled when the puppies picture appeared on the screen again. Again, the same pup, who Tiffany now knew was a female after reading the ad’s description, jumped out and tugged at her heartstrings. She just knew that dog was meant for her.
After driving herself crazy by refreshing her inbox five times, she shut down her phone to save her sanity. She finished eating her manicotti and dipped the complementary breadstick into the leftover sauce. Too full to finish the bread, she saved it in a container for later.
She tried watching a movie, but her excitement got the better of her. Two hours ago, she’d been an emotional mess, but now she had something to look forward to. Did God listen to prayers about dogs? It couldn’t hurt to pray. “Dear Lord, I know you have more important requests to hear, but this dog means a lot to me. I can’t explain why, I only know that I’m supposed to have her. It’s a feeling deep in my soul. Please, if it’s your will, let it happen.”
