Tom tried to run his fingers through his hair. He was wearing a wool hat. “You told me that she was too much to manage on your own. You said that you hadn’t evenwanteda dog—you said that a dog isn’t a baby.”
“A dogisn’ta baby!” Cherry half shouted.
“You said you were glad that I was back to walk her every day—you act like she’s a huge hassle!”
“Tom, sheisa huge hassle!”
He threw his hands up. “So, why are we even arguing?”
She pointed at him. “Because you can’t just take her away from me! You don’t get totakeeverything!”
Tom leaned toward her with his big barrel chest. His arms were still out. “I didn’t takeanything! I’ve been living out of a suitcase for a year!”
“You took everything!” Cherry was shouting. Maybe she was screaming. “You tookeverything!”
Tom looked speechless. He took a step back.
Cherry’s lungs were heaving. She tried to catch her breath. “You don’t get to take her,” she said.“Stevie!”Cherry looked around. “Where is she?”
“She’s inside,” Tom snapped.
“She’s not inside. She’s—Oh my god.” Cherry ran for the garage door. She slid when she stepped out into the snow.
Tom was right behind her. “What’s wrong?”
“I left the front door open.”
“Cherry, slow down.”
“I left the door open!”
There were new paw prints on the front steps. New snow angels in the yard.
“Tom, she got out!” Stevie was a runner.
“Let’s check the house.”
“I thought she was withyou.”
Tom passed Cherry on the steps. The front door was still open—Cherry had thought she was only stepping outside for a minute. She hadn’t wanted to grab her keys.
Tom raised his voice—“Stevie!”He was already inside the house.
Cherry followed him.“Stevie?”
Tom clomped up the stairs to the bedrooms. Cherry checked the main floor. The cellar door was closed.
“Stevie!” she heard Tom call.
Cherry went to the bottom of the staircase. “Tom, she’s not here! Didn’t you see the tracks in the yard?”
He was coming down the stairs. “I’ll go look for her.”
“I’m coming, too.”
“No. You stay here.”
“I’m coming.”
