“Come on in, please.” We followed Dominique into her house. She waved her hand. “Don’t pay attention to the living room. The furniture in there was all Bedford’s, and he took it when he left.”

  “I see,” JayB observed neutrally.

  “My sister’s fine. Thanks for asking. It was really bad at first. I was so scared. But she’s going to make a full recovery.”

  “Glad to hear it. That’s great news. So Bedford … took his furniture?”

  Dominique rolled her eyes. “He just couldn’t handle any of it. Completely folded in a crisis. Couldn’t make a decision. We’re there and my sister’s in surgery and he leaves to go find a gym. I mean, who does that?” She shook her head. “We were already having problems, but this sort of cemented it for me.” She focused on JayB. “He told me, though, how you helped. He explained about the plane tickets and everything. I knew he couldn’t have put that together on his own. Thank you, JayB.” Dominique stepped forward and gave JayB a tight hug. Both Phoebe and I did a reflexive Sit, reading something in the room that hadn’t been there before. “So, how’s the dog-walking business going?”

  “Well, actually,” JayB answered after a moment’s pause, “I’m running a restaurant now.”

  Dominique’s face reflected her surprise. “Oh, nice. I didn’t realize you were in that line of work.”

  “I wasn’t. It’s a long story.”

  “Okay.” Dominique smiled. “Maybe sometime you’ll tell me that long story?”

  “Of course. I’m still walking dogs, but now I only do it for the glamour.”

  Dominique laughed, then frowned. “So, is this a sneaky way of telling me I’m going to have to find someone else to walk Phoebe?”

  JayB nodded. “Pretty soon. I don’t want to leave you in the lurch, but I really only sort of stumbled into dog-walking by accident. It’s—”

  “Another long story?” Dominique guessed.

  “Exactly.”

  She pouted. “Well, I’m sorry to hear it, if I can be honest. I realized as I was flying home just how much I’ve come to look forward to seeing you when you come over.”

  “Oh,” he fumbled. “It’s … always nice to see you, too, Dominique.”

  She smiled, reaching out to smooth the fur on Phoebe’s head.

  We left a little while later. “What the heck was that, Clancy?” JayB asked. “Am I completely wrong, or was she dropping hints? And why now? It’s like some sort of cosmic joke.” He looked down at me. “You know what ‘cosmic’ means, right? Of course you do.”

  I picked up on my name and wagged, not sure what he was saying. I hoped it was something like, “Let’s go back and get Phoebe,” but he didn’t say her name at all.

  Later, I wagged instead of barking when I heard a light tap at the front door, because I smelled Odin on the other side.

  Alana was standing on the front steps, carrying a box. “I brought you gifts,” she told JayB brightly.

  JayB peered into the box. “So, I take it you think I need to change my shampoo.”

  Alana laughed. “These are just some things from the house that I’ll wind up not using. Shame to throw them away. A half a bottle of shampoo is better than none.”

  “That’s what I always say.” JayB took the box. “So, how many days?”

  “I’m leaving Saturday,” Alana replied, following him into the house. “Right after the closing. I met the couple buying the place. They’re really nice. She’s pregnant and they’ve got a dog.”

  “Oh, good,” JayB replied. “I’ve been wanting to grow my business. Babies are like dogs, right? You just need to let them out in the yard to pee every so often.” He smiled at her. “Any chance the deal might fall through like the first one?”

  Alana shook her head. “All cash.”

  “So that’s it, then. Saturday. Three days, and then you and Odin are back on the road.”

  “Today, tomorrow, Friday. Three days,” she affirmed. “I don’t have a new apartment yet, so I’ll probably do Vrbo.”

  “You want company again for this road trip?” JayB asked tentatively.

  Alana gazed at JayB for a long, long moment. Odin and I both understood something significant was happening in the room. My reaction was to do Sit. Odin’s was to move slowly into the living room and settle into his corner with a mild sigh.

  Finally, she shook her head. “You know what the expression ‘on the bounce’ means?”

  “Sure.”

  “What?”

  “Well,” JayB pondered, “on the bounce is when someone jumps out a window and you try to grab him and you miss—you can catch him on the bounce.”

  Alana laughed delightedly. “You totally got me with that one.” Gradually, her smile faded. “Losing Mom has affected me far more, and in far more ways, than I would have thought. It’s as if I was living on auto-pilot, and when she passed, the auto-pilot disengaged. Now that I’ve taken over, I need to figure out how to fly the airplane.”

  “So it’s the airplane that bounces.”

  “Every bad decision I’ve ever made in relationships came when I was on the bounce. Like I am right now, from Guy. If I … moved here. Stayed here…” Her eyes searched his. “Wouldn’t that be going back on auto-pilot? Letting the airplane fly itself?”

  “Wouldn’t moving back to LA and going back to the job you dislike be the same? Auto-pilot?”

  “That is … a very good question,” she conceded. She focused on him. “Do you think … I don’t know. Would you ever consider moving back to California?”

  JayB thought about it. “That would feel like a step backward to me. I’d be willing to go almost anywhere else, but I’ve done California.”

  Alana nodded. “Fair enough. But you grew up here. You’ve done that, too.”

  “Kansas City’s not so bad.”

  “I know. Everyone who lives here seems to love it, almost like you’re all in a cult or something. But I need to figure out my next move. I’ve done what I came here to do—the house is sold, and my mom’s stuff is gone. Time to turn the page.”

  “You’re standing up for yourself.”

  Alana gave him a wry smile.

  “But it isn’t really Kansas City keeping me here,” JayB explained. “If you’d like to know the truth, I’m looking forward to turning the restaurant around. Get it money-making. And then on to the next spontaneous adventure.”

  “I do get that part. Wanting to save the restaurant. It’s gotten to me a little, too. You know what we should think about putting on the menu? Dog treats. Gourmet, homemade, I mean.”

  “Fantastic idea. You’re amazing.”

  Alana blushed. “Thank you.”

  “So how do we get something like that started?”

  Alana held up a hand. “We don’t, because I’m not going to be here. Look, JayB, I really don’t want to be talked into anything right now. Can we just enjoy the next few days together?”

  “Sure. Except I told Walter we’d go to his place Friday. Day after tomorrow. To go over all his numbers. Not exactly fun. I’ll do the heavy lifting, but when it comes to the facts—like I said, he’ll listen to you.”

  Alana sighed. “I won’t enjoy it, but sure.”

  “What you will enjoy is my Cajun spaghetti.”

  Alana laughed. “What?”

  JayB looked sheepish. “Okay, I called DesMoines and she had me tell her what I had in the pantry and she gave me the recipe. It’s pretty good.”

  When Alana and Odin left that night, he was moving very slowly.

  We did not go to get Spartan or Phoebe the next morning, but we did take a walk. Odin and Alana were waiting on our front steps when we returned.

  “Why didn’t you just barge into the house like everybody else?” JayB asked her.

  Alana laughed. “You ready for me to buy you lunch? An ad came up in my feed this morning for a place where the dogs can run in a fenced-in area.”

  “Let’s go.”

  We walked to JayB’s car and I hopped in and wagged, but Odin sat on the ground and looked at the leap to the seat as if it were too much. JayB lifted Odin into the back seat and leaned over him. “Are you okay, Odin? You’re not in any pain, are you?”

  “What’s wrong?” Alana asked, concerned.

  Odin flapped his tail once. It reminded me of when he crawled on his belly to his person and then rolled on his side. He was in the same position and his tail wagged the same way. It was Odin’s way of responding to a person’s love.

  “He just seems to have run out of gas all of a sudden,” JayB replied apprehensively.

  “Should I take him to a vet?”

  JayB gave her a long, searching look. “Yeah. I think it’s a good idea. I’ve got probably the best vet in Kansas, Dr. Deb. I’ll call her for you.” He straightened. “Rain check on that lunch?”

  “You’re worried about him.”

  “I am.”

  “Then, sure, I think I’ll take him in right away.”

  Odin took a short nap in the car while Alana walked up the street to get her vehicle, then JayB moved him to the back seat of her car. I wagged, completely confused but accepting the situation, because when it comes to car rides, people know what they’re doing.

  The day was odd, because JayB was busy washing things and moving around but not doing anything a dog could identify as fun. I watched him, alert for any ball-throwing he might undertake, but he did nothing of the sort.

  We were out the door the moment Alana’s car wheeled into the driveway. I could smell Odin in the back, but he remained there while Alana slid out and went to JayB. They embraced in a long hug, and then Alana stepped back, wiping her eyes. She held up a piece of paper, her hand trembling a little. “It’s called hemangiosarcoma.”

  “So, cancer?”

  She nodded.

  “Oh, no. Poor Odin.”

  My person was now as sad as Alana. I nosed his leg.

  “Inoperable and incurable,” Alana elaborated. “The vet—you were right, she’s amazing—says that it’s a fragile tumor by his liver. Fragile meaning it bleeds internally sometimes, which makes Odin feel really weak, like he is now. Then he’ll improve, because a lot of blood and nutrients flow to the liver, so the bleeding heals. With some dogs there’s pain, and when that happens you have to … well, you know … Other times, most dogs, they just live with it awhile, and then one day…” Alana gave JayB a dismal smile. “Gone.”

  JayB opened the back door and knelt next to Odin. I sniffed curiously.

  “Odin,” my person whispered softly. “I’m so sorry, buddy. You’re a good dog.” He looked up at Alana. “There’s nothing we can do?”

  “Not really. Might have to carry him to the car and certainly up stairs. But he could go on like this for a long time, just really tired all the time. Keep him comfortable, she said.”

  JayB stared down at Odin. I stared at JayB. “He is an old dog, I guess.”

  “That’s what Dr. Deb said. That we all have to go sometime, and that of all the things that can happen to big dogs, this is one of the least painful. Like I said, she was wonderful.”

  That evening I was a little shocked to see JayB put a pillow on the couch and lift Odin onto the pillow. Odin sighed contentedly, but didn’t eat when my person put a little food out for him in a bowl. To help as best I could, I ate the food myself.

  JayB and Alana had people food and laughed a lot. I wagged. I realized then that, though I had not managed to coax Dominique and Phoebe into living with us, Alana was around all the time now, with Odin. So I guess my charm worked.

  Alana kissed JayB after dinner, but stepped back from him. “I can’t sleep over tonight,” she whispered.

  “No, of course. I knew that.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, though. To go with you to Walter’s.”

  Odin, sensing departure, shook and jumped off the couch.

  JayB smiled. “I guess he’s good to walk home.”

  That night, I sensed a deep sadness in JayB and slept pressed close up against him. He was restless and up out of bed shortly after the sun rose.

  We drove to Alana’s, which was unusual—it was such a short walk. Odin joined me in the back seat and Alana sat up front.

  “How’d he do?” JayB asked.

  “Fine,” Alana replied. “Normal, even. Ate breakfast.”

  “And how about you?”

  “Hardly slept. Just … so much to think about. You?”

  “Same,” JayB told her. “Exactly the same.”

  The car ride did not last very long. When we all got out, I knew I had been to this house before. In back, it had a great yard for running in, but we didn’t do that. We followed JayB as he knocked on the front door.

  Walter opened it, because it was his house. “Hey, there,” he greeted us with a grin. “This is an unexpected surprise.”

  “Unexpected, in that I told you we were coming?”

  Walter chuckled. “Come on in.”

  We all stepped through the door. Odin immediately curled up on a rug.

  “I got your text. Is the dog okay?” Walter asked.

  “He’s moving fine this morning,” said JayB. “Doesn’t seem to be in any pain or anything at the moment.”

  Walter gestured to the other room. “I was just going to make some breakfast for myself. Are you two hungry?”

  “I’m good,” Alana replied as the two of them followed Walter into the kitchen. I did a Sit beneath the table, because a dog always has hope, even with Walter.

  JayB cleared his throat. “So, Dad, Alana reviewed your personal financials like you asked, and we’re here to tell you the conclusions.”

  “Excellent.” Walter beamed.

  JayB nodded. “Well, okay, I don’t know if I would use the word ‘excellent.’ There are other words, but that’s probably not the one.”

  I looked up with a wag because I heard someone approaching. A woman I had not met before descended the stairs and stepped into the room.

  JayB stared at her.

  “Hello, everyone,” she greeted graciously.

  I wagged harder.

  JayB took an audible breath. When he spoke, his voice sounded strained. “Hi, Mom.”

  Dear Diary:

  When people meet dogs for the first time, they often extend a hand, knuckles up, as if hiding a treat. And sometimes there is a treat, but usually it’s just a hand.

  Sniffing the offered fingers tells a dog a lot about a person. A lick does an even better job, but some humans jerk away when I do that.

  This new woman smells strongly like flowers, and strongly like Walter. She seems nice.

  Love,

  Clancy

  Thirty-two

  I wagged as JayB stood and the woman came across the kitchen to hug him. He kissed her on the cheek. I could tell by her scent that I had never met her before.

  “Mom, this is Alana.”

  “So nice to meet you, Alana. I’m Celeste.” The woman held out both hands and Alana, a little awkwardly, stepped into an embrace. “Walter has told me so much about you.”

  “Whereas Walter hasn’t told us much about anything,” JayB noted.

  “There’s my Jago, always loading his words with extra meaning,” the woman observed with a smile. “We do need to catch up. I came on short notice. Can we do lunch today?”

  “Sure.”

  “Terrific.”

  Walter gestured to the kitchen. “Celeste, would you like me to make you some eggs?”

  She shook her head. “No. I’d like to get back to the hotel and freshen up.” She turned to JayB. “I’m staying at the Raphael on the Plaza. Would you swing by? Around, say, twelve-thirty?”

  “Fine. I’ll get us reservations somewhere.”

  “Okay. Bye-bye.” She waved her fingers and turned and walked out of the room. I glanced up at JayB, who gave no indication that we were going anywhere. I got no clear sense of what he was feeling.

  “Bye, honey,” Walter called after her.

  The nice lady left the house, and there was a short silence in the room.

  “Well, Dad, your face is the very definition of smug right now,” JayB commented.

  “Who wants coffee?” Walter offered expansively. “I’ve got this new gizmo. It makes espresso and cappuccino and foofoo and Wi-Fi.”

  “Sure, yes, that would be nice,” Alana replied.

  Walter pointed. “Jago, would you make us some coffee?”

  My person stood and went to some cupboards, opening them and pulling things out. I glanced at Odin to see if he understood that the sounds we were hearing might lead to treats, but he wasn’t interested.

  “So you’re still planning to leave for California?” Walter asked Alana.

  “Tomorrow night. We close the house sale at three, then I’ll get on the road.”

  “Well, then. I want to throw you a surprise goodbye party,” Walter declared.

  JayB turned from where he was running water at the sink. “Surprise!”

  Alana laughed. “Really, that’s not necessary, Walter. It’s sweet, though.”

  “I insist,” Walter told her. “At the restaurant. We’ll give you a proper send-off. It’ll be us, Celeste, Maddy and Rodney, and the dogs.”

  “Okay.” She nodded.

  “Coffee’s ready in a few minutes. So, Dad, you know why we’re here. Alana wants to show you what she came up with when she analyzed your financial situation.”

  Walter rubbed his hands together. “What’s the good news?”

  “I hate this,” Alana moaned. “I hate disappointing people.”

  “Why would I be disappointed?”

  JayB took a deep breath. “Because at your current burn rate, you’ll be out of money by Christmas.”

  Walter’s face froze. Then he opened his mouth and very sharply said, “Ha!”

  “You’ve got some money left in the bank, but the restaurant is blowing through that pretty quickly,” Alana explained.

  Walter gave a weary sigh. “Alana. You yourself said you’re not a financial advisor. I’m sure if we went to a professional…”

  “It’s just math, Dad,” JayB interrupted. You don’t need to be a genius, you just need to be able to subtract.”

  Walter glared at JayB. “Don’t talk to me like I’m stupid.”