Chapter 27

Bill's ex brings the dog over while she's on her way to work. She walks up the path to his back door holding the leash and the dog at arm's length, as if touching either might contaminate her.

"Is there something wrong with him?" Bill asks.

"He sheds."

It takes all he has not to snap back with a sarcastic remark, but he holds his tongue, and in a moment, he is grateful that he did.

"This was awful," she says. "Liza is crazy about this dog."

"Well, look," Bill says. "Maybe in the summer, the dog could come and live with you two. She can come visit any time she wants; you told her that, right?"

"Yes, I did," Barbara says, "but it didn't help much. She was sobbing when I put her on the bus."

"I'm sorry," Bill says. "I really am. I didn't think it through."

They stand in silence for a couple moments.

"Come on in and have a cup of coffee," he says.

She can't. She was supposed to be at work 20 minutes ago.

"Bill," she says, "Liza said there was a cat at the farm. Would you see if that cat needs a home? I could do that. A cat. So much less work than a dog."

Bill says he will make the call, and they say their goodbyes. He pets Joey on the head and the dog wags his entire body, it seems, his big blue eyes staring into Bill's.

He opens the door, and when Joe sees Zoe, he practically leaps off the ground. He sniffs the little dog, and licks her ears and her eyes, and then he gets into his play stance, front legs all the way on the ground, back legs up, tail wagging madly, as he makes a loud little bark.

Zoe starts playing with him, leaping up into the air and barking, nudging Joe, pushing at him, wagging all the time.

It's amazing, Bill thinks, that this little dog who can't see anything can still play – and wants to still play. All she wants is to be happy.

In her heart, Zoe is happy. She likes Bill fine. She likes his little house, how warm and quiet it is. And here is her friend Joe, safe and sound and ready to play. She thinks of the little girl with the limp, and she still wishes… but this is almost as good, she thinks. Almost.

Catharine answers the phone when Bill calls. He doesn't like her, and doesn't really understand why Jake is with her, but it's not his business, and so he just puts it out of his mind and asks for Jake. She calls out to him, and Bill can hear Jake walking toward the phone.

They say hello and then Bill broaches the subject.

"My ex says she could handle the cat. So I was wondering if you want to keep that cat, or whether you're looking for a home for her."

There's a silence on the other ends, and then Bill hears Jake give a deep sigh.

"I'd be happy for you to have that cat," Jake says, "but we haven't seen her since yesterday morning. She was here, and then, it seems, she was just gone. I'm afraid the coyotes got her. But if she turns up," he says, "if she turns up, she's yours."