Page 27 of Not A Chance

Fuck. I wished I could go back to a couple of minutes ago and not answer his call. It’d been so nice just to sit with Connor last night, feeling like I’d found an ally in my temporary reality.

Now, I knew better. My father wasn’t going to give me a reprieve until he had everything he wanted out of me.

Was this all about just keeping me in line for every second he could until I got my inheritance? Or was he planning something else?

Despite the uneasiness that haunted me through the work week, the following Saturday saw me crossing another item off my life experience list. Well, at least making a dent in my number one item. I was bringing a tiny, peach-fuzz-covered Chihuahua to my apartment. I’d wanted a dog so badly as a kid that this moment felt surreal. Not that she was my pet—something I had to keep reminding myself about—but I could pretend for a little while. I wondered how parents felt bringing babies home from the hospital. I couldn’t figure out who deemed me responsible enough for this living thing. I felt underqualified. I could barely keep a cactus alive!

I was afraid to move my arms lest I drop my bundle. She was double leashed, which I appreciated. The last thing I wanted to do was lose my temporary dog.

Jermaine had been so kind to drive me out to Hamilton, just outside of Toronto, to pick up Gizmo. His wife, Amy, had tagged along for the ride and kept me entertained with little anecdotes of the places we passed on the drive. Their family’s Morkie had comefrom the same rescue a couple of years prior.

The rescue operation was impressive. Two employees made the drive all the way from Texas to the Greater Toronto Area every month with a commercial van fitted with crates. Each with its own little rescue pup inside.

The pickup scene had been a whirlwind. I was sure that I’d listened to the answers to my list of questions, but hell if I could remember anything now that I was walking toward my apartment door.

Gizmo had been pretty quiet on the trip back. I’d read that rescue dogs take some time to decompress, so I’d just have to take it day by day.

But for now, she was all mine, a fact that was equally thrilling and intimidating.

Closing and locking the door behind me, I put her down to investigate the place. I’d already set up the pee pads, hoping her expertise in potty training prevailed.

Of the two of us, Gizmo knew more about potty training than I did at this point.

Letting her do the dog sniffing thing, I went toward the couch and sat down on the floor. I’d rolled up the existing rug, not wanting to deal with cleaning any accidents off something that wasn’t mine.

I sat back to watch her before snapping a picture of her staring at her new bed with a couple of toys.

Indie

*picture of Gizmo rocking a fuzzy pink sweater*

Well, she’s here and I have no idea what I’m doing. I hope you’re happy.

Emery

OMG you actually did it! So cute!

Abbie

She is so adorable! What’s she like? Are you having fun?

Indie

So far she has slept next to me on a blanket in my boss’s car and taken about 10 steps in the apartment. Not a lot of action yet. Why did I let you talk me into this?

Emery

Because she’s a genius! This is going to be sooo good for you.

Abbie

Hey. Admittedly, I totally crossed the line on filling out the application on your behalf. But she’s just so cute! You’re the one who could’ve said no and didn’t.

Indie

That makes me both an idiot and a sucker.

Emery

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