Page 8 of Not A Chance

Okay, so I was on Instagram looking at all things Toronto. I wanted to find out some cool stuff for Emery and me to do if we are able to visit. And you know how I got Mew from a cat rescue out here? Well, there’s an awesome group in Hamilton, ON who rescues small dogs from Texas and brings them up to Canada for adoption. I checked it out and it’s less than an hour from you.

Indie

Okay, so you’re a sucker for animals. We knew this already. What did you do?

Abbie

Wellllll, I may or may not have filled out a foster dog application on your behalf. And before you start, remember, I know your number one secret wish is for a pet. You definitely don’t hide the fact that you turn to mush whenever you see a puppy of any size.

Indie

Excuse me, what? I definitely don’t go all heart-eyed over puppies. What are you talking about?

Abbie

Wait. Did you actually think you were hiding all the gooey-goodness on your face all these years?

I absolutely had. I was mortified. Even more so with the heat that filled my cheeks as I imagined what I looked like with a mopey expression whenever I saw someone out with their new puppy.

Abbie correctly interprets my silence as agreement.

Abbie

OMG, you did! Too funny. I promise I won’t tease you about it if you forgive me for what I’ve done. There’s a crazy amount of puppies being abandoned right now. Anyway, older dogs aren’t as easily adoptable, and when I saw a post for this little one on Instagram.

(She sends a picture of a small gray animal that might have been a dog. Except it’s bald with overly large ears. Its little lips are turned up in a kind of curl on one side. Not quite a snarl, maybe a sneer?Unfortunately for me, it’s damn adorable.)

Indie

Wtf is that?

Abbie

Isn’t she super cute?! Her name is, unfortunately, Gizmo. They leaned hard into the whole Gremlins 80s vibe. And yeah, the bald thing. She has alopecia because of her specific coloring. It can be a thing.

Indie

Why would I foster this little creature exactly?

Abbie

Because she’s been waiting in Texas for months and people are picking the puppies. But more than that, you are going to go through caregiver withdrawals soon and this will give you something to look after.

Indie

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Abbie

Riiiiiight. So it’s not like you take it upon yourself to smooth over situations when shit hits the fan for me or Emery. And you definitely weren’t the one to tell Aiden off, risking your job, when he had his head up his ass. Nor did you single-handedly annoy the shit out of every independent galleryowner to get them to give Emery her first showcase when we were 18?

I had done those things. What was so wrong with wanting my friends to be happy? It filled the vast chasm of emptiness inside me for a little while. I only loved two people in this world, and I would be damned if they were unhappy, and I could do something about it.

Abbie

Do I need to keep going?

Indie

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