Free More, Please by Kate Aster

like
him?”
    “I love him,” she says, dipping her head
low to the ground and embracing him while he lies prone on his back. If there
were ever a position that a dog might growl at a child, this would be it,
essentially trapped against the ground. But Kosmo is savoring the attention.
    “Just keep your face away from his, hon,”
I remind her. I can’t help being a little cautious. Since I was always out
rescuing strays as a kid, I was bit by my fair share. It’s not something I want
to happen to Hannah. But the more I’m seeing them together, the less I worry. And
I worry plenty about this little girl.
    When Allie comes in, we move to the kitchen
table so that I can sign some paperwork and write her a check for the adoption
fee. When she glances upward at me as I hand her the check, I swear I think I
see a few unshed tears in her eyes.
    “Thanks,” she says. “I know he’s found a
really good home here.” She glances toward the couch which Kosmo has already
decided is his. My niece is still petting him, and fur is flying everywhere.
    Pressing her lips together as she watches
the two of them, she gives a nod as though to reassure herself.
    “How long have you had Kosmo?” I find
myself asking. I hadn’t really considered her feelings in all of this. How hard
would that be, to rescue a dog from the shelter and then have to hand him over
to someone else for the rest of his life?
    “Six months. A little longer than most my
dogs because he was a lot harder to rehome.”
    “Well, I’ll take good care of him.”
    “I’m sure you will.” Her face frowns, and
she bites her bottom lip. “And will you let me know how his surgery goes?”
    “Of course.”
    “Thanks. And if there’s anything he
needs. Really—even if you need a dog sitter while he’s recovering,
because you probably will want someone around then.”
    “I’ll clear my schedule so I can be with
him when he needs me. My hours are pretty much my own. But I will definitely
call you if I need anything,” I add simply because I think she needs to hear
it.
    She nods as she reaches for the signed
paperwork. For some reason, I don’t want her to leave. I want to find out more
about her and this passion for rescuing dogs she has. “We were going to order
Chinese tonight. Hannah loves egg rolls. You can join us, if you’d like.”
    “Oh, no. That’s okay. Thanks, though.”
    “Really, it would be great. That way Kosmo
doesn’t feel abandoned, you know?”
    Biting her lip, she seems to hesitate,
her eyes transfixed on Hannah and Kosmo snuggling on the couch like the two had
been raised together. Her eyes then dart to me and I feel this strange shooting
sensation in my heart when her gaze locks on mine. There’s something about her,
and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Like she reminds me of someone I knew in
another life, if I believed that sort of bullshit.
    But for the record, I don’t.
    I decide to push. “So, what do you like? Are
you more a General Tso’s chicken or shrimp fried rice kind of girl?”
    A smile touches her lips. “General Tso’s
chicken. Extra spicy.”
    I’m wondering if there was any flirtation
in what she just said. I’m really hoping there is. Because even though Hannah
is here tonight, I’ve got plenty of other nights this week when I wasn’t
planning on sharing company with anyone but my new dog. And as I look at Allie,
I can’t help remembering how she tasted.
    “You got it.” I pull up the menu on my
laptop and order enough food for a feast. Hannah likes taking a couple bites
out of everything, and I think it’s good that she wants to sample all that life
has to offer, so I don’t make her hold herself back when she orders eight different
entrées. Trouble is, I always end up with about a week’s worth of meals for
leftovers.
    While we wait for the food to be
delivered, we move to the backyard, where Kosmo is involved in a slow game of
fetch with Hannah. He runs out of energy quicker than most dogs,