“Your little young-enough to-be your-daughter fuck? I can hear you, Gideon.

She’s just a kid, but I can’t drive her off with a stick. What’s her name? I’d like to know her name.”

Amy is little short of hysterical. She knows I haven’t denied a word.

“Angela. For God’s sake, she’s almost fifty years old,” I stammer irrationally.

“You don’t understand.”

“Angela! How divine for you! She’s probably hornier than a March hare.”

Madder, I think she means, but this isn’t the time to correct her.

Jessie has gotten down from the couch and stands beside Amy. I slap my leg for her to come to me.

“Here, girl.” In response, she pushes her muzzle against Amy’s hand.

“Look, I’m going to take Jessie to live with me until this summer when Sarah comes home,” Amy announces.

“You’re obviously going to be too busy to take care of her. I’ll give her back then, I promise. She and I can commiserate together.”

“Don’t act like this!” I plead.

“I don’t even know her.”

“You will.”

I rub my face as if to shake myself awake from a nightmare. Will I ever know Angela? Not like I know Amy.

“Don’t leave!” I plead, as Amy reaches for Jessie’s leash on the floor beside her.

“You’re not supposed to have pets in your apartment.”

I should say that I love her, but I’m not sure I do.

“They don’t care,” Amy says, probably realizing I missed my cue deliberately.

“Other people have pets. The couple on the first floor do.”

This is ridiculous. She doesn’t need a dog.

Still, it would be a help. I will be traveling so much to Bear Creek I really won’t have time to take care of an animal. My pragmatism at this moment appalls me. I get to my feet.

“You have to promise me that as soon as you realize this isn’t working out, you’ll bring her back.”