21. Georgie
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
GEORGIE
“How do I find me a Noah of my own?” Franny asks me while sticking a Bailey’s-soaked spoon of French vanilla ice cream in her mouth.
She video-called me after a failed date to vent about how the guy she was out with nearly put her to sleep with how dull he was.
Somehow, we got on the topic of Noah, and how I told him everything and how he stayed, and how he stayed for two days after that just because he could.
He went home, and I’ve missed him the three days he’s been gone, but the texts are constant and highly encouraged.
I snort at her comment, “Maybe don’t be so picky? ”
“Not helpful.” She glares at the camera to glare at me.
“Okay… Get stuck in an elevator?”
“Georgie,” she whines, making me laugh.
“How do you want to meet a guy, Fran? You have tried the ‘sit in the coffee shop and hope the barista will slip me his number’ method, the ‘bump into a girl in the store and hope they magically fall in love with me’—”
“Hey, that one almost worked.” She defends and then sighs when I give her the look of lowered lids and a ‘come on now’ expression.
“You’ve also tried every dating app under the sun, and you say every single one is a failure because they’re not—”
“Don’t. Don’t say it.”
I sigh, “Well, if you know what I was going to say without my saying it, then you already know.”
“That… is sound logic and I hate it. So, stop it.” She pouts.
“Want a distraction?”
“What could be a better distraction than alcohol over ice cream?” She shows me her now empty bowl.
“Dogs. Lots of dogs. Really cute ones, some scraggly ones but still cute. They need friends, and if you’re not willing to put yourself out there with a human yet after all this time, then maybe you should start out with putting yourself out there for a fur baby who is going to love you unconditionally and instantly,”
“What?” She sounds confused, but I just flash her a smile.
“Pull yourself together Francis, and meet me in the lobby in ten.”
“George, I—”
“Do it,” I say, hanging up before she can protest.
I give her fifteen minutes, because I know she’ll spend five grumbling and complaining and not getting herself ready.
But when I get down to the lobby, Franny is dressed casually in black leggings, an oversized off the shoulder shirt and her hair, bright blonde with pink and blue streaked tips is half up, half down, the half up twirled into a bun.
Her arms cross over her chest, and she pouts, “You better have a good reason for why I am not walking naked around my house nursing a bottle of wine.”
“Well, first off, we drank the wine you had, so you would’ve been out of alcohol to begin with. And second, I need a wing woman.”
“Um, last I checked you were pretty locked down. So why would you need a wing woman?”
I grin. “You’ll see. Follow me.”
“Oh god, now she’s rhyming.”
She does, bitching the whole way that she ‘doesn’t want to be out,’ that she ‘wants to be a single hermit forever.’ Franny doesn’t let up until we’ve walked the few blocks past Get Crafty and stand in front of Triple P.
Pawsitive Passion Project looms over us and she glances up at it, then back to me.
“G, are you having a quarter-life crisis?”
I snort, “No, that was two years ago,”
“Then why are we here?”
“We,” I take her hand, “Are going to go make some new friends,”
Franny whines as I drag her toward the door, putting up a fake fight, “Ugh, but friends are so much work,”
Inside, Mary lights up when she sees me. I’ve been here a few times since Noah brought me, and every weekend I’ve come in with Noah since then too. She loves me just as much as Noah (or maybe secretly more but we don’t tell him that) and she’s added me to the official volunteer roster.
“Georgia! You look lovely as ever. Who’s this?”
“This is my best friend and partner in crime, Franny. You got the paperwork I sent in for both of us, right?”
“Paperwork?” Franny hisses at me, and I give her a squeeze to shut her up.
“That I did. You’re all approved and good to go.
I’ll have to thank you again, we’re almost full, and we have so many others who are trying to be sent here from the kill shelters.
We can use all the reliable fosters we can get.
” Mary shows us to the back, as if I don’t know my way, and Franny’s eyes widen.
“Georgie, what did you do?”
“You’ll see.”
“Yeah, you keep saying that,” Franny mutters, but she doesn’t turn around and walk out like she could have, so I take that as a good sign.
“Now, these are our available pups for fostering, so feel free to stop by their kennels and get to know them, see who fits with you, and then we’ll get on with the foster process!
Oh, this is so exciting it’s one of my favourite parts to my job,” she titters with excitement as she walks away, leaving Franny and I to the board of fosterable dogs.
“George, what the hell did you sign me up for?”
“Fran, they’re desperate. I come here with Noah all the time and—”
She crosses her arms, “Is this an attempt to impress him?”
“No, it’s an attempt to have a reason to get up in the morning besides going to work. We’re going to be helping these babies find homes, Fran. Please? You heard Mary, we’re both approved as foster homes.”
“How? They never even met me; they don’t know my house—”
“About that…”
“George.” Franny warns.
I sigh. “I may’ve let Mary into your apartment for the house check. They run background checks on everyone, and this is your trial to see how you gel with the pups. Please Fran, for me?”
“I don’t have time,” she deflects.
“Make the time.” I urge her, “Just, think about it. Come meet some of the dogs, and if you don’t feel anything afterward, then you wait until the right one comes along. But at least leave your foot in the door.”
Though skeptical, Franny glances at the board of fosters. I know who I want her to check out, but I don’t want to push her into something she’s not ready for. I scan the board for my foster—
“Weird.”
“What is it?”
“The dog that I’ve wanted to get out of here for a while isn’t on this list. Hold on, I’ll be right back. Keep looking!” I shout the last part over my shoulder, walking down the hall.
“Mary,” I say so I don’t startle her as I walk up to the main desk. The yellowing linoleum squeaks underfoot, and Mary looks up from her busy typing to greet me with her famous friendly smile.
“How goes the foster find?”
“Well, I think I’ve convinced her that this is a good thing for her. I told you it might be tricky,”
She nods and laughs to herself. “Sometimes all it takes is a subtle push, and sometimes it takes a complete shove off the cliff,”
“But when I looked at the board, I noticed that Birdie is not up there. She’s not on the adoptable list either. So, what’s happening? Did she get adopted or—”
“No, she’s been taken off the lists because we’re trying to figure out what to do. None of the fosters or adopters have been working. She’s sad wherever she goes, but she’s less sad here. I suppose until we find the right person for her-”
“I want her.”
“Are you sure?” Mary seems hesitant, her hands twisting her greying hair. Despite the hesitancy, there’s a small glimmer of hope in her eyes that tells me she hasn’t given up.
“Absolutely. She was the one I wanted to foster when I signed up; I was kind of devastated when I saw she wasn’t up there,”
“Well, she does absolutely love you and Noah,”
“Oh, Noah and I don’t live together we—we’re just—we aren’t—”
She grins. “I know a connection when I see it. I’ve never seen that boy bring anyone in here, and he’s volunteered here since high school. This place is his second home. And yet here you are.”
I blush, trying to change the subject by clearing my throat and then pointing. “So does this mean I am approved for her?”
“Absolutely. I’ll draft the paperwork now, and let me know when Franny has decided. If you ask me, I think she’d be great for—”
“Bennie,” we say at the same time. The laugh is instantaneous between the two of us. It really is true when they say that the dog picks their person, but sometimes it’s as obvious as the sky being blue which person is meant for which dog.
“I’ll show her to his kennel, he’s beside Howie, right?”
“Actually, Howie got adopted yesterday. We’ve got the one open spot now, hence the adoption and foster drive we’re running. You are aware of Birdie’s… circumstances, right?”
“Yes, Noah showed me her medications and creams and everything. I administer them every time I’m here.”
“Doesn’t she chew your head off when she has to take her pills?”
“No, I just talk her through it, and she takes it in a pill pocket treat… Is that not something that happens with everyone else?”
Mary adjusts her glasses and laughs, “Not at all. She must really like you.”
“I think we just get each other.” I rub the back of my neck, glancing down the hall. I point. “I guess I better get back to Fran, and then get Birdie ready.”
“See you soon,” Mary singsongs.
“Oh, hey, Mary?” She looks up again, her glasses chain swaying from the movement. “Can we… not tell Noah that it was me that took Birdie? I want it to be a surprise.”
“Sure thing, sugar. Your secret’s safe with me.” She winks and sends me on my way.
“So, did you pick one?” I clap my hands when I enter the boardroom. Franny jumps and shrugs.
“I think I’ll have to see them before I decide.”
“Right this way, then.”
I show her to the kennels. With each one, she passes and smiles and waves at the dogs but doesn’t stop to gain their attention. That is until—
“Who is this heckin’ handsome man?” She asks softly, kneeling in front of the plexiglass door between her and Bennie.
I don’t want to say I called it, but I totally called it. Bennie sits patiently by the plexiglass door, waiting for attention. His chocolate brown eyes melt when he sees us, hopeful and tail wagging as he realizes she’s there to see him.
I grin and crouch with her, “This is Bennie. Benford, Bendy Boy, you name it, he’s probably had the nickname. He’s newer to PPP, and he’s a brindle pittie mix. He came in from a neglect situation, but as you can see this big lug head just wants love.”
He licks her fingers through the door, not at all phased but the fact that he’s hitting his nose against the plastic glass door with each lick. Franny smiles. “Hey Bennie.”
“Would you like to go in and meet him?” I offer.
“I think so. You know, you’re really good here, G.” Franny stands, waiting for me to open the door with the volunteer’s key.
“I only do what Noah’s taught me. He’s…”
“Made an impact? Changed you for the better? Stolen your heart?” She gives me that knowing look.
She is correct in every comment, but I won’t tell her that. Because then I am admitting that I am far deeper in than I ever anticipated this going.
“I’ll let you two get acquainted, then we can go for a W. A. L. K.”
I watch as Franny hesitantly walks into the kennel with Bennie.
She’s not afraid of him, I know that. She’s afraid of getting attached.
She’s afraid of not being enough. She’s feeling every possible emotion I felt about Birdie until I realized that adorable dog needs me until she finds her forever home.
By the time I shut the plexiglass door behind her, she’s already being attacked with kisses and love from Bennie and I know everything is going to go exactly as I planned it.
What could possibly go wrong?