Chapter 7
After a number of phone calls, Jay had decided to adopt a pet and Nora had agreed she would look after it if he was suddenly whisked off to Hollywood.
Nora was meeting Jay at the local animal rescue centre.
As she pulled up she could hear a cacophony of barking even before she’d got out of the car.
Jay was already there and waved as she parked next to him.
‘Hiya, thanks for coming. I thought it was best to have you with me when I’m choosing a forever pet as it’s potentially going to be spending some time with you,’ he said, his tone quite serious.
‘You know I love animals so this is my idea of a perfect trip out.’
‘And you’re a star for committing to being my back-up and pet-sitter.’ Jay had explained that he really wanted a pet but was worried about what would happen if he had to work away. ‘I can’t think of a better auntie than you.’
‘Thanks, but this all feels a bit sudden.’
Jay forced out a chuckle. ‘Nooo, I’ve been thinking about getting a furry companion for like yonks. Literally ages. Eons. There’s just so many options. And I’m a big believer in “adopt, don’t shop”, so here I am, ready to find out what sort of things they have.’
The barking inched up in volume. ‘I think one option is definitely a dog.’
‘You could be right,’ said Jay. ‘Or I was wondering about a ferret?’ he added as they walked towards the entrance. ‘When the magazines do those At Home With features, I think a ferret would make people think.’
‘They’d think, why’s he got a ferret?’
He stuck his tongue out at her.
‘It is an unusual choice,’ said Nora. ‘They can give you one hell of a bite.’
‘So can a dog,’ said Jay.
‘True. You might find, like me with Oliver, that finding a pet-sitter for a ferret is trickier than popping them in a kennel or a cattery. You know, just in case I’m away at the same time as you.’
The reception area was also the gift shop, where a jolly lady in an orange-logoed fleece and sensible shoes was overly keen to help them.
She introduced herself as Elaine and took down some basic information before giving them a look Nora had frequently seen on her mother’s face – playful curiosity.
‘Is this your first pet as a couple, by any chance?’
‘Oh, actually no. She’s not mine,’ said Jay quickly.
Nora raised an eyebrow at Jay.
‘Not that she would be mine if we were dating. Because women are not possessions or chattels. That’s a very old word.’ He cleared his throat.
‘We’re not a couple,’ said Nora. ‘I’ll be its auntie.’ Why did she say that? ‘Not that he’s my brother, because he’s not that either.’
‘We’re friends,’ said Jay and they both nodded along, relieved they’d finally managed to end the confusion.
Elaine didn’t look convinced. ‘OK. Let’s give you the tour and then you can see if you’re drawn to any species in particular. A big deciding factor might be your lifestyle.’
‘I don’t smoke. I do drink but I’m not a drinker,’ said Jay hastily. ‘I like a night out but I am totally ready for this commitment and—’
‘I meant your home arrangements,’ said Elaine.
‘Of course, sorry,’ said Jay. ‘My style is comfortable Scandinavian with a minimalist twist.’ He seemed pleased with his answer.
‘I was thinking more about whether there was someone at home during the day,’ said Elaine. ‘It’s important that dogs aren’t left alone for hours on end.’
‘Ahhh, right, I get you,’ said Jay. ‘I’m at home most of the time. My work is sporadic but Auntie Nora is my back-up plan for when I’m working away.’
‘I work from home mostly so …’ added Nora.
‘I’m glad you’ve thought this through.’ Elaine led the way through a couple of mesh doors to a courtyard.
They had the tour of the guinea pigs and rabbits first, followed by reptiles and rodents.
Jay liked all the guinea pigs with their wacky hairstyles and was rather taken with a hamster called Fluff but given he was two years into a likely maximum three-year lifespan, Jay felt he was setting himself up for heartbreak.
Elaine led them through another door into an inside section where a multitude of cats snoozed behind glass windows.
Elaine began pointing out various residents she thought would be a good match for Jay.
Jay hung back and whispered to Nora, ‘I’m not sure I’m a cat person.’
‘Why not?’
‘They don’t like me.’ The one nearest to him hissed as if on cue.
‘This is Jemima,’ said Elaine. ‘She likes the quiet life and a lap to sit on.’
‘Don’t we all,’ said Nora. Elaine gave her a look. ‘The quiet life was the bit I meant. Anyway, Jemima seems sweet.’ The cat was watching them closely. When Jay approached, Jemima turned her back on him.
‘See,’ said Jay. ‘I’m not being paranoid. Cats don’t like me.’ He pointed at Jemima’s bum.
‘Cats aren’t for everyone,’ said Elaine. ‘Shall we look at the dogs?’
Jay was pulling a face. ‘I quite like the hamst—’
‘Oh yes, let’s look at the dogs,’ said Nora excitedly.
‘Yay, dogs,’ said Jay, mustering some enthusiasm from somewhere. They followed Elaine outside to the kennels. The sound of the entry door closing was enough to set the dogs off. ‘Do you have any small, quiet dogs?’ he asked as the barking hit new heights, but his words were drowned out.
‘Hush!’ bellowed Elaine, making Nora’s ears ring a little.
But it did seem to silence a few of the worst offenders.
‘That’s better. Now let’s have a look at who might be right for you two,’ said Elaine more to herself.
She pursed her lips as if in deep thought as she slowly walked past the kennels.
She paused at one where a slobbery, stocky white dog was licking the bars.
‘I don’t think so.’ Jay recoiled a little as they went by.
The next pen had a tiny dog. ‘Oh, you’re cute,’ said Jay, crouching down. The dog began a high-pitched yap.
‘Chihuahua,’ said Elaine. ‘He’s high maintenance and probably won’t cope well with the shared approach.’
Jay quickly followed after Elaine. ‘Now, maybe this fella is for you.’ She pointed into a kennel and Jay and Nora both looked inside.
There was a large dog bed, and overflowing it was an even larger black, furry mass.
Elaine tapped the mesh. The mass moved a little and two eyes appeared at the opposite end to where Nora was expecting them.
‘He’s a black German Shepherd. One previous owner.
Relinquished due to a house move. Rentals rarely accept big dogs.
He’s partially trained. Quite laidback so would hopefully be happy with your arrangement. ’
‘His name’s Bruce,’ said Nora, looking at the info sheet on the door. At the sound of his name the large dog got up, stretched and came to investigate. ‘Like Bruce Wayne. That’s so cool. Hello, gorgeous boy.’ Nora put her fingers to the mesh and Bruce tried to lick them.
‘Careful,’ yelped Jay.
‘He’s not going to bite,’ said Nora with a chuckle. She’d thought about getting a dog but it had felt like a big commitment. Now, seeing Bruce, she knew this was a good decision. A dog share was the perfect solution. Maybe love at first sight did exist. ‘He’s the one, Jay. Don’t you agree?’
‘Er, well, he’s quite a big fella. But if you think he’s the one. And we’ve rejected at least 37 per cent, so …’
Nora gave him her best Paddington Bear stare.
‘Let’s let you two in and see what he thinks of you,’ said Elaine.
‘Great,’ said Nora. Jay swallowed hard.
Elaine went in first and received a warm welcome from Bruce. His big fluffy tail swished from side to side. Bruce then made straight for Nora. She rubbed his head and he pawed at her jeans.
‘You like that, don’t you, boy?’ Bruce walked around Nora, sniffing as he went. He approached Jay, who froze. But then Bruce had wedged his nose firmly in Jay’s groin.
‘Here, give him this,’ said Elaine, handing Jay a small dog treat.
Bruce’s bum hit the ground and he stared at Jay. Jay looked at the tiny treat in his hand and at the large dog. ‘He’s got a lot of teeth,’ he said.
‘They’re in good condition. He’s used to them being cleaned, so that’s something it would be wise to continue,’ said Elaine.
‘Putting my hand in there?’ Jay gestured with the treat. The motion had Bruce’s attention and in a flash he had swiped the snack from Jay’s grip. ‘Argh!’ shrieked Jay, rapidly checking his hand was intact and counting his fingers.
Nora giggled. ‘Are you OK?’
‘Me? Yes, absolutely fine. I was just taken by surprise. Only for a moment. Split-second thing.’ He double-checked his fingers.
‘I’ll leave you to it. Take as long as you like. I’ll be at reception when you’ve made a decision.’ Elaine reversed out of the cage.
‘You’re leaving us alone with him?’ said Jay, pointing at Bruce but quickly pulling back his fingers when the dog showed renewed interest in them.
‘I trust you,’ said Elaine with a smile. ‘Make sure the bolt is properly in place when you exit.’
Nora realized this was predominantly Jay’s pet and therefore it had to be his decision. She’d be disappointed if he didn’t choose Bruce but it wasn’t up to her. ‘Is he too big for you, Jay?’
‘Nooo,’ said Jay, stepping back as Bruce bounded over with a large toy dumbbell. ‘Good dog,’ said Jay, and Bruce promptly dropped the dumbbell on Jay’s foot. ‘Ow!’
‘Aww, he wants you to play with him,’ said Nora. ‘He likes you.’ Bruce stared at Jay and licked his lips.
‘Or he liked how I tasted and now he wants the rest.’
‘He’s fine, he’s a pussy cat,’ said Nora, rubbing around Bruce’s pointed ears. He had such a thick coat.
‘That’s not a positive thing in my book. Remember, cats don’t like me, and he only does because he thinks I’m edible.’
*
Dixie felt a bit redundant. She’d tried passing Renee the tools she’d asked for but she wasn’t mechanically minded so generally had to hold up three things for Renee to choose from, in the hope that one of them was what she was after.
Sadly, she wasn’t entirely sure that she excelled at anything much.
University had been fun but a 2:2 in Fashion, Patterns and Textiles wasn’t exactly going to set the world on fire.
Looking at her friends she could see what their strengths were, but when she studied herself they were less obvious.
She had friends who were able to sew and paint, some with their own businesses and others climbing their way up the corporate ladder.
Then there was Nora who could do anything with numbers, and Jay who was a talented actor, he just needed a break.
And here was the incredible Renee, who seemed to be able to excel at pretty much anything she set her mind to.
Dixie decided that comparing herself to others wasn’t healthy. Renee’s huffing and puffing had increased, which was cause for concern.
‘Renee, are you OK? Shall we take a break?’
Renee pulled her head out of the engine bay, rubbed her cheek and instantly left a grubby smear on her face. ‘I won’t be beaten,’ she said.
‘I’m not saying give up. Just maybe have a rest for a bit. How about a cup of tea?’
Renee appeared mildly repulsed at the suggestion. ‘Perhaps a cheeky G&T might give me inspiration.’ She put down her wrench. ‘I hate to say it, but this fella has sold you a pup.’
‘A pup sounds like a nice thing but I’m guessing it’s not.’
Renee shook her head and Dixie found herself copying. ‘I’m afraid it means they sold you a pile of crap.’
‘It’s probably not good for me but I think I’ll join you in a G&T and I’ll get petrol tomorrow,’ said Dixie, as Renee put her arm around her shoulders.
‘My aunt swore by having a bar of Cadburys Dairy Milk and a large gin every day and she lived to be a hundred and two.’
‘That’s a good recommendation for a long and happy life.’
‘And she was happy, right until the end,’ said Renee. ‘Of course, she didn’t have a tooth in her head and she believed there were fairies living in her commode but, apart from that, she was grand.’