Page 80 of This Love
We had prepared for the next one carefully. I had a new scrapbook. I had more videos. All we had to do was add Rosie.
Tucker pulled up into the driveway. “Welcome home, Rosie!”
Rosie pressed her nose to the window, looking out. I watched her from the front seat, wondering what she was thinking. Did she miss her first home? The trainer? Glenda?
“You’ve been through about as many new starts as I have,” I told her. “Let’s have some fun.”
Tucker opened the back door and unhooked her from the safety harness. I came around the car and took her leash, walking the way Glenda had shown me so Rosie could follow at the right pace and proximity.
“Well, lookie at that!” Our neighbor Isadora walked across the lawn from next door. “You got a dog!”
“Yes, this is Rosie,” I told her. “Rosie, sit.”
Isadora approached, tugging on the faded T-shirt sprinkled with dirt. She wore the kneepads she used when she gardened and an enormous straw hat. She stripped off her muddy gloves. “Hello, Rosie!”
Rosie sat perfectly still, ignoring Isadora to watch me instead.
“She’s a service dog,” I said. “For my seizures.”
Isadora patted Rosie’s head. “Seizures? I didn’t realize you had epilepsy, dear.” She glanced at my big belly.
It was time to tell the neighbors. My father had said so when we announced the pregnancy. He was right. We needed as many people as possible on our team as we hurtled toward having a baby.
“Yes, I was diagnosed when I was six.” I pressed my hand to my belly.
Isadora noticed. “Are you worried about the baby?”
“No, no. Well, of course. I guess it could be inherited, although no one else in my family has it. I guess we got Rosie because we were worried I’d have a medical emergency after the baby comes.”
“Oh, my word. You’re right.” Isadora stuck her gloves between her knees and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. “I’m so close. I could help with the baby, especially if you need to go to an emergency doctor visit. I raised two of my own, you know. What’s your number? I’ll text you so you have mine.”
I gave her the digits. Tucker set the suitcase inside the front door and came back down the steps. “Hello, Isadora.”
“I’m giving Ava my number in case she needs help when the baby comes. She was telling me about the seizures. It sounds so serious.”
Tucker’s gaze met mine. “Did you tell her about the memory loss?”
I hadn’t. I should.
Isadora had stopped typing. “What do you mean, memory loss?”
I reached down to pet Rosie’s head. Stroking her soft fur was awfully calming. “When I have a seizure, it wipes out my memory. So, I might not know who you are. I won’t know who I am, actually.”
Isadora drew in a sharp breath. “My word! What about the baby? You won’t remember that either?”
I shook my head. “That’s why we have Rosie. She can call for help if something happens.”
“Oh, you have to let me know,” Isadora said. “I can be here faster than anybody.” She quickly tapped out her message.
I turned to Tucker. “I guess we could put her number on the button we were going to use for Dad. That would make more sense. He’s so far away.”
Tucker nodded. “Good idea. Thank you, Isadora. We’ll come around more often. Maybe you and Ted can come over for dinner.”
“Oh, no. We should host you. Ava has to be so tired. I remember those days. And I can bring food when the baby arrives. Oh, it’s so exciting! I don’t have any grandbabies yet.”
Everybody sure wanted grandchildren around.
Isadora tucked her phone away right as mine buzzed.
