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Cedar Key (Fla.)
didnât hear.
After thanking her, with promises that weâd let her know how the puppy was doing, we headed back to Cedar Key.
Clarissa sat in the backseat, cooing and speaking softly to her new friendâwhile I pondered things I had no understanding of.
13
âS he named it what? â my mother said on the phone the next morning. Despite her being across the ocean in Paris, I knew it wasnât a bad phone line that caused her question.
âYou heard me correctlyâBillie,â I told her as I watched Clarissa through the kitchen window romping with the puppy in the backyard.
âInteresting,â was my motherâs reply.
âIâd say itâs a bit more than interesting.â When there was silence, I said, âI just donât understand it. Thereâs no way she could have known thatâs what I called Sybile. Do you think itâs just a coincidence?â
âGosh, I donât know. I suppose it could be, but it does seem like an odd choice of name for a puppy.â
âNow Iâm wondering what Dora and Saren will think of the name.â
âIâm not sure about them, but I do have to say, I think Sybile wouldâve had a good chuckle. She loved it when you came up with that name for her.â
I smiled. She was right. Sybile had made it clear I wasnât to call her Grandma .
âSo howâd the puppy settle in last night?â
âActually, she did quite well. I thought I heard her whimpering once, so I got up to check and I could hear Clarissa in her room talking softly to her.â
Iâd also noticed that for the past few weeks I no longer heard Clarissa crying during the night.
âWell, Iâm glad you got her, Monica. I still miss Lilly so much. Itâll be nice to have a dog in the family again.â
âYeah, Sarenâs all excited too. Since Precious died, I know heâs missed not having a dog. Heâs coming over later this morning to meetâ¦Billie.â
After catching up on other news, I hung up the phone and stood staring out the window. Clarissa had put on the pink harness and attached the pink leash to the puppy and was having a ball running back and forth with her. I smiled. Maybe things were going to work out after all. True, I still hadnât developed any maternal love for Clarissa Joâbut at least we seemed to be tolerating each other.
Â
Within a month, Billie had settled in fairly well. Oh, there was still the occasional piddle on the floor, but for the most part Clarissa had done well getting the puppy on a schedule. Weâd been advised to crate-train Billie, and at least I didnât have to worry about the pup tearing the house apart when we were out.
I was finishing up some accounting when Dora walked into the yarn shop.
âGosh, is it two already?â I asked, glancing at my watch.
âJust about,â she said, placing her handbag in the desk drawer. âAre you picking up Clarissa at the Arts Center?â
âYeah, she really seems to enjoy the classes. Her sketchbook is filling up.â
âThatâs good. Has she made any friends yet?â
I shook my head. âNo, Iâm afraid not. Sheâs been spending more and more time with Miss Tilly. She takes Billie over there and I hear them laughing.â
âWell, you know, thatâs sure good for Tilly. She showed up at the Garden Club meeting last week. Nobody could believe it. She hasnât ventured out in ages. I think Clarissa is good for her.â
Hmm, I wasnât aware of this.
âOnce Tilly stopped teaching, it was like all the years since she lost Carl and Carl Junior caught up with her. Sheâs been in a terrible depression. Everybodyâs been worried about her and weâve tried everything to get her out. She told us that sheâs going to rejoin the Womenâs Club too. Itâs amazing.â
It certainly was. You mean to tell me that one little girl
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