Amira watched the leaves dancing in the wind before falling gently to the ground. Usually, fall was her favorite time of year. She loved wearing cozy sweaters and drinking apple cider breathing in the hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Thoughts of early morning walks in the crisp air with Ponch at her side, the crinkling sounds under his paws as he trotted happily through layers of red, yellow, orange, and brown leaves didn’t bring the joy it once did.
Ponch rubbed softly against her leg with his leash in his mouth signaling it was time for his walk. Amira checked her phone. It was supposed to rain soon. She grabbed his orange rain poncho. Ponch in a poncho; even that didn’t make her laugh today.
She walked dutifully behind him as he sniffed the air throwing his head back to enjoy the wind on his face, and the freedom of being outdoors. Amira envied her furry friend. He could find joy in the simplest things. His head turned quickly as his eyes followed a squirrel scampering up a tree. She could tell he longed to give chase, but Ponch knew better and stayed on the path that led to the woods behind Amira and Richard’s house. The house that would soon belong to someone else.
Amira felt the first drops of rain, but as they wandered farther into the woods, the blanket of leaves overhead kept them mostly dry. The safety net would be gone by winter as if that mattered somehow. They wouldn’t be around anymore. Where they’d be was anyone’s guess. How much did half the equity in a home buy these days?
Richard didn’t want the house or the business, but she couldn’t afford to buy him out of both, so she chose the business in an attempt to remain employed. Now wasn’t the time for a fifty-five year old woman to start her career over. She could run the business in her sleep, but Richard was always the face of the company, pressing the flesh, and buying drinks. Most of their clients realized who was doing the actual work, but Richard was the one who initially convinced them to hire the interior design firm. Would they trust her?
Thirty years gone when ink met paper as the divorce decree was signed. The kids were grown. In a no-fault state, a divorce is an unstoppable force of nature. It’s happening, and the only thing slowing it down is the division of property and assets.
Amira expected Richard to fight hard for Ponch. They both loved him, but Richard’s paramour was allergic to dogs. She wouldn’t have to fight, but strangely enough, it pissed her off that Richard could turn his back on man’s best friend so easily. She should be giddy with the prospect of having Ponch all to herself, but thoughts of her and Ponch being discarded like broken toys or the detritus of last night’s dinner piqued her ego.
When does the anger go away?
She followed Ponch deeper into the woods without noticing he was leading her down an alternate path to the one they always took. The trees became denser as the gentle rain transitioned into a storm. Amira tried to get the dog headed toward home, but she was no longer sure where home was. The first flash of lightning followed by the clap of thunder warned her they needed to find shelter quickly.
Ponch pulled her deeper into the woods until they came to a small clearing with a modern cabin. The car in the drive looked familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Ponch raced toward the cabin barking and ignoring her instructions to wait. She looked up in alarm at the sound of the front door opening.
“Ponch, Amira! What are you doing here? Come inside it’s not safe outside in this storm.” He held the door for the dripping duo. Ponch shook himself politely before crossing the threshold.
“Sit!” Amira commanded and Ponch obeyed. “Dr. Paul, I didn’t know you lived out here. I’m sorry we’re dripping all over your floor. I’m afraid I wasn’t paying attention, and I let Ponch take the lead on our walk. We ended up in unfamiliar territory when the storm started.”
He went to a nearby linen closet for some towels. “Please call me Paul, we’re not at the clinic. Take off that wet jacket and your boots. Here, this towel is for you. I’ll give Ponch a nice rub down while you dry off.” He turned his full attention to the dog. “Good to see you, Boy. How have you been? Ginger’s here, too, so you can play once you’re dried off.”
Ponch’s tail wagged enthusiastically. His favorite veterinarian started with his face and paws before hitting all of the dog’s favorite spots. Amira wiped her face with the towel and patted her clothing before wrapping it around her sopping hair.
Once Ponch was settled near the fire next to Ginger, Paul turned his attention to Amira. “This is my brother Steve’s cabin, or it was before he and his wife Jill decided to open a wellness retreat across the country in Seattle. They’re too busy to use the cabin, so he tasked me with packing up the rest of their things and getting it on the market. Jill’s about your size. She left some old clothes in their bedroom.” He pointed to a door down the hall. “You can change into them. She might have even left a hair dryer in the bathroom. The washer and dryer are still hooked up. We can wash the mud off your clothes before it stains. I have dinner on the stove, and there’s plenty. Ginger and I would enjoy the company, Amira looked at Ginger and Ponch snuggled together.
“We couldn’t impose, but if we could stay until the storm stops, we’d be grateful.”
“The dogs look like they’ve already decided on what to do. I’ll warm up some cider.”
Amira had always liked Dr. Paul Westin because he was so good with Ponch. The other vets in the practice were also good, but there was something special about him. Richard used to tease her about having a little crush on Dr. Paul. Secretly, she wished Richard could see her now, alone with Paul in this romantic setting. Paul with his salt and pepper hair, brown eyes, and easy smile that revealed one slightly crooked tooth in a mouth of perfection.
She found an old t-shirt, a sweatshirt, jeans, and a pair of socks, changing into them before taking her wet things into the laundry room. After rounding up the wet towels, she started the washer and went into the bathroom where there was a working blow dryer in one of the vanity drawers.
Amira smiled for the first time in what seemed like months although she was sure she smiled when she saw Paul standing at the open front door.
“Can I help with anything?” Amira walked toward Paul as he was ladling soup into two bowls. Ginger and Ponch were happily enjoying dinner in a corner of the kitchen.
“ You can slice the bread while I take these bowls to the table. Jill’s things look good on you. I’m glad they fit so well.”
***
“I was sorry to hear about you and Richard, by the way.” Paul said as they were doing the dishes. “When Sharon and I divorced nobody knew what to say, so it just hung in the air everywhere I went. I know it’s none of my business, but I didn’t want you to feel like that.”
“Thanks, everyone has been so careful not to be Team Amira or Team Richard. It’s not that I want our friends taking sides, but somehow it makes it worse because eventually they will. I think Richard and his ‘friend,’” she uttered the word hesitantly. “I think they plan to move down South, so I won’t have to worry about running into them all the time.”
Paul smiled, and she realized his brown his eyes were an even deeper chestnut than she remembered. “It got easier when Sharon moved back to Ohio, but I had to contend with my Aunt Ruth calling me weekly with Sharon sightings. I am the only divorce in the Westin family, so Ruth wanted us to get back together for the good of the family.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, unless that’s something you want.”
Paul threw back his head and laughed. “God no! I mean I was devastated when she first asked me for a divorce. Nobody wants to feel like they weren’t enough no matter what they did. She’s getting married in June, so no reunion for Aunt Ruth. I’m a permanent stain on the family, and I’m okay with that.”
“Good for you. I’m still at the stage where I’m angry and hurt. Is there a magic timeline for when that ends?”
“If there was, I didn’t find it.”
Ginger came up to Paul with her lease. “Luckily, the storm is over. I’m sure Ponch could use another walk, shall we?”
****
They followed the dogs’ lead as Ginger and Ponch trotted happily down the path. “It’s really nice here. Ponch and I are going to miss these woods. I hope I’ll be able to find something close by once our house is sold.”
“I didn’t realize you were moving.”
“Ain’t divorce grand?” Amira blurted out. She looked away in embarrassment. “Sorry, it was my choice. I had to choose between the house and the business. I’m too young and too old to be unemployed. Retirement isn’t in my near future neither is starting over.”
“Well, I don’t think you look anywhere near retirement age, not that it’s a one size fits all situation. My divorce completely removed the option of early retirement. I love being a vet, but it’s hard being in a business where you outlive most if not all of your patients. I’ve never admitted that out loud before,”
“You face life and death almost every day. I make things look pretty. I don’t know if I’m qualified to weigh in here.” Amira touched his shoulder briefly with her hand. Paul reached out and took her hand.
“I know you just finalized your divorce, but I’d like to take you out on a date when you’re ready.”
“You mean dog walking doesn’t constitute dating?” Amira laughed.
Am I flirting?
“With the right person it might, and I think you could be that person. At least I’d like the opportunity to test out my theory. What do you have to say about it, Ponch?”
Ponch barked happily and wagged his tail.