I crouch to the floor. “And who’s this little guy?” I scratch the dog behind the ears, and he tries to lick my face.

Lucas squats next to us. “Glad to see you two get along.”

I swear, his eyes haven’t always been this blue, nor his lips so full and inviting… I bite my lower lip and catch him watching me. The moment is interrupted when Tegan steps in, saying, “Are we good to go?”

We jump up, and Lucas hands me a small bag, saying, “Max’s leash and food are inside. If he gives you any trouble, let me know.”

“I’m sure he won’t.”

“All right,” Lucas says. “We’d better go.”

Sober now, I say, “Text me constant updates.”

He nods.

I turn to Tegan, and my heart breaks a little. What will happen today?

I pull my daughter into a hug. “I love you, baby.”

For once, she doesn’t pull away with an indignant, “Mom, I’m not a child anymore!”

Tegan hugs me back just as tightly, saying, “I love you, too.”

Holding Max in my arms so as not to let him run down the street, I watch them cross over to where Lucas has parked his black SUV. They get into the car and, in a heartbeat, they’re gone.

To kill time, I spend the morning compulsively cleaning the house while staring at my watch every five seconds. A single text breaks the routine:

In Hartford, stopping for gas and a bathroom break

It’s not much, but at least Lucas is keeping me posted as promised.

Max has been following me around the house, sniffling at every corner, while Priscilla has kept to the safety of Tegan’s room—the only place Max hasn’t dared enter, as if an unspoken message has passed between the two pets.

I’m finishing scrubbing the bathtub when the cute dog bumps me with his muzzle. I sit back on my heels and find him staring up at me, head tilted, and a red leash between his jaws. The message couldn’t be clearer.

I stare at my watch. It’ll take Lucas and Tegan at least another hour to arrive in Cambridge, and their appointment isn’t until two. We have plenty of time for a walk, and I could use the fresh air.

Outside, I head toward Whitman Park while Max stops to sniff at every tree and fire hydrant we pass on the way. Before we reach the park, I pause at a kiosk to buy a sandwich. The day is warm, so I sit on a bench in the sun and share bites of my lunch with Max. When I’m finished, I don’t get up right away. Instead, I tilt my head up and enjoy the hot sun rays hitting my face. And, if not relaxed, at least I’m calm when my phone pings with a new incoming text.