When Stacy was born, it was a no-brainer, as they say, for Alice to quit her job as a medical secretary outright and become, at age forty, a true stay-at-home mom. Eight hours or more a day were spend being in charge, caring for their daughter, planning meals, and watching out the back window as Stacy and her pals played in the backyard; being the taxi driver and the negotiator; being disappointed when Stacy refused to go back to dancing school, and signing up for booster club when she took up soccer. And yet, when he was around, it was Ed who dazzled their daughter’s eyes.

And now it’s Buddy who dances and prances when Ed comes in the door.

Even before Ed shuts the car off, Alice is out the door. “I’m going to be late.”

“For what?”

“His first class.”

“I forgot.”

Alice gets a good look at Ed as he climbs out of his car. Head to toe, he’s covered in white flakes. “Is the dog as much of a mess as you are?”

Buddy jumps out of the Cutlass and stands beside Alice. His pink tongue lolls out of his mouth; it’s not because he’s panting, but from that happy look that he gets when both of them are there.

“Where is his leash?”

Ed doesn’t answer.

Alice checks the dog over, clearly annoyed. She brushes a hand over the dog’s back, clips on the requisite six-foot training leash, and points him into the open door of the minivan.

Buddy looks inordinately pleased to be asked to go for another ride.

“He might need some water before you go.”

“Take him in, but hurry up. I have to get to Amherst.”

Once, Ed had taken Stacy to the shoe store three-quarters of an hour before she was supposed to be at a game. Neither one of them remembered the game, and Alice was left on the sidelines, furious, apologetic when the coach came looking for his player, and, finally, worried. Eventually, they showed up, sheepish but not nearly contrite enough. That might have been when Alice insisted they invest in cell phones.

Buddy takes no time at all to lap up some water and races back to the garage to take up his place in the minivan.

“Have fun.” Ed presses the button to raise the garage door for Alice.