#grehounds

    His voice sounded only slightly flattened over the phone. “Wash says we have enough square footage according to both the town pet ordinance and the suggested amount of dog run space.” 

   “And he was okay with this?”

    “He thought I was being theoretical. I could name her Raleigh.”

    “The dog?”   

    “Yeah. She’ll be fast, like you. She’ll need some adjustment to the real world after living in competition, but I think we can help her with that, and -- “

    “York. We need to discuss this.”

    “All right. Family meeting. Everybody, family meeting. Right now.”   

    “Tell me you haven’t bought it yet.”

    “Nope. We need to all agree.”

    “I, yes. I agree.”   

    “Okay.” He smiled; he could hear it in his voice. “Everybody. When I get home. Family meeting.”

    “Where are you, York?” She rushed the words before he could hang up.

    “Oh, I’m at this meet and greet.”                     *     “I thought that was theoretical!”

    “Wash,” said Connie, and patted him on the shoulder. “Calm down.”   

    “Well, Hartford...  mean, he gets along well enough with Albany.” Wash shifted around uncomfortably on the couch.

    “I’ll have to get Theta used to the idea of having a dog around,” said North from an armchair on the other side of the room. York and Carolina had gathered everyone in the living room, blue evening light sinking through the windows.

    “Oh,” said York. “I told them we don’t have any kids in the house. But Theta gets to be involved in the decision too.”

    Theta manifested with a metallic sound. “What decision?”

    “We’re getting...I mean, we might be getting a dog,” said York, and Carolina shook her head at him but couldn’t stop the smile creeping up at the corner of his lips.                     *     They got the dog. They had to do research, almost like expectant parents.

    Like York had said, the greyhound was a former captive introduced to knew and frighteningly complicated freedoms. She needed help up stairs: gentle cajoling from York or a pat on the back from Carolina. Wash proved himself decidedly not a dog person but would throw treats at Raleigh from a distance. Despite or because of this, Raleigh would migrate between people’s rooms at night, digging her nose under York’s hand one hour and pressing her back against Wash’s another.

    Raleigh ignored Theta as completely as if the AI did not exist, even if he spoke. North said that the lack of smell probably threw her off, and told Theta not to feel bad about it.

    York thought for sure that he would be able to introduce them at one point.

    Carolina slowed down her runs for Raleigh, who had long beautiful legs but very little stamina, and this meant York could accompany her too. Connie accepted the dog and could occasionally be found petting her, or perhaps checking her fur for bugs.