“It does. She’s so cute.” Serena handed the picture to Annie.
Annie stared at Lili, who wore a pink collar in the picture, and suddenly remembered something that had happened recently. She’d just finished volunteering at the humane society, and when she got to her car, an odd shiver had run down her spine. She’d paused, one hand on the handle of the door, and looked around. It had felt like there were eyes focused on her. She’d scanned the parking lot but hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary. She’d quickly opened the car door and frozen when she saw what was on the driver’s seat: a pink collar with white paw prints on it, much like the one Lili used to wear. Her heart pounding and blood roaring in her ears, she’d slowly reached down and picked up the collar. Before she could read the name on the black bone-shaped tag, she knew what it would say.
And she was right. LILI, it said in all caps, with Annie’s cell number under it. What was it doing in her car in Kauai? She looked at the tote bag on her shoulder, remembering that she’d found it at the back of her closet when they were packing to move from New York. Had this tag been in the bag, forgotten all this time, and fallen out when she got out of the car? She could have sworn there was nothing in the bag when she packed it that morning. But how else in the world could an old collar from Lili have gotten into her car in Kauai?
“Annie?”
She started, her eyes returning to focus on Serena’s concerned face. Goose bumps broke out all over her skin, just like they had that day she’d found the collar.
“I . . .” She stared at Serena, but she wasn’t really seeing her. Because this was just another worrying reminder that she was doing and finding things she couldn’t remember. And that feeling of someone watching her . . . She’d had that same exact feeling when they had first moved to the lake house in New York. She’d thought back then that she was being paranoid, new to the neighborhood and not yet used to living in the country, since she was such a city girl. Now she wondered: Was it paranoia, or was she losing her mind?
“Do you need some water?” Serena’s voice broke into her thoughts again. “You look really pale.”
“No, I’m fine.” Annie tried for a smile, knowing she was failing miserably. “Just remembering something upsetting.”
“I’m sorry I’m bringing up bad feelings.” Concern was etched all over Serena’s face.
Annie gave her head a shake, trying to clear it of the echoing doubt in her mind. “You’re not. I love talking about Lili. She really was cute, and the best dog. So loyal and loving . . .” Her voice trailed off, and she was surprised to find her throat clogging up, even after all these years. Lili had been more than a dog. She had been Annie’s first child.
“Lili is exactly the kind of dog I would have gotten if I had one,” Serena said. “She’s a mini dachshund, right?”
“Yes. She was stubborn too, like all dachshunds.” Annie cleared her throat. “You know, she chose my husband for me. She didn’t like any of the men I was dating, but when she met Brody, it was love at first sight. She put a paw on his leg and that was it.” Annie forced out a laugh, remembering the look of surprise on Brody’s face when Lili claimed him as her boyfriend. “The wiener had spoken.”
“See, how perfect is that?” Serena sat down on the couch. “Your dog picked your husband for you. That is so sweet.”
Annie let out a breath. It was sweet. It’d been more than eight years since she’d met Brody at a friend’s party. Lili had been right: he was perfect for them, and Brody had loved Lili too, for the almost five years he’d known her. When they’d moved to the lake house four years ago, they’d been so full of hope for the family they’d raise there. Finn had been born two months after the move, and everything had seemed to be going as planned. Annie hadn’t anticipated how gutted she’d feel when Lili passed away suddenly only a couple of months after Finn’s birth.
“You look sad.” Serena’s voice broke through Annie’s thoughts. “Do you want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.”
“Um . . .” Annie shook her head and sighed. She was about to brush off the question, but then she realized she wanted to tell her. The thoughts in her mind were starting to drive her crazy with worry. Maybe talking about it with someone who was sympathetic and seemed to understand her would help. They didn’t know each other, but something about Serena made Annie want to open up. Sometimes, it was easier to talk to a stranger. And something about being stuck together while a storm raged outside, the uncertainty of what was going to happen, made her feel closer to Serena.
“I didn’t mean to pry.” A furrow appeared between Serena’s eyebrows.
Annie crossed to the breakfast bar, picked up their two glasses, and brought them over to the couch. Handing Serena hers, she sat and took a sip. “You’re not prying. But it’s a long story, and we’re going to need fortification. Are you sure you want to hear it?”
Serena nodded. “We’re not going anywhere for a while, are we?”
Annie gave her a rueful look and sank back into the cushion. Marley walked to her side and settled on the floor. “I guess not.”
Annie reached down and threw Marley’s favorite stuffed alligator to him. He caught it between his two front paws and settled down, gnawing on a foot and squeaking the squeaker every once in a while. She watched him for a moment before taking a breath.
“So Lili died from a severe case of pancreatitis two months after Finn was born. We did everything we could to save her. We even tried holistic medicine and acupuncture. But she kept getting sicker and sicker. I was supposed to be on tour with the dance company I founded, but I stayed home. Then she rallied, and I flew out. I hadn’t even been there a full day yet when our vet, Dr. Shane, called me and told me to come home right away. Dr. Shane loved Lili too.”
Annie stopped, taking a sip of wine. “Lili had had a seizure and was going downhill rapidly. Dr. Shane knew how special Lili was to me and knew I’d never forgive myself if I wasn’t with her. She called me home because she thought it might be time to end her suffering.” Annie looked down at Marley and took a breath, blinking back the tears. “But Lili took matters into her own hands. I got off the plane and Brody drove me right to the animal hospital. They put her in my arms and everyone left the room for a moment. It was just the two of us. Lili looked up at me, and then her whole body relaxed and she went limp. She had waited for me to come back. She passed away in my arms.”
“Oh, Annie.” There were tears in Serena’s eyes, and Annie blinked fast, fighting her own.
“I knew it was going to be a bad year after that. And it was. My mother died here in Kauai five months after that, and then the next month, I lost my dance studio and company and had to file for bankruptcy because I had personally guaranteed the company loans.” Annie put her wineglass down before she dropped it; her body was trembling slightly from the memories. “Now aren’t you sorry you asked?”
“No.” Sincerity flooded Serena’s face. “I’m glad you told me, that you trust me. That’s awful. I feel so bad for you.”