"Mother is a golden. Father is a lab. Total retriever."
"Could bring me my paper," Oliver said, starting to slip.
"Might be nice for your daughter."
"Emma," Oliver said, brightening. "Come see her." He took Eric through the ell and into the kitchen. "Here we are," he said.
"Eric!" Jennifer hugged him warmly.
"Eric has a puppy for us."
"A puppy?" Jennifer looked at the photograph.
"Oh, how cute! How cute! Oh, Oliver, wouldn't it be just perfect for
Emma?"
"Mmm." It was hard for Oliver to disagree.
"I can bring her any time you'd like. Sooner would be better—you know—bonding and all that." Jennifer nodded wisely and took Eric to see Emma who was in her playpen in the living room. Oliver went back to the barn. Christ, he said to himself. It was beginning to get dark, a relief.