Day Seventy-Three: Lyla!!!

I listen to Si No Le Contesto by Plan B while take a shower in the morning.  I use hotel shampoo, conditioner and soap and put on my robe and slippers to ease into this transition back. I’m home.  It’s just like it was when I left it.  Except I have have a lot of new wines on my shelf. 

Kelly from Far Fetched Acres calls.  She’ll be here in twenty minutes with Lyla.  I can’t wait to see my baby girl. 

I have a huge grin on my face as I run down the stairs and out the door to the car where I see Lyla’s tail wagging in the window.

Lyla! Lyla! Lyla!  “Pumpkin! Hi Pumpkin!!” I exclaim.  Oh how I’ve missed your sweet heart.  She recognizes me immediately and gets so excited.  She licks my face over and over.  She can’t contain her excitement.  Neither can I.  All of west 13th Street stops to observe the reunion.  Joy.  Pure joy.

This transition back must be surprising for her too.  She’s been away for as long as I have.  She was at camp in the Hudson Valley.  I saw pictures.  She was having a lot of fun running around with friends.  Like me, she had fun, but she was ready to come home.

She races to the door.  She knows where she is.  I let her leash go and she races to the elevator and scratches the door as we ride up.  Onto the apartment door.  Opens.  She runs in circles around the apartment, wagging her tail.  I get on the floor and we continue the reunion. 

Chris is in the village and comes by to say hi to me and Lyla.  Chris and Jay moved to New York last week.  I was disappointed to learn this when I was leaving for Miami, but very happy about the news on my return to New York.  Jay joins us and I have a reunion with my boys.  “She still is the best thing I found in Miami,” Jay says. 

It’s good to be back.  See more pictures.