The Personal Assistant

Starbright moped too. Nothing came of Sid's studding of her in the park.

* * * *

I'd like to say I'd forgotten Cal by six months later, but I hadn't. I'd cruised around a bit and also tried out another live-in of the domestic variety, but whenever I was with any of these guys, I was thinking of Cal and comparing them to him—and they all were coming up short.

So, imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang and Starbright barked and came to the door with me, with her tongue hanging out. I was surprised because she had never shown this much interest in anyone being at the front door before.

It was Cal. And not just Cal; Sid was sitting at his side, tail wagging to beat the band.

"Six months are up. You still have an opening for a personal attendant?" he asked.

"What happened with Jim Causey?" I asked.

"Nothing happened. And that's sort of the point," Cal said. "I was assigned to him for six months and the six months are up. I'm off probation. I sort of like grooming the dogs at the no-kill pound. If you don't mind, I'll continue that."

"If I don't mind?"

"Yeah, if you want me to live with you and do you right."

Want him to live with me? Of course I did. I hadn't even thought hard on that until now, and when it came up just now I realized this was what I needed all along. I didn't need a limp-wristed guy to take care of me. I needed someone like Cal for me to take care of—whenever he wasn't taking care of me sexually.

"I don't understand," I said, still not believing him just showing up again after six months. "I offered you this six months ago."

"Yeah, you did. But I had a commitment to Causey. He was taking a chance on me. The shrink in prison told me that what I needed to do to stay out of trouble was to make commitments and stick with them. I did that with Causey. I want to try doing that with you now."

"But Sid, here. You brought Causey's dog with you."

"Turns out Sid likes me a lot better than he likes Causey, so we got him a Rin Tin Tin-type dog. I'm banking on you being happy with Sid doing your poodle as good as I can do you."

I looked down at Starbright. She certainly was acting like she wanted Sid to do her again.

"Maybe I'll let them socialize out in the fenced backyard" I said.

"While you're taking them back, I'll be waiting in your bedroom," he said.

And as simple as that, I at last got the ultimate live-in arrangement—and my own very personal attendant to boot.