Expanding Horizons

Author's Note:

My sincerest thank you to AwkwardMD, SyleusSnow and Bramblethorn for all your help. You guys are the best.

This story is my contribution to the Pink Orchid 2022, a story event for women-centric sex positive stories, which I organized for the first time this year. This is also my second entry to Valentine's Day 2022 story contest. And, last but not least, this is my tribute to a young woman, whose short story wasn't joyful.

--#--#--#--#--

The first day of the rest of Joy's life was a Tuesday. She had just arrived at the office, having gone through her morning routine, the same as every morning. The weather was overcast and foreboding, so she'd armed herself with her favorite umbrella, the one with green foliage and small, yellow birds. It had not rained, which was in part a blessing and in part a disappointment, because she did love that umbrella.

Joy had the corner cubicle. She loved having windows in two directions: between that and the way she'd decorated her space, it felt homey and safe, and she enjoyed coming to work. She was just powering up her computer when her boss called and asked to meet her. Joy was immediately unsettled. She couldn't think of a reason, and not knowing was the worst. Her mind whirred on overdrive when she crossed the office and knocked on her boss's door.

"Come in," called Mrs. Smith. Joy stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Prompted, she took the seat opposite Mrs. Smith's table. Her palms were sweaty, and she was nearly panicking despite being certain she hadn't done anything wrong. She was always very careful to not do anything wrong.

"Good morning," Joy said, and got encouraged by how stable her voice sounded. "May I ask what this is about?"

"Good morning, Joy. I'm so glad I could get a hold of you first thing. Do you know Mrs. Malone?"

"Mrs. Malone? Betty? From the C-wing? I know of her, but I don't know her personally. Why?"

Joy leaned back, more relaxed now that it seemed this was not about her after all. Mrs. Smith leaned forward, leaning her elbows on her desk and crossing her fingers.

"Mrs. Malone contacted me last night and asked for a personal favor. She had an accident and is currently in the Blue Skies Hospital, waiting for surgery. She is in a bit of a pickle, because she needs someone to walk her dog while she's incapacitated, and she couldn't think of anyone, so she called me for help."

"Oh?" Joy said. "And you thought I might be the person?"

"Yes. I know you have helped coworkers in similar situations before, and according to personnel info you live close enough that I hope it won't be an insurmountable trouble. Of course, if you'd like to refuse, you are free to do so. And if her absence gets prolonged, maybe you can work out a different arrangement with her. I can give you her contact information."

"Well, yes," Joy said, surprised. "I can certainly help out for a couple of days at least. Where did you say she lives?"

Mrs. Smith handed Joy a note with Betty Malone's phone number and address. Her smile was genuine and made the corners of her eyes wrinkle in a very warm-hearted way.

"I knew I could count on you, Joy! Thank you!"

Joy knew when she was being dismissed, so she returned the smile, took the note and got back to her daily work routine.

--#--#--#--#--

Mrs. Malone lived in an old brick building a 15 minute walk from Joy's apartment. She regarded the house carefully before heading to the stairway labeled A. The house was next to a park and looked well kept, if old. Mrs. Malone had been so well medicated with painkillers she hadn't been able to give Joy very specific advice, but she had given her the keys and thanked her profusely for helping.

Joy didn't take the elevator but climbed the stairs to the fourth floor slowly, postponing the inevitable. Mrs. Malone's operation was scheduled for the following morning, and Joy suspected that recovering would most likely take weeks. She was not at all sure she was willing to walk Mrs. Malone's dog twice a day for weeks.

She stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath. At least for the next few days she would, whether she wanted or not, and when Betty had recovered enough to have an intelligent conversation she would ask if someone else could take the dog for the rest of the recovery period.

Joy opened the door and a frantic, enormous black creature immediately overtook her. It fussed around her, tail whipping and slobbering saliva all over, trying to lick both her hands at once. It didn't jump, for which Joy was grateful, because she was sure she would've fallen over if it did. This thing was huge. Joy preferred her dogs small and her cats big. Betty's dog was more in the category of "calves" or "moose."

"Settle down, down boy, girl, down," Joy said and tried for a firm tone of voice. The dog eased up a little, but was still so excited the whole of its back end was whipping back and forth following its tail.

"Okay," Joy said shakily. "I guess it is walk first. I'll see about feeding you later. Let me see..."

She stepped into the hallway and picked the leash up from the hook. The hallway continued further in the apartment, but she didn't have time to look around just yet. She clipped the leash onto the dog's collar, locked the door behind her, and headed to the elevator.

The dog really needed to go. It dragged Joy towards the park so forcefully she had to run to keep up, and when it reached the first bushes it lifted its leg and peed for what felt like an hour. Joy caught her breath, annoyed by how undignified running like that was, and glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. There were a few joggers further along the park, but no one seemed to pay her any attention. She tried to forgive the dog. She understood he really needed to go, but she couldn't really feel much empathy.

They walked along the path in a more reserved manner. Joy had just begun to think that maybe this wasn't so bad, she could use the exercise and fresh air of regular walks, when the dog stopped to sniff around and squat to take a dump, and Joy realized she needed to pick it up. She groaned. There was a roll of poop bags attached to the leash, which was good because she wouldn't have thought to search for any when they left, but the pile the dog produced was massive and filled Joy with disgust.

"This is why I don't have a dog," Joy hissed to the animal, who looked at her quizzically and wagged his tail. Apparently he was in a much better mood now that he had relieved himself. Joy gritted her teeth and considered her options. She could try to move the turd with a stick or something, but that would most likely mean that she would smear the bag in shit and it would be even more difficult to handle. She braced herself and picked the poop up with the bag as fast as she could. She hadn't realized it would be so warm, and she gagged when she tied the bag shut and eyed for the nearest dumpster, shivering in disgust.

The rest of the walk was uneventful, and once again Joy almost enjoyed herself. Now that the dog wasn't in a hurry he didn't pull, and even when they met a few other dogs he behaved well enough. Joy relaxed little by little. Maybe this would not be impossible, after all.

When they were almost back at the house the dog let out a delighted whimper, and pulled into a gallop so suddenly the leash slipped from Joy's hand. She shouted in fright and rage and ran after the dog, realizing she didn't even know what his name was, so she couldn't call for him to come back. Not that he would have obeyed, she was certain. The dog ran towards the house, luckily not crossing to the driveway. When Joy caught up, panting and frantic, he was at the doorway of the other stairway of the house.

"Rufus, my man," said the young man who was cuddling the dog enthusiastically. He had a lit joint in his hand, and he took care to keep it away from the shaggy black fur when he laughed and hugged the dog. The dog--Rufus--sat beside him, tail wagging, and licked his neck and ear affectionately.

Joy leaned on her knees and tried to breathe. Damn, she was in poor shape. She knew she wasn't sporty, but she hadn't realized she couldn't sprint for even the shortest distance without getting so winded.

The man peeked at Joy from under the dreadlocks hanging on his face. He grinned, revealing a gap between his front teeth, and took a drag of the joint.

"Haven't seen you before," he said jovially. "You walking Rufus?"

"Yes," Joy said curtly and stood up to reach for the dog's leash. "Mrs. Malone is in the hospital and I'm helping out. Thanks for catching him."

To Joy's relief Rufus followed her towards the right stairway without objection. She wasn't sure what breed he was, or if he even was a pedigree dog, but he weighed at least half of what she did. She wasn't at all sure she could've pulled him by force if he had decided not to budge.

Back in Betty's apartment Joy took her shoes off and walked around hesitantly. The apartment was cozy; it had high ceilings and wooden floors, and the rooms were spacious and filled with daylight. She peeked into a bedroom and living room which had a sofa set and TV in addition to a desk with a computer and bookshelves, and then found the kitchen. She found the dog food easily enough but had no idea how much to give him. She leaned on the counter and surfed on her phone for feeding instructions for a large dog.

The bag of dog food had instructions to soak the pellets, so she did, refilling the water bowl in the meanwhile. Rufus sat and waited, and to Joy's amazement he didn't go for the food even when she set the bowl down. They looked at each other, the dog grinning and salivating steadily from both corners of his mouth.

"What is it, boy," Joy asked. She was unsure of herself. Rufus barked and grinned at her. She gestured towards the bowl. "Here you are."

Rufus leaped at the food and wolfed it down astonishingly fast. Then he jogged out of the room, and Joy was left alone.

"Okay then," she said to herself. "I guess I'm done here."

--#--#--#--#--

The next day Joy was turned away from the hospital, because Mrs. Malone wasn't really coherent after her operation. The day after that, Joy was so busy walking Rufus, working, and attending a charity event at her church, that she had no opportunity to try again. On Friday night visitation hour she met a smiling and much more coherent Betty, who again thanked her for helping out.

Joy sat in the visitor's chair beside her bed, switching her weight uncomfortably. She had meant to suggest Betty find someone else to walk the dog, but now that she was here, it felt difficult to bring it up. Betty looked at her, cocking her head.

"Has Rufus been behaving?"

"As well as can be expected, I think," Joy admitted. "The first walk was chaotic, but I think it was just because he had to go so badly. Though he has a habit of trying to break loose when we go back to your place."

Betty laughed. "Oh, I know! To greet Leroy, right? I'm sorry, I should've warned you. He always does that, but it is okay to just let him go. He only runs to where Leroy is. He loves that boy."

Joy smiled tightly. "Leroy, huh?"

"Yes. Haven't you introduced yourself? Leroy is staying with his great-aunt for a while, Ramona in B-14. Charming young man."

Joy thought of Leroy's easy charm and how he was polite and flirted in a low-key way every time they met. He had beautiful eyes--warm brown and always smiling--but Joy didn't know what to make of him. Everything about his appearance, from the dreadlocks to the shabby street fashionable clothes he wore screamed "I'm the one your mom always warned you about".

Joy brightened when a thought hit her. "Hey, if Leroy is staying in the same house, couldn't he walk Rufus? He seems to be around almost every time I take Rufus for a walk."

Betty grimaced. "Well... charming as Leroy is, he is not the most trustworthy person. His concept of time is very, ahem, fluid."

Joy nodded slowly. Judging by the amount of dope Leroy seemed to be smoking that was probably an accurate assessment.

"Are you saying you would rather not walk Rufus?" Betty asked. She viewed Joy with sharp, intelligent eyes, and Joy squirmed.

"I... just thought..."

"Would you rather take Rufus to your home? Would that be easier for you? He is reasonably well behaved."

Joy thought about Rufus's shaggy bulk and wildly swinging tail in her delicately decorated, small apartment. She had a collection of porcelain figures in her bookshelf, arrangements of dried flowers on small vases on almost every surface, and crocheted tablecloths in every room. Some of her decorative, collectable plates were hung low enough to be level with the whooping tail. In short, nothing in her apartment was designed to host big animals or small children. It was partly because she preferred it that way, and partly a deterrent action: her closest friend, Daniella, kept suggesting Joy should take Kiera, the oldest of her three small children and Joy's goddaughter, to stay overnight. Joy was alarmed by the proposition, and it was easy to blame her deferral on other things than that she just did not want to. She abhorred the idea of having responsibility for a child for so long.

Joy blinked to pause her musings. Betty was still looking at her, waiting for an answer.

"My place is not really suitable for a dog, I'm afraid."

"You're also welcome to stay at my place, if that would be easier for you. I had the impression you live alone, am I correct? If you have pets or spouses to keep you at home, I understand, of course."

"No, no pets or spouses," said Joy. She felt instant discomfort thinking of sleeping anywhere but in her own bed, but it would make Rufus's morning walk much more convenient if she did indeed stay at Betty's. Even her commute to work would be shorter.

Betty was still watching her. "You have every right to not walk Rufus," she said in a friendly manner. "I have no other friends to walk him, but we can arrange for him to be placed in a kennel while I recover. You have no obligation to agree to help only because you could. I have a hunch that your help is often taken for granted, isn't it?"

Joy felt her eyebrows rise and didn't know how to respond. She was indeed often relied upon, in work, in church, and among her few friends. She was dependable and loyal, and often that seemed to mean exploitable. That Betty acknowledged that made Joy instantly want to do anything she could to help her.

"But wouldn't the kennel be awfully expensive?"

Betty smiled. "Oh, I have money," she said airily. "I have, how should I put it, additional sources of income. Oh, right! I'm so forgetful! I didn't talk to you about the money, did I?"

"Money?"

"I will of course pay you for your dog tending services," Betty said. "I am willing to pay you the same amount I would to the kennel. I meant to tell you that, but I'm afraid I was a bit fucked up in the head the first time you came by. They have these magnificent pills they give you."

Joy managed a weak smile. "It didn't come up, no, but I'm not expecting you to pay me. Of course, I'll help you: it's what any friend would do."

"Yes, any friend, but I'm just your coworker, and by the looks of it, you'll be taking care of Rufus for some time. You'll have the money and I'll hear no more of that. And let me know any and all expenses you have buying him food while I'm gone. But do let me know if you get tired of caring for Rufus, and I'll inquire about the kennel I usually use when I travel."

Betty's tone of voice was final.

--#--#--#--#--

After careful consideration, Joy did pack clothes and perishable groceries and relocated to Betty's. She felt weird unpacking her toiletries in the other woman's home. She liked her own home, had spent time decorating it just the way she liked and carefully chose her sheets and pillows. Betty's bed was bigger, and what was peculiar was that at the foot of it stood a large stand-alone mirror. Joy turned it to face the other way first thing. She could imagine waking up in the night and getting badly spooked by her own mirror image.

Rufus seemed delighted to have her for company. He didn't come into the bedroom, even if Joy forgot to close the door, and that was a relief. He did come to the sofa, and after first being surprised and displeased, Joy soon got used to watching the TV snuggling with the great furry beast. She even commented out loud on the shows and Rufus glanced up at her with beady charcoal eyes, almost as if he understood.

Now that Betty had sort of introduced Leroy to her, Joy made the effort to be more friendly towards the young man. They had short conversations when they met at the end of Joy's dog walking strolls. Joy was surprised to learn that Leroy was only two years younger than her 28.

"Oh," she said. "I thought..."

"You thought I was a teenager because I act like one?" Leroy asked and wiggled his eyebrows.

"I didn't mean it that way."

"Yes, you did, but it's okay," Leroy said and grinned. "I have, how did my student counselor put it, a severe lack of ambition."

He emphasized the word ambition in such an exaggerated way that Joy couldn't help grinning. He rolled his eyes and put out the joint by stomping on it. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I should figure out what to do with my life. I'm actually waiting for my turn at the ranch."

"Ranch?"

Leroy huffed. His breath came out in a white cloud. Weather had turned to freezing after the weekend. He rummaged in the pocket of his puffed parka and produced another joint. "You want some?"

Joy shook her head. Leroy lit up and held the smoke before slowly letting it out in a sweet scented whirl. "The ranch... it's in Colorado, and my uncle Jerome lives there. It's not his, but he's good friends with the owner. It's kind of our family's private correctional facility. I've been threatened with it all my life. 'If you don't behave, you'll end up castrating bulls with your unca Jerome!' that type of thing. And now I'm really heading that way in two months. My mom finally snapped."

Joy shifted her weight from toe to heel, trying to stay warm. "I thought you lived with your aunt?"

"Great-aunt," Leroy said and grinned. His grin was contagious, warm and genuine. "See, I'm in the queue. My cousin Tim is at the ranch now, and they don't want the two of us there at the same time. He'll go home in two months, and bam, it's my turn to do my time. But mom was so pissed with me she put me here while I wait."

"I see," said Joy, who could not imagine having that kind of family. Her family was prim and proper, very respectable and very boring.

"Ramona is alright," Leroy said. "I always liked her. She is a lot of work now, though. She can't do that much by herself. When I leave, my aunt will move back in."

Rufus turned to look at a small poodle walking by, and Joy took it as a sign to move on. She smiled and waved at Leroy, and she and Rufus followed the poodle and its owner down to the next door. Joy realized she now thought the poodle didn't look like a proper dog, even when it was one of the breeds she had previously admired. Rufus's easy gait looked much more dog-like to her eyes.

"Come on, boy, there's a movie on tonight," she said, and Rufus licked the back of her hand lovingly.

--#--#--#--#--

Joy was surprised to realize she was uneasy, bordering on nervous. Betty had called and asked her to come visit and, as was usual for Joy, she had been wondering what it was about ever since. She hoped Betty hadn't changed her mind and wanted Rufus to go to a kennel. In a very short time, she had started to feel at home at Betty's. The apartment was spacious and homey. The last few times she had visited her own place it had felt cramped and almost museum-like in its calculated perfectness. She had even become used to picking up Rufus's massive turds and wiping his drool off the kitchen floor. To be honest, the dog sitter pay she was getting from Betty didn't hurt either: her paycheck wasn't that impressive.