Months and months went by. Dana and Lighthouse became almost inseparable. They took long walks together in parks and they would sit together in benches and they would share ice creams and chocolate bars. They played catch and other fan games as Dana discovered. He came along with her in her morning runs and sometimes in training where he would sit by the court watching the green balls going back and forth while waiting for her to go back home. Dana had made some arrangements with the manager of the club to let Lighthouse attend her trainings sometimes and since he always behaved himself he got to sit by the court and even retrieve stray balls for his tennis girl. Her coach was a little worried in the beginning. It wasn’t the presence of the dog that actually worried him. It was the fact that Dana seemed to talk a little longer with him than usually people do with their pets. And what about that strange name? Why on earth would anybody call their dog “Lighthouse”? However the coach relaxed since he saw Dana happy and really into her training despite the presence of the well–behaved big hairy dog that she often referred to as “her friend”.

Dana would often look at her Lighthouse at the side of the court, his shiny hair, his intense eyes and she felt proud. Proud as a parent, as a child, as a friend. She felt proud of her handsome big hairy dog and this made her really comfortable and happy which showed in her game. She was usually relaxed and confident and really enjoyed every moment of practice.

When they would go back home they would eat dinner together on the couch in front of the TV and they would fall asleep soon after with Lighthouse lying on Dana’s feet. During the day Dana would often talk to him about all sorts of things but mainly about her worries about her nonexistent personal life. She gradually lost the little contact that she had with her old friends isolating herself almost on purpose. She didn’t go out at nights unless it was a family dinner where she would always try and was not always successful to bring Lighthouse too.