Bette and Tina don’t travel often so Angie is not used to having too much distance from them. Today she experienced a bit of separation anxiety with Bette being gone. She is having a hard time understanding why she had to leave on this trip. Tina hopes that having spoken to Bette earlier in the day and doing the drawings in the sand plus taking pictures helped Angie to deal with the separation, but she wants to talk to Angie just to make sure she’s OK.

“We sure did have a busy day today didn’t we honey? Did you have fun at the party?”

“I did have fun. I really like playing with Sounder II. Jenny says I can go to her house to play with him whenever I stay with Momma. Would that be OK Mommy?”

Jenny and Bette are neighbors but not great friends.

“I think it would be OK sometimes but we’ll need to check if it’s OK with Momma. I heard you ask her about getting your own dog on the phone earlier. You are getting to be a big girl so we think maybe now you will be able to take care of a puppy.”

Angie is excited at the prospect of getting a puppy.

“I can Mommy. I can take really good care of a puppy. I can feed it and take it for a walk and throw balls so he can fetch and he can sleep in my room.“

Angie pauses when she thinks about her two rooms.

”Mommy if I get a dog will he have two houses like me?”

“Sweetie I think if we decide to get you a dog he would have to stay at your Momma’s house all the time.”

“But how will I see him if I am here? How can I take care of him and feed him and play with him? He will miss me and I will miss him.”

“Well you can take care of him on the days you are with your Momma. Since you spend the weekends there you will have a lot of time to play with him. Momma will take care of him for you on the days when you are here.”