sure this outfit was any better than the shredded dress. Her stomach was doing back flips and her hands were shaking. It would be so humiliating if she actually fainted. Or threw up. She closed her eyes and tried to will her stomach to settle down.
Jan tugged on one of the shoulders of the blouse and then bent down to pet Swoosie’s head. “Hi Swoosie. Nice outfit. You have to be good now.”
Swoosie wagged and sat down expectantly. Michael was still fussing with a button and Jan asked, “So what am I supposed to do?”
“Just follow behind us. Put your hands over your head and clap to the beat of the music. Oh, and try to look happy. Like I said, everyone will be watching Swoosie, so it’s easy. Hey, the intro music is starting up. That’s our cue!”
The muscles in Jan’s body clenched in fear. “But I’m not ready!”
“You are now. Come on Swoosie!” Michael waved a treat in Swoosie’s direction and the dog followed him toward the entry to the garden area where wedding guests were gathering. Michael whistled loudly and the group parted to let him through. Swoosie sat down in front of him and he bent down and whispered something in the dog’s ear.
Boisterous merengue music flooded the area and Swoosie hopped up on her hind legs. She took a few steps in front of Michael, her ruffles swaying merrily. He raised his hands over his head and clapped to the beat of the music, turning in front of Swoosie. Still on her hind legs, Swoosie followed him and when he moved forward, she stepped backward, so it looked like they were dancing. Michael looked over his shoulder at Jan, raised his eyebrows meaningfully, and waved slightly at her with one of his upraised hands.
Startled into motion, Jan tried not to think about all the eyes in the crowd and stepped out into the walkway to follow the dancing pair. She did as instructed and walked behind them clapping as the dog performed. It was remarkable that this was the same obnoxious animal that had played keep-away in the trees. The little white dog was being so cute. And as Michael had predicted, the audience adored her.
Swoosie sat, presumably to rest her legs, and Michael put his hand on her head and danced around the dog in a circle. Then Swoosie got up on her hind feet again and Michael took one of her front paws, spinning around her. The routine went on with more spinning and dancing as the audience clapped and cheered them on all the way down the aisle.
For the big finish, Swoosie hopped behind Michael up to the floral awning where the ceremony was to be held. Michael pulled a little bag that contained the wedding rings out of his pocket with a flourish. He hung the bag around Swoosie’s neck and the dog sat quietly next to him, panting and smiling as the music faded. The wedding crowd was still cheering and Michael motioned to Swoosie, who stood up and then stretched deeply, bowing to her legion of adoring fans. Jan sidled up next to the pair and took a deep breath. It was over at last. And apparently she was now part of the wedding party.
Michael grinned at her and whispered, “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Jan shrugged, hoping the panicky feeling in her chest would go away soon. Her mother probably wouldn’t appreciate it if she had a heart attack in the middle of the ceremony. “At least my dress didn’t fall off. But Swoosie was amazing. I can’t believe you taught her to do that.”
Michael wiggled his eyebrows. “I have hidden talents.”
“You mean other than being an irresponsible pet owner and leering at little girls?”
Michael made a mock serious face and put both hands over his heart as if he were being stabbed, “You’re killing me here. I’m not really that bad once you get to know me.”
Swoosie’s wasn’t the only performance at the wedding. The canine dance routine was just the beginning. Jan suffered through her mother’s sock puppet show for perhaps the 7,000th time and a skit parodying one of the old Toilet King
Jan tugged on one of the shoulders of the blouse and then bent down to pet Swoosie’s head. “Hi Swoosie. Nice outfit. You have to be good now.”
Swoosie wagged and sat down expectantly. Michael was still fussing with a button and Jan asked, “So what am I supposed to do?”
“Just follow behind us. Put your hands over your head and clap to the beat of the music. Oh, and try to look happy. Like I said, everyone will be watching Swoosie, so it’s easy. Hey, the intro music is starting up. That’s our cue!”
The muscles in Jan’s body clenched in fear. “But I’m not ready!”
“You are now. Come on Swoosie!” Michael waved a treat in Swoosie’s direction and the dog followed him toward the entry to the garden area where wedding guests were gathering. Michael whistled loudly and the group parted to let him through. Swoosie sat down in front of him and he bent down and whispered something in the dog’s ear.
Boisterous merengue music flooded the area and Swoosie hopped up on her hind legs. She took a few steps in front of Michael, her ruffles swaying merrily. He raised his hands over his head and clapped to the beat of the music, turning in front of Swoosie. Still on her hind legs, Swoosie followed him and when he moved forward, she stepped backward, so it looked like they were dancing. Michael looked over his shoulder at Jan, raised his eyebrows meaningfully, and waved slightly at her with one of his upraised hands.
Startled into motion, Jan tried not to think about all the eyes in the crowd and stepped out into the walkway to follow the dancing pair. She did as instructed and walked behind them clapping as the dog performed. It was remarkable that this was the same obnoxious animal that had played keep-away in the trees. The little white dog was being so cute. And as Michael had predicted, the audience adored her.
Swoosie sat, presumably to rest her legs, and Michael put his hand on her head and danced around the dog in a circle. Then Swoosie got up on her hind feet again and Michael took one of her front paws, spinning around her. The routine went on with more spinning and dancing as the audience clapped and cheered them on all the way down the aisle.
For the big finish, Swoosie hopped behind Michael up to the floral awning where the ceremony was to be held. Michael pulled a little bag that contained the wedding rings out of his pocket with a flourish. He hung the bag around Swoosie’s neck and the dog sat quietly next to him, panting and smiling as the music faded. The wedding crowd was still cheering and Michael motioned to Swoosie, who stood up and then stretched deeply, bowing to her legion of adoring fans. Jan sidled up next to the pair and took a deep breath. It was over at last. And apparently she was now part of the wedding party.
Michael grinned at her and whispered, “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Jan shrugged, hoping the panicky feeling in her chest would go away soon. Her mother probably wouldn’t appreciate it if she had a heart attack in the middle of the ceremony. “At least my dress didn’t fall off. But Swoosie was amazing. I can’t believe you taught her to do that.”
Michael wiggled his eyebrows. “I have hidden talents.”
“You mean other than being an irresponsible pet owner and leering at little girls?”
Michael made a mock serious face and put both hands over his heart as if he were being stabbed, “You’re killing me here. I’m not really that bad once you get to know me.”
Swoosie’s wasn’t the only performance at the wedding. The canine dance routine was just the beginning. Jan suffered through her mother’s sock puppet show for perhaps the 7,000th time and a skit parodying one of the old Toilet King
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