andhiswife | (Reply)

Greta hums in wry acknowledgment of Demelza's point. They clearly want to make sure their dogs are well placed, and she can't blame them for that. But it's far more scrutiny than anyone back home would ask for. There are people who have children without this much forethought. It makes her a bit nervous, actually -- what if she loses out on a technicality? Are they going to turn her away, empty-handed, because she has a job that takes her out of the house for a good chunk of the day? Wouldn't they rather know a prospective adopter was gainfully employed in the first place?

If there's an upshot to the form's complexity, it's that it manages to keep her absorbed. She finishes it with only a few minutes to spare before Sam and Jordan's arrival, which means she only has a few minutes to fret and second-guess herself. She goes over her answers for the nth time, running them all past Demelza, too (though, given that they both find the thoroughness of the form a little bewildering, her friend's reassurances can only go so far). When the door finally opens, and she hears Jordan calling out to her, she's relieved to finally have an excuse to set the dratted thing aside for a minute.

"Hello, sweetheart," she says to the girl, rising out of her chair so she can scoop her up into her arms -- the gesture now all but customary, Jordan perching on her hip with familiar ease. "You are getting taller every day. Soon, you'll be the one scooping me up." Jordan grins, anticipatory and just a touch uncertain, until Greta raises her eyebrows and asks, "You don't think so?" The girl shakes her head, giggling.

"Well, a little excitement is to be expected," Greta allows, though the smile she offers Sam is a touch sheepish. She hadn't really considered what Jordan might make of the trip, though if she had, she could've guessed that it would wind her up. It's a good thing that Sadie seems like a calm sort. Good, too, that at least one of them intends to leave here with a dog. That might make it easier to convince Jordan she's not losing out if Sam doesn't also get Marvin a new friend.

She gives a subtle, guilty start when Sam greets Demelza, belatedly realizing that she should have started with introductions. "Sam, this is Demelza Poldark. She's been an enormous help with," she flaps a hand in a shelter-encompassing gesture, "all of this. Demelza, this is Sam Flynn, and this is Jordan." She pivots so Jordan can see Demelza more easily, explaining, "Demelza is a very good friend of mine." 'Demelza' is also a bit of a mouthful for a three-year-old, so she's careful to pronounce it slowly for her.