<div class="floatleft">(http://i.imgur.com/5WGMhX4.jpg)</div><br/><br/><br/><br/><strong>Name:</strong><strong>Sara McComb &amp; Pepe</strong><br/><br/><strong>Date:</strong>April 1, 2017<br/><strong>Time:</strong>late Mmorning / early afternoon<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Eugenia, Renee<br/><strong>Summary:</strong>Moving Day<br/><br/><br/><hr/><hr/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/IgjDnJr.jpg)</div>There were only a few things to be unloaded from Sara's Lexus,  namely the things that she had not been willing to live without in the few days it had taken to get things packed.   She'd made the arrangements -- it was something she was quite good at, after all -- and had the bills sent to Daddy.  It was some small revenge, and one that she hadn't quite gotten tired of, despite the length of time it had been going on.   His motto had always been that you get what you paid for,  and though it differed from Sara's own -- she generally thought that people sometimes got what they deserved  and more's the pity it wasn't more widespread -- she was happy to let him pay for the appearance of successful patriarch so long as it could be achieved with the occasional dinner and photo op.<br/><br/>The movers had great reviews and ratings, and Sara expected to walk into a well appointed apartment, with little needing to be one other than a few cosmetic adjustments.  Pepe barked twice and panted happily as she scooped him up, afghan and all, signaling his agreement.  His bed, his toys, his food were all waiting, new or cleaned, on the 10th floor of the Octavian.  (Trust Daddy to have bought into the most pretentious and old-world sounding of the buildings).    When Pepe was excited, he had an unfortunate tendency to wriggle, but unfortunately his leash seemed to have disappeared somewhere between the morning walk and checking out of the hotel -- perhaps it had gotten between some of her cousin's things and could be retrieved later, but right now it was a giant pain in the ass.<br/><br/><em>"Remind me to get a spare leash to keep in the car," </em>she told Pepe, who barked agreeably and stretched up to lick in the vicinity of her chin.  Sara laughed, and tried to use the afghan as a makeshift harness to keep the little French bulldog from wriggling free, and got her suitcase & laptop case from the trunk before slamming the lid shut with her elbow and transferring her keys to her teeth so she could push the button that activated the locks and alarms.<br/><br/>Awkwardly, the two of them headed toward the building's main entrance and through the (thankfully) automated doors, her modest work heels clicking on the tile for a few steps before they were muffled by the thick weave of the elegant entrance mat that bore the building's name and logo.    The whole thing looked warmer, more alive, than it had on her first visit, when they were showing apartments to interested tenants.<em> "I think we're going to like it here, Pepe," </em>she commented with a smile, looking around and letting the atmosphere soak in while they continued walking.<br/><br/>Then she caught sight of an elderly woman with grey hair, done up in a style that had been popular perhaps a century or so ago.  Aside from the hair, her rather sour expression was the most readily apparent thing about her, and she was looking at Pepe ... whose extended paws were pressed on Sara's shoulder as he tried to pry himself free, his little tail wagging madly through a gap in the afghan ... with an expression that did not signal that she thought the little dog was moderately acceptable, much less adorable.<br/><br/>After Sara's father, however, few people really intimidated her, and she advanced toward them with a bright smile, as to keep going to the elevators without acknowledging them would be both rude and something of a defeat.<br/><br/><em>"Hello,"</em>she said brightly.<em>"Are we going to be neighbors?  I'm Sara ... Sara McComb, and this is Pepe.  It's exciting, isn't it, moving to a new place?"</em><br/><br/>Neither one of them looked particularly excited, but that was okay.  Pepe was excited enough for all three of them, and wriggling madly in whimpering demand to be put down so he could make the acquaintance of his next new love interests.<br/><br/><em>"He's very friendly,"</em>Sara explained, her eyes wide and her tone determinedly bright.  Stating the obvious shouldn't be necessary, but sometimes it was, but somehow, Sara rather thought the little guy was not going to make a conquest here.