I was a nervous wreck. In my apartment with Comet Jr. Jr. after Kimmy had told me about the tragedy, I couldn't stop pacing and picking up the phone only to slam it back down again. What would I say? What could I say? I don't remember much. It's mostly a blur, but I think I said something like, "Uh…. DJ, I'm so sorry. What can I do? Do you want me to come over? I can bring pizza." I wanted to beat myself for mentioning food. As if pizza was going to take her pain away.

DJ and the boys moved into the old Tanner house on Girard. I felt so helpless and useless so I just kept my distance. Even when Tommy Jr. was born. A whole year went by, crazy fast, and one day, out with Comet Jr. Jr, I passed the house and saw the for-sale sign out front. Without even thinking, I dialed DJ's number.

"Deej."

"Steve, what's up? How's Comet Jr. Jr.?"

I wanted to burst into tears. That's all I was to her, just a dog-owner-patient-client-whatever, and it was my own fault for being such a coward. "Actually, she's pregnant."

The most beautiful sound in the world. DJ's exclamation of surprise. "No way! Comet Jr. Jr. is having puppies?"

"Yeah. I'm really freaked."

"Oh don't be. She'll be fine."

"No, I mean I'm freaked because I'm standing across the street from your house and there's a for-sale sign in the front."

"Oh that."

"Yeah, Deej, what's going on? Are you leaving San Francisco? Please tell me you're not in some kind of trouble. Are you on food stamps? Because that would really suck. They don't ration out nearly enough food."

DJ laughed. "No, Steve, I'm fine. I'm not on food stamps. Knock on wood, but so far so good. The house is on the market, though. Dad decided to sell it because, you know, the house is worth quite a lot now, and he's moving to LA, for the new show he's doing with Aunt Becky. The house is really too big for just me and the boys so we're going to find our own little place. Something cute, maybe in Oakland."

"What? Oakland? That's like on the other side of the bay. With San Francisco traffic the way it is, I may never see you again!"

DJ made that "awe" sound she makes. It was worse than what I imagine a sword in my chest would feel like, or a day without food, because it reminded me how crappy a friend to her I had been. Actually, I was worse than a crappy friend. I was an absent friend. I was a friend too cowardly to show his face.

I brought Comet Jr. Jr. into Harmon Pet Care so DJ could make sure everything was a-ok with the pregnancy. That was my stated reason. My unstated reason was just to see her again. It was great. Fred Harmon was there too. He was really excited about Comet Jr. Jr.'s pregnancy, which turned out to be further along than I thought. I went home with my dog and decided right then that I wasn't going to be an absentee, cowardly "friend" anymore. I was going to be there for DJ. No matter how hard it was.