Graham continued to talk to Jenkins rather than acknowledge Christina as he placed the lead around her neck.
"Is it ok if I bring her back a little late today?" The off duty teacher asked.
"I don't see why not" Christina's boss agreed on her behalf "I usually close around 10pm so no later than that please"
"No problem!" Graham nodded as Christina felt her lead tug on her neck indicating it was time to go.
From the walk back to Graham's flat, as Christina trotted along with her nose too close to the umclean pavement for her liking, it was obvious something was off. He wasn't talking to her as a human as he had when she was in the body of a frog yesterday and there was no code for her to communicate with him. Even if she did bark she was ignored. He also kept her on a lead for the entire twenty minute journey despite there being no actual requirement to do so and plenty of other canines running around freely.
It was when they arrived at Graham's place however that it became clear just how unpleasant this assignment was going to be.
"I'm back!" Graham shouted up the stairs as he and Christina came through the door and he finally removed her lead.
There were footsteps which followed and they were soon revealed to belong to an attractive young woman about Christinas age. Graham moved towards the woman and seemed to make a real performance of kissing her hello. For the first time Christina noticed a wedding ring on his finger that definitely hadn't been there yesterday.
"Ok, so why have you got a dog with you?" The woman wondered.
"This is Christina, I'm looking after her for a friend today. She can do all kinds of tricks, look" Graham clapped his hands theatrically before issuing his command "Christina, show me how you beg!"
Christina stood still for a moment as she realised what was happening. This creep was getting some kind of weird kick out of cheating on his wife with another woman, turning her into a dog and bringing her home with him. Christina would be humiliated in front of his wife and his wife would be none the wiser as to the identity of the visiting pet. Maybe Jenkins was right about not mixing with clients if these were the type of people they attracted.
"Come on, show me how you beg, you stupid mutt!" Graham asked again, this time more aggressively.
"Graham, don't talk to her like that" the wife, who seemed like a pleasant lady protested.
"It can't undertand" Graham shrugged.
Christina wanted to bite this loser, but she couldn't risk upsetting Jenkins again after what had happened this morning. She instead reluctantly rose up on her haunches, holding her two paws up in front of her and made a pathetic whimpering noise.
"Good, now sit!"
"Rollover!"
"Play dead!"
Christina obeyed each and every instruction thrown at her. She would find some way to get her revenge once she had finished with this stupid job though.
"Good, I think you've earned a treat. I bought you a toy to play with!"
Graham produced a squeaky plastic bone from his pocket and threw it onto the carpet in front of his couch in the living room.
As Christina trotted over dutifully to fetch her gift, Graham lead his wife with him in the same direction and the pair settled cosily there together while they watched Chrstina put on a very professional performance of a dog enjoying a squeaky toy. The worst part of all this was that the assignment would last late into the evening and what should have been Christina's free time. Just how much more humiliation did this jerk have planned for her by then?