Tomoko was sitting in front of the computer for hours, struggling with her script.
Charo was worried because once she got started she wouldn't even eat.
"Okay, you guys. Keep quiet. Tomoko is working so don't interrupt her."
"Arf! Yes, Jane. I know."
"You're fine, Charo. It's actually Louis that I'm worried about."
"What are you talking about? Are you saying that you can't trust me? How could you..."
Jane covered Louis' mouth but still he kept on mumbling.
Suddenly Tomoko came out of her room.
She looked pale and a bit worn out.
"Tomoko! How's it going? You still have time before you mail it tomorrow, right? Are you finished already?"
"Um... well... sort of."
"That's great."
"But it's only the first draft. It needs some more polishing."
"Well, I've never seen anybody work this hard. That's for sure. Anyway, I'm heading to Sam's place. I've made you some sandwiches. Don't forget to eat them, all right? I'll see you later."
"Thanks, Jane. Yeah, see you later."
Jane left and Tomoko started to print out her newest version of the script.
"Now, that's start from the top."
Charo and Louis were quietly watching.
Tomoko noticed the two.
"Charo! Louis! Why don't you to be my first audience? It would be great to have someone listening."
"Arf!"
"I take that as a 'yes'. Okay, here we go."
"Now, this is about a woman who meets a man from another country. The two fall madly in love with each other. Get engaged and are just about to get married, but then, a terrible war breaks out. The man is forced to return to his home country."
"Arf! Brilliant! Wonderful! A masterpiece of the century."
"Shh! Louis, let's be quiet and listen."
"Oops. Sorry. Got carried way."
"Like it? Well, the woman is in despair but tries to find a way to join him. Then one day, she gets a hold of a ticket for the last ship that's headed for her lover's country. But, it turns out that a dear friend of hers needs that ticket, too, maybe even more so than the woman herself. You see, her friend has a deadly disease that can only be cured in that other country."
"Of course the woman hesitates, but finally gives her ticket to her friend, knowing that she would never see her lover again. --- very difficult for her to forget..."
Tomoko went on with her story.
It was an inspiring human drama, gripping with all its twists and turns.
"Sad but beautiful. I like it very much."
"Hmm... Couldn't agree more."
"So, what would you do, Charo? Would you be able to give up your only ticket to happiness for a friend?"
"I ... don't know."
"Of course he would and I would, too. That's drama! That's life! Gee! What a story..."
"I know it must be difficult but I sure hope I can. Anyway, that's the kind of person I want to be."
Tomoko stood up, took out the sandwiches from the refrigerator and went into her room.
She was working again.
"Hmm..."
The next morning, in front of the post box, Tomoko had been standing there for a while with Charo and Louis.
"No... I can't mail it. It's not good enough yet."
"Tomoko?"
Tomoko had suddenly lost confidence in herself.
"I need more time. What should I do? I can't... I can't..."
"No, Tomoko. Don't worry. Believe in yourself."
"It's now or never!"
However, Tomoko turned around and started to walk away from the post box.
"Tomoko..."
Her shoulders were trembling.
Charo thought for a while and suddenly...
"Arf!"
He snatched the envelope from Tomoko's hand and ran to the post box.
"Louis! Help me. We need to mail this."
"What? Oh, got it! Leave it to me."
Louis stood in front of the post box with his four legs steady on the ground.
Charo jumped on his back and stood up with the envelope in his mouth, but he couldn't reach the letter drop.
The two dogs truly believed that this beautiful story deserved a bigger audience.
They also knew that she couldn't miss the deadline.
"Charo... Louis... Okay. I get the message."
Tomoko gently took the envelope from Charo's mouth and dropped it in the post box herself.
"Thank you, you two. I guess I really needed that last push."
The three looked at each other and smiled.
It was another big step forward for Tomoko, and in fact for Charo, too.
