Dog Whisperer by Nicholas Edwards Page A

friends’ parents did. Being an only child probably had a lot to do with it, too.
    Out in the water, the people in the lobster boat had hauled up another trap. Emily and her mother watched as the man and woman tossed back the lobsters that were too small, collected the ones that were of legal size, and then re-baited the trap and dropped it back into the sea.
    â€œIs it selfish to want them to keep trying?” Emily asked.
    Her mother paused to think about that. Unlike her father, who always had definite opinions and rarely changed his mind, her mother’s fields were political science and constitutional law, and so she was inclined to see both sides of everything . “No, not at this point,” she said finally. “But, even though I know it’s awful, we’re going to have to prepare ourselves for what we might have to do.”
    Emily nodded, feeling an immediate lump in her throat. She had only been about six when their seventeen-year-old cat, Wilbur, had had to be put to sleep, and all she remembered was that her parents
came home with an empty carrier, and that her mother had gone into her room and cried straight through dinner. It had been really sad, and after a while, Emily had gone in there and cried, too, both of them cuddled under a thick quilt.
    They sat there, in the rain.
    â€œHe should have a name,” Emily said quietly.
    Her mother glanced over.
    â€œIf something bad happens, he should have a name and know that people loved him.” Just saying the words brought tears to her eyes, and Emily wiped them on her already very wet sleeve.
    â€œOkay,” her mother said, and put her arm around her. “What’s his name?”
    Emily didn’t even have to think. “Zack.” The name just felt right.
    Her mother looked a little surprised by how quickly she had come up with it. “Just Zack?”
    â€œZachary,” Emily said. “But Zack for a nickname.”
    â€œAll right, then,” her mother said, and tightened her arm around her shoulders. “Zack it is.”
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    When they saw her father pulling into the parking lot, Emily jumped down off the rock, landing upright in a puddle with a small splash.

    Her father had brought back enough sandwiches, chips, and drinks for everyone who worked in the vet’s office, too. Emily still wasn’t at all hungry, but to keep her mother from looking so worried, she ate an egg salad sandwich and a little bag of potato chips, and had some orange juice, too.
    Then, once all of the food and drinks were gone, it was back to waiting. The only news they had gotten at all was when Gary, one of the techs, came out and told them that the dog—Zack!—was back in surgery. Other than that, they just waited.
    None of them talked much, but she was glad that her parents were both there to keep her company. Every minute seemed to last an hour, and every hour seemed to last a century . The office officially closed for the day at six o’clock, but they were allowed to stay and keep waiting.
    It was just after seven when Dr. Kasanofsky came out of the back room. Even though he hadn’t said anything yet, he was walking so slowly that Emily knew the answer before he even spoke.
    â€œI’m very sorry,” he said. “I think it’s time.”

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    Emily knew that she had to be brave, but it was hard. If their vet was telling them it was time, it was time . So she just nodded, and rubbed her hand across her eyes, and pretended to listen while her parents and Dr. Kasanofsky talked. She didn’t really want to know the details; all that mattered was that they were going to have to put her dog to sleep.
    â€œCan we see him?” she asked.
    â€œOf course,” Dr. Kasanofsky said. “Let me just go in the back for a minute, and then the three of you can join me.”
    While they were waiting, Emily cried a little, and her parents hugged her. They both looked close to tears,