care. Will does.’
‘How do you know that?’ Izzy says sceptically.
‘He likes the animals. You should have seen him with Tripod earlier on.’ I pause. ‘Izzy, it’s the poor guy’s first day …’
‘Well, I’ll be watching him,’ she says, and I smile to myself. Everyone will be to start with. Frances has already reported a couple of requests coming from clients asking to see the new assistant with their pets. They want to check him out. In fact, I’m surprised that a representative of Talyton’s Meet and Greet Committee hasn’t made an appearance yet. Fifi Green, Chair of Talyton Animal Rescue, local councillor, and well-meaning busybody, takes her role very seriously.
I go and help Emma in Kennels. We X-ray Daisy’s chest before Shannon bathes her, and soon, the room is steaming up with the scent of medicated shampoo and wet dog. The smell clings to my clothes, and is still there when I get home at the end of a long day.
I pick George up from the Manor where Sophia is trying to unblock a pipe at the base of the washing machine. George is ‘helping’.
‘This happens every time I put the horses’ numnahs in,’ she grumbles, referring to the cloths that go under their saddles. ‘Would you like a cup of tea, Maz?’
‘No, thank you. I’d better go and put dinner on.’
‘George has had a huge helping of cottage pie for lunch.’
I thank Sophia again. ‘I’ll see you later,’ I add before making my escape, holding on to George’s hand so he can’t rush back to continue sticking his fingers in the slow flow of grey water that’s coming out of the machine.
When we go inside the Barn, George wanders off to find his favourite car to play with. I find Ginge lying crashed out in the sun. I touch him, he lifts his head and hisses before realising it’s me. He blinks and stretches out one paw in apology, claws sheathed now.
‘If I were you I’d go and sleep upstairs on the bed, if you don’t want your tail pulled,’ I whisper to him. I’m proud of Ginge’s restraint. In spite of starting out half wild, he’s settled down, and it seems as if he knows how precious George is to me, because, when George did pull his tail the other day – not out of malice, but more as an experiment to see what would happen – Ginge leapt up, yowling. He didn’t lash out or bite. I felt really guilty because I hadn’t been there to protect him. He’s an old boy now. He doesn’t deserve any hassle at his age.
George and I eat pasta (again), and I’m putting him to bed when Alex arrives home. Alex opens a bottle of wine and we sit down later, once our son is asleep, just the two of us, and I think, this is how life should be.
‘We need to talk about the wedding,’ I say eventually. ‘We have to decide on a budget. I’ve been Googling. I didn’t realise how much everything was going to cost.’
‘Don’t worry about that, Maz.’ Alex leans back into the sofa. ‘It costs what it costs, and I think I can rely on you not to go too mad.’
‘Alex, I hope you’re going to take on some responsibility for this wedding.’
‘Mother’s keen to help,’ he says, with a cheeky wink.
‘You’ve told her then?’
‘Of course. I’d let her take some of the strain, if I were you. It would make her very happy.’
‘I doubt it would have the same effect on me.’
‘She’s already dug out her hat.’
‘Not a riding one, I hope.’
‘Her wedding hat. She’s worn the same one for years.’
‘As long as she doesn’t wear that hideous fox fur with the glass eyes and moth-eaten tail … I couldn’t have that in the photos.’
Alex chuckles, yet I feel a little guilty for not wanting to involve the future mother-in-law, or my mother, in the planning of the wedding.
‘What about the reception?’ I say.
‘I thought here, at the Manor.’
‘I’m not sure about that.’
‘It won’t be the same as my first one,’ Alex says, reminding me with a jolt that this will be his second
‘How do you know that?’ Izzy says sceptically.
‘He likes the animals. You should have seen him with Tripod earlier on.’ I pause. ‘Izzy, it’s the poor guy’s first day …’
‘Well, I’ll be watching him,’ she says, and I smile to myself. Everyone will be to start with. Frances has already reported a couple of requests coming from clients asking to see the new assistant with their pets. They want to check him out. In fact, I’m surprised that a representative of Talyton’s Meet and Greet Committee hasn’t made an appearance yet. Fifi Green, Chair of Talyton Animal Rescue, local councillor, and well-meaning busybody, takes her role very seriously.
I go and help Emma in Kennels. We X-ray Daisy’s chest before Shannon bathes her, and soon, the room is steaming up with the scent of medicated shampoo and wet dog. The smell clings to my clothes, and is still there when I get home at the end of a long day.
I pick George up from the Manor where Sophia is trying to unblock a pipe at the base of the washing machine. George is ‘helping’.
‘This happens every time I put the horses’ numnahs in,’ she grumbles, referring to the cloths that go under their saddles. ‘Would you like a cup of tea, Maz?’
‘No, thank you. I’d better go and put dinner on.’
‘George has had a huge helping of cottage pie for lunch.’
I thank Sophia again. ‘I’ll see you later,’ I add before making my escape, holding on to George’s hand so he can’t rush back to continue sticking his fingers in the slow flow of grey water that’s coming out of the machine.
When we go inside the Barn, George wanders off to find his favourite car to play with. I find Ginge lying crashed out in the sun. I touch him, he lifts his head and hisses before realising it’s me. He blinks and stretches out one paw in apology, claws sheathed now.
‘If I were you I’d go and sleep upstairs on the bed, if you don’t want your tail pulled,’ I whisper to him. I’m proud of Ginge’s restraint. In spite of starting out half wild, he’s settled down, and it seems as if he knows how precious George is to me, because, when George did pull his tail the other day – not out of malice, but more as an experiment to see what would happen – Ginge leapt up, yowling. He didn’t lash out or bite. I felt really guilty because I hadn’t been there to protect him. He’s an old boy now. He doesn’t deserve any hassle at his age.
George and I eat pasta (again), and I’m putting him to bed when Alex arrives home. Alex opens a bottle of wine and we sit down later, once our son is asleep, just the two of us, and I think, this is how life should be.
‘We need to talk about the wedding,’ I say eventually. ‘We have to decide on a budget. I’ve been Googling. I didn’t realise how much everything was going to cost.’
‘Don’t worry about that, Maz.’ Alex leans back into the sofa. ‘It costs what it costs, and I think I can rely on you not to go too mad.’
‘Alex, I hope you’re going to take on some responsibility for this wedding.’
‘Mother’s keen to help,’ he says, with a cheeky wink.
‘You’ve told her then?’
‘Of course. I’d let her take some of the strain, if I were you. It would make her very happy.’
‘I doubt it would have the same effect on me.’
‘She’s already dug out her hat.’
‘Not a riding one, I hope.’
‘Her wedding hat. She’s worn the same one for years.’
‘As long as she doesn’t wear that hideous fox fur with the glass eyes and moth-eaten tail … I couldn’t have that in the photos.’
Alex chuckles, yet I feel a little guilty for not wanting to involve the future mother-in-law, or my mother, in the planning of the wedding.
‘What about the reception?’ I say.
‘I thought here, at the Manor.’
‘I’m not sure about that.’
‘It won’t be the same as my first one,’ Alex says, reminding me with a jolt that this will be his second
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