Left Behind by Laurie Halse Anderson

wouldn’t want me to stitch you up,” I tease Jerry. “They won’t even let me do any stitching around here. But both my parents are doctors, and I think you need to go to urgent care soon.” I raise his hand up again because he’s dropped it into his lap. Maggie looks on and nods.
    â€œUrgent care, huh? This is a great holiday weekendfor the family,” he says, looking at his hand more carefully.
    â€œWe can put some butterfly bandages on you to hold everything together until you can get those stitches,” I suggest.
    Now Jerry looks like he’s going to be sick. I place the wastebasket beside him, give him another square of fresh gauze to layer onto the soaked gauze, and raise his hand a little higher. Then I get the butterfly bandages opened and ready. Butterfly bandages are wider on each end than they are in the middle—like butterfly wings. I place one wide side on his cut and gently pull it to close the wound on the other side. I use several bandages on his wounds and then give him a few more pieces of clean, dry gauze to press onto all of it.
    I tell him, “I’m going to see what’s going on out there and see if we can make a plan for getting you taken care of. Keep that hand raised. It’s best if you can apply pressure with your other hand. I’ll be right back, okay?”
    He nods yes. So does Maggie.
    In the Herriot Room, Dr. Gabe is putting some stitches in Ariel’s torn ear. It looks like they have sedated Ariel a little.
    In the Dolittle Room, Dr. Mac is finishing up on Elsa. Elsa’s owner is frowning as Dr. Mac talks to her.
    â€œYou and your husband have some hard choices to make,” Dr. Mac says. “You have littermates. It’s not uncommon for siblings to bond so closely that they don’t socialize properly. If they’re showing this kind of behavior now, they are unlikely to just stop fighting. You need to consider letting someone adopt one of those dogs—”
    â€œBut it’s never been this bad,” Junie interrupts. “Sure, they tussle and fight. But this is the first time they’ve really injured each other. You can check with our vet. Really!”
    â€œI don’t doubt you,” Dr. Mac says. “What I’m trying to say is that this won’t get better. It’s likely to get much worse. You have young children and dogs that bite. Dogs can be rehabilitated, but you need to give this careful consideration. Who should have these dogs? One bit your husband—”
    â€œWell, he shouldn’t have tried to break them up,” Junie says. “He should have stayed out of their way.”
    â€œElsa also tried to bite one of my volunteers while we were muzzling her. What if it had been one of your daughters who had jumped in to try to stop their fighting, or was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? Your dogs could do some serious injury.” Dr. Mac is not backing down. I know that look. She means business. She’s firm.
    â€œUm . . .” I interrupt.
    â€œYes, Sunita?” Dr. Mac says. She looks tired but determined.
    â€œI wanted to tell you that Jerry needs to go to urgent care or to an emergency room to get some stitches in his hand.”
    Junie says, “Oh, I’m sure he’ll be all right. Jerry is one tough cookie.” She forces a smile.
    â€œI’m pretty sure he needs stitches. I think he should go to urgent care now. His hand is still bleeding quite a bit, and that wound is not going to close up neatly. It’s more than puncture wounds from the teeth. He has tears. He absolutely needs professional attention.” I can be firm, too.
    Dr. Mac’s eyes are wide. “Thank you, Sunita.” Then she turns to Junie. “Is there anyone who can help you out today? Any family nearby?”
    â€œMy mother,” Junie says. She looks like she’s just lost a fight. She seems tired now that she isn’t trying to