underneath the skin, then he hands the puppy back to me, and I
shove it back down my shirt, letting it rest underneath my undershirt against
my skin. I watch the two of them clean up the medical supplies and then Gail
finally turns back around.
“I can’t find anything wrong with it; I’m going to need to
take a blood sample to send off to the lab. Maybe that will tell me something.”
I almost don’t want to give the poor thing back to her, wondering how she’s
going to take blood from such a tiny puppy. But she manages to do it without
making the puppy wake, which worries me. As soon as she’s finished she puts it
back in my arms and I return it to its place.
“You’re our good luck charm, Emily, I hope it works this
time.” I feel a flush creeping onto my cheeks and turn away from them, stroking
my shirt where the puppy is resting.
“I’m going to get some of the kennel cleaned up, it’s
alright if I take it along with me?” I ask her, hoping that she doesn’t tell me
I have to give it back just yet. It’s so tiny it can fit in the palm of my
hand.
“Sure, you can take it home if you want. I’ve got seven
others to deal with and a grumpy mom.” I can’t help but smile as I head out of
the exam room with the little fur ball in my shirt. People are probably going
to look at me funny today, but I don’t really care. It’s nice to feel needed,
to be helping.
Mason follows me down the hall to the dog kennel room and
leans against the doorframe, watching me scrub out a pen with a puppy in my
shirt. His name is called on the intercom system, and he’s paged down to the
medical room again. I’m sure there’s another animal in here that needs a professional’s
help. There’re too many in here that need a professional’s help.
“We’re going to make sure that you’re not here long enough
to get used to one of these pens,” I tell the fuzz ball in my shirt, flipping
it over so that both sides warm up evenly. After an hour it begins to move on
its own, the little toe nails digging into my skin.
When I get to Baby’s cage I feel my nerves tingle and I look
at her sitting in the back, lonely eyes peering at me. I’m not sure if she’ll
take to a puppy, but I feel confident enough to open up the pen door and step
inside. Maybe seeing something so small and fragile will bring her out of her
shell. This could go disastrous, but as long as I radiate trust I know she will
not lash out.
I close the pen door, my hand reaches into my shirt, and I
pull the fuzz ball out. Baby’s ears go flat on her head as she senses my
excitement, her eyes flashing in the dim light. I make hushing noises to the
pup as it begins to make tiny noises, attempting to climb back into my shirt.
Baby takes a few gentle steps forward, and I wait at the other side of the pen,
holding the pup on my lap as I crouch down.
“You have to be nice; it’s had a rough start here just like
you. If you can’t be nice, then I’ll have to put on your charts that you’re not
good with other dogs.” Baby’s ears perk at my voice, and then they tilt down at
the pup as she hears it whine. Her face is curious as she gets closer, and my
heart beat slows to a rhythmic beat. I have to remain calm, or this will all go
wrong.
Mason
I wash the blood off my hands and try not to think about
what just happened. It’s going to happen here more often than not, people
bringing in stray animals that have been hit my cars and thinking that we can
save them. But the way that dog had looked at me before we had to put it under
still makes my skin crawl and my throat clog. I clear it and try to man up, not
wanting to show how much this affects me in front of Taylor Warren.
The veterinarian washes his hands beside me, and I see a
flash of the same anguish I’m feeling on his face. I have a little bit more
respect for the man now that I know an animal’s death affects him the same way.
He’s not a bad guy, just interested in the same girl I am. I
shove it back down my shirt, letting it rest underneath my undershirt against
my skin. I watch the two of them clean up the medical supplies and then Gail
finally turns back around.
“I can’t find anything wrong with it; I’m going to need to
take a blood sample to send off to the lab. Maybe that will tell me something.”
I almost don’t want to give the poor thing back to her, wondering how she’s
going to take blood from such a tiny puppy. But she manages to do it without
making the puppy wake, which worries me. As soon as she’s finished she puts it
back in my arms and I return it to its place.
“You’re our good luck charm, Emily, I hope it works this
time.” I feel a flush creeping onto my cheeks and turn away from them, stroking
my shirt where the puppy is resting.
“I’m going to get some of the kennel cleaned up, it’s
alright if I take it along with me?” I ask her, hoping that she doesn’t tell me
I have to give it back just yet. It’s so tiny it can fit in the palm of my
hand.
“Sure, you can take it home if you want. I’ve got seven
others to deal with and a grumpy mom.” I can’t help but smile as I head out of
the exam room with the little fur ball in my shirt. People are probably going
to look at me funny today, but I don’t really care. It’s nice to feel needed,
to be helping.
Mason follows me down the hall to the dog kennel room and
leans against the doorframe, watching me scrub out a pen with a puppy in my
shirt. His name is called on the intercom system, and he’s paged down to the
medical room again. I’m sure there’s another animal in here that needs a professional’s
help. There’re too many in here that need a professional’s help.
“We’re going to make sure that you’re not here long enough
to get used to one of these pens,” I tell the fuzz ball in my shirt, flipping
it over so that both sides warm up evenly. After an hour it begins to move on
its own, the little toe nails digging into my skin.
When I get to Baby’s cage I feel my nerves tingle and I look
at her sitting in the back, lonely eyes peering at me. I’m not sure if she’ll
take to a puppy, but I feel confident enough to open up the pen door and step
inside. Maybe seeing something so small and fragile will bring her out of her
shell. This could go disastrous, but as long as I radiate trust I know she will
not lash out.
I close the pen door, my hand reaches into my shirt, and I
pull the fuzz ball out. Baby’s ears go flat on her head as she senses my
excitement, her eyes flashing in the dim light. I make hushing noises to the
pup as it begins to make tiny noises, attempting to climb back into my shirt.
Baby takes a few gentle steps forward, and I wait at the other side of the pen,
holding the pup on my lap as I crouch down.
“You have to be nice; it’s had a rough start here just like
you. If you can’t be nice, then I’ll have to put on your charts that you’re not
good with other dogs.” Baby’s ears perk at my voice, and then they tilt down at
the pup as she hears it whine. Her face is curious as she gets closer, and my
heart beat slows to a rhythmic beat. I have to remain calm, or this will all go
wrong.
Mason
I wash the blood off my hands and try not to think about
what just happened. It’s going to happen here more often than not, people
bringing in stray animals that have been hit my cars and thinking that we can
save them. But the way that dog had looked at me before we had to put it under
still makes my skin crawl and my throat clog. I clear it and try to man up, not
wanting to show how much this affects me in front of Taylor Warren.
The veterinarian washes his hands beside me, and I see a
flash of the same anguish I’m feeling on his face. I have a little bit more
respect for the man now that I know an animal’s death affects him the same way.
He’s not a bad guy, just interested in the same girl I am. I
Similar Books
