Chapter 26
The weight of the past presses on us like an invisible burden and as we stand on the threshold of a new life, the memories of the compound threaten to pull us back into the darkness.
—Ghost Lake by Ava Howell Brooks
After a hectic final day of work at the veterinary clinic, Madi gathered the rest of her belongings out of her locker. She walked into the break room for one last goodbye to her coworkers and stopped short.
The entire place was decorated with streamers, Mylar balloons and a big sign with dog and cat paw prints across it that said Good Luck Madison.
All of her coworkers beamed at her, with Luke’s smile the biggest of all.
She stood in the doorway, tendrils of sadness curling through her like the strings on those balloons.
As excited as she was to be starting this next chapter of her life, she loved working at the clinic and was sorry to leave her coworkers.
She cleared her throat. “I thought I made it clear I really didn’t want a big fuss.”
“For the record,” Luke said, aiming a pointed look around the crowd, “I tried to express that and was emphatically overruled.”
“You’re a fixture at the Emerald Creek Veterinary Clinic.” Luke’s semiretired partner, Ray Gonzalez, spoke up. Ray had worked with Luke’s father and now handled mostly cattle and horses.
“I remember when you started, more than a decade ago,” Ray said, his voice gruff. “You were, what? Sixteen? You were still going through physical and occupational therapy, with plenty of health challenges, but you came into the clinic anyway and applied for a job, willing to do anything. Clean up cages. Comfort scared animals. Scrub the floors of the waiting room. Whatever we needed. You were always such a trouper. We’re going to miss you, my dear.”
He hugged her and Madi felt her throat tighten with tears. Ray had always been kind to her, from that first day she had come looking for a job. He had been the one to push her into becoming a veterinary technician, promising her a job when she graduated.
Through the years, he, like Luke, had been both a mentor and a friend.
“We wanted to show how much we love you,” Evelyn Huff, the office manager, said with a warm smile.
“Thank you,” Madi said. “And I love you all in return. Seriously, though. This really wasn’t necessary. It’s not a big deal. I’m not going far.”
“But you won’t be here every day,” Luke said gruffly. “This is our way of letting you know how much you’ll be missed.”
“Thank you,” she said. To her dismay, she could feel tears threaten and quickly blinked them back.
Change was hard but it was also an inevitable part of life. She was leaving a job and people she loved, yes. But she was moving toward something else, a dream she had nurtured most of her life.
For the next hour, she chatted with her coworkers while they enjoyed cake and small chicken-salad croissant sandwiches from the Mountain View Café Bakery, run by good friends of hers.
“Are you ready for this next stage in your life?” Ray asked her quietly as the farewell party was winding down and people began to head out.
“I think so,” she answered. “Ready or not, right?”
His kindly face wrinkled into a smile. “You’ve worked so hard to make this happen.”
She frowned at that. She had worked hard, fundraising and writing grant proposals, but it had really been a fortuitous series of events that had led her to this point. First had been Eugene Pruitt leaving his farm and land to the ECAR Foundation. Second had been that generous anonymous donation that would cover the bulk of their operating expenses for the next few years.
She had very little to do with either one of those things.
Luke had been more instrumental than she had in convincing Eugene to leave his property to the animal rescue foundation, and she still had no idea who had given the generous donation.
When there were only a few employees left in the breakroom, Madi made her last goodbye and picked up her box of belongings.
“Here. Let me carry that for you.”
Oh. She thought Luke had left already, as he had disappeared some time ago. He must have been in his office.
Any other time, she might have given her usual independent answer—that it was a small box and she was perfectly capable of carrying it by herself. But she saw no reason to spoil the lovely goodbye party with unnecessary churlishness.
“Thank you,” she said.
Together, they walked out to the parking lot, where the sun was beginning to set above the mountains in streaks of amber and lavender. The glorious sight gave her pause, grateful all over again that she lived in such a beautiful spot.
“I’ve hardly had time to talk to you the last few weeks, since you’ve been so busy. How are things?”
He had kissed her a few weeks ago, a kiss she hadn’t been able to get out of her head.
Now that she officially no longer worked for him, would he feel more free to kiss her again? She wasn’t sure whether she wanted him to or not.
“Really good. Busier than ever at the rescue. We’ve added four more volunteers—and that’s not including Ava, who has been coming in every single day.”
“Really?” He looked surprised. “How’s that going?”
“Better than I expected,” she admitted. “She’s still not comfortable with some of the bigger dogs, but she tries really hard. One might even think she is trying to make amends for something.”
“For what?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe blaring our life story to the entire world.”
He sighed. “I thought you might be more comfortable about her book by now, especially after seeing how much everyone seems to love it.”
“I’m not constantly angry about it but I don’t know how I ever can be completely comfortable that my sister has written a tell-all memoir,” she admitted. “The past is the past. It’s done. We can’t change it. What’s the point in dwelling on it?”
“If I thought Ava’s memoir was exploitative in any way, I might agree with you. It’s not, though. She did a great job of telling your story in a cohesive, fair way, with compassion and grace. Don’t you agree?”
Madi opened the rear door of her SUV so he could slide the box inside. She studiously avoided looking at him. “I wouldn’t know,” she answered.
He stared. “You still haven’t read it?”
She thought of the copy of the book Ava had sent her, tucked away in the bottom drawer of her bedside table.
“I endured every second of it,” she said quietly. “Why would I willingly choose to relive all the trauma and pain through the pages of Ava’s book?”
“You aren’t a little curious at what all the fuss has been about?”
She didn’t tell him all the times she had pulled the book out, started to read it, made it through a few pages, then had to close it again, hands shaking, as memories poured over her.
“No,” she lied. “I’m not.”
“Well, when you do get around to it, I think you’ll be surprised. It’s not as dark and ugly as you might think. There’s humor in it and plenty of gentle moments. It mostly shows the amazing resilience and strength of the human spirit.”
“Oh, is that what it shows?”
“I don’t think people would be responding to Ghost Lake as favorably if it only portrayed a grim, hopeless situation. It’s the fact that you two battled your way out of it that has touched people so much.”
She sighed. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Fair enough. How about I tell you how much the office isn’t going to be the same without you? I’ll miss seeing you.”
That was the dark cloud that prevented her from being wholly excited about the job change. He had been a daily part of her life for years and she wasn’t sure how she would adjust to only seeing him a few times a week.
“I’m not exactly moving to Iceland or something. We’ll still see each other often.”
“I know. But it won’t be quite the same.” He looked around. “I’ll miss pulling up to the building and seeing your vehicle already in the parking lot. Somehow the day always feels a bit brighter, knowing you’re inside.”
Their gazes met and she swallowed, immediately captured by the intensity of his words and his expression.
After a few seconds, that expression slid into chagrin. “Sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
“Why not?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper and her heartbeat suddenly loud in her ears. The memory of their kiss glowed through her, sparkly and bright.
I don’t work for you anymore. There’s no reason you can’t kiss me now.
He took a step forward and bent his head. Her breath caught and her pulse quickened. She leaned up for his kiss, but before his arms could wrap around her, they both heard the staff door from the vet clinic open.
She stepped away quickly as Evelyn came into view, carrying a piece of cake on a plate and a couple of the Mylar balloons, bobbing with dog faces on them.
“I didn’t want the cake to go to waste so I’m taking a couple pieces home to Jack. I hope that’s okay.”
“Totally fine,” Luke said. “Are the balloons for your husband, too?”
She made a face. “Those are for my grandson. He loves puppies and anything shiny, so these are perfect for him.”
She loaded them in her car, parked on the other side of Madi’s, then closed the door and faced them.
“Do you need any help at the adoption event tomorrow?” Evelyn asked.
I need you to go back in time and wait inside for about fifteen minutes so Luke will kiss me again. Can you manage that?
“I think we’re covered,” she said instead. “But thank you.”
“Call me if you change your mind. I’m not doing a thing tomorrow except working in the yard. And I’m always glad for an excuse to get out of that,” Evelyn said.
“I will,” Madi promised.
“I’ve got to run. We’re babysitting so our son and his wife can have a date night. Hence the balloons. See you both later.”
After she climbed into her car and drove out of the parking lot with one last wave, Luke turned back to Madi. “I didn’t know you were planning an adoption event tomorrow,” Luke said.
“Yes, at the farmers market. We’ve reserved a booth and are hoping to find new homes for all the kittens and puppies and a couple of the older dogs.”
“That should be great. You’ll likely find more foot traffic there than anywhere else in town on a Saturday.”
“It was Ava’s idea,” Madi said. “She’s been going with Leona on Saturday mornings to sell flowers and produce.”
“I know,” he said. “I bought a bouquet of flowers from her last week. My mom was thrilled with them.”
“We thought people might want to take home a new puppy, along with their zucchini.”
“Why not?” He smiled.
“I’m surprised Sierra didn’t tell you what we’re doing tomorrow. She signed up to volunteer for a couple of hours.”
“She didn’t mention it, but between my schedule and hers, I haven’t seen much of her the past few weeks.”
Madi winced. “Sorry about that. She’s been hanging out at the shelter a lot.”
“No need to apologize. I’m glad she has found something she loves. It helps her not miss Zoe as much.”
“We have three or four other volunteers around her age. She seems to be enjoying their company a lot.”
She didn’t mention that Ash Dixon, whose parents ran a farm stand in town, had just started volunteering at the rescue and she suspected Sierra had a thing for him.
“If you don’t have anything else planned, you’re welcome to come help us tomorrow. People would probably love to talk to a veterinarian about what they could expect if they adopted some of our older or special needs animals.”
“You might not have the DVM behind your name, but you know as much about veterinary medicine as I do,” he said, his voice gruff. “But I can try to make it. That might be my only chance to hang out with my daughter for a few minutes.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
She didn’t add that she would probably see him that night in her dreams, too, if the past few weeks were any indication.