Chapter 10
Claire
”Your momma will be back before you know it,”I tell Fifi, the most psycho Pomeranian I”ve ever met.
She answers me by trying to chew her way out of the metal cage.
”Feisty one,” Kristina says.
”She”s a hateful little thing,” I tell her, pointing to the hole the dog bit in my uniform when she was dropped off fifteen minutes ago. ”If only having them spayed actually changed their demeanor. That one could use an attitude adjustment.”
”Good thing Corbin pays for the uniforms,” Kristina mutters as she scratches the head of a beagle I”ve yet to meet.
”Exactly, ” I agree, making a mental note to introduce myself to the dog before he leaves today.
Kristina has actual training as a vet nurse, whereas I”m sure I got this job because someone in town felt sorry for me. I help bathe the animals, trim nails, check patients in, and, more often than not, I get to be the lucky person petting their heads when they wake from anesthesia.
I”ve always loved animals, so it”s no hardship to spend my days helping them. Dr. McBride is a passionate doctor who never refuses service to anyone even when they may not have the immediate funds to pay. He”ll never let an animal suffer while haggling over prices, and I think that makes him an incredible human being.
I don”t have animals, and there are no plans in the future to get one. At the same time, Larkin isn”t at that age where she really remembers it a day later when she requests a furry companion. Right now, she”s a hundred percent satisfied with her books, trolls, and the unlimited amount of toys the Kennedys buy for her, even when they insist on leaving them at their house as if they”re afraid I”d try to sell them or something. Nora is the same with the clothes. If she sends Larkin home in the clothing she purchased, she fully expects those items washed and returned with the next visit. I don”t have a problem returning the woman”s things, but it”s the expectation that I go home and do a load of laundry when I may not have enough dirty clothes with it to make a full load. The duplex that I live in has a small laundry room for tenants to share, but the washing machine has been leaving a stench in clothes for months. Larkin and I spend several hours every Sunday at Get The Funk Out of Here, the local laundromat. I”ll be damned if I”m going to go and spend three dollars on one single outfit. It”s also why I started sending Larkin with a full change of clothes in that cloth bag Nora seems to hate so much.
”Claire?”
I raise my eyebrows, unsure of how long I”ve been standing there forcing clients to watch me battle make-believe fights with Nora Kennedy.
”Sorry,” I tell Madison when I see her looking at me. ”What”s wrong with Nanuk?”
I look down at the Husky who I can see doesn”t feel well, even when his furry tail swishes back and forth some.
”He”s got terrible diarrhea,” she says, whispering the last word as if it would be a disgrace to have someone else hear her say it. ”I don”t know if it”s something he ate. The boys are terrified.”
”Let”s get him checked in,” I tell her and circle around the counter to the computer.
I pull up her information, smiling when I see the notes written on the computer. I remember Nanuk very well. The poor thing was found on the highway, and he was nothing but skin and bones before Dr. McBride got him here. The dog has a certain charm and it usually comes out in the form of a screaming howl when he”s excited. Chase, Madison”s fiancé, ended up with him, but I really think that was a bait-and-switch situation where the dog just got dropped off at Chase”s house while Dr. McBride left, hoping he wouldn”t be demanded to come and pick him back up.
Madison cringes with every question I ask her, but she answers me to the best of her knowledge. She looks relieved when I stand and have her follow me to one of the sick bays we have for dogs. We have four entrances to the building—two for dogs both sick and well, and two for cats for the same reasons. We do our best to limit healthy pets being exposed to the germs of those that might be sick. Some animal diseases and illnesses can be missed, especially out here where a lot of animals work farms and spend most of their time outside roaming around.
”Is it cancer?” Madison asks, nearly in tears.“I googled his symptoms.”
The confession is marked with regret, but that’s understandable. Articles on the internet can go left pretty dang fast.
I shake my head. ”I can”t say one way or the other, but let”s run some tests to be sure.”
I get Nanuk weighed, chuckling when Madison scrunches her nose when I have to lift his tail for a stool sample.
”It”s a glorious job, most days,” I explain as I insert the specimen tip into the tube for safekeeping.
”I hope so,” she says. ”Hey, now that I have you here, I wanted to see what you thought about a playdate on Saturday.”
I give her a kind smile.
”For Larkin, of course,” she says. ”But you”re more than welcome to come chitchat with me while the kids play. I think the boys need more than each other to be friends with.”
I could cry happy tears at the invite. ”I wish I could, but we”re open this Saturday.”
She looks as disappointed as I feel.
”What about Sunday?” I barter, not wanting to give up completely.
”I have some things scheduled on Sunday,” Madison answers. ”But if you trust me to keep Larkin, I”m sure she”d have a great time.”
I chew the inside of my lip before answering. It”s not that I don”t trust Madison, but Larkin has never stayed with anyone other than the Kennedys, and I was a mess every day for the first two months I had to drop her off as an infant so I could go to work.
”I know I”m not a biological mom, yet,” she says, running her hand over the tiniest baby bump I”ve ever seen. ”I have been watching and taking care of kids for a really long time. I”ve even won community awards for being the best childcare provider, although that was when I was in high school. I know it”s a big ask, but the boys—”
”I don”t doubt that you”ll keep her safe,” I assure her. ”And I think she”d have a great time.”
”So she can come?” she squeals, making Nanuk yawn in a way that sounds like a yelp.
”She can come, but I”ll have to make arrangements with the Kennedys. I work here and then at The Hairy Frog tomorrow evening.”
I know better than to be selfish and make Larkin miss out on an opportunity to socialize with other kids close to her age just because I”m selfish and want to spend those few hours with her in between my jobs.
”I can get with Nora and see what works for them,” Madison offers, and I know she”s just trying to be kind and take some things off my plate.
”I”ll handle that. What time is best for you?”
We hash out the details and exchange phone numbers. It makes me feel a little better about tomorrow than I”ve been feeling about my shift at the bar tomorrow evening.
Half an hour later, I”m back in the room with Nanuk”s test results.
”He has giardia,” I tell her.
Madison”s face falls. ”That sounds horrible.”
”It”s a rather unpleasant intestinal disorder to deal with but we”ll give him a prescription, and he should be as good as new in a few days. I will advise you to clean up very well after him because it is transmissible to humans, and the last thing the boys need is to get it.”
Her face turns green, and I realize that she”s been having to clean up after the dog and never realized just how bad it could get.
”Make sure you finish all of his prescriptions because this stuff can come back with a vengeance if not fully treated.”
”I promise,” she says as she follows me to the front counter. ”See you Saturday.”
I nod before heading back to disinfect the room. The waiting area has five other dog owners in it already, and I know it”s going to be a very busy day. Although I don”t work at the bar tonight, we have a vaccine clinic tomorrow, and those are always a fast-paced ordeal that leaves me exhausted. As much as I”d like to skip a shift at the bar and spend part of the day hanging out with Madison, I know I can”t. I volunteered to work every Saturday when the vet”s office is open because I need the money.
Every once in a while, Dr. McBride insists that it”s Kristina”s turn. Although my current behavior doesn”t prove it, I”m usually not so argumentative with my bosses.