Chapter 19 – Teagan #2
“Good morning,” I say, grabbing the chart that’s already been filled out off the examination table, “I’m Dr. Keating, one of the veterinarians at the clinic. And this is… Queen?” I ask, pointing to the turtle still in its carrier.
The little girl nods nervously as she continues to pet the loudly purring cat that's cradled in her arms. My eyes scan the chart for more details regarding the reason behind her visit, but it's sparsely filled out and the handwriting doesn’t look like hers.
“Okay, so Queen is experiencing increased levels of aggression and restlessness along with irritability? Have there been any recent changes to her environment or diet that I should know about?” I ask.
The little girl continues to stare at me curiously but shakes her head no as she pets the cat while it lets out a soft meow. I place the chart back on the table, realizing I’m not going to get much out of her and might as well start the examination.
“Alright, I’m going to take Queen out of her carrier and do a quick examination to see if we can figure out what’s going on. Is that okay with you?”
She nods again as I gently lift Queen from the container, turning her over to inspect her shell and underside.
It doesn’t take long to see that everything checks out.
Her shell is smooth and strong, her coloring vibrant, and her breathing steady—exactly what I’d expect from a healthy turtle.
After years of working with animals, you develop a knack for knowing when something’s actually wrong versus just a natural occurrence as part of their biology.
And let’s just say, I’ve seen my fair share of turtles back in Houston.
Queen is no different. She’s in great shape and looks healthy save one small yet major detail.
Satisfied with my assessment, I place her back in the carrier and crouch down to meet the girl’s wide, curious eyes. Offering her a reassuring smile, I say, “Queen’s doing just fine. How old are you?”
“Seven years old. Almost eight.”
“Is there an adult with you that I could speak to? Give an update on Queen and what I think is going on?”
She smiles for the first time since I walked in. “Yes, my dad just stepped out to take a phone call, but he should be right back.”
“Okay, let’s wait for him to return before I let you know what I think is going on with Queen. Is that alright?” No need to explain the birds and the bees without a guardian present.
She nods and smiles again.
“You want to check out some of the cool instruments I use on animals?”
“Ooh, yes!” she grins and nods as I move Queen in her carrier to the side of the counter to make space for her. She then hops up on the examination table where I hand her a stethoscope.
“Okay, you want to listen to Queen’s hearts and lungs?”
She nods her head eagerly, so I show her how to gently press it to the turtle’s body who is resting safely in her box. Her eyes light up as she listens eagerly.
After a few seconds she asks, “May I try it on Teagan?”
My brows raise in confusion. I don’t remember telling her my first name, but the way she speaks and the way her hand moves over the cat’s fur suddenly clicks.
Her cat’s name is Teagan?
Odd. But then again, people name their pets all sorts of things. I once named my childhood horse a painfully human name that had meaning to me, so who am I to judge?
“That’s my cat’s name,” she announces, confirming my suspicion.
"Well," I say, glancing at the fat, gray cat practically melting under her touch, "that’s... quite the name." I watch as she presses the stethoscope to the cat’s round belly, earning another meow of pure bliss. Its eyes roll back like it’s just been handed a ticket to paradise, and the little girl giggles. Her laughter fills the room, so bright and carefree that for a split second, I’m transported back five years ago to a small girl I’d met in passing who loved Paw Patrol and laughed the same exact way.
Alarm bells ring faintly in the back of my mind, and my throat tightens as the realization of who she is creeps up on me like a shadow.
“I remember you,” she declares matter-of-factly, her tone as confident as if she were stating the color of the sky.
I clear my throat, hoping to cover the sudden wave of unease that’s washed over me. “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m new in town.”
She shakes her head. “No, I’ve definitely met you before. I don’t know where, but I remember.”
How could she possibly remember me?
But deep down, I already know. Before she even says her name, I know it’s Willow sitting on my exam table. And I know the gray cat she’s so lovingly petting is the same one that Wilder and I rescued five years ago.
Even with that certainty, it still doesn’t prepare me for the moment the door to the exam room swings open, and her father, Wilder Cameron, steps into the room. His attention is on his phone, his fingers scrolling across the screen, so he doesn’t notice me, mouth agape staring in shock, right away.
“Dad, look!” Willow chirps, holding up the stethoscope as if she’s just cracked a medical mystery. “I’m using Dr. Keating’s stethoscope on Teagan.”
At the sound of her words, his head snaps up.
His piercing green eyes lock onto mine, and just like that, I’m twenty-two-years-old again, falling for a complete stranger who has a tender heart for a batch of abandoned kittens and rocks my world with just his tongue and the stillness of the few words that he says.
Five years may have passed, but time hasn’t dulled the sharp angles of his face or the way his presence fills the tiny examination room.
His light-washed jeans hang low on his hips, tattered and well-loved, his dark hair tousled and overdue for a trim.
The sun’s kissed his skin in that golden way that only comes from working long days outdoors.
An ache blooms in my chest, and before I can stop myself, my eyes dart to his ring finger. I’m terrified of what I might find there, but I look anyway to check to see if he’s moved on the way that I always wished that he wouldn’t.