3. Kara
3
Kara
“M issed you!” Emma rushed toward Kara and pulled her into a hug.
Kara held her close for a moment. “It’s so good to see you, Em!” She stepped back and crouched. “And you too, Riley boy.” The golden retriever’s fluffy tail swiped back and forth like a windshield wiper as he pushed his cool, wet nose into her palm. “Feels like only yesterday he was a stray here. Remember the day you took him home?”
Emma laughed, tugging gently on Riley’s leash. “How could I forget? And now look at him—total diva.”
“Well, he did win the Fall Festival Mascot Contest last year. He’s basically a small-town A-lister.”
“Don’t remind him.” Emma smiled, then gestured toward the parking lot. “Anyway, got some goodies for you. Come on.”
Kara trailed the two to Emma’s car. “Em, you didn’t have to bring anything. Seeing you is enough.”
“Oh, stop.” She popped open the trunk, revealing two colorful boxes, then placed them into Kara’s arms. “Here ya go.”
Kara adjusted her grip as the weight tugged her arms down. “What are these? Bricks?”
“Only the latest and greatest flavor of Riley’s Recipe treats. Banana and pumpkin. Sounds weird, I know, but trust me on this one.”
“I’m honored,” Kara said as they walked back into the rescue. She glanced at Riley with a knowing smirk. “Let me guess—he’s already given these his seal of approval?”
“He’s ob- sessed ,” Emma said. “Ain’t that right, boy?”
Riley’s haunches hit the ground with a thud, his tail sweeping an arc across the floor. His eyes ping ponged between Kara and Emma, ears perked forward, pink tongue peeking out.
“This dog.” Emma chuckled, shaking her head. “Acts like I never feed him. He had two treats on the car ride over here.”
“Another one won’t hurt, right?” Kara winked at Emma.
Emma arched a brow. “All right. But if he gets fat, I’m blaming you.” She slipped a treat from her pocket, holding it just out of reach, before his jaws snapped around it. With two quick chomps, the treat vanished. Riley licked his chops with a satisfied smack and eyes that were already searching for more.
Kara smiled warmly at the scene and set the boxes on the table. She opened one and pulled out one of the clear bags, tied with ribbon, then inspected it. “You baked them into hearts this time. Very cutesy.”
“Aren’t they?”
“The regulars are gonna love these.”
Emma clapped her hands. “Well then, let’s get these set up. Shall we?”
They began to unpack the boxes, arranging the treat bags on the display. Soon, the once-empty table was transformed into a colorful array of heart-shaped treats.
“There,” Kara said, placing the final bag. “I think that’s everything.”
“Oh! I almost forgot!” Emma dashed to her car and returned with another large box, setting it on the table. “These are for the pups in the back. I made extra batches of the broken pieces and scraps. They may not be heart-shaped, but I’m sure the dogs won’t mind.”
“Em, it must have taken you hours to make all these. How much do I owe you?”
“Not a thing.” Emma shook her head. “It’s a donation to the rescue.” Her voice softened. “Without you, I wouldn’t have Riley. And without him—” She patted the display. “Well, none of this would exist. It’s the least I can do.”
Kara smiled. “I don’t deserve you.”
“You kidding me? I’m the lucky one here. You deserve all the wonderful things. I just happen to be one of them.” Emma batted her eyes and tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder.
Kara pressed her lips together, trying to keep a straight face, but when their eyes met, they both giggled.
As their laughter subsided, Kara gave a quick nod toward the back. “Wanna see the pups?”
“Do you even have to ask? Lead the way.”
As they walked through the double doors to the kennels, the familiar sounds of the rescue surrounded them: dogs barking from their cages, the occasional clatter of a metal water bowl being nudged across the floor, and the low hum of the ventilation system working overtime to keep the place cool.
Emma looked up and down the aisles, her eyes scanning the rows of occupied kennels. “How many dogs are there?”
“With the new litter,” Kara’s gaze fell on the nearest kennel, “twenty-four.”
Emma’s eyes widened. “Whoa. I can’t even imagine. Your volunteers must be working overtime to keep this place running, huh?”
Kara leaned back against the rough-textured wall. “Yeah, that’d be nice, wouldn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
Kara’s eyes glistened, her lower lip trembling as she fought for control. For three ragged heartbeats, silence stretched between them. Then her composure crumbled, words spilling out in a rush. “Em, I-I don’t even know where to start. Our volunteers have been dropping like flies—moving away, ghosting us, you name it. It’s been like this for months now.” Her voice cracked. “I’m trying to do everything myself, but I can’t keep up. Adoptions are down, we’re out of foster homes, and we hit capacity weeks ago. The bills keep piling up, our savings are nearly gone, and I—” She took a shaky breath. “I’m drowning here, Em. I love this place more than anything, but I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up alone.”
“Oh, Kara, why didn’t you say something sooner? I had no idea things were this bad.” Emma crossed the space between them in two quick strides, her arm settling around Kara’s slumped shoulders.
Kara wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “You’ve got your own stuff going on. Your business, your family.” She sighed. “I didn’t want to dump my problems on top of all that.”
“Stop. Right now. You’re family. Your problems are my problems.” She glanced around the kennels. “What can I do to help tonight?”
Kara patted Emma’s hand. “Thanks, I’m good for now. Bedding’s changed, everyone’s fed, and they’ve all had their outside time.” She attempted a reassuring smile. “Just a rough patch. I’ll figure it out.”
Emma’s eyes lit up. “Wait, the adoption event coming up—that’s perfect! We can set up a recruitment booth. I’ll take care of it—signage, talking to people, and whatever else we need to do to get you volunteers.”
“Em, seriously, you don’t have to—”
“It’s done. I love you and we’re gonna get you out of this mess.”
Kara’s eyes welled up again. “Love you too. You’re the best.”
“No, you are.”
WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!
“Looks like we have a volunteer,” Kara said with a grin. Emma laughed as they made their way toward the commotion at the last kennel on the first row, inscribed with the name Benny.
“Hey boy!” Kara unlocked the gate. “Wanna say hello?”
Riley’s tail wagged as Benny stepped out of his kennel, giving the retriever a sniff inspection.
“I think they like each other,” Emma said, kneeling to pet Benny. “Wait a sec—isn’t this the sweetheart that got adopted like three months ago?”
“Yeah, about that. They, uh, brought him back.” Kara kneeled next to him.
Emma’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Who would do that to this little guy?”
Kara’s hand moved over Benny’s coat gently, as if to comfort both the senior miniature schnauzer and her own frayed nerves. “I get life happens, but that wasn’t the case here. They just changed their minds. As if he were a sweater that didn’t fit right.” Her eyes drifted to Benny’s graying muzzle. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad they brought him back and didn’t dump him on the side of the road. It kills me though, Em. Benny’s been through so much. He deserves a real home, a family that’ll stick by him.”
“Poor boy. Some people make me sick.”
“I know. And that’s why we do what we do.” Kara cleared her throat, forcing a lighter tone, and switched her kneeling position to a sitting one. “But enough about my drama. Tell me about you. Anything new in your life?”
“Oh, you know, same old,” Emma said, taking a seat on the ground. “Business is booming—turns out people really love overpriced dog treats.” She chuckled. “Luke’s been a godsend at the shop. Sometimes I think he enjoys it more than I do. And Jeremiah made the dean’s list. Again!”
“That’s amazing! All good news.” Kara smiled.
“He’ll be home for summer break soon. Bet I could convince him to lend a hand around here.”
Kara laughed. “Don’t you dare conscript that poor boy for rescue duty. He needs a break.” She paused. “But, if he’s offering—I wouldn’t say no. Also, I’ll have to tell Charlotte he’s back. She’ll be home tonight.”
“Aww, tell her we said hey. And I’m sure he’d be more than glad to help. Oh, and you know Lisa and Noah’s bed-and-breakfast? They got a new menu. We should totally check it out sometime. We’re long overdue for a catch-up.”
Kara shrugged. “Sounds great, if I can find the time.”
“Oh, we’re making it happen, missy. Even if I have to drag you out of here myself.” Emma nudged Kara before Riley plopped all of himself onto her lap. “Ugh, you big lug. You are not a puppy anymore.” She readjusted under his weight, then lowered her voice conspiratorially. “So, changing gears here. Whatever happened with that guy? You know, the one from the app?”
An awkward sound escaped Kara’s throat, somewhere between a laugh and a groan. “Don’t get me started on that train wreck.”
Emma leaned in. “All aboard! Now, spill.”
“Well, for starters, Mr. Six-Two is really Mr. Five-Nine. On a good day, in boots.”
Emma winced. “A lot of men are self-conscious about their height. I mean, he seemed nice from what you told me, though.”
“You mean a little too nice? You know what they say about things, or people, being too good to be true.”
“Wait, what? How can someone be ‘too nice’?”
Kara’s voice dropped short of a whisper. “For starters, he’s married. And get this—his wife? She volunteered here. Once. Can you believe that?”
Emma threw her hands up. “Of course he is. Why are guys like this?”
“Right? Dating at forty feels impossible. It’s like trying to find that one matching sock in the laundry basket. You know it’s there somewhere, but all you keep finding are mismatched pairs and ones with holes in them.”
“Who needs matching socks anyway? At least you know now what you don’t want. But look, your Mr. Right is out there somewhere. He’s probably just—lost. Or stuck in traffic. Or something ...”
“Yeah, probably in Alaska. Maybe I was meant to be alone forever.” Kara let out a sigh. “It’s fine, really. Between this place and everything else, who has time for dating anyway?”
Emma straightened. “All right, enough of that. You, my friend, are a total catch. I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve happiness. Your person is out there. And they’d be lucky to have you.”
“I appreciate the pep talk, I really do. But right now?” She gestured around the kennel. “These guys need me. Finding them homes is my priority. Everything else can wait. It has to wait.”
“Okay, okay. I get it.” With a soft grunt, Emma pushed herself to her feet, her hand searching for Riley’s leash. “So, I guess we’ll get going so you can rest up. But if you need anything else—anything at all—you call me. Or text. Got it?”
Kara saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
Emma fixed Kara with a serious stare. “I mean it. Anytime, day or night. Promise me.”
“I promise. Scout’s honor and all that.”
“Good. I’ll see you at the adoption event.” Emma reached out and hugged her. “Try not to work yourself to death before then, okay?”
Kara returned the hug. “I’ll do my best. No promises, though.” She grinned, then stepped back. “And thanks again for the treats.”
“Don’t mention it, girl. See ya.”
“See y’all.”
As the sound of Emma’s footsteps faded into the lobby, Kara stretched, then walked to her office. She pushed open the door, immediately confronted by the organized chaos within. Stepping over a stack of donation forms, she sidled past towers of pet food bags then ducked under a dangling pet toy—narrowly avoiding a collision with a precariously balanced box of leashes. Then she shimmied between the filing cabinet and a mountain of towels before finally reaching her chair. Settling in, she took a determined inhale and faced the mountain of paperwork awaiting her.
She’d barely put pen to paper on a grant application when her phone’s vibration cut through the quiet.
Another scam? Probably about extending my expired car warranty. If I had a dollar for every ...
She pressed the green button on the touch screen.
“Hey, who’s this?”
A female voice asked, “Hello, is this Ms. Walker?”
“Yes, this is her.”
“Ms. Walker, I’m the head ER nurse at Hadley Cove General. Is Charlotte Walker your daughter?”
“Yes, she is. What’s going on?” The world seemed to tilt and blur around the edges for a moment as Kara’s heartbeat thundered in her ears, drowning out all other sounds in the now too-quiet room. Her hand tightened around the phone and she steadied herself by gripping the edge of her desk with her free hand.
“There’s been an accident.”
A high-pitched ringing filled her ears. Her fingers, clumsy and uncooperative, struggled to maintain their grip on the phone. Charlotte’s face flashed before her eyes—her daughter’s smile, her laugh, the sound of her sweet voice she’d heard only a couple hours ago.
Kara’s mouth opened, but no sound emerged.
“Ms. Walker?” The nurse’s voice cut through the fog. “You should get up here as soon as you can.”