CHAPTER SIXTEEN
BIANCA
Sounds of barking and meowing come through the door as I glance through the window, seeing all the little guys. My heart fills that much more when one of the vet assistants comes out holding a precious little chihuahua, whispering the words, “You’ll be better soon.”
As if my heart wasn’t already full, it’s now bursting at the seams.
“Hi! I’m Rachel, the volunteer coordinator.
” She shakes my hand. “Bianca, right?” I nod.
“Great, you came at just the right time. We’re always severely understaffed during the summer.
” She passes by a hand sanitizer station and I quickly follow after her.
“Alright, your attire is absolutely perfect. Closed-toe shoes always along with clothes you don’t mind getting stained.
” She smiles at some of the girls who pass by us, who look at me with curious stares.
“You’ll get a free T-shirt when I can go find one for you. Let me know the size.”
I nod as she writes it down on her clipboard and starts explaining all the steps to follow every shift.
Clock in on the computer in the break room.
Find a team member who needs assistance.
“Now, I saw on your application you’re wanting to volunteer for our vet office, right?”
“Um, yeah. I’m going to college for animal science in the fall, so I wanted to get some experience under my belt.” She smiles and pushes through a door to the kennel, and my heart breaks and repairs itself at seeing all of the furry faces.
Compared to some of the other places I visited, this was the only one near me that doesn’t euthanize any of their animals.
Skipping past a bunch of them, she seems not to want to stop as she’s explaining everything.
But we pass by the last kennel, and my heart expands that much more at the sight of a golden retriever sleeping on a bed with a blanket.
“Sam,” she says, and points to his doggie card.
My eyes run down everything. The number seven pops out and I look at her in shock. “He’s seven years old?”
She nods with a sad smile. “Yeah, he’s been here for a while, the owner’s wife passed away and he couldn’t take care of him after, so he dropped him off here.” My heart breaks for Sam, and I knock on the kennel door softly. He raises his head, looks at me curiously, then sleepily puts it back down.
“He’s tired.” She checks her watch, then looks up at the digital clock, shaking her head and muttering something to herself.
“Tell you what, you can start today. Kennel duty first, and when it’s downtime, come find me and I’ll introduce you to our vet.
Sound good?” I nod at that and she sends me off. I wave at her as she walks away.
I find one of the full-time kennel keepers, who puts me on cleaning duty. It may not be the most fun work, but as each of the animals’ furry faces look at the suds with curiosity, I can’t help but think about every single life I’ll save one day, and that . . .
That’s what gets me through it.
I wake up from my nap to a car revving in the neighborhood, causing me to sigh exasperatedly.
I flip onto my stomach with my pillow over my head, hoping it helps, but it doesn’t.
The car revs again and I huff in anger. Walking over to my window, I open it, seeing a bunch of cars in front of Patty’s house.
That’s when understanding dawns on me: Her book club is tonight.
At that, someone climbs out of a beautiful white BMW.
He slides out of his car, and when he does, he’s wearing a warm beige linen shirt, shorts somewhat of the same color.
I gawk, but when he glances over, I quickly scamper and close my curtains.
Sneaking another peek, he seems completely oblivious, and I giggle at that.
My eyes widen when they flick to my alarm clock, seeing my “ten-minute nap” turned into a four-hour one.
I was at the shelter for over seven hours; sue me for taking a little nap that might’ve lasted longer than I planned.
Making my way to the bathroom, stretching out my weary muscles, I try to make myself a little bit presentable.
After, I head to the living room to find Mom, but much to my dismay, all I’m met with is Josh on the couch with a laptop in hand.
“She’s not here.”
I stop, glance back, and see Josh looking at me. “What?”
“She’s still . . . at the neighbor’s.” His words slow down as he looks at his watch. Something akin to annoyance passes over his face as he looks up at me. I nod, slipping my shoes on when he closes his laptop slowly. “I’ll come with.”
Josh comes up behind me, the house keys already on his pointer finger.
He shouts to Olivia that we’ll be back, her not bothering to respond.
I swallow as we walk ever so calmly across the street.
All the ladies are talking outside, but my face starts to warm slightly as Liam locks his eyes with mine.
Almost tripping, I keep my head down, trying to somewhat hide behind Josh as we walk toward Ana and Mom.
“Josh, honey.” Her eyes widen as Josh plasters a fake smile while slithering an arm around her waist, and I grimace at that.
“Missed you. I thought you said you would be back ten minutes ago.” Some ladies turn around and they’re all holding what looks like a romance book to their chests.
Mom chuckles, a nervous wobble, causing me to look at her in confusion.
Everyone smiles at the cute couple. But he can’t fool me anymore.
Josh is a master at hiding how he truly feels, especially around other people.
I thought it was a fluke the first time I saw it, but ever since we got to California, it’s been showing more and more.
I risk looking up at Liam, finding him already looking at me.
We stare off for a bit, almost daring each other to look away, before he loses and whips out his phone as he leans against his car.
“Of course.” Mom looks at Patty, nodding at her. “Thank you for letting me join. I can’t wait for next week’s meeting.”
“You’re welcome, and Josh, next time we’ll make sure she’s not late home, ya hear?”
He chuckles and squeezes Mom around the waist, smiling at Patty.
“Ana, always a pleasure, as well as you ladies. Get home safe,” he calls out as he starts to drag Mom back to the house.
As he passes by, he turns up his head at Liam.
I sigh, looking over at Ana, who has a weird expression on her face.
It leaves when she catches me looking at her, though.
“He seems to really love your mom,” she mumbles, and I nod, not knowing what to say. She walks over to Liam, telling him something and he nods. She walks off, leaving him and me, and I glance up, my heart taking off—like always.
“We meet again,” he mumbles.
I nod before cutting eye contact. “Well, our moms are in the same book club now. And Ana’s been coming over a lot, so . . .” I trail off, and surprisingly, his mouth wears a small smile.
“Just like old times, huh?”
Memories flash of how it really was like old times. Both of our moms practically sleeping over at each other’s houses, Ana dragging Mom to social outings while Mom begged her to stay in. But Liam and I would be happy with it . . . We loved to hang out with each other.
His sigh brings me back to reality, and I realize that as much as I wish it to be, this isn’t like old times.
Him and me, we’re standing no more than a couple of feet apart, but emotionally, we’re a chasm away.
He used to be my best friend, the person who knew me probably better than myself, and I miss that.
He clears his throat a bit before he shakes his head and I hug myself a little as a gust of wind blows by.
“Not exactly, but at least they got their friendship back.” Something flickers in his eyes at my comment. Something like doubt or regret, and he sighs dejectedly.
“Yeah. Um, have a good night, Bianca.”
I nod, and he stalks back to his car before Ana comes to my side.
“See you later, cupcake.” She hugs me, then heads toward Liam’s car. When she jumps in, he locks eyes with me for a brief moment, then starts the car and drives off. With a final wave to Patty and everyone else, I make my way back home, a hand over my heart as I try to calm it down.
I hear Mom and Josh before I see them, and I push open the door as quietly as I can.
“Josh, please don’t do that again. It was embarrassing.”
“You said six fifty is when those little meetings end. The clock says differently, sweetheart.”
Mom chuckles in disbelief, and I freeze, as the whole time I’ve been around her and Josh, they’ve never fought. “It’s ten minutes. I didn’t need the claiming moment you just did.”
“You’re my fiancée, I believe”—he shrugs almost innocently, walking toward her—“I can do what I want.”
“No, you ca—”
He cuts her off. “Listen, hon. Next time, don’t lie about the time, and everything will be fine, okay?”
She shakes her head. “But I did—”
“We’re. Done. Talking. Okay?” The “okay” sounds so sweet, uncannily so. His voice wavers from the emphasis he puts on certain words, and a chill runs down my spine. He’s holding her chin, and with a closer look, his fingers are turning white.
“Okay, Josh,” she says before looking over at me. She breaks free from him and comes to hug me. “Hey, sweetie, sorry we left you back there. Thought you were behind us.” She turns back around and Josh’s eyes dart between the both of us.
“All good, Mom,” I mumble. She kisses me on the forehead while Josh keeps looking at us, tension climbing slowly but surely. His phone rings. He fishes it out of his pocket and exhales at the welcome distraction.
“Callaway.” He turns around, heading toward the kitchen, and I look at Mom when he finally vanishes from view.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She smiles, but there’s something building in her eyes. Something is going on, I know it. “Of course, baby.” Narrowing my eyes at her, she relents a bit. “Really, it’s all good. We’re going through some growing pains, it’s completely normal.”
Scolding her for being ten minutes late? Not even letting her fully express herself? I’ve never been in a relationship, but even I know that’s wrong.
“Mom—” I start before she grabs my hands.
“It’s fine, honey. When you love someone, you love them through their flaws.
Plus, I’m so thankful for everything he’s done, and if .
. .” She sighs. “For me to be able to give you the peace of not having to worry about me. I can deal when there’s some friction.
” I want to shake my head as I realize why she just takes it and takes it before she finally waves me off.
“I know I had to leave right after dropping you off earlier. How was your first day at the shelter?” She grabs my hands excitedly, sitting us down, and I start talking about my day, but her eyes say something different.
As they say, the eyes never lie.