Chapter Eighty-Five
Eighty-Five
Joy
I hold Ted to my heart and am overcome with more joy and relief than I have ever felt in twenty-six years of living.
‘How did you know what to do?’ I ask, my tears falling freely.
‘Not my first rodeo,’ he says, taking Ted from me, and zipping him gently back into his big jacket. ‘And he’s not out of the woods yet. We need to get him to the island vet as soon as possible.’
‘It’s too early,’ I say, desperately. ‘It won’t be open.’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Caleb says, scrolling for the right number on his phone and dialling.
The vet answers almost instantly, and after briefly explaining the situation, Caleb ends the call.
‘He’s on the way to your house.’
‘We don’t have to take Ted into the practice to be seen?’ I ask.
Caleb shakes his head. ‘I’ve known the bloke since we were kids, and he only lives five minutes’ walk away from our cliff. He’s coming to us.’
Ted closes his eyes and falls asleep, his snores a reassuring accompaniment to our frantic walk home.
‘Thank you,’ I say, as we get back to my house, the vet already in sight on the coast path.
‘I’m just glad I could help.’
‘You didn’t just help. You saved his life. If it wasn’t for you, he’d be dead.’
Caleb doesn’t look at me; he looks down at Ted and gently strokes his back.
I reach out my hand to do the same, and touch Caleb’s fingers, weakened by a rush of something more than gratitude.