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My mother laughs. “And that must be dear, needy Zoey! You’re in for a treat, Brock, honey. Those dogs are both wonderful creatures with such personalities! Zoey is all about companionship. She’ll climb right into your lap if you let her. Mr. Brown, he’s a grouch. The secret with him is food. Give him a treat, and he’ll be your buddy for life.”
I want to talk to my mom about the dogs.
I want to know if she can take them this week instead of me. Surely, she and my stepfather would be better suited for the chore than I am. Riley, the town where they live, is not that far away. I could drop them off later tonight. Better yet, maybe she could come pick them up.
But there’s something else I have to discuss with her before we dive into dog-care duties.
I clear my throat. “Did she tell you her news?”
My mother sighs. “Yes… earlier today. Quite a shock. I have to admit, I was upset at first. But she seems hopeful, and that made me see that there is hope in all of this. Besides, you know Kate. She’s very strong. Resilient. She’ll manage whether or not Sawyer wants to be involved.”
Zoey keeps scratching the door. I squat down beside her and pet her back.
She looks at me with frantic, scared eyes, and I move my hand to my head and pet her there in an effort to soothe her. I may not know much about dogs, but I at least know they like to be petted.
To my surprise, she leans against me.
My mom goes on. “She’ll have us, and your father, and you, Brock. We’ll all help her. I think it’s time for you to give her some support. You’ve been so distant with her for so long. I really wish you two could get along. I know she’s had her ups and downs, but that’s life. She’s really cleaned up her act and wants to be closer to you.”
I don’t have time to help Kate out of her messes.
My success depends on me. My focus. My energy.
I have to be intentional about my time, and I won’t let Kate’s irresponsibility get in the way of my future.
“You guys can help her,” I say. “I’m not going to get involved. And these dogs… There is no way I can watch them this week. My schedule is packed. I leave the house at five in the morning, and I don’t get back until five or six at night. They’d be better off at your place.”
“I already talked about that with your sister. We both feel it’d be better for them to be there, with you. You might not see this, Brock, but time with them will be good for you. Animals are very perceptive. They naturally give us what we need. You’ve been so busy rushing around with that business of yours, you’ve forgotten how to slow down and enjoy the simple things. A little comfort. Company. Love.”
“This business of mine pays my bills.”
My business bought my house. And the house my mom’s in, for that matter. And my dad and stepmother’s house, too.
How about that time Kate broke her arm and had all those medical bills five years ago? She doesn’t know it, but I was the one who paid them all, thanks to my hard work—my ‘rushing around’ with my money-making ventures.
Zoey barks in my face.
I wince, and realize that thanks to my worry, I stopped petting her.
She barks again.
I take the hint and start stroking her head. She nestles against me.
“It sounds like Zoey girl is jealous that we’re on the phone,” my mom says with a laugh. “I’ll let you go, Brock, so you can get to know her. Zoey really is the sweetest, and that Mr. Brown—oh! He’s a tough nut to crack, but once you get on his good side, you’ll see he’s really a big love bug. Very smart. They’re retrievers, so they like to retrieve. I hope you have a tennis ball or two on hand.”
I fight off a wave of anger as I look at the sea of faded lime-green balls scattered across the floor. “I have more than two,” I grumble.
“Perfect. Have fun, honey! Good luck.”
When I hang up, I frown down at my phone.
Her words sounded more like the script of a commercial for herbal tea than actual logical reasoning.
Comfort?
Company?
Love?
