But then the gestures escalated to gifts on my doorstep. Not regular gifts, strange ones. Broken sticks. Stacked rocks. Bundles of wildflowers and grass. Stuff the cops didn’t take seriously.
So I moved. But it only took the stalker a few weeks to find me again, and the little gifts didn’t stop until I graduated, changed my last name, and moved out of state.
Sometimes I still can’t shake that feeling that someone’s following me. Watching me. And I can’t tell if the nice guy at the bookstore who buys my coffee or the pet-parent in my clinic who asks me out are just my stalker getting close again.
“I understand, honey,” Cynthia says kindly. She knows my history. Everyone who works at the clinic does, just in case. “Wecan’t live in the past forever, though. Don’t let those wounds keep you from having a good life. You deserve someone amazing like Tristan. Even if it’s not him, love is out there for you.”
She hugs me, and my eyes well. I’m so lucky to have sweet, supportive friends like her. “You’re right. You’re right. I’ll be more open-minded.”
She nudges the jacket on her desk, a twinkle in her eye. “You sure you don’t want to hang onto this so you can give it back to him in person?”
I laugh. “I’m positive. I wasn’t lying when I turned him down. I really do have a policy against dating clients.”
Plus… I’ve never admitted it to anyone, but I’m not really attracted to human men. Not even stunningly handsome ones like Tristan. Maybe it’s because my first love, Zed, the one that got away, was a dragon. It’s like I imprinted on him, and since then I compare every guy I meet to him.
They never measure up. Even if they adore Radar like he did. Even if they’re as sweet and funny and considerate and charming as he was.
They don’t have eyes that glow when they look at me. They don’t have gleaming horns that curve away from their forehead or stunning red scales or prehensile tails that brush my ankles when we walk in the forest. And when we make it to the bedroom, they definitely don’t have two delicious-looking dicks between their legs.
Not that I ever got to taste his. One of my biggest regrets in life.
“You’re blushing,” Cynthia observes. I cover my cheeks with my hands, and she giggles girlishly, despite the fact that she’s uncomfortably close to retirement age. “Well, whoever you’re thinking about, maybe lethimtake you on a date.”
I nod and rush back to my office before I get even more emotional. I never got a date with Zed. I spent six months waiting for him to ask me out, and when he finally did,everything went wrong. He was so injured during his shift that he ended up in the hospital for weeks. I wasn’t allowed to visit him, and my get-well-soon cards went unanswered.
While Zed was recovering, my dad bullied his hive into paying for the home repairs in exchange for dropping the unauthorized shifting charges against him. Then, rather than fixing the house or turning the check over to the landlord, he used the money to move us to another town. No wonder Zed never contacted me again.
Not that I contacted him, either. I just sat there and hoped he’d find me. Every time I posted a photo or video of Radar on the internet, a little part of me hoped he’d see it and comment. That’s why I’ve kept the account going even though I don’t need the income anymore.
Maybe that’s part of my problem. Not only am I living in the past, I’ve been too passive. I wouldn’t have to worry that a guy is a stalker if I askedhimout.
Radar lifts his head from his napping spot in the corner of my office, nostrils flaring, when I enter. He whines a yawn and staggers to his feet, waiting for me to clip on his harness. He may be an old dog, but he still loves his evening walk through the park on the way home.
“Just give me an extra sec, buddy.” I sit down at my desk and open my laptop. The profile picture of our @SeeRadarRun account stares back at me with a closeup of Radar’s cute, cloudy eyes. I ignore the blinking notifications tab that always makes me panic a little and instead scroll through the grid of photos and videos I’ve shot over the last decade. “We’ve had a good run, haven’t we?”
It's almost like Radar knows what’s going on, the way he plops down on the ground next to me and wags his little tail.
I take a deep breath and write what’s in my heart.
Goodbye and Thank You from Radar & Me ??
For over a decade, you’ve watched Radar navigate life’s little challenges, celebrated his milestones, and shared in his endless joy. Along the way, millions of you helped me follow my dream of becoming a veterinarian. Your views, likes, comments, and shares funded my education, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for giving me that opportunity.
Radar has taught me more than I could ever express—about resilience, unconditional love, and the beauty of difference. Through him, I’ve learned that every challenge can be met with creativity and compassion. I hope that by sharing his story, we’ve helped others understand that disabilities don’t define the worth of a life.
To each of you who followed us, commented, shared advice, and encouraged me through the years: thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’ve not only changed my life, but you’ve shown the world how amazing a dog like Radar can be. So many special-needs pets have found homes because of you.
While today marks the end of this chapter, I hope you’ll carry Radar’s lessons of love and perseverance with you, too. Thank you for being a part of our journey.
???? Cari & Radar
I upload it with a single pawprint image and turn off comments.
Chapter 5
Zed
Present Day
