“What’s this volunteer thing you were talking about with Nolan?”
“Oh, it’s just one of our drives. We have them several times a year. We administer rabies shots to animals in need and take donations for the Pets in Need Fund. We’ll have another one for cats around February if this handsome fellow needs his vaccine.”
“No, I wasn’t talking about Kringle. I was just wondering about the volunteer part.”
And, since she wouldn’t be here in February, it wouldn’t matter. If she wanted to find volunteer opportunities, she could do it in Boston. She hadn’t, which probably said a lot about her. Or maybe it said more about Pinecone Falls. There was something about the town that made her want to give back to the community, and she wasn’t even a part of it.
Still conducting the examination, Susan said, “We take volunteers to help with the documentation and manage the pets, so they’re seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. We always have an influx of patients on drive days. If you’re looking to help in February, we’d love to have you.”
Julie managed a tight smile. “I don’t think I’ll be here then.”
“Ahh, well, if you are around, keep it in mind.” Dr. Susan sighed then straightened. “There’s definitely something going on with his left leg. It might only be a sprain, but I’d like to do an X-ray just to be sure.”
Julie held her breath and locked gazes with the cat. She could feel her bank account taking figurative coins out of couch cushions to pay for this. Could she afford it?
But how could she leave Kringle in pain? If his leg was broken, he needed it treated properly.
Dr. Susan rounded to her side of the table and put a hand on her arm. “We have payment plans,” she said softly. “Or if you can’t afford it, we can take from the Pets in Need Fund. It’s the entire reason we hold these drives, for emergencies like this when money is tight.”
Julie released the breath she was holding. She’d manage to scrape it up. She certainly wasn’t going to take the money from someone else who might need it more. “I can pay. It’s just that I don’t mean to keep him. I’m only in town for a few more days, and he’s going to the animal shelter just as soon as Myrtle has an opening. But I don’t want him to be in pain or to give Myrtle an unhealthy cat. Do the X-ray.”
The vet nodded. She looked at Kringle, considering. “I have an appointment coming in soon, but I don’t want to leave you both hanging. I’ll sedate him and do the X-rays now, but he’ll be a little while coming out of the sedation. We like to monitor the animals to make sure there aren’t any adverse reactions. Would you like to go home? I’ll call as soon as he’s awake and ready to leave.”
Kringle’s eyes—now a worried sapphire color—caught hers. He seemed to be pleading with her. She couldn’t leave. If she did, she’d only worry.
“I’ll stay.”
Susan smiled warmly. It made her feel like an old friend instead of a customer. “Then let me administer the sedative and hand him off to our vet technician, Stacy. She’ll do the X-ray while I talk to you about the various options for painkillers and recovery, depending on what we find.”
“But your appointment…”
“They aren’t here yet,” Susan said firmly. “Let’s make the most of the time I have until my next patient arrives.”
Julie smiled back at her.
She turned her back while Susan administered the sedative—Julie couldn’t stand needles. On the countertop in small frames were photos of past clients and their pets. Julie studied the photos and stopped at one in the center.
She recognized the freckle-faced, suntanned girl holding an oversized tabby in her skinny arms. That was Julie and Whiskers. Her chest ached. She picked up the photo and let nostalgia sweep her away for a cat she hadn’t seen in a decade. She’d loved Whiskers with all her heart.
Susan, having left the room, returned every bit as quietly and approached the counter. She looked over Julie’s shoulder at the photo. “Remember that?” she asked softly. Clearly, she had recognized Julie this entire time.
She set down the photo amid the others nestled at the back of the counter as if she was a part of this extended pet family. Maybe small-town life had its bright spots, after all.
Her voice thick, she whispered, “Yes, I do.”
Chapter 19
“Oh no!” Ivy exclaimed. She bent over Kringle, cooing and petting him gently between the shoulders. She and her husband had just arrived at the inn to help cut down the tree. “Is he okay?”
“It’s just a sprain,” Julie informed her. “As long as he doesn’t overexert himself, he should heal in a week or two. The painkillers are helping. He slept like a log last night, didn’t even wake me up early for breakfast.”
Julie had been relieved to find out the cat didn’t need further treatment, but she’d been baffled to discover the bill had been paid. Tina, the receptionist, had mentioned something about the animal shelter paying, but Julie was sure that was a mistake. She’d made a note to straighten that out with the veterinarian later on, but right now she had a more important task to cross off her to-do list.
“Poor thing,” Ivy said. The cat lounged on the floor and turned over to show his belly. That was always a dangerous proposition from a cat, especially this one, but the painkillers must have mellowed him out because he didn’t try to scratch Ivy when she stroked his belly. He even purred.
Ivy’s husband, a heavyset man with a wide smile named Malcolm, shrugged. “She has that way with animals.”
“I imagine it’s why she decided to open a pet store.”
