Fleck nodded. “Max was a good man, and it was kind of you to care for him.”
Does he know that I was more to Max than a nurse?
Fleck kneeled to Nia and gave her a pat on the head. “How is she?”
“Nia is sad, sir,” Anna said. “She has little interest in playing or going for walks, although she complies when she receives a command.”
“Understandable. Dogs can mourn a loss just like humans do.” Fleck clasped Nia’s collar. “Have you tried having her wear her harness?”
“Nein,” she said.
“Getting her back into a work routine will be good for her.”
Oh, no! He’s come to take Nia!A jolt of fear shot through her. Consumed with her own grief, she hadn’t considered that Fleck would want Nia returned to the school.It was foolish of me not to think that he would want her back when there are so many battle-blinded veterans in need of a guide dog.
“Where’s her harness?” Fleck asked.
Anna felt sick to her stomach. “Inside.”
“Perhaps you could retrieve it.”
“Please don’t take her, sir,” Anna said, struggling to keep her legs from trembling. “Give her a little more time with me. Once Nia’s feeling better, I promise to return her.”
Fleck looked at Anna. “I wasn’t taking her.”
Anna’s eyebrows raised.
“I thought that by wearing her harness, she’d be reminded of her sense of duty, which might curtail her gloom.”
“I’m confused, sir,” Anna said. “Why are you here?”
Fleck stood and faced her. “To offer you a position back in the school.”
“Oh,” Anna said.
“The role would be different from before,” Fleck said.
He’s not going to let me train, but at least I’ll be working with Emmi to care for the dogs.“That would be fine, sir.”
“I want you to return as a trainer,” Fleck said.
Anna’s mouth dropped open.
“However, your role would be to train new trainers,” Fleck said. “Stalling is arranging to open several more branches to train guide dogs—Hamburg, Bonn, Dresden, and Münster, among others. We’re going to be training hundreds of dogs per year, which means we’re going to need many more trainers.”
Anna’s mind raced, struggling to comprehend everything he was saying.
“I think you and Nia would be a good pair to instruct newly hired trainers,” Fleck said. “However, it would mean that Nia would not be assigned to a veteran, and that you’d be required care for her on a permanent basis.”
Anna clasped her hands. “It would be an honor, sir.”
“Gut,” Fleck said. “I’ll plan on you returning to work on Monday, if that is not too soon.”
“Monday will be perfect.Danke, sir.”
Fleck put on his cap and paused. “Also, you should know that, as of this morning, Waldemar is no longer working at the guide dog school. I’ve transferred him to a position that does not interact with veterans or shepherds. It’s something I should have done long ago.”
“Dankefor informing me, sir.”
