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“It’s no problem. Did you have any concerns?” I ask as I gesture for her to sit down.
She gives me a grateful smile as she sits in the chair. “Yes, I think there is something wrong with my dog's ear, but I'm not sure,” the lady answers helpfully. I like her. She is lovely. I feel comfortable around her.
The dog resists a little as I try to check its ears. “It’s going to be okay,” I coo, comforting it. Eventually, I’m able to check both of its ears. In one, I find a seedpod. All it takes is a thin set of tweezers to get it out.
“I like the way you did that, soothing the dog. You would make a great mother,” the woman says. I am caught off guard by her statement, but I try not to show it. Instead, I focus on fixing the dog’s ear. “That is important in motherhood, the ability to calm. At least, I found it helpful when raising my kids.” The woman chuckles.
“Oh? You have kids?” I ask as I get interested in the conversation.
“Yes. I raised them all on my own. Being a single mother is difficult but rewarding,” she replies.
“Do you really think so?” I ask with hesitation.
“Yes. In fact, if you were in that situation, I think you would do just fine. You have those maternal instincts, and you're stronger than you think,” she says, giving me a kind smile.
I smile back at her and continue working. I take comfort in her words. They were what I needed to hear right now.
“All done,” I say a few minutes later. I give the dog a pat on the head. He wags his tail.
“It wasn't too much trouble?” The last asks, getting up from the chair.
“Not at all. He got a sticker caught in there. Easy to fix,” I reply, helping the dog down.
The woman takes my hand. “It will be difficult, what you are going through, but you'll be fine,” she says, giving my hand a comforting squeeze. I smile at her, then watch as she leaves the room with her dog.
Chapter Nineteen - Kyst
Two Months Later
I let out another miserable sigh. I don't think I'll ever be able to get rid of this depression that I am feeling. It seems like it is only getting worse with each passing day.
I'm in the living room, sitting by myself. The house feels lonely and empty. It's a decent day outside, but even the sunny weather isn't enough to cheer me up. I look around the room. Then, finally, my eyes come to a stop at the calendar on the wall, and I notice the date. It has been about two months since everything that happened with Mylah.
I miss her every day. I'm so sad without her. I can still see her sitting here with me, talking and laughing. I try to ignore the memories, but still, I don't have the heart to enjoy life anymore. Without Mylah, nothing about life seems worth it. I have been considering leaving town because of everything that has happened. I love living on my ranch. It is my favorite place, but let's face it, everything here reminds me of Mylah now. Even when I go to town, I drive past her clinic every time. I'm constantly reminded of her and Grayson, and it's all too much to handle. Finally, I can't take it anymore. I really think that leaving might be the best thing. I’ll go somewhere new and start over again.
My phone rings. I don't bother to check the number. “Hello?” I answer glumly.
“We need you, Kyst. Major fire in town,” The chief says and hangs up.
I put up my phone and grab my keys before running out the door and jumping in my car. No matter what I'm going through, I am still dedicated to my job and to saving lives.
As I'm driving, I call the chief back. “I'm on my way. Do I meet you at the station?” I ask.
“No, go right to the scene. I texted you the address,” he replies, hanging up.
I look at the text and drive as fast as possible. I'm so focused on the job I don't even realize where I am going.
As I'm driving through town, I realize the area looks familiar. I grab my phone and recheck the address. It’s Mylah's clinic. Fuck. I need to make sure she is okay. I speed down the street. The rest of the crew is already here. I see smoke and flames pouring out of the building. I pull up behind the truck, jump out of my car, grab my gear, and put it on as fast as possible. Once I'm dressed, I run past everyone and straight into the building.
I look around at all the flames and smoke. Everything is a wreck and being consumed by the fire. As I walk through the waiting room, walls of flames surround me. The smoke is thick and hazy.
