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“So much for no dogs,” she said. “That was Ted. Someone just surrendered their pet dog with a litter of new pups.”
“How can they even do that?” Maggie asked. “It’s inhumane.”
“It feels like it, but Ted said they’re old and don’t have the money to keep seven dogs. They were asking for his help, so at least they thought about it. They even said, ‘Now that there’s no rescue in town.’”
“So we’re back in the dog business,” Annie said. “Thank god, because I was getting worried that a layoff was in my future.”
“No way,” Kelly said. “Plus, my experience is that when there’s one new rescue, several more follow.”
The phone rang again. “It’s the shelter in Saint John’s Parish,” she said, grinning. “I rest my case.”
Maggie grabbed Annie’s arm after Kelly left the room. “What can I do for you?”
“Ask Justin if he knows what’s going on,” Annie begged. “It’s killing me to wonder what he’s up to.”
“What does he say when you ask him?”
“I never have asked,” Annie said.
“Well, ask him tonight!” Maggie said. “Call me.”
“I will.”
Maggie left, making her escape before Kelly got off the phone.
“Come on, Brulee, back to work.”
That afternoon, Kelly left with the van to pick up the dog and her pups from her boyfriend, veterinarian Ted LeBlanc’s clinic. While she was gone, Annie decided to call Steve. She’d allowed his behavior to continue, but after verbalizing it to Maggie when she’d noticed something different about Steve as well, she knew it was time to confront him. So she sent him a text.
Can you talk?Her phone beeped a minute later.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“I hope we can clear the air,” she said.
“I hate that kind of statement,” he replied. “Clear it about what? What a shitty partner I am? How we don’t have any money? That you hate where we live?”
“Steve, those are all your grievances. I’ve never complained about any of those things.”
“What do you want, Annie?”
“I want you to be honest with me. What’s wrong? Maggie was just here, and she noticed how miserable you are. Let me help you.”
“There’s nothing you can help me with, okay?”
“We’re going to have a baby,” she said, trying not to get shrill.
“No kidding.”
“It’s clear you’re unhappy,” she said. “There must be something I can do to change that.”
“There’s nothing. It’s too late anyway.”
“Too late for what?” she asked, but in her heart, she knew what he was thinking.
“Never mind. I have to go.”
“Are you going to be late tonight?”
