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“Creature, you know better than to give kisses without asking.” The scolding by Maggie making the dog duck her head. “Come out from under there you mangy mutt and meet my friend proper.”
The dog, still bowing her head came out and sat next to Sydney’s chair, laying her snout on the seat.
“Sydney, this trouble maker is Creature, she doesn’t kiss just anyone,” Maggie explained as Sydney crouched down and scratched the top of Creature’s head.
“Her fur is like velvet Daddy,” Sydney beamed.
“How about you sit on the chair,” he said as he stood by her as her smile beamed and she began playing with the dogs ears.
“Nova just texted me wondering if she’d wandered over here,” Maggie said, typing a reply. “I guess it’s a good thing she didn’t talk her little sister into coming with this time.”
“You have more puppies?” Sydney asked.
“No,” Red said. “My daughter Harlow is almost three and tends to follow Creature into mud puddles and more outside of our yard.”
“But I have one,” Cream said. “You should come into town when your dad and I talk and you can play with Bailey.”
Creature had moved her head completely on Sydney’s lap, it covered it fully and he watched his daughter soften even more. Her hand scratching at the top of the dog’s head.
“Mama got me a dog once, but I couldn’t keep her ‘cause Daddy Mitch—” her body trembled a bit and Creature nuzzled in tighter, shifting in a way to place one paw on her foot, currently with her heel locked on a rung of the chair. “Snickers liked me best and that’s not right.”
Mike fisted his hand thinking the dog couldn’t have been there more than three days and probably slept in his daughter’s room. Protecting her and that was the real threat. He could imagine his daughter crying and remembered a time when Sassy was on the call with her unlike most times. He’d been enjoying Sassy telling him about things Sydney was too shy to share and now he was rethinking every phone call and discussion.
“Creature sometimes comes to the clinic,” Doc said and Mike’s Spidey sense kicked in. “She helps me talk with people about sad things to help them get them out.”
“Like sneezes,” Sydney said. “I gotta blow my nose to get the ick out.”
“That’s a great way to look at it,” Doc said. “If you don’t then your head can hurt and all that gunk can go into your lungs and sometimes even into your belly to make you sick.”
“I don’t know,” Sydney said and Mike put his hand on her shoulder protectively making Creature’s ears flex a bit before settling back down Sydney smoothed her hand over her head.
“Let me guess,” Doc said, her tone even and voice light. “You’ve tried to get it out, but no one listened.”
A soft whimper came from the dog trying her best to get closer to Syd, she moved her head to get his daughter to keep scratching. The shift was obvious to everyone in the room and Mike finally understood the people weren’t talking about his daughter, they weren’t gossiping about her. Her trauma was hidden and right on her face at the same time. Body language wasn’t hard to read at this age. Sydney was growing up and social cues, but she was still a child and learning. There was no mask being thrown in place to pretend the world didn’t appear the same to her as it was to others.
“Are we done here?” Mike asked Red, needing to get Sydney away and Doc sat back a bit, her gentle eyes harsh in her condemnation of her. “What?”
“Letting wounds fester sets up infection,” she stated, glancing over to Red and acquiescing. “Then again some injuries need to heal a bit before surgery.”
“Yeah, we’re done. Doc will be in touch for a clinic time, has Hack given you a phone?”
“Um, no, I’ve been phone free for a few days now, thought I’d be going through DTs by now.”
“He’ll give you a simple one, we’ll program the numbers you need from the club.”
“I guess I will need to start having a way for people to get in touch,” Mike reasoned since the place will be his home for at least the rest of the week.
“Cream and you can come up with a plan about the Amber Alert, I heard there’s a leave by date to avoid Leavenworth,” Red said. “I’m thinking you two can tie those together. Alameda County might not be able to track you down, but Uncle Sam’s another animal.”
“Yeah, I guess getting everything lined up by then would be a good idea.”
“Why don’t you take Sydney home now?” Red said then stopped himself. “You know, Rose is gonna be back later tonight, not that Hack has been complaining about being your roommate, but if you like we can set up the trailer for you and her to stay in while you’re here. Furniture is being moved in later this afternoon.”
“Thanks, that would be nice, then I’m not overstaying my welcome at Hack’s.” Mike relief eased in his shoulders knowing they would have their own place to stay at while they were in Montana.
Sydney’s nightmares could be handled by him and not include the whole house. She wouldn’t have to tiptoe around in the middle of the night or be embarrassed if she had another accident. Plus they’d be close to Maggie at the home base for the place.
“They should be done hooking it up, I’m sure you saw it right outside I can show it to you. Come on.” Red led the way across the yard to a trailer home. A few men shook his hand as he made his way, taking the keys from a burly man named Bear as another, trim man named Brick kept getting distracted by an upper window at Maggie’s. “What do you think Syd? You wanna go take a look?”
