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Chapter 18
Stormy
Isat numbly besideGambit as the staff at the emergency vet worked on Honu. He was fine when I left him. I don’t understand what happened. There is nothing in the house that he could get into that would harm him. My mind went back to all the odd things that happened over the week. Could someone have broken in and harmed my dog? But why would they do that?
“I’ll be right back, babe. Will you be alright by yourself for a couple of minutes?”
I nodded while he took a phone call. Papa sat down next to me, putting a comforting arm around my shoulders. He was fast becoming the big brother I never had. Bernie was more like a doting uncle than a brother.
“Honu will pull through.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Call it a sixth sense. It’s just a gut feeling I have.”
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TWO HOURS LATER, THEvet came out and said they’d have to keep Honu there for a couple of days.
“Can I see him?”
“You can, but then we need him to sleep. Tomorrow you can come back and spend more time with him.”
Gambit held my hand as we followed the vet. Honu was laid out on a bed, still unconscious and hooked up to IVs. Fresh tears pricked my eyes. I didn’t try to hold them back as I walked to him. My hands found the soft fur of his head and neck. I leaned in, kissing him softly on the head.
“Thank you for staying, sweet boy. I love you. Get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”
I knew the dog couldn’t hear me, but I didn’t care. His spirit could hear me. He would somehow know I was here and pulling for him. That I loved him.
Gambit’s arm around my waist was all that kept me from collapsing. I leaned against him, soaking in his strength. Honestly, I remember little between him getting me into the SUV and us arriving at the clubhouse.
When my surroundings came back into focus, I was sitting on the couch in Gambit’s office at the compound. He handed me a glass and bade me to drink it. I took a sip. The familiar, fiery taste of whiskey burned my throat and settled in my stomach like a ball of fire. I took a few more sips as more of his brother’s joined us in the office.
Gambit had his arm around me. He pulled me close to his side. The door opened. Smoke and a man I didn’t recognize came in with him. They headed in my direction, grim looks on both of their faces. My heart sped up. This is not a good sign.
Smoke stopped in front of me, crouching down so we were eye level. He put one of his hands on top of mine.
“How’s our boy?”
Tears pricked at my eyes. “The vet said he will pull through but may be there a few days.”
“He’s a fighter. Plus, I’ve never seen an animal so in love with its human. He worships you.”
“The feeling is mutual,” I said, fighting back tears.
“I’d like to go sit with him tomorrow.”
My chest tightened. Kindness is my weakness. The tears I’d been holding back rolled down my face.
