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“No, I just got worried when you didn't show up at our agreed upon time.”
I rubbed my forehead with my right hand while splinting my left hand against me. “Again, I’m sorry. Let me throw some clothes on and run a brush through my hair. We were supposed to be working on what again? My short-term memory is a bit lacking.”
His smile lifted his lips and my mood. “You have no lack of short-term memory. I didn't tell you what we'd be working on.”
I thought back to the conversation we’d had the night before. “Come to think of it, you're right. What are we working on today? I hope it's nothing that requires a lot of brain power. Mine isn’t fully charged yet.”
“Unless plowing through a plate of eggs and hotcakes takes a lot of brain power, you should be okay.”
“You made breakfast? I have all this food here from Ivy,” I said stepping back from the door so he could wheel in. The wide doorways allowed him to move around our units easily in his wheelchair. Since this was a former nursing home, that was to be expected. What wasn’t expected was the pushback from the council about making some of the apartments fully accessible for people with disabilities.
“Wow,” he said, chuckling when he looked at the pile of goodies on the table. “I warned you about Ivy, didn’t I?”
“You did,” I agreed, a smile taking shape on my face.
Irving told me that meeting Ivy for the first time was overwhelming, but I didn’t believe him until that moment arrived for me. She was a whirlwind of energy that never seemed to stop. Ivy had left so much food and baked goods that I had to share it with him the last three nights so it didn’t go to waste. She also brought a beautiful handmade quilt from the Bells Pass quilting group. They wanted to officially welcome me to Bells Pass and had added squares on the blanket of all the places I should visit. There was a square for the park, the gazebo, and the Nightingale Diner, just to name a few. I hadn’t made it to any but the park, and didn’t even remember that day. Ivy was so sweet, and her daughter, Lucy, had sat on my lap and stroked my upper arm as though she could heal the bones with just her touch. She was such a bright light in the world that I couldn’t wait to see her again.
“Well,” Irving said, breaking into my thoughts. “I received a phone call yesterday from Ivy and was told, and I quote, everyone is dying to meet Hazel! You've got to bring her to the diner for breakfast!” He held up his hands as though it was out of his control.
“She really is wonderful, isn’t she?” I asked, lowering myself to a chair.
“Ivy is the reason this town flourishes. Well, her and her team of helpers. She has surrounded herself with some wonderful people, and they all want to meet the mysterious Hazel Cane. Sharing breakfast at the Nightingale Diner will accomplish that goal.”
“I don't know,” I said, hesitating at the thought. “The last grand entrance I made resulted in a two-hour long surgery to fix my hand.” I tried to laugh, so he knew it was a joke, but he probably heard the nervousness in the words.
“I know you had a rough start to your career here as the new recreation and programs director, but people truly are excited to meet you and learn more about you. This project has been a long time coming for them. I know we’re behind schedule, but as we get closer to opening this place, the community wants to learn as much as they can, as soon as they can. That includes getting to know the people running it. When I first got here, life came at me fast, and I didn't have surgery in the midst of it, so I understand that you’re feeling overwhelmed besides being sore. I will tell you it was so worth it to get to know the wonderful people in this town, though. Does Bells Pass have issues? Of course. Every community does. But this community is proactive, and wants to be part of anything that makes their lives better.”
“I know, and that is the only reason we’ve gotten this far,” I agreed and he nodded. “I just realized you don't have Star with you. Where is he?”
“In the apartment. He was sleeping on his bed and I didn't want to disturb him since he'd be working later today. I figured I could manage to roll next door without his assistance.” He gave me a wink, but I didn’t laugh.
“I wasn't worried that you were going to need his help. I just wanted to see him!”
Irving’s laughter filled my apartment and it filled me with a sense of acceptance, joy, and safety. It was like he knew I needed all three, even though I had never said the words aloud to him. He just knew.
“You can call him. He’ll come over.”
“Is he dressed?” I asked before I stood and walked to the door.
“Well, look at you picking up the lingo,” he said with a whistle.
“I actually have quite a bit of experience with service dogs,” I informed him. “I used to work with a lot of people who had them, or medical alert dogs, for various reasons.”
He gave himself a forehead smack with the palm of his hand. “Of course, I’m sorry. I forgot that you came from a big city with a varied population. I’m the only one here with a service dog, and my world has become small again. He’s off the clock, so feel free to love him up.”
I rubbed my hands together and grinned. “Star!” I called, my voice excited and not scared, so he didn’t think Irving was in trouble. “Come to Hazel, boy!”
In less than three seconds we heard claws skittering on the floor in the hallway and then a burly ball of fur came running through the doorway. He went to his handler immediately and checked him over, then sat, waiting for a command.
“Go visit!” Irving said with enthusiasm, and the dog immediately zipped over to me and stuck his nose under my chin after I sat on the comfy chair by the door.
“Good morning, Star,” I cooed, rubbing his ears while he huffed into my neck. He worked himself between my knees and let me rub him down while he moaned his happiness.
“You two are something else,” Irving said from across the room. “It’s embarrassing. Like, is he even my dog anymore?”
“I’ll let you borrow him,” I said, tongue in cheek as I kissed the top of Star’s head. “Who’s a good boy?” He gave one bark, which had us both laughing instantly. “That’s right, Star is,” I said, rubbing his neck. “But Hazel has to get going. Your boss has orders we must follow. Do you like eggs and hotcakes?”
“He loves them, but he won’t be having any today, right, Star?” Irving lowered his brow and looked down his nose at the dog who flung his head toward the door to ignore him.
