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“No problem at all. This place has really come together. Now all we need is some furry friends to mess it all up.” She giggled as her brown eyes twinkled.
“No kidding,” I said with a laugh.
Taking the supplies to the storage room in the back, I carefully arranged them in the proper drawers and shelves. Organization calmed my soul, and a properly organized clinic would be a smooth-running clinic. I hoped. As I was breaking down the cardboard box, my ears were assaulted by loud thumping footsteps and muffled shouting from the apartment upstairs. A moment later, I jumped as some sort of crash and slam shook the walls. Then more shouting. This would terrify any animal if they were in here. It terrified me.
I cringed. I’d heard this sort of thing over the past few weeks and hoped it would stop, but it only seemed to be escalating.
This was not what I had in mind when I wanted to provide a calm atmosphere for my patients. I suppose I would have to talk to them. Kindly ask them to try to keep it down during working hours. That felt like that last thing I’d want to do. But the animals came first, and I’d do anything to advocate for them.
I walked to the back and out the door to the parking lot. The recycling bin sat next to the dumpster across the lot, against the fence. I walked to it, making a mental note to buy a recycling container to keep inside the clinic.
As I dropped the now-flat box into the bin, I heard footsteps behind me. Slowly turning around, I found myself face to face with a towering figure. A man whom I could only assume was the loud violent neighbor from upstairs due to his massive size. He loomed over me, a heavy bag of trash in his beefy hands. The muscles in his arms strained against the weight, veins pulsating beneath his taut skin.
His presence alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine. His beady eyes seemed to bore into my very soul, as if he were assessing whether or not I was worthy of his attention. His brows furrowed, amplifying the intensity of his gaze.
I mustered up all the courage within me and cleared my throat. No time like the present. “Um, excuse me,” I stammered, trying not to let my voice waver. “I couldn’t help but notice the noise coming from your apartment just now.”
A deep rumble escaped his lips as he chuckled, sending reverberations through the air. It was a low and menacing sound that sent a chill down my spine. He took a step closer, his presence now becoming even more overwhelming. The scent of sweat and something musky filled the air, making it difficult for me to concentrate.
“You’ve got quite the nerve, don’t you?” he growled, his voice dripping with contempt. His words hung in the stillness between us, the tension thickening with each passing second.
I swallowed hard, my palms growing damp with nervousness. This encounter was quickly spiraling out of control, and I needed to regain some semblance of authority. “I just wanted to kindly ask if you could keep the noise down during working hours,” I managed to say, my voice betraying glimpses of my fear.
His lips curled into a sinister smirk as he leaned in closer, invading my personal space. My heart hammered against my chest, its rapid beats echoing in my ears. “Or what?” he sneered, his eyes narrowing into slits. “You gonna to run to the landlord and complain like a little puppy?”
Bruske. Surely he didn’t let this man get away with being so inconsiderate when he was running the clinic. I straightened my posture and met his gaze head-on, my voice steady despite the tremor in my hands.
“I will do whatever it takes to ensure a peaceful environment for my patients,” I said, mustering as much authority as possible. “If that means involving the Dr. Bruske, then so be it.” I let out a breath and tried a different tact. “Look, we share this space. I’m just asking that we both act considerately toward each other.”
The man’s smirk faded into a scowl, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. He towered over me, his imposing figure making it clear that physical intimidation was his preferred method of communication. But I refused to back down.
“You don’t know who you’re messing with,” he spat, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. “I suggest you mind your own business before you regret it.”
A surge of defiance coursed through my veins, emboldening me to meet his threat head-on. “I don’t back down so easily,” I shot back, my voice steady and determined.
His eyes narrowed, and I could see a flicker of frustration in his expression. It was clear that he wasn’t used to being challenged in this way. But instead of backing down, he took another step closer, closing the distance between us until his imposing figure loomed over me.
I held my ground, refusing to let his intimidating presence overpower me. “I suggest you reconsider your actions,” I said, my voice unwavering. “The well-being of my patients and the peaceful functioning of this clinic are my top priorities. If you continue to disrupt that, I will have no choice but to escalate the matter.”
His grip on the trash bag tightened as he glared down at me, a mixture of anger and uncertainty clouding his features. With a grunt, he turned away from me and tossed the bag into the dumpster, walking away without a second look.
* * *
The scent of disinfectant mingled with the salty sea air drifting in from the ocean, a reminder of the coastal charm that weaved through all of the businesses in town, mine included, now. I let it buoy me as I firmly placed the encounter with the hulking neighbor out of my mind. I could worry about that tonight, cry about it when I was safe in my bed. For now, I had a clinic to run.
“Damn, this place looks good,” Paula said, standing next to me as we surveyed the waiting room. The walls boasted a fresh coat of paint, and the new reception desk gleamed under the overhead lights.
My heart swelled with pride—I’d actually succeeded in setting up a space where animals and their humans would feel comforted and cared for.
“We really need to upgrade to a digital system, but that can come next year,” I said as I rounded the reception counter.
“One step at a time,” Paula said, her smile giving me a boost of confidence.
“Alright, first order of the day,” I mumbled, flipping through the appointment book. “Mrs. Dalrymple’s poodle, then Captain Joe’s ancient tabby...”
But when I reached for the file on Captain Joe’s cat, all I got was the cool touch of the empty metal cabinet. My brow furrowed as I flipped through the neatly labeled folders. Missing. Impossible. I had organized them myself just last night.
I could already see the anxiety looming.
