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A pain pierced my chest and made it hard to speak. “I can’t say that I have.”
“Dogs experience loss, just like humans. I believe she may be grieving your friend, wishing she had remained.”
Scout wasn’t the only one.
“Is your friend returning anytime soon?” Arabella asked.
“I’m afraid not.”
Arabella peered at me, her intelligent eyes summing up my situation quickly if I were to guess her thoughts. “That’s unfortunate for both of you. Having gone through a divorce, I can understand how hard it is to lose someone you care about. It leaves an empty space where the other person used to reside, which is disorienting for pets and humans.”
“What should I do?” I asked.
“Keep her on a regular routine. Give her a lot of attention and love. Maybe even get a new type of food to tempt her to eat. Or one she really likes. Make sure she gets a lot of exercise. That can help them focus on something besides the loss of a companion.”
“Annie was only with us two weeks.” This came out apologetically, but I was embarrassed. I’d let poor Scout down by allowing Annie to come so fully into our home and hearts.
“My suspicion is that Scout’s a very special dog,” Arabella said. “And the human she fell in love with so easily must be as well.”
She was right on both counts. Too bad they loved each other more than they did me.
“It doesn’t mean you’re not still Scout’s favorite person,” Arabella said, as if she knew my thoughts. “Take good care of her, and she’ll bounce back. As will you.”
“I don’t know about me, but I hope you’re right about Scout.”
“I’ll stop by and check on you both on my way home tonight. Just to see how she’s doing.”
“Isn’t that a lot of trouble for a dog with only a broken heart?” I tried to sound light, but instead my tone hinted at my own shattered heart. Apparently, we both had one.
“I’m stopping by your ranch to check on one of your horses, so it’s no trouble at all.”
I thanked her and picked Scout up to carry her out to the car.
Before I could leave, Arabella stopped me. “How’s Rafferty? Amazingly enough, I haven’t run into him since he’s been back.”
“He’s well. Taking over a small medical practice in a town accustomed to the same physician has its challenges.”
“I know all about that.” She smiled without showing teeth—a gentle, patient face and demeanor.
“This job suits you,” I said. “Did you always want to be a vet?”
“No, I planned to be a doctor for humans.”
“Why didn’t you?” I asked, curious.
Another wistful smile warmed her face. “I decided I liked animals a lot better than people. And it’s more challenging to become a vet than a people doctor—like your brother.”
My brother? What did he have to do with it? Surely their rivalry didn’t extend into making life decisions over who won the game of life.
“I remember you two being competitive back in school,” I said.
“Oh, yes. We were rivals of the most passionate variety. When I won the senior science project I thought he…well, let’s just say I could tell he didn’t take the loss well.”
I’d been at college already by then, but Mama had called me to tell me Rafferty didn’t leave his room for an entire weekend after Arabella won. If I hadn’t been concerned about him, I might have found it funny.
“I actually should thank him,” Arabella said. “I don’t know if I’d have been half as ambitious had I not wanted to beat him so badly in all things.”
“Right, well, you’ve both done extraordinarily well. Maybe you can be friends now instead of enemies.” They were so alike it might be impossible for an adult friendship to develop.
