A North Carolina Autumn

Chapter Eight

3.18.2022

When I pull into a parking spot at the vet, I take a deep breath as I put the car in park. I was more than a little bit nervous to go in, knowing that Rylie's coworkers had questions. I'd have to get used to the questions anyway, especially for when I went back to work on Monday. No doubt Larry would have plenty of questions of his own.

I was looking forward to seeing Harvey again, since it had been over a week since we'd seen him last. I was thankful the vet had been willing to watch him for a while longer while everything was going on.

After a minute of trying to work up the courage to go inside, I push open my door and climb out of the car, sliding my phone and keys into my pocket before walking towards the building. A bell sounds as I step through the door, and the kind middle aged receptionist glances up from a pile of paperwork. Her eyes immediately soften, and I silently beg myself not to cry. I knew I would fail, though. Anytime someone even showed an ounce of sympathy, I was gone.

"Hey, Mindy." I say with a timid smile.

"Oh, Aspen. Come here baby." Mindy was as southern as they got, and her accent proved that. She pushes herself out of her padded office chair before walking around the counter to pull me into a tight embrace.

I swallow hard and try to keep my emotions in check, taking a deep breath. Mindy always smelled good, like vanilla and cupcakes and baking.

"Now, I know you're here to pick up Harvey, but I also made you some cupcakes and a casserole. I can have Jarom help you carry them out to your car whenever you're ready."

Oh. So the baking smell is really from her baking. I chuckle to myself.

"Thank you, Mindy. You are so sweet. I'm sure I can carry them out on my own, though."

Don't really want to be near Jarom right now. Or ever.

"Nonsense! With that broken wrist, it can't be easy to carry much on your own. Plus, what's the point of keeping a strong, handsome young man like him around if we don't put him to use?"

I have a few ideas. I sigh internally, knowing there's no changing her mind on this."

"Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Now, how are you handling things? I'm so sorry that you have to be dealing with this. How is Rylie doing?"

"She hasn't really changed much. Oh, actually, she did start breathing on her own today! I had nearly forgotten!"

"Oh, honey! That is great news! That means she's improving! How about you come on to the back and you can update the others. They're just finishing up their final surgery for the day."

"Okay." I smile and follow Mindy behind the counter and down the long hallway before we enter the back area. Through a doorway across the room, I can see the vet, Dr. Evans, and two techs, Kayla and Jarom, assisting him with a surgery. Mindy leads me into the surgery room and my eyes widen as I glance down at the dog on the table. At least, I think it's a dog. With it's size, it could actually be a small horse.

The room smells strongly of medical supplies and cleaners, the smell is almost a sharp, bitter one. I scrunch my eyebrows as I recognize another smell, and I have to shove down the sudden emotion I feel when I remember what the smell is. Pine sol. It reminded me so much of Rylie, and I shove the nearly overwhelming thought aside.

The dog is on its back on the table, and a blue medical drape with a hole in the middle covers its stomach and legs as the vet works intently on his lower stomach. Or... her. Her lower stomach.