AllFreeNovel
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Shit. “For now, there’s always the whole kennel and grooming idea.”
“Is that back on the table?”
“It is.”
Smiling, she stands. “I’d sleep in a kennel to have a weekend job like that.”
“We can figure that out. You have another semester, right?”
“Like, actually or …” She shakes her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“You need a distraction, a focus. My sister and I used to dream out loud all the time. I think they’re calling it manifesting now.” I can’t help but find so many similarities in her and Chloe and me.
“When did you decide you wanted to be a vet?” She stands up and walks over to the computer, pulling up the day’s schedule.
“We had a dog when we were living in Texas, Max. He was a stray.” Just like us. “He got sick. Chloe came up with enough money for an exam, but his treatment was more than we could possibly afford. Five grand might as well have been a million. We offered to work it off, and the vet was a dick. He told our, um, uncle”—which is just as much of a lie as it was then—“to put him down.”
“Like, shot him?”
I feel my eyes heat up as I nod.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she says.
I blink back my tears. “Dug a hole, threw in a can of stew. Max jumped in to gobble it up. After that, I hated him and the vet. I knew if I could manage to get through high school and college, I wanted to be a vet so that I could right that wrong.”
“Which is why you do the clinic and never raise your prices.”
“If Max had had his basic shots, he might not have gotten sick.” I smile. “So, yeah.”
“That Cecilia would be so proud of who she became.”
“You are so much like Chloe,” not just falls, but flops out of my lips.
“Maybe next time she’s here, I could meet her.”
“Yeah.” I nod. “Absolutely.” I step closer to look at the screen. “Not a bad day. Wellness checks and vaccines.”
“Shh,” she cautions. “Don’t jinx it.”
“All right, then let’s set up for the day we want, yeah?”
“Manifesting a good day.” She nods once.
And a good day it is, and that’s a lot because of text messaging.
Unknown
It’s Roman. I thought you might want a picture for my contact information.
When it comes through, I can’t stop from smiling.
Me
Taking photos of a girl when she doesn’t know it should creep me out.
Unknown
It’s not of a girl. It’s of US.
