Courting Alley Cat (4 page)

              “I think Granny meant me. My dad is retired. He only shows up down here to help out now and then.”

              “Oh. Your dad...” She took a moment to study him as he poked and prodded Charlie’s abdomen area and tried to wrap her mind around this hot-looking guy having the status of a veterinarian. It made sense. The older woman showing up with her dog. The man who brought his dog. Granny’s comment that she would like Dr. York and should drop in just to say hi. She would have to come back to that one and think more about it later.

              “I’ve got to try to flush out the blockage.”

              Charlie began to struggle.

              “Shouldn’t you sedate him?” Alley asked.

              “I may have to, but it’s better not to.”

              As he inserted a needle to start an IV, Charlie growled and cried out.

              “Why? You’re hurting him.”

              “Let’s wait and see how he does. If he’s dehydrated and has toxic build-up, it would put him at risk.”

              “This is really bad, isn’t it?”

              Justin glanced at her. “Maybe you should sit down,” he said.

              Automatically, she backed into a chair and sat down. Justin began to catharize Charlie. She tapped her fingers. She tapped her feet. She stayed in the chair for almost a minute.

              “You know,” Justin said. “You don’t have to stay. I’ll take care of him.”

              “I can’t go and I can’t just sit here. What can I do to help?”

              “You can rub his ears,” Justin said.

              Alley rubbed Charlie’s ears crooning soothingly to him.

              Justin relegated her to the background as he worked on the cat. He had trained himself well to tune out everything else but the task at hand. Charlie needed his undivided attention right now. Charlie also needed the calming presence of Alley. She was the next best thing to having Granny there for him.

              It was nearly an hour later when Justin stepped back and washed his hands. “I’ve done everything I can do,” he said. He’d had to perform a procedure that he had done only a handful of times before. It was the last resort for the little guy.

              “What do we do now?” Alley asked, stroking Charlie’s fur.

              “We wait.”

              “For how long?”

              “It’s all up to Charlie now.”

              Alley folded her arms on the table and rested her head.

              “You don’t have to stay,” Justin said.

              “So you keep saying.”

              “He just has to rest.”

              “I’m staying.” Her voice was muffled, but firm.

              Justin began cleaning up the mess from the surgery. The house was quiet. The Bark and Purr’s phone had only rang once in the last hour. He rather enjoyed the coziness of having her there with him. Having her concerned about Charlie. Having them both concerned about him. It was a side of her he hadn’t expected. It was a side of her he liked.

              Her cell phone rang and broke the illusion.

              “Hello,” she said, meeting Justin’s gaze as she answered.

              She nodded, then “I’ll be right there.” She stroked Charlie’s fur, kissed his head. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Charlie or Justin. He wasn’t sure.

              She stood up, shoved her hair back, and looked straight at him.” I’ll be right back,” she said, again. Her moist green eyes mesmerized him. He didn’t want her to go. He had known she would.

              He watched her turn and walk away. Acknowledged the sense of loss. Waited for the anger to return. Was surprised when it didn’t.

              Instead, a feeling of loss and longing settled in.

              Weary, Ally opened the front door to let in a laughing Steven and Zena. She hugged both of them as she listened to their excited rapport at being there - in the country, as they called it. She smiled back, but her heart was heavy. As they stood there in Granny’s living room laughing carelessly, Charlie, a sweet three-year old cat lay next door fighting for his life.

              Most would say he was only a cat. But he was Granny’s little friend and she had let them all down.

              “Guys,” she started. “I’m sorry about this, but I have to go.”

              “What?”

              “Go where?”

              “We just got here.”

              “I know it sounds rude, but I have to go next door to be with Granny’s sick kitty.” She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath.

              “We’ll go with you.”

              “Sure, we can help.”

              “No, he needs quiet and you guys didn’t drive over here for that. You’ll just have to explore the town on your own. I may be able to catch up with you tomorrow, but for right now, I have to be somewhere else.”

              She showed them the guest rooms, hugged them again, and they headed out the front door in search of a restaurant for dinner.

              Alley went into the bathroom and, after checking her appearance in the mirror, ran a brush through her hair and smeared on some lip gloss. She then grabbed a stack of towels and headed out the back door to the clinic.

              Not sure if the older Yorks were back yet, she went to the Bark and Purr entrance and knocked.

              When Justin opened the door, her heart gave a little skip - partly at seeing Justin again and partly at knowing she’d find out how Charlie was doing. ‘Hi,” she said, looking at him questioningly.

              “Hi,” he said. “Come on in.” He stepped back to let her inside.

              “How is he?” she asked.

              “No change yet.”

              She hurried down the stairs to his side on the cold, steel table. “I brought some towels,” she said, glancing at him over her shoulder. “This table is so cold and uncomfortable.”

              “Ok,” he said. “Good idea. Let me help you.”

              She laid out the towels, then the two of them carefully picked up Charlie and laid him on them. Charlie opened his eyes and looked at her. “He’s awake. That’s good, right?”

              Justin walked over to stand next to her. He smelled of antiseptic and animals. “Tonight could be crucial,” he said. “I’m glad you came back.”

              “Ohhh.” With one hand on Charlie’s back, Alley looked up at him, assessed him. “How do you do it?” she asked.

              “How do I do what?”

              “How do you go through this with the cats and dogs? When some of them don’t make it.”

              “How can I not? When I can help some of them.”

              “But they have such short little life-spans. And people get so attached to them.”

              He put his hand on her shoulder. The weight of it settled her. “But they give us such pleasure while we have them.”

              She nodded, swallowed, lowered her gaze. “I’ll stay with him tonight.”

              “What about your date?”             

              “Date?”

              “Yeah, I’ll watch him. You go on your date.”

              “I don’t have a date. Some friends are here from Dallas.”

              “Well, same thing. Go out with your friends. I’ll stay with Charlie.”

              “They’ll entertain themselves.”

              He removed his hand from her shoulder and she felt him watching her. She looked up at him. “Granny should know, shouldn’t she?”

              “Yeah.”

              “I can’t tell her right now,” Alley said, the tears welling again.

              “Let’s wait until tomorrow. Then we can make that decision.” He reached out, lightly stroked her hair.

              She didn’t move. Wondered at that small gesture. Knew he was trying to comfort her.

              Or was he?

              “I’ll be back,” he said. “Just call out if you need me.”

              Justin stood in his kitchen, took a moment to settle himself. The woman downstairs had him all churned up. He wanted to sweep her into his arms. Hold her. Comfort her.

              Any resolve he had once had to distance himself from her was shot. Maybe he had over-reacted. Maybe he should give her a chance. He acknowledged it. Accepted it. He would take what she had to give. Maybe she had more than he gave her credit for.

              His parents wouldn’t be back until much later. He’d heard them mention something about a movie. It was nearly seven. Neither he nor Alley had eaten. Again, that overwhelming need to take care of her.

              He picked up the phone and dialed the number to The Pizza Place.

              Alley pulled a high stool over so she could sit and gently stroke Charlie’s fur. She had time, now, to study her surroundings. The little exam room was clean and organized. Shelves with small, clearly labeled compartments lined one wall. They were open for easy and efficient access. There was a distinct air of sterilization.

              She had seen only one other exam room and there was a reception area for patients coming down the stairs. There was a row of filing cabinets behind the receptionist’s desk. There had been, however, no receptionist. Alley concluded that the entire business was family run and there were few patients, especially since Justin and his father before him seemed to specialize in dogs and cats.

              Such was the way, she presumed, of the small town. She had once had a dog when she was growing up and she remembered waiting in the crowded vet’s office for an appointment. There was a black bag tucked away on the counter. It occurred to her, then, that perhaps Justin made house calls. The idea made her smile with images of Gunsmoke and other old westerns where the doctor went to the patient.

              “What’s funny?” Justin asked, coming into the room, bringing with him the wonderful smell of pizza.

              “Oh, nothing. You brought food. You’re my hero.”

              “Well, then, I wish I had thought of it sooner. Hungry?”

              “Starved!”

              He had thought of everything. Plates, cups filled with ice, soda, and even napkins.

              He checked on Charlie, washed his hands, and poured two glasses of soda.

              “How long have you been here, doing this?” she asked, gesturing around her.

              “I came back from Shreveport two years ago when Dad’s health went bad.”

              “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, setting down her glass. “I didn’t know.”

              “Don’t worry about Dad. Mom takes good care of him. Watches what he eats when she can. Makes sure we don’t keep beer in the house. He plays golf three days a week and they bowl on Saturdays. He’s on medication and his heart’s in decent condition. He’s a picture of retirement at its best.”

              “What about you? How did you feel about coming back here?”

              “I always knew I would be back. The pace here is slow and easy. I have time to fish and putter around in the yard.” He handed her a plate with a piece of cheese pizza loaded with green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and onions.

              “Thanks for going vegetarian,” she said, taking a bite.

              “No problem,” he said, with a strange smile. “I just had a feeling.”

              “Hmmm. Well, thanks. But, you like it here in Hanover?” she persisted.

              “What’s not to like?” he answered, concentrating on the pizza on his plate.

              “Really?” She asked looking at him quizzically.

              “So, what about you?” She knew he was changing the subject, but she let him anyway. “You like living in the big city?”

              “There’s always tons of stuff to do and people to see.”

              “We have tons of stuff to do here and lots of people to see.”

              “Ah,” she said, wiping her mouth. “But do you have shoes to buy?”

              “I have Internet access.”

              “But how can you know what to order if you don’t see them first and try them on?”

              “You’ve got me there,” he conceded, filling her glass. “I don’t know enough about the art of shopping to tackle that one. Anyway, I have a feeling that fashion changes so quickly, it’s impossible to keep up with.”

              “Oh, it’s possible to keep up with fashion. One just has to be diligent.”

              He laughed. “And I have a feeling you’re diligent.”

              “I’m good. The only way I could be better would be to live in New York.”

              Justin groaned and set down his pizza. “Oh no. Don’t tell me you’re even considering it.”

              “Well, no. I’m a Dallas girl. However, I do think annual visits would suit me just fine. Or maybe even semi-annual.”

              “I guess you could fit the shopping in between the parties.”

              This time Alley set her pizza down and wiped her fingers. “That’s right,” she said, far too seriously. “And what is wrong with that?”

              “I didn’t say anything was wrong with it.”

              “I know when a man is mocking me.”

              Justin tossed his napkin down on his plate and stood up. “Apparently you don’t,” he said, and walked out of the room.

              Well, good. If he was going to mock her, he might as well just leave in a huff. Perplexed now, more than angry, Alley finished off her pizza and tossed the plate and napkin in the can. After washing her hands, she went back to her stool, laid her head on her arms on the table, and resumed stroking Charlie’s fur.

              “What do you think, Charlie? What’s up with that guy, Justin?”

              “If you could answer that, you could help us all out.”

              Alley’s head jerked up.

              “I didn’t mean to startle you.” She turned and looked into an older version of Justin.

              “Dr. York?”

              “The older of the two,” he answered with a smile. “What has my wayward son done now?”

              “For some reason, I seem to irritate him,” she answered.

              “I find that hard to believe,” he said. “You must be Alley.”

              “Yes, how did you know?”

              “Just a lucky guess.” He opened Charlie’s eyes and peered into them. “What’s going on with Charlie?”

              Alley briefly explained, relieved to know that he had recognized her through Charlie.

              “My son is a good doctor. He’ll do what he can for him.”

              “I know.”

              “He’s good with animals,” the older Dr. York, continued. “It may be a different story when it comes to women.”

              Surprise washed across Alley’s face. She certainly found Justin attractive, but could it be that he was possibly interested in her?

              Charlie stirred and she lost her chain of thought. “Is he ok?” she asked.

              “I’ll get Justin...” Dr. York, said, leaving her to go upstairs.

              “But…”
You’re a doctor, too, and Justin doesn’t really like me.

              In under a minute, Justin came bounding down the stairs. “What’s happened?”

              “He’s awake,” she said.

              Justin rubbed his hand along Charlie’s side and the cat started to purr. “Let’s give him some fluid.”

              “This is a good thing, right?” Alley asked hopefully. “He’s purring.”

              “Sometimes cats purr when they’re in pain,” Justin said, absently, focused on starting Charlie’s IV. “But it’s a good sign that he’s awake.”

              Alley cooed to Charlie and stroked his fur while Justin checked his temperature.

              “You did good, bringing him over when you did,” Justin said, as they waited for the fluid to run. “His temp is ok.”

              “I should have caught it sooner,” she said, “I didn’t do good at all.”

              “Nonsense. You couldn’t have known, Alley,” he said, smoothing a strand of hair from her face.

              She took a ragged breath. Her emotions were overwhelming. She felt such relief that Charlie was improving and such relief that Justin perhaps didn’t dislike her.

              She wasn’t sure why she cared what he thought of her, but she did. She smiled at him and he bent closer and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes and let the tingling emotions wash over her.