“I apologize if Chauncey disrupted your plans, Bianca. Thank you again for finding him. You saved my life. Christopher would’ve murdered me if anything happened to that dog.” Jack says to me in a low voice.
“No worries, Jack. I’m just glad I found him. As for his injured foot, I’m actually a vet tech. With your permission, I’d like to treat Chauncey’s foot. Fortunately, the nail he stepped on isn’t embedded too deeply, so I can probably pry it out with a pair of tweezers. If you’d rather take him to an animal clinic I understand, but it would be quicker if I did it. Besides, I don’t think his injury is severe enough to warrant a trip to the vet. If his bleeding doesn’t stop shortly after I remove the nail, you can take him to the vet clinic.”
“That would be great, Bianca. Thank you. But are you sure it’s not too much trouble? I wouldn’t want to put you out any more than I already have today.”
“It would be my pleasure. I just need a first aid kit. Oh, and a towel.”
“No problem. I’ll be right back.” Jack disappears behind the reception desk and goes through two swinging doors. He soon returns with the first aid kit and a couple of towels.
“Is there an empty room where I can treat Chauncey?”
“We’ll go to the conference room.”
Stepping back out into the lobby, Jack motions for Christopher to follow us.
“Christopher, Bianca works in a veterinarian’s office back home. She’s kindly offered to take out the nail that got stuck in Chauncey’s foot. I’m going to need you to hold Chauncey down and talk soothingly to him so he doesn’t jump while she’s trying to pull out the nail. Can you do that for me, big guy?”
“I’m your man, Dad. And if there’s anyone Chauncey will listen to, it’s me.”
Jack looks at me and smiles.
We lay out one of the towels on the conference room table and place Chauncey on top of it. I position the beagle on his back so that his injured foot is raised in the air.
“He looks funny lying down like that.” Christopher laughs.
“It’s important we keep his foot raised to help slow down the bleeding. Can you hold him with your hands on either side so that he doesn’t roll over?”
Christopher nods his head and places his hands firmly on either side of Chauncey’s stomach. Chauncey looks nervous, as if he knows what’s going to happen next.
“Is this going to hurt him a lot, Bianca?”
“A little. But it’ll be over almost as soon as I pull the nail out. He’ll have some tenderness in his foot, of course, but he won’t be in excruciating pain. Also, he shouldn’t walk a lot for the next day or two. Just take him out to relieve himself, but no extended walks for let’s say two days, to be on the safe side. And make sure he won’t be able to run out of that back door in your house again.”
I look at Jack when I make my last request, giving him a stern glance. He looks away sheepishly for a moment. When he returns his glance my way, I smile, letting him know I was just kidding. He holds my gaze a moment longer, and now it’s my turn to look away. I feel my pulse quicken. Mentally shaking my head, I focus on the task ahead.
First, I clean Chauncey’s wound with some Betadine antiseptic soap. Then I disinfect the tweezers with rubbing alcohol. Fortunately, I always carry a pair of tweezers in my purse because I often don’t have the time to get my brows waxed when I’m busy with my hectic work schedule. I talk to Chauncey in a gentle voice, and Christopher is also giving him words of encouragement. I do this with all of the patients at the vet clinic where I work. I’ve always found it makes a difference in helping to keep the animals calmer.
Chauncey lets out a yelp, followed by a soft bark, after I extract the nail. I then press a sterile gauze pad over Chauncey’s wound for a few minutes before checking to see if the blood is letting up, which it seems to be.
“Good. He’s not bleeding a lot, so we won’t need to take him to the vet. I’ll just wrap his foot now and he’ll be ready to go home.”
I squeeze a generous amount of ointment onto a clean gauze pad and place it over Chauncey’s wound before fastening it with an adhesive bandage, making sure not to wrap it too tightly so I won’t cut off circulation to his foot. When I’m done, I see Jack staring at me intensely.
“Wow! You’re a pro. You did that so quickly.”
“Years of experience.” I shrug my shoulders, letting him know it’s no big deal. “I also have two dogs who get into scrapes from time to time.”
“What are their names?” Christopher asks me.
“Frenchie and Sheila. Frenchie is a French bulldog and Sheila is an Australian shepherd.”
“How clever!” Jack says.
“Oh, the names aren’t that clever. I think they’re pretty obvious, but I didn’t care. Also, naming Sheila was a bit inaccurate.”
“Why is that? Australians call girls sheilas. It’s perfect for an Australian shepherd.”
“They’re actually an American breed. I’m not sure why they’re called Australian shepherds. Now Chauncey, that’s a great name for a dog.”
Jack laughs. “Yeah, I know.”
“I chose the name!” Christopher proudly holds his hand in the air.
“Yes, that’s true. When I asked him why Chauncey, he said he’d heard it on TV a few days before we adopted him. And then, when he met Chauncey, the name came back to him and he thought it fit. I have to agree. I can’t think what else we would’ve called him. He’s a Chauncey through and through.” Jack gives Chauncey a playful tug behind his ears.
“By the way, where is Chauncey’s collar?”
“He’s always snaking his neck out of it, no matter how snugly I fasten it. Our vet embedded him with a chip, so hopefully if he gets away again, someone will think to take him to the local vet to identify him by that.”
“He’s not getting away again. I’m making sure of that!” Christopher chimes in.
“I’m sure you will. Well, we should let Bianca get back to her day.”
“Make sure Chauncey gets some rest for today. And when he needs to relieve himself, be sure to tie a plastic bag, like a grocery bag, over his foot to protect the dressing before taking him out. I’ll change his dressing in a couple of days and check his foot to make sure it’s healing properly.”
“Will do, Doc.” Jack salutes me.
“I’m not a doc, but thank you.”
“Have you ever thought of taking your career all the way and becoming a veterinarian? After witnessing you treat Chauncey, it’s obvious you’re a natural.”
“Thank you. That’s nice of you to say. I was never a great science student, unfortunately, so vet school is out of the question. Even the courses I took to become a vet tech were challenging, to say the least. But that’s all right. I’m happy with what I do.”
“But you’ve learned so much at the clinic where you work. I’m sure veterinarian schools appreciate the practical experience as much as the book experience.”
“They do, but I’d still need the test grades.”
“Have you ever thought about getting a tutor and really applying yourself to it?”
“I don’t know. The idea has run through my mind a few times, but there’s been a lot going on in my personal life the past few years, so I haven’t been able to consider it more.”
Jack nods his head thoughtfully and purses his lips before saying, “Well, only you can know when the time is right.”
I’m taken aback for a moment by his words since I had been thinking only this morning about my family having pressured me to move forward. Though I know Jack is talking about my career and not Mark, his words still send a shiver down my spine.
Suddenly, Chauncey is sitting up on the conference room table and looking to the corner over my shoulder. His back is slightly hunched and he’s whimpering.
“What’s the matter, Chauncey?” Jack rubs his back, but Chauncey steadfastly looks in the same spot.
“Come on, Chauncey. You need your rest.” Christopher leans over in his
wheelchair and picks up Chauncey. Jack follows them out as I roll up the towels and put the supplies I used back into the first aid kit.
“Coming, Bianca?” Jack glances over his shoulder before leaving the conference room.
“Yes, I’ll be right there. Let me just finish packing this stuff up.”
As soon as Jack leaves, I feel goose bumps run down my arms even though I’m wearing a HEATTECH T-shirt and a thick wool sweater.
“Bianca.”
I look toward the conference room door expecting to see Jack, but then I hear from behind me, “Right here.”
Mark. Now I realize what Chauncey was looking at earlier. He’d seen Mark. But of course, Mark waited until I was alone before he made his presence known to me. Not that it mattered. No one else saw him. Besides me, only animals could see Mark’s ghost. A few times Mark had shown up at the vet clinic where I work. The pets I treated always saw him. And my own dogs, Frenchie and Sheila, had seen him too. They always whined mournfully when they saw him. Mark used to spoil them rotten when he was alive.
“Must you always sneak up on me, Mark? Isn’t there a way to let me know you’re here without scaring me?”
“I wish there were, but I have little control in that area.” Mark grins.
“I can’t talk to you long, Mark. They’re waiting for me.” I say this in a sad voice, not wanting to hurt his feelings. That is, if ghosts have feelings . . .
“I just wanted to say Jack has been through a lot too.”
“And how would you know that?”
Mark gives me an exasperated look, as if to say, Come on!
“Never mind. That man’s problems aren’t any of my concern. And what are you trying to prove? That I’m not the only one who’s in pain? Is this your way of telling me to stop feeling sorry for myself?” I can’t hide the bitterness in my tone.
Mark looks at me with the saddest expression. Whenever he does this, I can’t hold his gaze for long, and I glance down, busying myself by putting away the first aid kit supplies.
“I just miss the Bianca I used to know—the vibrant woman who never wasted a moment and who loved to laugh. I can’t remember the last time I heard you laugh—that is, when I’m not visiting you.”
“I can. It was that morning on the bus to Lake Como. A day never passed that you didn’t make me laugh when you were alive. I miss you so much, Mark.”
“I miss you too, Bianca, and you know I’ll always love you. Don’t be upset with me. I just want the best for you. That was all I ever wanted.”
Tears fill my eyes. I look up to tell Mark that I’m not upset with him, but he’s gone. And my anguish is soon replaced by anger. But instead of giving in to it, I compose myself before going out to the hotel lobby.
As I approach the lobby, I see Jack standing outside the entrance. He carefully lifts Christopher, who’s holding Chauncey, and places him onto the sled. Jack quickly pulls the sled through the snow to their car, leaving the wheelchair behind. My heart goes out to Christopher.
Beatrice interrupts my thoughts.
“Miss Simone, Jack asked me to tell you to wait. He’ll just be a moment. He wanted to get Christopher settled into his car.”
“Thank you, Beatrice.”
I think about what Mark said about Jack having been through a lot. Of course, he must’ve been referring to Christopher being paralyzed. I can’t help wondering what happened to him.
“Earth to Bianca.”
I jump when I see Jack is tilting his head so that our eyes meet.
“Oh! I’m sorry. I was just thinking.”
“I can see that.” Jack smiles. “Christopher asked me to apologize for not saying good-bye to you in person. He’s getting over the flu and was starting to feel pretty tired, especially with all the excitement over Chauncey. I asked one of the workers to take him home for me since I have some business I need to tend to here. But he wanted me to tell you again how grateful he was for your finding Chauncey and treating his foot. He said he’s going to think of a special way to thank you. By the way, if you prefer, we can bring Chauncey here for his follow-up, so that you don’t have to find a way of getting to our house. That would probably be easier for you.”
“Oh, it was my pleasure taking care of Chauncey. And Christopher doesn’t need to go out of his way to show me his appreciation. The look on his face was enough thanks for me. I hadn’t thought about how I’d get to your house to check on Chauncey’s foot. I almost forgot for a moment that I’m not back home in Newport, with access to my car. So yes, if you don’t mind, that would be great if you and Christopher could bring Chauncey here in a couple of days for me to see how his foot is healing.”
“Will do. Newport? Are you from Rhode Island?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Ah! A fellow New Englander, though I know Rhode Island has more of a cosmopolitan feel to it than ultra-rural Vermont, where I’m from.” Jack winks.
I laugh. “Oh, I don’t know about that. So, you’re not originally from Austria. I had noticed you have an American accent. How long have you lived in Innsbruck?”
“About a decade now. I was born in Vermont, but my parents are actually from Austria. We visited almost every year when I was a child. I always felt more Austrian than American and knew someday I would probably make it my permanent home. Seven years ago, I finally decided to take the plunge and move out here. It was pretty easy for me to find work because I worked in hotels back home. I even lived in New York City briefly, while I worked at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel.”
“And your wife likes living in Austria?”
Jack’s expression darkens. “She passed away some time ago.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Thank you. It’s just me, Christopher, and Chauncey.”
I want to ask Jack how she died but don’t want to intrude on his privacy. An awkward silence ensues before Jack says, “Well, I’ll finally get out of your hair, but before I leave, can I recommend a few sites you might not have visited yet?”
“Thank you, Jack, but I’m feeling tired, so I might just take it easy today, stay in my room and read.”
“You can do that at home. You shouldn’t waste any of your days here. When do you leave Innsbruck?”
“I haven’t decided yet. The vet clinic where I work is closed for the last half of December and the first half of January. I just bought a one-way ticket and figured when I felt ready to leave, I would.”
Jack raises his eyebrows in surprise. “So you like to live in the moment. Not plan anything in advance.”
“Sort of. Well, I’ve been that way more the past few years.”
Jack looks at me with concern but merely nods his head. “Nothing wrong with that. We can get too bogged down in thinking about the future and forget to live in the present.”
I smile. He returns my smile and holds my gaze for a moment before I glance away.
“Anyway, if you and your boyfriend are free tomorrow night, you should go into Altstadt. There will be a choir of boys singing Christmas carols, including my son.”
My cheeks flame hot as I remember how I had lied to him the day before at the café.
“I’m sorry, Jack. The truth is, I’m actually here by myself. I don’t have a boyfriend. Since I’m traveling alone, I like to err on the side of caution.”
Of course, that’s not exactly true, but I need to save face somehow in this awkward moment.
“No worries. I understand. Well, if you can make it tomorrow night, I know Christopher would be thrilled. But no pressure. I take it you’ve already been to Altstadt and know how to get there?”
My mind quickly flashes back to the day Mark proposed to me in Altstadt. A jolt of pain shoots through me.
“Are you all right, Bianca?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I’ll try to make it. Thank you for the invitation.” I offer a small smile in hopes of reassuring him that I really am okay.
Jack returns my smile. “Enjoy the rest of your day. And again, thank you so
much for everything you did for Chauncey.”
“It was my pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your day as well.” I make my way toward the elevator. I can feel Jack’s gaze on me, but I don’t dare turn around.
Chapter 11
The next evening I’m dressed to go out but feel frozen in place. I can’t make up my mind if I’ll go to see the choir in Altstadt. Spending all this time alone with my thoughts is beginning to take its toll on me. It would be good to be around people, to distract myself a bit by talking to Jack. Sighing, I put on my coat before I change my mind again.
As I approach the square, I see the boys from the choir are taking their places. A large crowd has gathered. I try to find Jack. It doesn’t take me long to spot him because I assume he must be in the front, along with the other proud parents watching their boys perform. Jack is holding Chauncey, who’s wearing a thick wool sweater. As I had instructed Jack, a plastic bag is tied around Chauncey’s foot. Chauncey’s gaze remains fixed on Christopher.
Sadness fills me when I see Christopher in his little wheelchair. But he doesn’t seem to notice or care that he’s the only boy who isn’t standing. He’s smiling and waving to his father and Chauncey.
I walk over to Jack and touch him lightly on his shoulder.
“Bianca! You made it!”
“Yes.” I reach up and pet Chauncey, who leans over and tries to lick my face. Jack tries to pull him away, but I say, “That’s okay.” I stretch my neck closer to Chauncey and let him give my cheek a couple of swipes with his tongue.
Jack laughs. “You do have a way with animals!”
“I see you followed my orders about keeping Chauncey’s foot wrapped. If you’d like, I can take a quick look at his foot after the show. That way you wouldn’t have to bring him to the hotel tomorrow.”
“It’s no trouble bringing him in tomorrow. Besides, my babysitter won’t be able to stay with Christopher tomorrow afternoon, so he and Chauncey will be coming to work with me. But if you have plans tomorrow afternoon, then by all means, you can look at Chauncey’s foot after the show tonight.”
When the Snow Falls Page 23