Puppy Love for the Veterinarian

by Amy Woods

  Driving there in what now seemed to be a full-blast snowstorm was one of the scariest things June had ever done. It was lucky that she knew the roads as well as she did, having lived in Peach Leaf her whole life; otherwise, she wasn’t sure there would have been much of a chance of making it this far, not to mention the likelihood that she and the puppies would not have survived if they’d stayed in the car. And until the extreme weather passed, it was impossible to tell what had caused her old lemon to die. Terror had struck when the engine coughed and gave up, the snow coming down so hard as the wind blew fiercely that she could barely see a foot in front of her. She’d followed the road as best she could and somehow, thankfully, had made it to the office.

  What was probably only half a mile or so had become a nearly impossible journey until the glass door of the clinic came into view. And now there she was. There hadn’t been time to mull over the next step—how she would get home with no working vehicle, especially with the weather throwing such a fit.

  At least now she wasn’t alone. Even though he didn’t seem too happy to see the three of them—and really, who could blame him?—June knew somehow that he would do his best to help. Then they would just have to go from there.

  Dr. Singh stopped in front of one of the exam rooms and lifted his chin toward the door, presumably asking June to open it, which she did quickly. When they were all in the room, he held the puppies out to her. “Okay, I need you to hold them for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

  The apprehension she felt must have been poorly hidden because when he saw the look on her face Ethan’s stoicism seemed to evaporate briefly; his eyes softened and the thin, serious line of his lips was replaced by a curve at one corner of his mouth that could almost pass for a grin.

  “It’s okay, Miss Leavy. I’ll be right back, I promise. I just need to get some supplies, and it would help if you’d keep the puppies warm for just a moment longer. Can you do that for me?”

  June nodded. She’d gotten the babies that far, but the thought of being responsible for them any longer seemed more daunting now as the stress of the day compounded and the idea hit her suddenly that they might not make it. Even now, in the safety of the clinic, with a trained veterinarian to help, the chance remained that the little ones might not pull through.

  “Good,” he responded, nodding. “You had a great idea earlier, keeping them close together in your pocket. That way, they had each other’s warmth, plus that coming from your body.”

  A little flutter passed through her chest at the mention of her body coming from Dr. Singh’s mouth, but she just shook her head and took back the little bundles of fur, tucking them into her sweatshirt once more.

  “All set?” he asked.

  “Yes, I think so.”

  At that, he left the room and June concentrated on snuggling the little pups close, willing her warmth to be enough to keep them alive. She couldn’t tell how they were doing, other than that the tiny heartbeats she’d felt for before were still thumping softly, and their sweet brown eyes were open. With any luck, that meant they were okay, but a part of her warned that there could be any number of things wrong on the inside.

  She swallowed and closed her eyes, and a moment later Dr. Singh returned with what looked like a pile of fluffy towels. He placed the bundle on the exam table and moved to the bench where June sat, wrapping one around her shoulders and gently settling the warm terry cloth in place, a gesture that was completely logical considering that she still shivered from the cold, but also surprisingly intimate. She couldn’t recall the last time a man had done something so simple and caring for her, and before she could think about it, she found herself gazing up at him with a warm smile.

  “Thank you,” she said. “That feels...wonderful.”

  “You’re quite welcome. We’ve got a small washer and dryer in the staff room, so I warmed these up for a minute or two.”

  As he spoke, though he didn’t exactly return her smile, soft crinkles formed at the outer corners of those deep brown eyes and it struck her just how exceptionally attractive this man was. She hadn’t even known that the older Dr. Singh had a son, but then, they’d only shared a doctor/patient-parent relationship, so it made sense that he wouldn’t have gone into detail about his family.

  Strangely, now, June very much wished he had.

  Ethan went back to the table and returned with another towel, kneeling to spread it on the floor at her feet. He sat cross-legged in front of it. “Here, let’s put the pups in this while I take a look at them. Safer than having them up on the table for now.”

  June nodded and retrieved them from her pocket one at a time, cringing as they squeaked in protest at the brief separation. “Do you think...” She swallowed. “Will they be all right?”

  “It’s hard to know until I can look them over,” he said, wrapping the towel around the puppies. “But I will say this.” He looked up at her. “You’ve done a great job here, keeping them warm and bringing them in. From what I can see so far, I think they have a good chance, all because of you.”

  June’s insides melted a little at his compliments, but she wouldn’t feel better until she knew the puppies would be okay.

  After a few moments, Dr. Singh pulled the towel to one side and very gently moved one puppy closer to him, stroking it softly behind the ears with one hand as he ran his fingers over each tiny limb, probably feeling for broken bones. He then felt the pup’s adorable pink tummy, almost grinning when the little guy—she could see plainly now that the term was accurate—closed his eyes.

  June placed her nervous hands into the pouch of her hoodie, crossing her fingers.

  “It’s a good sign that they don’t mind being held,” Ethan said, using a thumb to gently pry the animal’s mouth open, examining its tiny teeth before listening to its heart with the stethoscope that circled his neck. “Their friendliness toward humans will certainly make it easier to place them in homes when the time comes,” he pointed out matter-of-factly. “Where did you say you found them?”

  June cleared her throat, surprised at how much she disliked talk of giving the puppies away, even though she had no intention of keeping them for herself. “Behind the pizza shop, where I work.”

  The doctor winced, then looked up and met her eyes, listening intently as she spoke.

  “We were done for the day, and I went out to toss the garbage. That’s when I found them behind a Dumpster.” Her throat threatened to close up as she thought again of someone leaving two little dogs in the icy alley.

  “Any idea how long they were there?”

  June shook her head. “No. I wish I had more to tell you, but unfortunately, that’s it. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Well, you did precisely the right thing, though it would appear you endangered yourself attempting to make it here. These are quite the lucky little guys, having been discovered by someone like you. Their fate might have been much worse, as I’m sure I don’t have to tell you.” An unmistakable wave of sadness crossed over the veterinarian’s face.

  “I wasn’t thinking about that. I just wanted them to be okay...still do.”

  Ethan nodded and set down the first pup, picking up the other—a girl—to go through the same exam. “There’s a good chance they will, thanks to you.” Finished, he tucked the brother and sister back into their towel and folded his hands together in his lap.

  “So, how’s it look?” she asked, nails digging into her palms.

  Ethan stared at her, his eyes warmer now, perhaps resigned to the outcome of his evening. She hadn’t even considered that he might have plans...perhaps a wife at home waiting for him. Then again, he wasn’t wearing a ring and he hadn’t texted or called anyone upon her arrival, or once he’d realized that he would be at work for a bit longer.

  “Well, I’ll have to do some blood work within the next few days to get a full pi
cture, but from what I can tell at this point, it seems they’ll be okay.”

  Relief flooded through her at the optimistic statement.

  “They’re about three and a half weeks old, give or take. No broken bones, healthy lungs and hearts, and their teeth are coming in, which is great news.”

  “So they can eat solid food? We won’t have to feed them with a bottle?” June had to admit she was a little disappointed. The idea of holding the tiny puppies and feeding them sounded...nice. She had always wanted children, anyway, but after her experience with Clayton, she wasn’t sure she could trust anyone enough ever again to even think about building a life with another person. Another person who had the potential to break her heart. Maybe someday, if she ever had the time and energy to spare, she could have a little puppy just like these to care for. Maybe she could try letting herself love something again...one day...but it would take time, far more than she could spare with her life the way it was, working sixty-hour weeks at the pizza parlor just to pay her rent and keep her car in working shape. She hoped things wouldn’t be that way forever; it was a sobering thought.

  “Yes, they can eat solid food, but we’ll need to mix it with some canine milk replacer that’s specially formulated for puppies. Cow’s or any other kind of milk would upset their tummies.”

  For some reason, June grinned at the word, so much more fatherly and sweet than the more technical stomachs.

  “Do you have that here?”

  “Sure do. We’ve got plenty, and I can have my receptionist, Sadie, order more in the morning if need be.” He lifted a corner of the towel and glanced in at the puppies. “For now, we need to get them some water and get a little food in them. We won’t give them too much yet, as I don’t know what or how much they’ve been eating and I don’t want them to get bloated.”

  June nodded as he stood and held out a hand to help her do the same, then knelt to pick up the squeaky bundle. He led her to the back area and into a room lined with shelves of food and medicine, handing over the puppies so he could scan the stock for what they needed.

  “Ah, here we are,” he said, lifting a small bag from a top shelf.

  He opened a cabinet and pulled out two shallow bowls, then headed to the back room, stopping at a sink to fill one with water. Into the other, he poured a small amount of pebble-size kibble. He grabbed a bottle from a nearby refrigerator and poured thin, white liquid on top, like milk on cereal. Placing the bowls on the floor in a corner, Ethan motioned for June to set down the towel. At the scent of the food, two little black noses began to wriggle and both humans laughed quietly.

  “The little stinkers are cute, aren’t they?”

  Ethan looked up at her as he spoke and this time his smile reached those gorgeous, mahogany eyes. She felt his gaze all the way down into her middle, as warm and comforting as the towel he’d so recently wrapped around her shoulders.

  “Very,” she replied, her voice little more than the squeaky sound the puppies made.

  Dr. Singh helped her to guide the puppies over to the bowls, and they watched with bated breath, waiting to see if the little ones would eat. Finally, both pups sniffed at the bowl of food and buried their faces in the kibble, and the sound of Ethan’s and June’s sighs of relief were audible.

  As the dogs worked on their dinner, Ethan disappeared into the supply closet and returned holding what looked like a baby gate and paper towels. He set to work in the corner of the room, spreading out what June now saw were puppy pads, which he surrounded with the gate, creating a little pen. “All right. We’ll settle them in here for a bit, give them a little time and see if they’ll do their business, then we can put them to bed.”

  He looked up at June. “If I’m correct on their age, they should be able to go to the bathroom on their own.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, if they’re too young, they’ll need a little help to go, but I’m hoping they’re old enough.” He winked at her. “Time will tell.”

  “Ah.” June had never been around such young animals before; once again, she was thankful to have an ally who knew far more than she about this unexpected development in her evening.

  “In the meantime, is there anything I can get you?”

  Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she hadn’t yet eaten and it was almost nine o’clock, but she doubted there was much in the way of people food in a veterinary clinic. “I’d love something hot to drink. That is, if you have anything.”

  “Come,” Dr. Singh said, holding out an arm. June walked through the door in front of him and he left it open, leading her to what had to be the staff break room, where he pulled a chair from a small, round table, motioning for her to sit.

  She watched as he took a measuring cup from a cabinet and placed it on a hot plate before pulling milk from the fridge and what appeared to be a few spice bottles from a drawer.

  “So tell me, Miss Leavy...”

  “Please, call me June.”

  He set to work, mixing ingredients in the glass cup as though he were a chef in an upscale kitchen, rather than a very patient veterinarian in a small-town clinic. “June, then. Have you ever had chai?”

  It was only one of her favorite drinks. “Oh, I love chai tea.”

  The doctor let out a chuckle as he stirred the mixture with a spoon.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Just chai. When you say chai tea, what you’re really saying is tea tea. The word chai means tea in Hindi.”

  “Oh, goodness,” she said, feeling like a doofus. “I’m sorry.”

  “Not at all,” Ethan said, laughing.

  June found she very much liked the deep, warm sound of it tickling her ears. He seemed much more relaxed now than he had when she’d first arrived, almost certainly ruining his night.

  “Is your family from India?” she asked, surprising herself. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to find something to talk about to pass the time until the storm let up and she could go on home.

  “My father was born in Delhi and came here as a child.”

  “And your mother?”

  “She’s American, from New York. They’ve lived in Texas for most of my life, since my father opened this clinic.”

  It was quiet for a few moments as Ethan continued to stir the tea and June took a couple of deep breaths, allowing herself to calm down for the first time since she’d found the puppies over two hours ago. Her shoulders ached with tension and her tiredness reached all the way down to her bones; she longed for a hot shower and her bed. For once, she would be happy to go home to her lonely, closet-size apartment, where she hoped to get at least a couple hours of sleep before her alarm clock sent her back to work.

  When she opened her eyes, Ethan set two steaming mugs on the table and June lifted hers to take a sip. The hot liquid soaked all the way down into her veins, warming her through and through, the sweet, yet spicy, flavors tingling her throat in an incredibly pleasant way. “Oh, my gosh,” she said, rolling her eyes toward the roof, “this is amazing.”

  Ethan grinned, then took a sip from his own mug. “Better than Starbucks, huh?”

  “Um, yeah. Way better. Apples and oranges better.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” he said, taking a few more sips. He got up and went back to the counter, turning on a small television set to the same local weather she’d watched earlier with Margaret. She made a mental note to text her boss soon to make sure she’d made it home.

  “We’d better see what’s going on out there,” he said, returning to the table. “It looked much worse than I thought it was when I opened the door and you brought an arctic blast in with you and those puppies.”

  “It’s pretty bad. I’m hoping it will clear so I can get home soon.”

  Ethan looked skeptical but didn’t say anything as they both turned to watch t
he screen. It only took a few minutes for them to learn that the weather had gotten worse as they’d been taking care of the dogs. According to the meteorologist, a mass of cold, dry Canadian air had moved south into their area to intersect with a warm, moist air mass moving north from the Gulf of Mexico. Evidently, the cold air had advanced and pushed away the warm air, orchestrating the crazy mess outside. Over a foot of snow had fallen on already-icy roads and the whole of Peach Leaf was now under a winter weather warning.

  June put her elbows on the table and lowered her head into her arms. It would be hours before it would be safe to drive home...for a person who had a working ride.

  “Well, June,” Ethan said, getting up to turn off the steady stream of impending doom on the television. “Looks like you’re stuck with me for a while.”

  “I... I can’t stay here. I’ve got to get home.”

  Ethan tilted his head. “Not going to happen, at least not tonight. It’s really nasty out there—not anywhere close to safe for driving.” He finished the last of his tea and picked up both of their cups, carrying them to the sink.

  “My car’s broken down, anyway. Surely I can at least get a tow truck out here. Maybe they can take me home.”

  Ethan came back and sat down across from her at the table. “It’s not likely we’d be able to get a tow truck out here in this weather. I would drive you if I felt it was safe, but I’ve spent some time in Alaska and I’ve seen firsthand what can happen when people don’t heed weather warnings.” He paused, perhaps not wishing to sound overly concerned. “Of course, I’m not going to stop you from leaving, June, but I have to tell you, I don’t think it’s safe, and I’d really rather you not put yourself into any more danger than you already have today.”

  Ignoring the fact that this man shouldn’t care about her well-being so much, June ran through all of her options in her head—all zero of them. She sighed. He was right. She was stuck there for the foreseeable future. She’d never in her life experienced such a dangerous storm and she definitely didn’t know how to safely travel in one. Besides, she had the puppies to think of now. The minute she’d picked them up, they’d become her responsibility, and she couldn’t just abandon them with a doctor who had other patients to care for, especially one who was only temporarily managing his father’s clinic.