Vetted

by K'Anne Meinel

  “Hi, Mom. I’m home,” she said breezily as she came in the front door carrying her laundry bag and suitcase. She set the suitcase down next to the stairwell.

  “Put your laundry in the laundry room so Juanita can get a start on it,” she answered from the kitchen, no hello, no greeting.

  “Hey, how did rush week go?” Carmen almost verbally attacked her as she caught her on the way to the laundry room.

  Juanita gave her a genuine smile of welcome from where she was slicing up vegetables for dinner.

  “It was very busy,” she admitted honestly.

  “And the final decision?” she asked eagerly, sure of the answer. “Who did you pledge with?”

  Allyssa was surprised that Carmen didn’t already know. Her ‘sisters’ would have already told her, or so she had thought. She could see her mother had stopped whatever she was doing in the kitchen to listen to the conversation. Inwardly she sighed, knowing she had to get it over with. “I didn’t get in,” she admitted, almost as though she were genuinely sad about it.

  “You didn’t get in?” Carmen gasped, astounded. “After all I did?”

  Allyssa looked up at her, wondering what exactly she had done to get her little sister in to the sorority as a legacy. She probably would have gotten in if she had gone to that last boring meeting. “No, I didn’t get in,” she answered.

  “How is that possible? You’re a legacy!”

  “What happened?” her mother asked at the same time her father came around the corner from the den and said the same. Derek was following behind her father.

  She wanted to shrug, but that would be the coward’s way out, and she wasn’t a coward…or, maybe she was. They’d been pushing her around for years and she had taken it. “I didn’t go to that last meeting,” she met Carmen’s look square in the eye.

  “Why didn’t you?” she asked, aghast. She couldn’t believe anyone wouldn’t go to the meetings, that was half the fun.

  “Carmen, don’t you realize they didn’t want me in the sorority? They were only going to take me because of you. I didn’t want to be anyone’s legacy. I didn’t fit in and they didn’t want me.”

  “But after–” she began at the same time her mother said, “After all Carmen did too!”

  “Your mother and your sister went to a lot of trouble for you, Allyssa. That seems very ungrateful of you not to pursue the sorority after all they did,” her father put in, his eyes boring into her own when she looked up at him.

  “I told you all I didn’t want to be in a sorority. I tried. I went to their meetings. They didn’t want me,” she tried to make it final, but for some reason they wouldn’t let it go.

  “If you didn’t go to the meeting no wonder they didn’t want you,” Carmen accused, sounding almost hysterical. It was such a reflection on her.

  Allyssa did shrug then. “I guess they didn’t.” She then turned to her mother who looked ready to cry. “I didn’t wear most of those clothes, so we can return them,” she offered consolingly.

  “It wasn’t about the clothes,” she murmured, almost horrified at her younger daughter’s attitude.

  “Really? Then why did I have to wear those ones for each event?” she asked, genuinely puzzled.

  “Don’t be flip,” her mother said almost automatically.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be flip. I just don’t understand why I had to wear clothes for each occasion. Since I didn’t wear them, we can return them. I don’t need them.”

  Her mother was not thrilled with her logic and Carmen was fuming in the family room. Derek went to sit near her, offering support without saying a word. He probably knew better.

  “Perhaps you better go upstairs and change for dinner,” her father offered her an escape, the first kind words she had heard since she entered. He looked at her as though trying to figure her out.

  “I think perhaps I better tell you all the rest,” she braced herself.

  “The rest?” her father asked, concerned about what she had to tell them.

  “Yes, I had an accident with the Volvo. I hit a dog on the highway.”

  “Darn it, Allyssa, that is going to send up our rates!” her father swore, even woodenly.

  “Bob,” her mother admonished automatically when certain words were used. Allyssa wanted to cringe at the tone as she faced her father and heard her mother behind her.

  “How bad is it?” her father asked, controlling himself.

  “I bent it back so it isn’t scraping the tire. But that isn’t all,” she added.

  “Now what?”

  “I got a job at the clinic that I took the dog to. It will help pay for his injuries,” she added, as though as a consolation prize. She didn’t mention the money she had put back in the bank.

  “Shouldn’t the owner pay for the injuries?” her father asked, exasperated with this younger daughter of his.

  “The owner surrendered him. They were willing to have the dog put down,” she told him.

  “Maybe it should have been,” Derek piped up.

  It was bad enough her blood family ganged up on her. Allyssa didn’t want Derek chiming in. She turned to address him, “He is just an overgrown puppy who hasn’t had a chance to live yet. It wasn’t his fault he slipped away from his owner’s yard. He didn’t know any better. I couldn’t stop in time and I broke his upper leg. He’s healing nicely and should make someone a good dog someday.”

  The silence was deafening as her family took all this in. The only sound was Juanita slowly slicing the vegetables for dinner. It was almost as though she didn’t want to slice too quickly and make too much noise.

  “You don’t need to work at that clinic,” her mother began, saying the last word distastefully before continuing. “The owners should pay for….”

  “But I’m responsible for his injuries. The owners gave him up. The clinic can heal him and offer him up for adoption. I offered to pay for the damages, but they offered me a job instead.”

  “That all sounds highly irregular,” her father put in.

  “Why would you want to work in an animal clinic?” Carmen asked, her tone indicating her own revulsion at the idea.

  “I’ve always liked animals, you know that,” she answered without thinking.

  “They are dirty beasts,” her mother put in. “You’ll end up getting bitten or scratched or coming home with some bugs. Juanita, make sure you soak all of her clothes,” she ordered the housekeeper.

  “It’s not like that. I’m the receptionist and I answer the phones in the afternoon after classes and in the evening. I can even do my homework while I work there.”

  “I’ll pay for the dog’s upkeep. You don’t have to work there,” her father volunteered.

  “No, Daddy. It’s my responsibility and I like working there.”

  “You can’t afford to fall behind at school. Your grades weren’t the best last year,” he pointed out.

  “They won’t, Daddy,” she promised. Then, to distract them all from concentrating on her and finding more to put her down about, she said, “I better get washed up and changed for dinner.” She slipped past her father and down the hall before anyone could say anything more to her. She knew as soon as she went upstairs she would be the subject of their conversations. She carried her suitcase up with her to the bedroom and then pulled out her clothes she wanted to wear and headed for the bathroom.

  Listening at the bathroom heating grate she could hear it all.

  “What are we going to do about that girl?” That was her mother’s opening gambit, she assumed towards her father since he was the one that answered.

  “Well, she is showing responsibility. We are going to have to do something about that old Volvo though. Can’t have the insurance rates going up on that old car.”

  “I can’t believe she has embarrassed me like this.” That was Carmen. It was all about her.

  Allyssa stopped listening then and got up from the grate. She got out of her clothes and started the shower.

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  Her father insisted they take the Volvo to the garage the next day to get an estimate on fixing the old car. They said they could do it inexpensively by getting a fender from a junk lot in Denver.

  “I think it’s time you got a car of your own, Sweet Pea,” her father told her as they left the Volvo at the garage and drove away. “Derek has a friend that works at a car dealership and we can go have a look. We’ll use the money you have in your bank account from the sale of that car and use the Volvo as a trade-in when it’s fixed.”

  If Allyssa had had any plans for putting that money towards another car that she actually wanted, she’d have to let them go now. Good thing Dr. Bruce had given her the money back or she’d really be in trouble with her father. Also, after dealing with one of Derek’s ‘friends’ before, she wasn’t certain she wanted to again.

  They looked on the lot and her father fell in love with another station wagon for her. “It’s a better model than the Volvo and I think you’ll get good gas mileage on it,” he told her, trying to convince her it was a good deal.

  “But, Daddy, my legs don’t even fit in it with the seat back,” she tried to tell him, hating the green car on sight.

  “You’ll adjust, you’re young. Come on, let’s take it for a spin,” he cajoled her. The salesman looked on eagerly.

  “Daddy, can you fit behind the wheel? I can’t and you are taller than me,” she tried to point out. Still, he insisted she was exaggerating and they drove it away from the lot for the test drive.

  “See, it’s got tons of gadgets that your Volvo doesn’t even have,” he enthused. “It practically drives itself.”

  Allyssa wondered if her father was getting a commission from the sale or something the way he was so gung-ho about it. The salesman certainly appreciated his enthusiasm and agreed with almost everything he said. Still, since they didn’t have the Volvo with them to trade in yet and the garage said sometime next week, they would have to wait and see. She was relieved about that.

  “You can borrow Juanita’s Volvo to go back to school this week, but be careful. We’re not made of money you know,” her father admonished her.

  “I’m sorry, Juanita. I hope it doesn’t inconvenience you too much,” she apologized later to their kindly and long-suffering housekeeper.

  “Oh no, Ms. Allyssa, it’s okay. I’m all stocked up and your mother can pick up anything we need for supper this week.” She actually looked pleased at the thought, or so Allyssa thought.

  As Allyssa carefully drove the other Volvo back to school, she found herself thinking about the station wagon her father wanted her to buy. She appreciated that the older Volvo would be traded in for it, but they were using her money too and she felt she should have a say in it. Carmen had received a brand-new car for her graduation. She would bet her last dollar that she wouldn’t receive the same.

  Chapter Seven

  The second week, but first full week of her job at the clinic was even better. Another woman was being trained for mornings and by Wednesday they let Marissa go. She didn’t go quietly either. Everyone in the waiting room could hear her from the offices. Allyssa was embarrassed, the few who were in the waiting room were embarrassed, and she could swear the dogs, cats, and even a waiting rabbit were embarrassed. Marissa got her things, slammed drawers, and left in a huff. Allyssa pretended nothing had happened as she resumed her duties. She had learned fast and perhaps that was part of the problem for Marissa—that it had taken her longer, much longer, to learn the same things. Plus, Allyssa didn’t mind cleaning the cages, which Marissa felt was far beneath her.

  In fact, later in the week when Marissa’s boyfriend, the night man no longer came in, Allyssa volunteered to do his job too. Eventually, she moved out of the dorm, moved most of her things home, and kept clothes at the clinic to change into since she was sleeping in one of the back rooms.

  “Don’t you get sick of this place?” Fiona asked her as she came in for an emergency call one night.

  Allyssa just smiled. “I love the animals,” she replied and resumed cleaning up after them.

  “How anyone can be so happy about cleaning up crap, I don’t get,” Bruce commented when he saw their new night watch ‘man’ at work.

  “Still, you have got to hand it to her, she does a good job in whatever she puts her mind to. I’m glad she took the initiative and asked me about social media. I know for a fact that two of our new clients were due to some posting she did telling about the clinic,” Chuck put in. It was high praise and he was thrilled with their new receptionist and night watcher. When she was done with her homework, she did social media for the clinic including setting up a page on Facebook. They now had a Twitter account and something she called WordPress that was like a website. She had told them they already had over one hundred followers. Whatever it was, the two clients who had told the vet about it made him thrilled that she was doing it. “I want the new woman in the morning to learn from her too and help out with that. We can’t have Allyssa doing it all.” Owners were thrilled when she asked them if she could take pictures of their pets for their social media, even tagging themselves when they saw them. What they didn’t realize was they were spreading goodwill and word about the clinic through these actions, the smiles sold others on coming to the clinic.

  Fiona smiled, thrilled with the young woman and her efforts that impressed the owners. She herself found time to talk to the new hire.

  “Hey, how’s it going?” she asked as she began marking down items she was taking to restock one of the trucks she had used. It was important that they keep the mobile vehicles well stocked at all times. The trucks were kept locked up and the valuable drugs, ones that a drug-seeker might look for, were kept in a case that they ferried to and from the vehicle as needed.

  “It’s going well,” Allyssa replied happily. She really enjoyed the job, dealing with the animals, and people were so grateful for her cheerful attitude. She felt none of the doubts she had in her previous job, which were fed by her family saying she was inadequate or not up to the job.

  “I brought you a chicken sandwich if you are interested,” she offered the other half of a foot-long Subway sandwich she had bought. “Really, go ahead. I can’t eat it all,” she added when she saw Allyssa’s look.

  Washing her hands, she thanked the vet shyly and then joined her at the stainless-steel table they were eating at.

  “Do you like Doritos?” Fiona offered, opening the bag so it laid out flat on the stainless-steel and they could both access the chips.

  “Love them,” Allyssa assured her, sipping the bottle of water she kept with her. “Isn’t this late for you to be eating though?”

  Fey shrugged. “I eat when I can. You never know when you will be called out.”

  “Does that wear on your nerves after a while?”

  “Not really. I love the animals. I like taking care of them, knowing how to help them. The owners, however…” she grinned as they both knew what she was talking about. “If they would just not wait so long for treatment and then everything becomes an emergency.”

  “I know, I read something once that said, ‘Your procrastination is not my emergency’ or something like that, and I really feel like we should have that as part of our spiel on the phone,” she teased.

  “Wouldn’t that go over well?” Fiona teased back, grinning, showing slightly orange teeth from the Doritos. She took a sip of her cola.

  “Did you always want to be a vet?” the younger woman asked, curious about the only female vet she had ever met.

  Nodding, Fiona looked nostalgic for a moment. “I always loved animals. I always wanted to be around them. I didn’t like it when they were hurt or ill. I loved to read, so when I discovered James Herriot’s books and he shared my name, I was thrilled. It didn’t occur to me then that a woman could be a vet.”

  “What finally triggered that?”

  Fiona looked startled at Allyssa’s apparent interest in her tale. She smiled slightly as she
took a small bite, another sip of her soda, and then launched into another part of the story. “I went to my grandparents’ ranch in the summers and then when my father remarried it became apparent that my stepmother and the needs of her children, first my stepsiblings, and then later my brother and sister, came first. The rebellious teen years were not something she was willing to put up with. My grandparents welcomed me full-time. My grandmother was the one who said, ‘Anything a man can do, a woman can do better.’ It took me years to realize she didn’t coin that phrase,” she laughed and Allyssa joined in. “She encouraged my love of animals, which was good because they ran horses and cattle and even some sheep on their ranch.” She sounded nostalgic now as she thought back. “I had my very own ‘hospital’ in one of the sheds on the farm. I took care of the lambs that the sheep didn’t want. I raised birds that fell out of their nests. I had quite the menagerie. My grandmother drew the line at reptiles as she didn’t want me to accidentally pick up a poisonous snake.” She smiled a little each time she mentioned her grandparents.

  “When I was in high school and started taking biology and the other sciences, I excelled.”

  For the first time Allyssa felt a kinship with someone else, a woman, one who might understand her own feelings about certain subjects in school.

  “Then when I got to college I took all the courses you had to take, you know what I mean…” she waited for Allyssa’s nod before continuing, “before I started realizing what I wanted to be. My grandparents and father all wanted me to continue on and here I am eons later,” she spread out her hands to encompass the clinic, “a vet.” She smiled at the end of her tale.

  “That’s a lot of years in school,” Allyssa qualified, realizing it wasn’t so easy as all that.