Page 83 of Let Leaves Lay Where They Fall

Nathen halts the Jeep inches from them. The man hauls open the creaking door and they both gather Mabel. Nathan leaps from the driver's seat and scurries around the vehicle, running his hand along the icy steel to keep balance on his feet.

The techs have her on the table and are pushing the cart toward the door.

Nathan calls from behind. “Hang on girl” catching up to the duo. “Her name’s Mabel, she’s about 12. She got away from me. The car came out of nowhere.” His chest is tight, and lungs burn from gasping the cold air.

“We’ve got her.” The male tech looks back, holding a hand up.

They disappear through double doors into the back of the office.

Nathan collapses onto a chair in the waiting area. The young candy red-haired receptionist with piercings all over her face scurries around her desk to Nathan’s side. She puts a hand on his shoulder and softly says, “They’ll take good care of her, I promise.”

He can barely hear her through the pounding in his chest and deafening blood rush muffling his ears.

“Can I get you anything?” She asks.

“What?” He looks up at her through swimmy eyes, stung from the cold. “No, no thank you.”

He stands and walks outside. The Jeep’s doors all flung open and light filling the cab, he leans in to grab his phone from the center console. Trying to catch his breath, he taps the little telephone icon next to Jamie’s name.

“Hello?” A groggy voice on the other end.

Sobs take the words he wants to speak. His throat quakes and guts threaten to spill out.

“Nathan? What’s wrong?”

“Jamie, I need you!” He collects himself as best he can. “Mabel”’ he chokes. “Mabel’s been hit by a car! We’re at the emergency vet on Pine Street.”

“I’ll be right there!” The call drops.

***

Jamie gathers yesterday’s clothes off the bathroom floor. Pulling the inside out t-shirt overhead and foregoing underwear beneath his jeans to save time. He tucks the sweater under his arm to gather his phone off the bed and slips bare feet into his dress shoes.

Pulling the sweater on as he scales the stairwell, two and three steps at a time until he’s reached the bottom.

There isn’t time to wait for a ride share, especially at this hour. Pine street isn’t far and though he’s in no shape for it, he runs the entire way. Full strides crossing over a handful of streets and through a back alley that opens to the vet’s office parking lot.

Nathan is sitting in the driver's seat of his Jeep. One leg in and the other dangling out, tiptoes touching the ground. One arm resting on the steering wheel and the other in his lap clutching his phone. He stares forward at the high wooden fence surrounding the perimeter of the lot. Tears soaking his cheeks. The passenger's seat is blotched in crimson stains.

Jamie throws his arms around Nathan’s shoulders. He’s desperate for breath.

Nathan bursts, wrapping himself around Jamie’s torso. Squeezing so hard Jamie loses the air he’d just found.

“I’m here.” Jamie barely gets words out.

Nathan comes undone, shrinking into Jamie’s chest.

***

Jamie holds him until he lifts away. Rolling his palms to wipe the wetness from his cheeks. He places a hand on the center of Jamie’s chest and pushes him back, away from the vehicle, holding up an index finger. No words, no eye contact.

Jamie walks back.

Nathan shifts the Jeep in gear and rolls it into a proper parking space. The door creaks and slams shut.

He trudges over, taking Jamie’s hand and leads the way up the plant box lined walk, through the clinic doors.

The pierced receptionist looks at Jamie with a sliver of pinched lips and sorrowful eyes.

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