Page 6 of Since the Day We Kissed

Benny let out one quick bark, then turned and laid back down on his new blanket. Smiling, Kara stood and stepped out of the kennel.

After she finished gathering all the old bedding, she headed over to the small laundry room and threw the blankets into the washing machine. As she started the load, she noticed a puddle forming at the base of the machine.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Kara muttered, shoving a towel against the leak. It was a Band-Aid solution at best. She’d need to call a repair service—another expense she couldn’t afford.

Once the load had begun, she walked back through the kennels and into her tiny office. Sinking into the creaky chair, Kara logged into her desktop computer and pulled up the daunting list of administrative duties she needed to finish. Just as she was about to dive in, her phone buzzed.

She smiled as she saw the face pop up on the screen, then picked it up and answered. “How are you, sweetie?”

Charlotte’s voice came through the line. “I’m good! How are you?”

“Where are you? You sound far away.”

“I’m driving,” Charlotte said. “Just left. Heading back to Hadley Cove now.”

“And you’re talking on the phone? You need to pay attention to the road!”

“Mom, chill. I’m fine—I’m on speaker phone. Hands-free.”

“Don’t ‘Mom’ me. It’s my job.” Kara smirked and leaned back in her seat. “So, did you hear back from the internships you applied to?”

“Actually, yeah. Got a call from the clinic near campus.”

Kara straightened. “That’s the one you wanted, right? What’d they say?”

Charlotte sighed. “Well, they liked my application, but their internship program is full next semester.”

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”

“No, no, it’s okay, Mom. I got an offer from another clinic outside of town. It’s a bit of a commute, but I’m excited. They handle a lot of farm animals, so I’ll get to tag along on some of those appointments and see what it’s really like. Wasn’t my first choice, but it’s a good start. Things will work out. They always do. But I’m more excited about being home with you for the summer.”

“Can’t wait to have you home, too. And you know what? That’s a really great perspective. I’m proud of you for seeing the silver lining.” Kara’s fingers traced the edge of the photo frame on her desk, her eyes drawn to the image of a younger Charlotte’s smiling face. “When did my little girl grow into such a thoughtful, mature young woman?”

“I am pretty awesome, ain’t I?”“Humble too.” Kara let out a chuckle. “I just know you’re gonna be an amazing vet when you finish school.”

“I hope so,” Charlotte said. “But hey, it’s starting to pour. Need to go. I’ll be home in an hour—an hour and a half, tops.”

“You sure you don’t want to just wait it out? Maybe you can pull over until it passes. No need to rush getting here, honey.”

Charlotte laughed. “Mom, I’ve driven in worse. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Kara sighed, her frown deepening. “Well, be careful. Drive slow and keep your headlights on. It’s getting dark. Okay?”

“Stop worrying.”

“I know my old self worries too much, but that’s what us moms do.”

“Forty isnotold!”

Kara chuckled. “If you say so.”

“I do say so. But gotta go for real. Love you.”

“I love you too, sweetie. See you soon.”

As the call disconnected, Kara set her phone down on the cluttered desk. The warmth of her daughter’s voice lingered for a moment, and she smiled. For all the joy Charlotte had brought her, being a single mom had never been easy. There’d been countless nights lying awake wondering if she was giving Charlotte enough, if she was enough. The juggling act between work, bills, the rescue, and motherhood—it had felt impossible. But she’d done it. Somehow ...

Kara released a sigh, and her smile soon faded as her mind wrestled again with the mountain of challenges facing the rescue.

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