Page 80 of Years in the Making

“Touché.” I laugh, gaze locked with Nellie’s.

A throat clears, and she looks away.

“Well if you two are done whatever this is, we better head out. I told Midge I’d have Flo back by the end of the school day.”

“Have fun, kids.” Nellie tosses me the keys to the truck.

“She’ll be fine,” George says as we are pulling onto the road. I drop my gaze from the rearview mirror onto the road ahead. “You two could probably use some time apart anyway.”

“The tension is three c’s thick,” Florence agrees from the back seat.

“I don’t have a clue what that means,” George grumbles. “But it sounds accurate. Turn left at the next road and then drive until it ends.”

“Ominous.”

“Just keep your eyes open for moose and their young.”

“Hey, you said moose, plural.”

“I know proper English.” George grins over at me. “Getting Midge hot and bothered about grammar is what counts as entertainment around these parts.”

“Gross,” I hear Florence say quietly from behind me.

It turns out that the outskirts means a thirty-five-minute drive in any direction. George points at a crude hand-painted sign that reads Spencer Lake Rescue nailed to a tree at the end of a long gravel driveway and I turn in. Betty’s property is, as expected, large. There is a barn with runs and kennels, and every single one has an occupant. Most look to be huskies or lab mixes. Working dogs. Florence is off to the large glass greenhouse behind the house the minute I put the truck in park.

“That’ll be the last we see of her for a few hours,” George says as we watch her rush away from us.

“Welcome!” A middle-aged woman with gray-streaked brown hair greets us from her porch, coffee mug in hand. She’s wearing a flowing tunic and tights along with a pair of Birkenstocks.

“Thanks for putting clothes on for the occasion, Betty,” George chuckles.

“I know how our lifestyle makes you uncomfortable.” She waves away his comment. “You must be Teddy.” She pushes my outstretched hand aside and pulls me in for a hug. “None of that stiff handshake shit here, city boy. We Marmotans hug.”

“That Marmotan hugs,” George corrects.

“Nice to meet you,” I manage to get out as the woman crushes me to her.

“Coffee?” she asks, holding up her mug.

“I’m fine, thanks,” I say, looking up at the two-story home with its weathered white siding and black trim.

“I’ll take one if you don’t mind. Is Joshua inside?” George asks, already halfway to the door.

“He should be in the living room. He insisted on doing everything himself this morning so he may be in quite a state.”

“I am forewarned so I shall be forearmed,” George orates before disappearing through the creaky door.

“My husband had a stroke in January.” My face must convey my concern because she continues quickly, “He’s here, that’s what matters, but he did lose some mobility on his right side. A woman comes from the hospital in Timmins once a week for physio, but other than that, I’m his nurse, physiotherapist, and wife.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. This must be a lot of work for you then.” I gesture around the yard.

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” She beams at me. “Although having Flo come by now and again is helpful. She’s a wonder in the greenhouse.”

Betty leads me through the whole operation. It’s not nearly as open as Bennett’s, but with the amount of wildlife around it makes sense. Half the dogs would end up forming a pack and running wild if she did things Bennett’s way.

As I had expected, many of the dogs had outlived their perceived usefulness to their previous owners. Dogs young enough to still have a decent life but a burden to their owners because they weren’t able to do the work they had been bred to do. Before Betty, many would have just been euthanized.

“Joshua drove a truck for the mill up here, and one day he brought this dog home. We hadn’t had one in years, and it wasjust so nice to have one in the house again. Pretty soon he was bringing one home at least once a month.” Betty sighs. “People got wind that Joshua’s wife couldn’t say no, so they would find him and leave dogs left, right, and center. Now, keep in mind these are working dogs so they don’t have the same need to be loved. At least they don’t appear to when they arrive, but they learn pretty fast how nice it is.”

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