Page 48 of Colors and Curves

“I’m here, Chance. Daisy is too.”Wake up. Please wake up.

The doctor comes in and puts something in the IV to start the procedure. Daisy and I keep stroking his head, his body. I rest my chin on my arm near his face, and start talking to him. Telling him how great he is and how much we’ll miss him. Suddenly, he raises his head and licks my face. A whimper follows from him. My head pops up.He’s saying goodbye!I look into his eyes and watch them slowly close again. He’s still. The doctor waits a minute, checks his vitals, then pronounces he’s gone.

Tears pour out like a waterfall. Daisy wraps her arm around my shoulders again and cries with me. I hug him one more time.

“Chance, buddy. Wherever you are, I hope you’re running through long fields with all four legs now… cheeks and tongue flapping in the wind. You’ll never hurt again. You were the best. I love you.”

The doctor leads us out of the room, and we make arrangements for cremation.

I want to run to Skylar.

But I don’t think I ever will again.

Chapter 23

Skylar

“He won’t answer his phone. Daisy isn’t either. This isn’t good.” I scrub my eyebrows so fiercely there’s probably nothing left. Lacey rubs my back.

“Why don’t you sneak out of here. Go see what’s going on. Maybe they’re at home.”

“If they are, why haven’t they called me? Something bad has to have happened. And if it did, Julius will be a mess. That dog was like a son to him. To me too.”

He’s going to push me away.

“Go. Get out of here. I’ll tell everyone what happened. A bunch of us are crashing here tonight. Anything happens and you need to talk, you come straight here. Understand?”

“I hope Jocelyn will be okay with that.”

“You’re talking about Jocelyn. She’d be waiting for you on the front doorstep.” I let out a light chuckle.

“I love you.” Lacey pulls me in for a hug. “I’ll call you.”

“Good luck. I hope it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Me too.

I raise my finger to Julius’s doorbell but hesitate. What if it’s the worst-case scenario—which my gut is saying it is. I don’t think they’re going to welcome me with open arms. Daisy might, but not Julius. We might not have known each other for long, but I can read him like a book.

I suck it up and ring the bell.

I press my ear against the door, hoping to hear Chance’s nails scrape along the floor… but silence ensues. Maybe they aren’t at home. I press the button again. Finally, the door opens, and it’s Daisy with makeup smeared down her face.

I cover my mouth with both hands. She jumps into my arms and cries.Oh no!“What happened, Daisy? Where’s Chance?”

She pulls away from me and wipes the tears off her cheeks. She steps to the side so I can walk in, then closes the door.

“Daisy, what the hell is going on? It’s been hours, and you guys haven’t answered any of my calls or messages. I’ve been worried sick.”

She walks me into the kitchen and, between sobs, unloads everything that has happened. Chance is gone. Gone! Next to my foot on the floor is the squirrel I gave him today. My own tears flow. How can things change so quickly?

I blow my nose and push my hair away from my face. My lungs expand to take in a deep breath that I desperately need. “Where’s Julius?” Fear skates through me.

“I don’t know if you want to see him. He’s a mess and I don’t know what to do. He went straight to his room when we got home. He hasn’t come out since.”

“I need to see him… be there for him.”

“He’s going to shut us out. Both of us. I don’t care how much he loves you, he’ll push you away. It’s what he does.”He loves me?He’s never said it.

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