Page 9 of Christmas Shelter

The two veterinarians remain mesmerized watching the machine do its work, as if they're observing a piece of art in a museum. It's Coco's two barks and the whips of his tail that snap them out of that state.

"Good morning, Coco," says Carlota, stretching her lips into a smile and approaching the cage to pet the animal.

Patricia watches them and cracks a smile. Coco looks at her with those deep coffee-colored eyes while melting into the volunteer's affection.

"Well, I better get started," Carlota says while looking at the cages, "if I don't start now, time will get away from me."

"I'll help," Patricia answers faster than she would have liked.

Carlota nods, and when she's about to take a step, she freezes in place. Patricia has taken the lead, and she, in an innocent gesture, has lowered her gaze to fix it on herbackside. The jolt catches her by surprise, and she feels her ears start to burn as a flush overtakes her.

"Are you okay?" asks Patricia when she notices the volunteer has barely taken a couple of steps. "You look unwell."

"Period," Carlota answers without thinking and wishes she'd come up with something different. "When I'm close to those days, I get these sudden hot flashes."

"Me too," says Patricia, opening her eyes wide to emphasize her words, "nights are worse for me."

Carlota nods again and this time does walk, making sure to look where she should. She's still not entirely sure she could have anything with a woman to feel a spark of excitement for her former college classmate. She's certain she doesn't want it to be precisely her who catches her attention, even though they're getting along cordially, Carlota knows Patricia still harbors resentment over the job position they both competed for.

They coordinate as they have these past two days and in less than an hour have managed to walk the animals, clean the litter boxes, and serve their food. Now, after preparing good coffee, the veterinarians sit at the table enjoying a silence that's only interrupted when Troy or another dog decides to lick their paws.

"I'm going to change," says Carlota, getting up with the empty cup. "Do you want to use the bathroom first?"

Patricia looks up and can't help but scan her ex-classmate's body. She hasn't done it on purpose or with any intention, but Carlota turns tomato red again, makingthe cardiologist tilt her head in a triumphant smile. After discovering she was reading Spain's most famous sapphic writers and noticing certain attitudes, Patricia is sure the volunteer isn't one hundred percent straight.

"No, go ahead," answers Patricia, shifting her gaze to her cup to give her a break, "you go first, I'll go after."

Carlota hurries and locks herself in the bathroom, cursing that reddish color that paints her body every time a situation causes her embarrassment or impression. Patricia takes advantage to make a call, she needs someone to help her get the car out because she has a feeling that just pushing it won't be enough to get it out of the ditch where it got trapped. Otherwise, she'll have no choice but to try or call a tow truck.

"Well, look who's showing up here," is the first thing Patricia hears when her interlocutor answers the call.

The cardiologist smiles and shakes her head.

"We talked two days ago, stop being so dramatic."

"You get me used to receiving a message from you every day," she accuses laughing, "only to disappear whenever you feel like it."

Patricia lets out a laugh, and Coco lifts his head to see what's so funny to his savior.

"I need you to come give me a hand," Patricia asks, getting to the point, "it's a very long story, but my car got stuck on a road and I hope I don't have to resort to a tow truck."

"Are you okay?" the girl behind the phone worries.

"Yes, nothing happened, but I've been at the shelter just outside the city for two days. The storm ruined my plans and until now the snowplow hadn't come through," explains Patricia, who has returned to the window and observes the exterior.

"Give me the address, I can come now because later it's impossible."

Patricia Burnet hangs up the call after explaining how to get to the shelter just as Carlota exits the bathroom. The cardiologist takes advantage to freshen up and change clothes because she wants to be ready when help arrives. Again she feels an unease she can't identify, she's supposed to be celebrating that the snow has stopped and that, finally, she can get her car out to leave. Then she thinks that, although her plans went awry, it hasn't been bad here at the shelter, surrounded by furry love and helping these animals that are always in need of affection because some heartless people have decided to get rid of them.

"We can go to your car whenever you want," says Carlota when Patricia approaches one of the cages.

"Someone's coming to get me. I thought maybe for us, just pushing, it would be impossible to get the car out. My ex has one of those huge trucks that can handle anything and I'm sure it won't take us any effort to get going."

Carlota would have liked to help her ex-classmate, but she knows the girl is right and it's possible they wouldn't even manage to move the car a few inches. The minutes pass so quickly that neither of them expects it when thedoorbell rings and they get scared to death because all the dogs start barking like crazy.

"Okay, okay," says Carlota trying to calm them down unsuccessfully and heads to the main door with her second cup of coffee in hand.

When the volunteer opens the door she freezes, once again. On the other side is a woman in her thirties with wavy brown hair, a fine nose adorned with a piercing, and the brightest blue eyes she's ever seen. The girl strikes her as very striking, but that's not what keeps Carlota with a dumbfounded expression, it's that she realizes Patricia's ex is a woman.

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