Page 16 of One Pucking Destiny

“Your bedside manner with the patients is perfect. Lacy clearly felt as comfortable as possible, given her uncomfortable predicament. You have a way with animals. Though…” She presses her lips in a line. “They’re usually not the most difficult part of our job. It’s their humans.”

“Yeah, I see that.”

She claps her hands together. “But overall, a great day.” She scans her clipboard. “The only note I have is from this morning about the wording you used to let Mrs. Smith know her dog had been exposed to lime, but I think we’ve covered that enough. Yes?”

“Yes. I’m clear on that now.”

“Wonderful. Then we’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Dr. Pedlow.”

“My pleasure, Ms. Cortez. Have a great night.”

I grab my purse and say my goodbyes to the staff before heading out. Once in my car, I pull out my phone and see that I have a missed text from my mom.

Hey, babe. Hope your day is going well. I really need a girls’ weekend. Are you free to visit? I can go there or you can come here. I miss you. Love you.

Her message twists my heart. So much has changed in her life over the past few months. I’ve been supportive from a distance, but I’m at school, where my schedule has been consistently busy. My mom has finished her doctoral program, started a new job, gotten married, and had her distant father pass away. This affects me only because I care for my mom and what is going on in her life, but none of it has truly changed my life one way or another. While she has her new husband, I know she’s missing me as she navigates all these changes.

The truth is, a mother/daughter weekend would do me good. I need a couple of days to decompress, eat takeout, and binge theGilmore Girlswith my mother for the thirtieth time.

I shoot her a reply.

I’ll come to you. Be there tonight. Can’t wait to see you. Love you, Ma.

CHAPTER

SEVEN

ARI

“Honey, I’m home!” I call out as I enter my mom’s new place—her husband’s condo.

My mom’s squeal can be heard from another room. Seconds later, she’s running down the hall with her arms outstretched and a huge smile on her face.

“I thought you’d never get here!” She pulls me into a hug. “I missed you,” she says as she peppers kisses against my head. “So much.”

I hug her tight. There’s nothing like falling into your mother’s embrace. No one on this earth loves me more. Her love has been the one constant in my life. It’s never wavered, not even for a second.

She squeezes my biceps and steps back, eyeing meup and down. “You look great, but have you lost weight?”

My shoulders lift in a shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t weigh myself, but I doubt it.”

“Well, are you eating?”

“Of course. I had several coffees today, and I might have had a granola bar for lunch.”

She sighs. “What does that mean? You don’t remember?”

I chuckle. “I seriously don’t. It was a busy day. Are you going to let me in or not?”

“Did you bring laundry?” She looks behind me.

I hitch my thumb back, pointing toward the door. “Three big bags. In the car.”

Mom turns and calls into the condo. “Beck! Can you grab Ari’s laundry from her car?”

A moment later, Beckett jogs down the hall. “Hey, Ari!”

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