Page 122 of Perfect Harmony

“You should go now. In fact, I’ve alreadytalked to Grant and let him know that you’re taking a few personal days. I’vearranged to have your shifts covered until Tuesday.”

“I don’t need to take a few days off,”Grace said. “I’m fine, Connor. I don’t want to sit in Addison’s empty apartmentjust thinking about how screwed up my life is.”

“I get that, but your head isn’t in thegame right now. You’re our best hygienist and the cleanings you did thismorning were half-assed at best. Go and see Kira. Both of you will feelbetter if you talk.”

She didn’t want to admit it, but Connor wasright. She didn’t want to sit at home alone, but she also didn’t want to be atwork forcing herself to make small talk and acting cheerful while her heart wasshattered.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Don’t be. Both Grant and I understand. Gosee Kira. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Connor.”

* * *

“Grace?”

She stood up, smiling at the tall silver-hairedvet tech standing in front of her. “Hi, Hal. How are you?”

“Good, thanks. You’re here to see Tank?”

“Yes, if I can,” she said. “How’s hedoing?”

“He’s better. His heart went back intonormal rhythm about two hours ago.”

“Thank God.” She took a deep breath, therelief making her jittery.

“Come on back. You can sit with him for afew minutes.”

She followed Hal through the door that ledto the back of the clinic.

“You just missed the sheriff,” Hal said. “He’sbeen here three times already to see him.”

She didn’t reply and Hal led her into alarge room. One side of the room housed smaller kennels and the other side hadlarge runs. Tank was stretched out on a pile of blankets in one of the runs,an IV catheter still in one paw and a large white cone around his neck.

He whined happily and his tail thumpedagainst the blankets when he saw Grace. Hank opened the door to the run. “Go onin and sit with him for a bit. Just lift this part here to undo the latch whenyou want to leave.”

“Thank you, Hal.” Grace sank onto her buttnext to Tank. He lifted his head and she leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Hi,big guy.”

Tank’s tail thumped again, and he restedhis head on her lap. The edges of the cone dug into her stomach, but she didn’tcare. She rubbed the sides of his face and behind his ears as Hal left theroom.

“You scared us so bad, buddy,” she said. “Don’tever do that again.”

He snorted, and she scratched behind his earsagain. “I’m not going to see much of you anymore, but it’s not because I don’tlove you. I screwed up with your dad and…”

A tear fell on Tank’s cone and she wiped itaway before drying her face with her sleeve. “I have to go see your AuntieKira and try to fix what I’ve broken with her. I love you, buddy. Be good foryour dad and don’t scare him like this ever again, okay?”

Thump, thump, thump.

She leaned against the wall of the kennel andplaced her hand on Tank’s side just behind his front leg. The beat of hisheart was slow and steady against her palm and she closed her eyes and let thetears fall.

* * *

“Hi.” Grace sat down in one of the rockingchairs on Kira’s front porch.

Kira was sitting in the other one and shereached out and took Grace’s hand. “I’m sorry, Gracie.”

Grace squeezed her hand. “You don’t haveto apologize.”

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