Page 6 of The Day After Christmas
‘We can’t. He’s on… if you must know he got into some trouble with the police and so, well, let’s just call it work experience, shall we?’
‘Oh, great. So, he’s on community service then?’
‘Kind of.’
‘This is not just any new person but a convicted criminal, is that what you’re saying?’
Andrea waved a hand. ‘It was just something minor, probably. Anyway, I know the kid’s family and they asked if wewould take him for a few hours a day. Something about trying to increase empathy.’
‘Great,’ said Felicity again, feeling anything but. ‘He’d better be okay around the animals.’
‘Oh yes, it’s nothing like that. You’ll like him. He’s…’ She cut off and glanced at her watch, an ancient Timex that barely looked like it would still be functioning. She’d had it for as long as Felicity had known her. Andrea never bought anything new if she could help it. Even her bobbly fleece was verging on antique.
‘He’s what…?’ said Felicity.
‘He’s here,’ came a voice from the doorway.
Felicity turned sharply. Leaning against the door frame was a young man with a crooked smile, openly eyeing her up and down. Although he was dressed a bit like a teenager in cargo pants and a black shirt, he was older than she was expecting. Perhaps early twenties, she thought, with glossy, dark, almost black hair and a cheeky grin that even then Felicity knew meant trouble.
Andrea waved a hand towards him.
‘Perfect timing as always, Charlie.’
He nodded his head slowly, blue-black eyes flashing.
‘Hi, Charlie,’ said Felicity, trying to remember how to be a normal person. ‘Welcome to Animal Saviours.’
‘That’s my line,’ said Andrea, laughing. ‘But that’s saved me the trouble. Come in, Charlie, grab a drink, you can leave your stuff over there. And then Felicity here can show you the ropes.’
‘Oh, I can, can I?’ said Felicity, turning back to the kettle with a sigh. She was going to kill Andrea later for springing this on her. Charlie was still openly staring at her; she could feel his eyes on her back.
‘You certainly can,’ he said, under his breath.
Felicity gave Charlie the most lacklustre tour of the rescue centre she’d ever given anyone. But even she couldn’t fail to soften when they came to the dog room and she showed him the litter of retriever puppies that had been abandoned at the front door a couple of weeks before.
‘Meet Lilo, Stitch, Mike and Sully,’ she said, a little proudly, leaning over their pen, which was on the counter in the middle of the room. Charlie was standing awfully close, so close she could smell his cheap aftershave. It wasn’t altogether unpleasant.
‘Holy shit. Look at their faces,’ said Charlie, eyes wide. Three little golden faces were staring back up at him, tails wagging furiously. And right at the back, there was a tiny black one struggling to get through the throng, whimpering.
‘I know, right? Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve ever seen? The little black one is Mike. I think he might be my favourite.’
Charlie let out a long breath. ‘I’ve never seen a puppy this close before.’
‘Seriously?’ said Felicity.
‘Seriously,’ said Charlie, with a grin.
Don’t be a bitch, Felicity,she told herself, as she reached in to pick up Mike and snuggle him to her chest. The other puppies were clambering over themselves to try and join him.
‘Do you want to hold him?’ she said, handing him into Charlie’s arms before he had a chance to refuse. Their hands brushed for just a moment as Mike wiggled into his hands and Charlie bent his face down and the puppy instantly started licking him all over. He laughed as Mike’s tiny stump of a tail thumped harder, and even Felicity found herself smiling.
‘He suits you,’ she said simply, and he looked up at her then, an expression of pure joy on his face, Mike still virtually attached to his chin.
‘He’s amazing,’ said Charlie, looking her right in the eye. She felt her face heat and instinctively took a step backwards.
‘They were dumped outside,’ she said abruptly. ‘Far too young to be without their mum. We’ve been bottle-feeding them, which takes ages but… well… it’s not exactly a hardship to be fair. I’ll show you how to do it in a bit.’
Charlie’s brow crinkled. ‘That’s awful. Why would anyone do that?’
