Page 61 of Chasing Dreams at Wagging Tails Dogs' Home

Poppy took a deep breath. There was only one way to get him to go. She’d have to tell him all of this was his fault. ‘You—’

Susan laid her hand on Poppy’s arm and nodded towards the door as another family filtered through, pausing and looking at them, seemingly trying to decide if it was safe to enter.

‘This isn’t the time or the place.’

Poppy glanced at the family, who were gingerly taking their seats, and then back at Mack before shaking her head and slumping back against the chair. She clasped her hands again, squeezing her fingers together, her knuckles turning white. She could hear hushed voices whispering around her, the door clicking shut behind Mack. She felt Susan’s hand on hers.

* * *

She swiped at the tears running down her cheeks as she looked out of the car window. Ginny was driving but she was just as focused on the road ahead as Poppy was on the thoughts running through her head.

How could this have happened? How could Aunt Flora have kept quiet about the piling debts for so long? Why hadn’t she spoken to her? To anyone? She shook her head. Of course she wouldn’t have spoken to her, Aunt Flora knew Poppy was having money troubles of her own. She wouldn’t have been able to help and her aunt wouldn’t have wanted to burden her, to worry her. But it wasn’t right she’d kept quiet about it. No wonder she’d been so distant recently, so distracted. She’d been dealing with all this worry on her own.

She ran her finger along the door, right beneath the window seal. And Mack. What was she supposed to do about him? To think about him? Yes, he was careful with his money for a reason, but he could have given up his time for the dogs in his care. How would that have affected him?

She snorted. Of course, it would have meant he would have lost out on money. If he didn’t charge for his appointments with the Wagging Tails dogs, then he would be missing out on appointments with paying customers.

‘You okay?’ Ginny glanced at her quickly before turning her attention back to the road. ‘Sorry, I don’t know why I asked that. It was a stupid question. Of course you’re not okay after what has just happened.’

‘I know what you meant. I’m fine. You?’

Ginny sighed. ‘Yep.’

Nodding, Poppy turned to look out of the passenger window again. Not that she could see anything in the dark. She clasped her hands tightly in her lap. She’d really thought there could have been something between her and Mack. She’d felt it. Despite their differences of opinion about him charging the home vet’s fees, she’d felt something. Something big. Something real. A connection. But now? There couldn’t be anything between them. She’d always blame him, rightly or wrongly, for Aunt Flora’s accident. It would always be there, hanging between them. The accusation, the anger, the sadness.

‘Here we are. Home.’

Poppy watched the car headlights illuminate the cottage as Ginny swung onto the driveway. How much longer would it be either hers or Flora’s home? ‘Thank you.’ She jumped out of the car before Ginny could give her a hug. She knew she wouldn’t be capable of keeping it together if she did.

At the door, she turned and waved as Ginny’s car disappeared back down the lane. Closing it behind her, she leaned against the wood of the door as large fat tears rolled down her face. How had they got to this? Aunt Flora had lived in the cottage, ran the dogs’ home for thirty-five years, how could all of her hard work be unravelled in a few short weeks?

She sank to the doormat, ignoring the cold as the snow from her shoes quickly soaked into her jeans. And Mack? Why was everything going wrong?

Tucking her head in her arms, she let herself weep – for Aunt Flora, for the dogs. For Mack and what could have been. Her shoulders shook, her shoulder blades hitting the door as they did. But she didn’t care. She couldn’t.

* * *

Poppy threw a scrunched-up tissue onto the coffee table. She couldn’t cry any more. She didn’t think she had any tears left to cry. Not after spending over two hours crying on the doormat. No, she needed to figure out a way to fix this. And she needed to do it now. Before the sun came up. She needed to find a solution before she visited Aunt Flora, before she spoke to everyone back at the home.

She glanced at her phone as it flashed and ran the pad of her index finger over the notification. It was from Mack. He’d sent another message. He was worried about her. She knew that, but she just couldn’t bring herself to message him back. She just couldn’t make sense of any of it. Mack was so kind, caring. He showed that in the way he’d stepped in and brought up his brothers as well as the way he was with the animals he cared for, but… if it wasn’t for him refusing to continue Gavin’s discount scheme with Wagging Tails then Aunt Flora wouldn’t be lying in a hospital bed right now. And she didn’t know if she could get past that. She couldn’t. She knew he had money. The car he drove, the fact he was willing to spend hundreds on a Christmas present for Kerry. He had the money.

Her phone pinged again. Another message. Pushing it across the coffee table, she turned back to the letters she’d found in Flora’s drawer. Picking up the next one, she searched for the amount Flora owed and added it to the tally she’d made. It was more than she’d thought. The number just kept getting bigger and bigger.

She took a gulp of the coffee she’d made hours ago, the bittersweet taste somehow sharper now it was cold, and looked around the living room. It was strange being in the cottage without Aunt Flora. Her slippers were still by the fireplace, her favourite mug still on the little nest of tables, her reading glasses perched on the arm of her favourite armchair, the neck cord hanging down.

Looking back at the figures, Poppy pinched the bridge of her nose. No wonder Flora had turned to looking for advice on remortgaging. What other solution was there?

Unless… Unless… Poppy picked up her mobile again and scrolled through her contacts.

She just had to hope he’d be awake at this time of the morning.

‘Ben?’

* * *

Pulling the door into Wagging Tails’ reception open, Poppy shifted the papers in her arms. She could hear voices – Susan, Ginny, Percy, Alex, Sally. Were they talking about her? She wouldn’t blame them. Not after her outburst in the waiting room yesterday.

‘I hope she’s okay.’ The worry was audible in Susan’s voice. In all their voices. ‘I’ll pop over to the cottage, check up on her.’

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