Page 13 of Falling for the Veterinarian

“Hey Pop,” I say. “Need some help?”

“Hey son,” he grunts. “Yeah, I can’t quite tighten that bolt. The old hands aren’t as strong as they used to be.”

I take over and tighten the bolt under the truck. “Anything else while I’m under here?”

“No, but I need to change the front tire.”

“No problem, I got this,” I say.

“Daryl, honey,” Mom calls. “Oh hi, Zach. I didn’t hear you pull up.” She runs out and gives me a big bear hug.

“Dinner is about ready. Why don’t you guys come get cleaned up?”

“Sure, Nancy, we’ll be washed up in just a few minutes. Gotta change the tire while I still have a little light.”

“Ok, I’ll leave you to it, then,” Mom says with a smile. “I wouldn’t take too long though, it’s Stack-a-dinner tonight.”

Dad and I exchange excited glances. We change the tire quickly. Stack-a-dinner is a nacho-style meal and my favorite thing Mom cooks. First, I place Fritos chips on the bottom layered with ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning, ranch-style beans, Colby-jack cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and homemade salsa fresca. Yum.

“So, how was your trip to Utica?” I ask.

“Great! We saw Union Station and St. Joseph & St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It really is a beautiful church,” Mom says. “Oh, and we picked up a poor stranded girl on our way home.”

“You picked up a hitchhiker? Mom!”

“Oh no, honey,” Mom says. “She wasn’t asking for a ride.”

“Dad, seriously?!”

“Hahaha, no son. She wasn’t lookin’ for a ride. She was sittin’ on the side of the road lookin’ completely defeated. I stopped to see if I could help since I was in my tow truck.”

“Turns out it was Michelle’s niece. She’s a real sweetheart. I think you would hit it off,” Mom says with a mischievous grin.

“Mom, I told you, I’m not ready.”

“I know, I know. I just hate to see you so lonely.”

“I’m not lonely. I have my business and my friends. I’m fine, really.”

“Well, for the record, a mother always knows, and I happen to think she’s perfect for you.”

I give her a side smirk but say nothing more about it. I am full of my favorite meal and completely satisfied at the moment. For the first time today, I feel completely relaxed. The first tug of sleep pulls at my eyelids. I glance at the time. I’ve been up for twenty hours at this point. I decide to drive home before I am too exhausted to drive.

Once home, I turn the lights on in an empty house. No freshly laundered clothes, no music playing, and no Susie. The veterinary practice keeps me busy during the day but the loneliness invades my nights. I crawl into bed letting the memory foam soothe my sore muscles from today's surgeries.

Ten

Sarah

Iplaceamobilecoffee order for the café on the way to work. I leave my storybook cabin and head out to the Moonridge town square. The entire area is decorated with pumpkins, hay bales, and fall-inspired décor. Everything is ready for the festival. It feels like a sweet Hallmark movie. In a shaded spot in the large grassy area, the local rescue center is setting up for animal adoptions. I park at the coffee shop and enter the building. There is a different barista today. She is a young adult with perfectly aligned teeth and long perfectly curled blond hair. She’s filing her nails right at the counter.Eww!That’s clearly a health code violation. I check all the cups—no Sarah. My caffeine-deprived monster roars to life.

“Hi, I put my order in a while ago and I can’t find my cup,” I utter, trying to hide the fury.

“Name.” Her voice is valley girl annoyed.

“Sarah,” I flatly say.

“Hmm, I know I made that once already. It’s that weird honey drink, right?” she asks, and I nod. She turns the cups. I spy the name Doc with a heart drawn next to it.

---