Shelby, in jeans and a light sweatshirt, sat out on the cozy front porch of her grandmother’s house and watched as the sun spread across the lake.
Meet me at the lake today? Logan texted.
I have a few dogs to walk and then I’ll see you there, she answered.
For about a week now, they’d been texting early morning like this, before either of them had to go to work. Sometimes they’d go for a walk along the lake and watch the sunrise together and just talk. She’d learned so much about him and he was always attentive when she spoke. Although her life was radically different than his with all his family’s travels, private schools, and charity functions, they both shared many of the same feelings on the inside. Shelby had always felt embarrassed for anyone to find out how little money they had, or to know about her homelife. Logan felt the same, but for opposite reasons. An embarrassment of riches, he had told her, when the world needed so much in so many places. The dichotomy between them was also what seemed to bond them closer. Shelby hadn’t told Logan all about her mother’s call a few days back and hoped she wouldn’t have to. Across the street, he stepped out on his front porch and waved while they were texting. He always made her laugh.
Shelby rose and waved back. It was a beautiful morning for a walk. As she started down the porch stairs to meet him, the startling sound of the house phone ringing inside froze her in place. Another early morning call from her mother so soon? If she didn’t run in and answer, it would probably wake Alice. She quickly texted Logan that she might not be able to meet him this morning and ran inside. Her grandmother stood in her nightgown, the phone in her hand, eyes wide, and all the color drained from her face.
“It’s Trevor,” Alice said, handing the phone to Shelby.
“Trevor. This is Shelby. What’s wrong?”
As Trevor spoke, Shelby joined her grandmother on the sofa, where they huddled together with Scarlett in Alice’s lap.
“I’ll put you on speaker,” Shelby said, switching it on so they both could hear. Trevor relayed all the details of his harrowing trip with Theo to the emergency vet and how Wally’s status was still unknown.
“Poor Theo,” Alice said. “Is he with you, Trevor?”
“Theo insisted on going home and being alone. And to be honest, I’m a bit worried about him. The last thing he told me was to call you and let you know the dog park would be closed for a little while. I waited for the sun to come up to reach out to you.”
Disappointment hit briefly, but it was nothing compared to the pain in Shelby’s heart as she thought of poor Theo and Wally. “Thank you for calling us. I’ll tell everyone. Please let me know if you hear anything.”
“Of course.”
Shelby hesitated. “Trevor, do you think Theo would mind if we gave him a call?”
“I think that would be a good idea. He may have fallen back to sleep, but I doubt it. He was too worked up. And if you don’t mind, please let me know how he is.”
Shelby hung up the phone and began to pace.
“I’ll make us some coffee,” Alice said. “And then we can figure out how to help.”
Shelby nodded and took a seat at the breakfast bar. She watched Alice go through the motions of filling the pot with filtered water, grinding the beans, and laying out the mugs. The deep, rich aroma filled the air, just like any other morning, but it was not…at all. Shelby’s happily constructed new world was caving in on her, just like it had so many times before.
Alice placed two china cups of coffee on the counter along with cream and sugar in matching rose-covered containers. The only sounds were the spoons clinking against the china as both women stirred and thought.
“Theo’s been having a tough time lately and now this,” Alice said.
“Wally has to be all right,” Shelby said. “What would Theo do without him?”Alice sighed. “That’s my fear. I think we should reach out to him, or at least you. I’m not sure he wants to see me right now.”
Shelby shook her head. “Of course he does. He needs us both, now more than ever.”
Almost an hour had passed, and daylight spilled through the