with a big smile on her face, carrying Wally. Theo rushed forward and Wally all but jumped into his waiting arms.
“As you can see,” Dr. Harris said, “he’s doing quite well.” She scratched behind his ears. “We’re going to miss this charming fellow.”
Theo sat down in a chair next to Shelby, shifting Wally’s weight in his lap. Alice stood behind him, her hand on his shoulder for reassurance.
“Hello there,” Shelby said, giving the dog a kiss on top of his head. “You’re looking very handsome today.”
Her heart melted when the dog looked up with his chocolate brown eyes. All their prayers had been answered.
The vet took a seat across from Theo and discussed how heart disease was common in older dogs. She reassured Theo that Wally could still have a good quality of life and, with some diet and lifestyle changes, do well for quite a while. “We suggest you have him monitored at your local vet about every three months, and of course, we are always here if you need us,” she said.
Shelby wondered what “quite a while” meant, but there was no denying Wally was an older dog and anything that would extend his life was a gift. For Theo’s sake, she hoped it would be for a very long time.
Mary, the vet tech, entered carrying two bottles of medicine and some handouts. “All the instructions are on the sheets and the bottle,” she said. “You can pick up his prescription low-salt diet at the front before you leave.”
“Wally loves his treats,” Alice said. “I’m happy to follow any protocol to make homemade ones within his special diet.”
Dr. Harris looked impressed and wrote some recipe resources down for Alice. “In moderation, these should be fine.” She turned back to Theo. “Just make sure he gets plenty of rest.”
“What about his walks?” Shelby asked.
“That’s fine as long as he seems up to it. Avoid hot temperatures or too much exertion.”
Shelby thought about the dog park. “Can he play with other dogs still?”
“That depends a lot on Wally. Small dogs seem to do better with this condition. From what we’ve seen so far, he should be fine as long as you avoid activity that leads to excessive panting or weakness.”
Theo spoke up. “That shouldn’t be a problem. He mostly watches the other dogs anyway. We have our walk early in the morning, and neither of us are too fast.”
The vet laughed. “I’m sure you will both do just fine.”
Theo thanked the doctor and technician and put Wally down to walk out with them to the lobby. Wally pulled right toward the front door. “I see you’re ready to go home, boy,” Theo said. “Just one more minute.”
Shelby held the leash and waited with Alice while Theo finished up at the front desk. Soon they were a happy crew starting their drive home. Within minutes Wally was fast asleep. And so was Theo. When the two snored in unison from the back seat, Alice and Shelby smiled at each other as they drove home.
Chapter 28
The days had flown by and Shelby missed seeing Logan. She could think of nothing better to relieve the tension from the last few days than a long swim in the cooling lake. She put on one of her new bathing suits, grabbed a towel, and headed to the beach. Today she would sit right next to the lifeguard station.
When she reached the sand, she saw Logan standing at the water’s edge, scanning the horizon. His tall, lean body and ever-darkening tan contrasted with the wisps of sun-bleached hair picked up in the breeze. She moved beside him and gently touched his arm.
“Hi,” she said.
He glanced at her and nodded.
No “Good to see you.” No smile. Logan kept staring out at the water. For a moment, the familiar feeling of rejection set in. They’d barely spent any time together lately and the texts were sparse. Had his feelings changed?
She started to turn away. "I'll see you later," she said.
"Wait," Logan said.
His eyes searched hers and the worry behind them was apparent.
"Sorry,” he said. “Why don't you sit by my station today? August is the worst month. Crowds, partiers, and reckless people. I have to keep a very close look, but we can talk a little."
“You sure?" Shelby said, looking up at him. "I'm fine with going somewhere else.”
"It's not you. Just not having a great day."
“I understand,” she said. “Do what you need to. I’m fine.”
She put her things down near the station amidst the crowded beach.