Today felt like the worst day of my life, and the large breeds instantly picked up on that. After doing their morning business they clustered around me, vying for attention. One of the Shepherds jumped up on its hind legs to lick my face, and I yelped and fell onto my back. Suddenly my vision was filled with panting jaws and licking tongues. The enormous Bernese Mountain Dog shoved his way through the group and laid down on top of me with his paws over my chest, like he was staking his claim to me.
I laughed and petted the dogs. It was a reminder of why I ran the shelter in the first place. I couldn’t give up. No matter how many setbacks I had, these dogs were relying on me.
Even if I had to start over from scratch, it was worth it to give them a better life.
I spent the morning brainstorming fundraising ideas while playing with them in the field. Christmas was over, so I would need to find ways to raise money throughout the year. Perhaps I could work with my contacts at the mall to donate a portion of all sales to Happy Bones. I had seen other retailers ask their customers at checkout if they wanted to add a dollar to donate to charity. Maybe I could convince some of the big department stores to let me do that.
Around noon I got a phone call. It was the manager at Macy’s.
“Christie. I wanted to talk to you about the gift-wrapping station in our store today.”
I winced. “I thought I told you we weren’t setting up today. Yesterday was our last day.”
“That’s why I’m calling,” he said. “You have a table here. They’re wrapping gifts as we speak.”
38
Christie
I put away the dogs and jumped in my truck. Riley wasn’t answering his phone.
He must have set up a table to raise some last-minute money for me. To get back in my good graces. It was kind of sweet. He was trying.
But I was still hurt from his lie, and one small act of help wasn’t going to fix that. I wasn’t sure if I could ever trust him again.
There was some sort of Christmas Eve event happening in the back of the mall parking lot when I arrived. Smoke drifted into the air from several grills where food was cooking. Lots of cars were parked nearby, and there was a line of people waiting to get food.
I parked nearby and began walking to the mall. I glanced over at the event to see what was going on, but I couldn’t see any signs.
Then I heard a voice I recognized.
“Of course, miss! You can have all the extra onions you want! Them’s caramelized onions, too. The best kind.”
I stopped in my tracks. “Bubba?”
I walked to the front of the line. Bubba was wearing an apron and a fancy chef hat. “Christie!” he roared when he saw me. “Was wonderin’ when you’d show up to the festivities!”
“What—what are you doing here?”
“What’s it look like? Old Bubba’s helpin’ out. Doing what he does best.” He pointed his big grilling spatula at the sign:
HAPPY BONES FUNDRAISER
Cheeseburger: $10
Rotisserie Chicken Plate: $15
Pulled Pork Plate: $15
Cold Drinks: $2
“I don’t understand,” I said. “How did you get here…”
He flipped a burger off the grill into the air, then caught it on an open bun. “The boys called me up here. I reckon’ I didn’t have nothin’ else going on. My food supply guy was tryin’ to get rid of all his meat, so I scooped it up faster’n a rattler snatchin’ a squirrel! He said he gets to write it off or some such. Dunno what that means. I’m just a cook.” He handed the plate to a customer. “Here you go, little lady.”
I was shocked. For a few moments I watched him take another order, serve the customer from a tray of pulled pork, and take their money.
“Bubba. I don’t know how to thank you.”
He waved his spatula. “You can thank me by goin’ away. You’re distractin’ me, standin’ there lookin’ all pretty! Go on inside so I can do what I do best. This line ain’t gonna serve itself.”
I walked into the mall in a daze. I had come here expecting to find Riley by himself wrapping gifts, but apparently he had recruited help.
But I had no idea just how much until I went inside.
I passed an electronics store just inside the entrance. A Girl Scout I had never met was sitting at