Tater Tot continued to stare at Holly’s parents as a low growl rumbled from him.Holly didn’t even know he knew how to growl.He’d only ever been sweet and loving toward her.
She needed to get this meeting over with as quickly as possible.It was impossible to deal with them on a familial level, so she went with something natural for her.
“How may I help you?”She noticed how her words made Billie Jean’s eyes momentarily widen.
Roger cleared his throat.“We came to take you to lunch.”
“I, uh…” She hadn’t been expecting that.The thought of sitting at a table with them for what?A half hour?Maybe an hour?And having to conjure up things to talk about sounded like a special kind of torture.
There was a part of her that had been waiting her entire life for a moment like this.As a child, she’d wished for this every Christmas.She’d wished for it upon a falling star.She’d even tried to make a deal with God, but she didn’t think he’d been listening.
After years of yearning, was she ready to just turn her back on them?Now, they were actually making an attempt to have some sort of relationship with her.It had to mean something, right?
Still, the protective wall she kept around her heart prompted her to say, “I can’t.The shop…I have the shop to run.”
Her mother stepped up next to her father.“But you have to eat, right?”
“I, uh…” Her mind searched for another excuse and failed.
“Come on,” Roger said.“You can close for lunch.We’ll be back in no time.”
“I, uh…” She realized she was having trouble stringing together words in order to form actual sentences.“I need to take care of Tater Tot.”
“It won’t take long, will it?”Billie Jean asked.
“It’s okay.Do what you need to do,” Roger said.“We have time.”
“I’ll be back.”Holly put the sign on the door that read:Out to lunch.
She rushed over to the apartment.She put on Tater Tot’s little boots followed by his coat.She took him out, and as though sensing something was amiss, he was unusually fast at doing his business.She fed him lunch and then put him into his crate.
When he looked at her with his big, sad puppy eyes, she said, “I’m sorry.I won’t be gone long.”
And then she put on her coat.She wondered if she was making the right decision.After all, these were the people who missed her entire childhood.They didn’t make it to her kindergarten graduation.They were nowhere to be seen for her sixth grade or high school graduation.They didn’t even send flowers when her grandmother died.So, why was she doing this?
She supposed there was still that little girl inside of her who was hoping for a happy ending—who wanted to believe her parents were sorry and regretted missing out on her childhood.Was this her long ago Christmas wish coming true?
He was worried about her.
Colin’s last thought the night before had been of Holly.And she’d once again filled his thoughts when he’d awakened.They’d had such fun tree shopping.He’d finally gotten her to unwind.And then they’d returned to her place, only for her to be blindsided by her parents.
He took an instant dislike to them, which was unusual for him.Usually, he was good about giving people space and time to show their true colors.He didn’t know if it was that they’d abandoned their daughter.Or maybe it was hearing Holly as a kid wondering what was wrong with her that her own parents didn’t want her.
Then again, it could have been the way they’d barged into Holly’s life.What were they doing in her apartment?Were they hunting for something in particular?
And then for them to expect Holly to be grateful to see them.If it were up to him, he would have told them to go back where they came from.But none of this was up to him.
With it being the weekend, the clinic was closed.He’d planned to swing by the soap company to see how Holly was doing, but before he made it out the door, his phone had rung.There had been an accident.It happened in the winter with the ice on the roads.
This time it was a dog struck by a car.He’d hit the ground running.He’d called his vet tech and met the very upset dog parents at the office.Since there wasn’t an animal hospital close by, he was always on call.
Thankfully, the injury wasn’t life-threatening.As they worked to set the dog’s fractured leg, two more patients came in.He wanted to turn them away and go check on Holly, but he couldn’t do that.Instead, he stayed and treated them.
It was nearing lunchtime by the time he got out of the clinic.He headed for the door, when it swung open and in strolled his brother Michael along with his puppy, Tank.Once inside, Tank did the full body shake that started at his head and ended with his fluffy tail.Pieces of snow and ice flung everywhere.
“Hey, Colin, I saw the lights on.”Michael approached him.“Did you have an emergency?”
Colin nodded.“One emergency led to three of them.Now I’m trying to get out of here before someone else sees that the lights are on and stops in.”His gaze moved to Tank.The dog looked like he was doing well after his adventure the other day.“Is everything all right with Tank?”
