She looks up then and sees us, and her features light with pleasure. “Isla!” She runs up to throw her arms around me, and we exchange a big hug. “You made it!” She laughs and gives me a big squeeze. “I’m so glad.”
“Hey, Beth.” I haven’t seen her in a couple of years, although we’ve kept in touch. She’s a similar height to me, maybe five foot six or so, and a year younger at twenty-nine. Her Mum is Pakeha, or white, but her dad’s Maori, and she’sinherited his brown skin and dark hair, along with her Mum’s blue eyes and pretty features, which is a nice combination.
“And Max!” She gives him a quick hug. “You remember me, right?”
He shakes his head, sidling closer to me, a little overwhelmed. She just smiles, though. She knows what we’ve been through, and I’ve told her how Max is struggling.
“And you must be Jude.” I beam at the guy beside her. They’ve been dating for a couple of years, but it’s the first time we’ve met. “She told me you were tall, dark, and handsome, although she didn’t mention the beard,” I tease.
His eyebrows rise. Beth blinks, then laughs. “Oh, no, this is Archer. Jude’s just catching up with the vets. He’s been on night shift.”
“Oh gosh, I’m sorry.” I shake Archer’s hand, embarrassed to have made the slip. I’ve seen one or two photos of Jude on Beth’s Instagram page, but they’ve always been in a group and from a distance. He also has dark hair, so they aren’t that unalike.
“No worries.” Archer smiles, his eyes crinkling at the edges.
“Do you work in the Forever Home too?” I ask.
“No, I’m a psychologist,” he says. “I work for the Sunshine Bay Community Wellbeing Service.”
“The Ark has brought him in as part of the University of Auckland’s School of Psychology to do a research paper,” Beth adds. “On the benefits of using animals in therapy.”
“Oh… how interesting,” I say with enthusiasm. “Animals are so great at helping people to heal, don’t you think?”
“Definitely. And vice versa, by the looks of it.” Beth watches Max pet Ghost, who’s under the table. “He doesn’t normally let anyone near him, especially strangers.”
I smile at them. “Yeah, Max has always had an affinity with dogs, and even the fiercest turn to putty in his hands. They just seem to trust him, I don’t know why.”
“Animals have a sixth sense about the quality of a person’s soul,” Cullen says.
“Damn straight,” Archer adds.
It’s a nice thing to say about my son, and I smile at Cullen. His lips curve up a little, and this time when he meets my eyes, he holds my gaze for a few seconds before he turns to talk to Archer about the dog on the table.
Idefinitelydidn’t imagine that.
I look at Beth. She’s noticed, and her eyes are twinkling. “Getting the official tour from our very own Mr. Gruff, are you?” she asks.
I grin as he throws her a wry look. “Yes, Cullen’s being kind and showing us around.” I look at the cages. “So this is where you hide out mostly?”
Cullen nods. “It’s not all about getting the animals rehomed fast. We like to make sure they’re healthy, and I do a little work with training them so they know some basic commands like sit and stay before they go to their new homes.”
“Don’t they already know how to sit?” Max asks, puzzled.
“The kind of people who mistreat their animals often haven’t bothered to train them,” Cullen says.
“Like this one.” Archer strokes the head of the dog on the table and looks at me. “Is it okay if I tell Max about her?”
I think he means it might be distressing—I can see what condition the dog is in. But I’ve never been shy about exposing Max to the real world. Life isn’t all fluffy bunnies and ice cream. “Of course.”
“Her name’s Cookie,” Archer says to Max. “Do you want to say hello?”
Max nods and goes up to join them.
“She was tied up in a kennel for a few weeks,” Archer says, “that’s why she got this sore. She had a broken back leg, too. But Beth’s already made it much better, see?” He points out the cast.
Beth gestures with her head toward the door, and I walk slowly with her. It leads outside to a yard for the dogs, and we lean on the fence surrounding it. Beyond it, the Pacific glows a bright cerulean, gorgeous in the morning sunshine.
“When did you get here?” she asks.
