“Right.” I look at the door handle and then back up at the guy. He jumps out of his cab and opens my door enough for me to slip out. “Thanks, man. I owe you one.”
He smiled, then looks down at Sky. “Just get her in there.”
I jog up to the door, which opens for me automatically. Inside the door, I look left, then right and spot a reception desk. “Hey!” I say loudly. “We need help!” I’m frantic now that I’m finally here. “Please.”
A man behind the desk snaps, “Sir….” Then he gets one look at Sky and me and his tune changes. “Right back here.” He stands and points to his left. I follow him down a short hallway to a small room with an exam table. “What’s your dog’s name?” he asks as he takes something from a drawer. I watch as he unfolds a paper cover and spreads it over the table.
I clear my throat because it’s dry and I don’t think I can speak if I don’t. “Sky. Her name is Sky.”
“I’m Dr. Pamel.” I watch him slip on some rubber gloves. “What happened?”
“Hit by a bike.” I clear my throat again. “She’s not moving. Her eyes are open and she’s shivering. She keeps panting and whimp—” I do what I can to keep more tears from falling. “—whimpering.”
“Can you set her down gently?” he asks before adding, “I’ll be right back.”
I nod even though I’m not sure I can, or that I want to. I’d rather hold her, but I know that won’t get her the help she needs. Leaning down, I rest my arms on the table first. Then, as slow as possible, I slide one arm out as I use my hand to transition her to the table without much movement. I do the same with the other arm. I keep one hand on her at all times so she knows I’m with her, like she’s always with me.
“God.” I bite my lip to keep from crying. “Sky, girl. I’m so, so sorry.”
When the guy walks back into the room, he’s not alone. Alison is with him.
“What are you doing here?” I ask amid my surprise.
“I followed you.”
Why would she follow me? I know she was pissed that I grabbed her so she wouldn’t get rammed by the bike. I guess I don’t blame her, especially since I didn’t get the chance to explain. Not that that would make a difference after the heel incident.
“I thought you’d be angry with me again.”
“I was. Before I realized you were pulling me out of the path of a bike.”
I nod and look down at my sweet pup. “This is Sky.”
She steps closer until she’s right next to me. Reaching out, she barely touches Sky’s silky coat. “Hi, Sky. I’m sorry you’re hurt.”
She looks up at me with glistening eyes. “Is she going to be okay?”
“We’re going to do our best,” says the vet. “We’ll need to get an X-ray to see what’s happening. I’d like to do some blood work as well.”
“Whatever you need to do, do it.”
“Right.” He leans down to look into Sky’s eyes. “Hey, Sky,” he says softly. “We’re going to take good care of you, okay?”
I stand frozen in place as the table she’s on is wheeled out of the room for X-rays. I feel a warm hand on my arm and look down at Alison. “She’ll be okay,” she whispers.
How does she know that?I don’t say it; instead, I merely nod.
I feel a tug on my arm and let her lead me to one of the two chairs in the exam room. I sit and watch as she sits next to me. “How long have you had Sky?” she asks.
“A year.”
“Is she a rescue dog?”
I let a single laugh escape me. “You could say that.”
Her brows furrow, and then she asks, “What do you mean?”
I’ve told the story about Sky to several people. None of them believed me. I should just make something up, but I feel like Sky deserves to have her story told. “I was walking to the subway one day after work.” I look over at Alison. I want to see her face when she hears this. “I heard a weird sound. At first I thought it was something like wind hitting thin metal, but then I realized it was something more.”
