"Good question, Mom. Good question."
CHAPTER 37
MADDIE
The waiting room at the Manhattan clinic is exactly what I expected. Plastic chairs, old magazines, stale coffee.
Snorty sits at my feet, quietly playing with a silly doggy toy.
Every couple minutes, I peek over my magazine, hoping to see Mom coming through those swinging doors. Only patients were allowed in treatment rooms.
When I finally spot her, my stomach unknots a little.
"Mom!" I call out, jumping up. "You're so pale. Did it hurt? Was it bad?"
"Maddie, please. I'm perfectly fine," she says, barely looking up as she scribbles her signature on the clipboard the nurse holds. "You really didn’t need to miss work for this."
"Well, too late now. Since I'm officially playing hooky from work, we might as well do something fun. Any ideas?"
"We’re right by Madison Square Park," she suggests as we push through the exit doors into the sunshine. "Let's take a walk. That puppy of yours could use the exercise. He’s already getting fat.”
“Ha! That’s because you sneak him too many treats,” I tease. “I’ve seen you.”
Snorty trots along beside us, his stubby legs working overtime tokeep up as we enter the park. I point to the fancy buildings surrounding us.
"Can you believe this used to be the center of high society back in the Gilded Age?” I say, remembering reading that fact. It seems so long ago.
We’re cutting across one of the paths when a fat gray squirrel darts right in front of us.
He stares at Snorty with what looks like a deliberate taunt.
A moment later, I feel Snorty’s leash nearly yank my arm out of its socket.
"Snorty! No!"
My puppy bolts, taking the leash with him. He follows the squirrel several feet toward the tree, scrabbling at the rough bark.
As I approach, I hear Snorty’s breathing change.
He’s wheezing. Hard, shallow, panicked breaths. Like he’s gasping for air.
"Snorty?" I scoop him up, feeling his little body trembling against mine.
His chest spasms under my hands, and I feel every desperate attempt he makes to pull in air.
His brown eyes grow wide with panic as his wheezing sharpens into small, frantic huffs.
"Mom, he can't take in air! We need to find a vet!"
My voice comes out higher than I expected, cracking with fear. Still holding Snorty, I fumble with my phone, trying to navigate to the nearest vet while keeping him steady.
"There's one just a few blocks away!"
Mom and I hurry down the street.
Please let them be open. Please let someone save my puppy.
CHAPTER 38
