“I don’t doubt it.” A full smile spread over his mouth. “Will you be okay with her for a few hours until I get back from picking up and dropping off?”
She nodded. “I already made arrangements for the girls.”
That was another change in her since she’d come to the shelter. For the first two months, she wouldn’t let Skye or Mercy out of arm’s length except during her hospital stay which didn’t give her a choice. The night before she started her job, she’d lain awake fighting tears. Little by little, she’d come to realize the girls were in good hands and it was healthy for them to have other people in their lives. It didn’t mean she didn’t miss them when she had to be away, though. She loved her job and was grateful for the opportunity, but she counted the minutes until she’d be home with them.
“Chances are I’ll crash here tonight in case I’m needed, so Hope can stay put and get acclimated.”
“When does she need to be fed again?”
“Any time now.” He went to his desk and lifted a green plastic bag, handed it to her. “Everything is in here. There’s also a tube of brown gel looking stuff. She needs a teaspoon and a half with each feeding.”
She glanced in the bag and spotted the supplement. “Got it.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Take your time. I’d rather you be gone longer and stay safe than rush and have an accident.” Embarrassed she’d said too much, she pointed to Hope. “She needs you around.”
“See you in a bit.” His lips curled to a smile, and he left.
“You’re a good man,” she whispered under her breath for no one but her to hear.
She lowered herself to the floor and unpacked the bag. Everything she needed was there, including a spoon for the food, a bottle of purified water, and a medicine dropper. Using caution, she peeled back the metal lid of the food can. Her hand boasted a scar from her teen years when she’d sliced herself on a similar style lid, and since then, she’d disliked them. She’d rather use a can opener.
The dog food smelled like rotting meat. She gagged as the first waft of it reached her nostrils. Was the food bad or was it supposed to smell that way? She checked the can for an expiration date, saw it was well within its useful time. From somewhere in her memory, she remembered canned dog food having a rancid scent.
As long as Hope ate it, that’s what mattered, she supposed. She dipped the spoon into the congealed food and squirted the proper amount of the gel supplement on top. “Ready to eat, sweetheart?”
Hope didn’t acknowledge her. Luna wondered how the feeding session would go, but Dr. Scott wouldn’t have sent her home if she couldn’t eat on her own, would he have?
She put the spoon to Hope’s mouth, and nothing happened. “Come on, baby. This food will help you feel better and get you well.”
A knock on the door interrupted her. “Can I come in?”
Looking up, she saw Rachel. “Carl left already.”
“That’s fine.” A mischievous smile jumped on her face. “I came to see Hope, anyway, not him.”
“Come see.”
Rachel strode across the room, to the corner where Hope rested. She sat beside Luna. “She’s gorgeous.”
“Isn’t she? I can only imagine what a beauty she’ll be once she’s reached a healthy weight.”
“Poor baby.” Rachel petted Hope’s head, ran her hand down the dog’s back. “Carl told me his suspicions about her injuries. It makes me sick.”
“People who abuse animals often go on to abuse humans.” A cold shudder passed through her. Memories surfaced of Manny kicking cats “for the fun of it,” as he would say. If only she’d seen that part of him before they’d married.
It was too late for what ifs. She’d made her mistakes and survived them. Time couldn’t turn back for her to have a re-do. All she could do was move forward, taking with her the lessons life had cruelly taught her.
A soft hand touched her shoulder. “I think God brought you and Hope together for a reason. Your experience gave you a compassion and empathy not all humans could have for a dog.”
Luna contemplated Rachel’s statement. “Do you believe God let’s everything happen for a reason?”
Rachel pursed her lips, didn’t answer immediately. “I think there are many things that happen because we as humans make bad choices and the consequences of that affects other people, often those who are innocent in the situation. Does God allow that to happen for a reason? I’m not convinced, but I do know the Bible tells us that He will work all things for good according to those who love Him.”
“What good can come from Manny’s abuse? From him dying and ending all chances that my girls will one day have a loving father in their life?” The questions poured out. She believed in God, had accepted Him as her Savior, but she still couldn’t understand why God would allow her and the girls to go through what they had.
“I was engaged a long time ago, and he left me right before the wedding. It took a long time for me to trust a man again, and it wasn’t until Aaron came into my life that my barriers broke down.” Rachel’s gaze traveled far away before returning. “In no way does that compare to the trauma you experienced, but in my case, God had a better plan for me. I don’t know what he has prepared for your future, but I do know He can bring beauty from ashes.”
