2
Much to my relief, the X-rays of Roxy’s leg revealed there was just a tiny hairline fracture on the lower part of her hind leg, which meant with a hard cast and minimal activity for the next six to eight weeks, she should heal just fine.
As I wrapped her leg, I thought about the man in the other room, wondering what his story was. I didn’t know why Alex was wandering the streets, but something told me that under all that dirty, stinky exterior was a man with a good heart. It took kindness and love to care for an animal the way he had when they could give you nothing but love and companionship in return. Some people would even consider the feeding and providing for a pet a hardship, yet I’d seen the evidence of how Alex had gone the extra mile just to keep her healthy. Roxy was a little underweight and mildly dehydrated, but otherwise, she was perfectly healthy. Even her teeth and gums were cleaner than most dogs I’d seen come through my door. It all spoke volumes about the kind of man Alex was.
So why was he on the highway? The obvious answer was they had been hitchhiking. We’d had several travelers come through our area, since that stretch of highway was the main pass between Washington and Montana. But it was late September now, and temperatures were already starting to cool down. It wouldn’t be long before the first snowfall covered the ground, and if Alex and Roxy were without somewhere to stay, what would happen to them? Where would they go, and how would they stay warm? Did Alex even have a destination in mind? My mind drifted to the empty loft above my clinic, and I wondered… would Alex accept help if I offered it?Maybe if it was for the sake of his dog.
A plan began to form in my mind, one that I knew Bri would knock me upside the head for even considering. But the more I thought about it, the more it felt like the right thing to do.
I scooped the sleepy pug up into my arms and headed back to the exam room, excited to give Alex the good news. But just as I feared, he was nowhere to be seen. I stared at the puddle of muddy water on the floor in mild disbelief. Alex wouldn’t actually abandon his dog, would he? Not with how much he clearly adored her?
“Alex?” I called.
The sound of the front door had me stepping back into the hall just in time to see Alex drop his bags on the floor. As soon as he saw us, he rushed over. “How is she?”
“She’s okay. There’s a hairline fracture just below her hock, and she’s bruised pretty badly on her thigh, but there were no other injuries. She’ll need to take it easy for the next six to eight weeks for her leg to heal properly, but she should make a full recovery.” He breathed a sigh of relief and reached for her. “Careful. I gave her a mild sedative so I could get a good picture and put the cast on. She’s pretty out of it.”
Alex positioned her in his arms with practiced ease, relaxing almost at once. “Hey, girl,” he soothed, brushing long fingers over her forehead. “Daddy’s here. I’ve got you.”
I smiled at his affections, trying to find the words to carefully explain my idea.
“Alex, can I get you something to eat? Some soup, maybe? Or chili? It’ll help warm you up.” When he didn’t answer, I tried again. “You can bring Roxy if you want. I have a dog, but she’s pretty mellow around others.”
A mix of guilt and shame etched across his dirty face, and I tried to prepare myself for his rejection. I wasn’t sure what I would do if he’d try to leave. To my relief, though, Alex tentatively nodded.
“That would be nice, thank you.”
When I reached the door, I paused, staring at the pile of bags on the floor. “Do you want to wash your clothes at my house?”
Alex’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Sorry, I don’t mean to offend you. I just thought you might like to get cleaned up.”
Still dumbfounded, Alex gave another reluctant nod.
I heaved the heavy bags over my shoulder, ignoring the ripples of water cascading down my back, and stepped outside. The rain had lessened, but not enough that I wasn’t worried about Roxy’s cast getting wet.
“Try to keep her cast covered if you can. Just so it doesn’t get too wet. The plaster still needs to set all the way.”
He gently hid her under the panel of his coat, and we began our trek across the yard toward my house. Alex was quiet except for the sound of his teeth chattering in the cold. The poor guy had to be chilled to the bone.
When we reached my two-story home on the other side of the property, I took him around to the back, and we entered through the large mudroom next to the washer and dryer. Dropping the bags on the floor, I leaned against the washing machine to untie my boots. Alex tried to do the same, but with Roxy in his arms, he couldn’t bend as easily.
“Here, let me,” I said as I knelt before him. I thought I saw a hint of embarrassment in his expression when I peered up at him, but he turned away too quickly for me to be sure.
I cleared my throat and finished untying his boots, gently tugging them off to set them aside. This close, the stench of not only his clothes but Alex himself was downright staggering. When I pulled his socks off and tossed them aside, I tried to creatively conceal a short gag.
Alex’s cheeks were a deep crimson when I stood. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know I’m foul. It’s… been a while since I had a shower.”
“You can shower here if you want. The hot water would help warm you up too.”
Alex carefully kept his attention on his dog, clearly uncomfortable. “You said you had a dog?”
“Oh. Yeah. We can introduce them now, or I have a kennel in my bedroom. You can put Roxy in there if you’d like. So you know she’s safe.”
When Alex lifted his gaze to mine, I noticed just how blue his eyes were. They reminded me of the ocean. “If you really don’t mind,” he said.
“I don’t. Follow me.”
