Hetal smiled. “Loosen just a bit.” She tossed a treat just out of Sandie’s reach. Ms. Harris loosened the leash a couple of inches. Sandie gobbled the treat, and Hetal tossed another, all the while speaking softly to the dog. She started tossing the treats closer and closer to herself, until Sandie was in touching distance, but Hetal did not reach out to her. She simply allowed Sandie to decide when she wanted to get closer. It took close to twenty minutes, but Sandie finally ate treats from Hetal’s hand. Her tail wagged, the lunging and growling stopped, and she even sat when Hetal commanded.
Ms. Harris was thrilled. “How did you...? She’s only that good with us...not strangers.”
Dhillon beamed. “My sister is a dog whisperer.” He held out his hand. “Dr. Vora. Let Hetal get Sandie’s weight and settle you in the exam room, and I’ll meet you back there.”
While Ms. Harris followed Hetal, Dhillon went around the back hallway to meet them in the exam room. When he got there, Hetal was waiting for him outside the door.
“You’re amazing.” He smiled at her. “Good thing I taught you everything I know.”
She rolled her eyes. “As if.” But then, in an instant, his sister was all business. “Listen. I’m going in with you. Sandie will need extra time and patience so she decides to trust you. I blocked off extra time for this one.”
“Seriously?” Dhillon stared at her. “You know I went to vet school, right?”
She raised both eyebrows. “Trust me.”
“Famous last words.” Dhillon sighed and motioned for her to open the door. When she was in the zone, there was no arguing with her.
Things went smoothly with Sandie, and before Dhillon knew it, he was on the last patient of the morning, a very sweet Great Dane.
“Buster has a mild case of hookworm, Mrs. Perlman,” Dhillon said as he signed off on the bill for the Great Dane and shook the owner’s hand. “Hetal will get you the meds, and he should be fine in a few days.” Dhillon ruffled the hair on the large dog. “Isn’t that right, Buster?” Dhillon was rewarded with a nuzzle. This really was the best job.
Lucky lumbered by and took a seat at Dhillon’s feet, and Mrs. Perlman bent down to pet him. “Beautiful dog, but he’s getting old, Doc.”
Dhillon nodded, a slight pain in his heart. “Too true, Mrs. Perlman, but Lucky is hanging on.”
“Right this way, Mrs. Perlman,” Hetal called out. “We’ll settle up and get Buster his meds.”
That was his morning. He refreshed his coffee on the way to his office and gave Lucky a few treats. The dog curled up at his feet and snoozed while he ate lunch and worked on charts. He was only halfway through his sandwich when Hetal came back.
“Hey.” She sat down and opened her lunch.
“Hmm.” He did not look up from his work.
“So, Auntie will be okay?” She took a bite of her sandwich. “Wow. Chutney sandwiches. My favorite.” She grinned and batted her eyelashes. “You do love me.”
Dhillon pursed his lips and afforded her a quick glance. “It used to be the only thing you would eat.”
“Not true,” Hetal said, defending herself.
“Guess again, Miss Finicky. Six months straight of chutney sandwiches for lunch. With the crusts off.”
Hetal took another bite and shrugged. “What can I say? I have good taste. Better than dhal for six months straight.”
“We eat dhal all the time. Different kinds.” Dhillon rolled his eyes. “And I never ate it six months straight.”
“You totally did,” Hetal insisted, her mouth full.
“Whatever.” Dhillon bit into his sandwich and turned back to his computer.Little sisters.“Auntie has to recover, then maybe rehab for a week or so. Then home.”
Hetal swallowed. “So Riya will be next door again.”
Dhillon stopped chewing as he tried to calm the unwanted excitement that rushed through his veins. “How the hell would I know what Riya is doing?” he grumbled. The image of that doctor squeezing Riya’s hand a couple of nights ago popped into his head again, making his stomach roil.
“I’m telling you that Riya’s moving back home. At least for a while.” Hetal grinned. “Isn’t that sooo cool? I mean, it’s not cool that Auntie had a heart attack, but that Riya will be next door again, you know?”
Dhillon knew that Hetal adored Riya and had missed her terribly when she moved to her own apartment.
But Hetal was extra bubbly today. “I’ve been thinking about what she does for a living. Saving people.”
