Page 63 of Summer in Greece

Shelly kept her head down, but nodded rapidly and both women chuckled.

‘Come on then, at least tell me when you’re going back?’ Eve prodded.

‘I might go back when the turtle eggs hatch – if it’s all right with you, of course. I’d love to see the adorable little flappers scuttling down to the sea.’

‘What’s his name, then?’ Eve said, refusing to be side-tracked.

‘What? Honestly, is that all you think about?’

‘Pretty much, yes.’

‘Harry.’

‘You going to tell me everything?’

‘Nope.’

The surgery buzzer went. ‘I’ll go,’ Eve said. She returned two minutes later. ‘There’s a first. Gerbil in a whisky bottle. Mr Rider wants to know if we can get it out before his boy comes home from school.’

‘Was the bottle empty when it went in?’ Shelly asked, peering at the sleeping rodent. ‘I fear it’ll have one hell of a hangover.’

‘When are you going back then?’

‘You’re driving me crazy now! I said, when the eggs are ready to hatch.’

Eve giggled.

*

At ten to one, Shelly heard the front door open, she guessed it was Mrs Jackson with the Dobermann. Eve called from the front, ‘Shelly, it’s for you!’

Shelly went through and was surprised to see her father standing at the counter.

‘I hope you don’t mind me calling, Shelly, but Malcolm brought this for you, after you’d left this morning. I thought it might be important.’ He thrust a letter towards her.

DJ’s handwriting was on the envelope. She’d been pushing thoughts of him to the back of her mind, but couldn’t quite forget him. ‘Thanks, that’s kind of you to bring it, Dad. Would you like a look around while you’re here?’

‘Me? Well, yes, I would. Often wondered what you do all day.’

Just then, everyone’s attention was taken by a kerfuffle in the doorway. Mrs Jackson was hanging on to the window bar with one hand, and the Dobermann’s leash with the other. Shelly opened the door.

‘Can I help?’

Mrs Jackson was sweating and red in the face. ‘I’m afraid he remembers when I last brought him here – to have his nuts off – I don’t think he’ll ever forgive you, vet.’

‘Poor sod! Neither would I,’ Gordon muttered.

‘I see you had his ears cropped, against my advice.’ Shelly tried to keep her tone even, despite her anger.

‘Not me. My son. I was furious.’ She uttered, with forty-five kilos of unhappy muscle pulling her out of the door.

‘Let me help,’ said Eve, reaching for the lead.

In a second, everything changed. The Dobermann’s hackles went up, along with its lip. The whites of his eyes flashed and the snarl that came from him made it terrifyingly clear it was on the verge of a savage attack. Despite the muzzle, it could do some serious damage.

‘Everyone look at the floor, immediately,’ Shelly said flatly though her heart raced. ‘Mrs Jackson, can you wrap the lead around the window bar and tie it off?’ She did. ‘Now everyone step backwards without turning away from the dog. ‘Don’t look at him, don’t speak, don’t show your teeth even in a smile.’

Shelly made a humming noise which immediately caught the dog’s attention. The snarling stopped and he dropped his head to one side, then peered at her curiously. Shelly mirrored his behaviour, then she spoke softly, turned slightly sideways and moved a little closer. She made a fist with her hand and slowly raised the back of it towards the dog’s muzzle. All the time, she talked quietly until it lowered its head and dipped towards her. She scratched under his collar and he sat.