to light and guard

chapter seventeen

Swimming through the fog of her own mind, Mary Eunice followed Lana into the veterinarian's office, buried into her coat. A fresh handkerchief weighed down her pocket. Her nose dribbled from the October weather. Lana clutched Gus's leash and whistled for him to come with them; he lifted his leg on the shrubs in front of the clinic before he trotted alongside her. Mary Eunice sniffled around her runny nose, hands quaking as she caught the front door. Don't stand there like a bump on a log. It's bad enough you've let Lana coddle you. You're not that sick. "Do you want me to take him?"

Lana's pretty brown eyes floated into view through the muddling gray. They arranged the puzzle of her face into its full picture, red lips pursed in concern. The dreary, gray day had deposited a few stray snowflakes into her brunette hair. They melted in the warmth of the building, glowed in the yellow light and vanished. "I don't want him to knock you down."

"I'll be okay." Mary Eunice gulped a lump of phlegm down her raw throat. She licked her flaky, chapped lips and folded Gus's leather leash into her hand. The tell-tale tickle in her nose arose again, and she scrambled for her handkerchief before the sneeze erupted out of her. The impact sent throb of pain behind her eyes. This, too, shall pass, she reminded herself. There was no point in lingering in the misery. Gus butted against her legs and took a seat, his pink tongue lolling out of his mouth. His rapid tail quieted and tucked beneath him. "It's okay, boy." Mary Eunice scratched him behind the ears. "Good boy."

A secretary stood behind the counter. "Bless you!" she chimed, bright-eyed and delightful. She had spread makeup on her face more generously than Mary Eunice would've buttered a slice of toast. Lana's makeup is much more tasteful than that. The moment the thought coursed through her mind, Mary Eunice scolded herself. Don't be so judgmental. She looks very nice. "How can I help you ladies this morning?"

"We have an appointment with Dr. Cotter."

"Alright. What's the name?"

"Winters."

The secretary peeked at them through her horn-rimmed glasses, eyes flicking from one woman to the other, and Mary Eunice shuffled her weight from one foot to the other. She tugged the leash taut in her hand and pushed her tongue into the roof of her mouth. She perceived the look now, the one that meant someone had recognized Lana. But, to her surprise, the woman didn't leap at them. Instead, she smiled. She had a gap between her front teeth. "Great. And we're seeing Gus today?" Lana nodded. "Alright. Let's have him get on the scale, and once I've got a weight on him, I'll get the doc."

Mary Eunice clicked her tongue, and Gus heaved back to his paws and clambered onto the scale. The needle moved and hovered around the 70. He licked his chops, gooey eyes moving up to Lana, and a quiet whine emerged from his chest. Lana scratched his ears. The secretary wrote it down. "If you can lift him up on the table in the examination room?" Again, Lana nodded, and the woman flashed her a winning smile in return. "Great. I'll get the doc."

Lana entered the examination room, a shiny table in its center. Gus lumbered after her and stopped at her feet. They stooped over, Mary Eunice looping her arms around his hind quarters. Large black blots danced in her vision when she squatted down. Don't be silly. You're fine. You're just a baby. They heaved upward, splitting his weight between them. Gus's back paws scrabbled onto the slick table. The black blots swelled and consumed her full line of sight. Oh no. Dimly, the sensation of falling rushed past her.

Her body fell into Lana's arms, mere inches off the ground. "I knew this was a bad idea," Lana grunted; Mary Eunice's ears shrilled. "Can you hear me?" Yes. Mary Eunice blinked a few times as the picture eased back into focus. Lana hovered over her, hands cradling her head. "What happened?"