Chapter 2

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"Excuse me," She whispered before running back toward the front of the house. "What's going on, Julie?" She asked while catching her breath as the frantic woman opened the back of her vehicle.

"She started going into labor at one this morning, but our roads were flooded from the storm. I got here as soon as I could safely drive. She's had two so far but she's stalled since five this morning."

"Oh Amber," Audrey sighed as she ran her fingers through the golden retriever's fur. "Julie, I need you to accept the fact—"

"I know Doc, please just do what you can," Julie nodded.

"Okay, let's get her inside as comfortably as possible," Audrey said as she took one end of the blanket and Julie got another. "Keep the puppies on Amber." North quickly moved to open the door and she nodded thanks as they went to a room towards the back. They laid her down on the table and Audrey took a deep breath, "Take the puppies Julie, I'll do the best I can. Call Rebekah for me."

"Thanks Doc Em," She sniffled as she held the two puppies to her chest and left the room. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed some numbers. "Rebekah, sorry for calling you this early but Doc Em needs you. Amber is stalled in labor, I just got to Doc's. Thanks." She hung up the phone and kissed the puppies' heads.

"So Miss Emerson is a vet," North said after a few moments of silence.

"Oh sorry, I'm Julie Matthews, and you are?" Julie asked, blinking out of her thoughts.

"North Taylor of Taylor Construction, she called about her barn being damaged in the storm," North introduced himself then pointed to Silas, "My brother Silas Korba."

"How do you do?" She nodded, "Doc Em is the best vet in the world." She smiled softly. "She really is. She was the best vet in New York and she left it all behind to come back to our small town to care for her grandmother when she got sick. She never once has complained about it and she doesn't charge outrageous for her services either."

"Julie," A woman with pink and blue hair and green eyes gasped rushing inside. "Doc..."

"In the room with Amber," Julie sniffled. "She had these two before it stalled." She held up the puppies.

"Give me them," She smiled softly. "I'm sure they are getting hungry, I'll feed them until Doc is done with Amber. It'll be okay Julie, you know Doc."

"Thanks, Rebekah," Julie sniffled and kissed the puppies then passed them over to Rebekah who quickly rushed down the hall. "Doc is the best. She truly cares for the animals and their owners. She understands most of us are either single mothers or living paycheck to paycheck. She—"

"Sounds amazing," Silas nodded and Julie nodded.

A door opened and multiple puppy cries filled the air. Footsteps came their way and Audrey entered the room, "Julie, Amber's okay."

"Thank you Doc," Julie sighed in relief. "Thank you so much. And—"

"Six wonderfully healthy puppies," Audrey smiled. "We almost lost the one entering the birth canal that caused the stall but thankfully you came in time and we saved him. Three boys and three girls." She sat next to Julie, "Now because I had to perform a c-section, the puppies will seem groggy from the medication of the surgery so I would like to keep the family for a couple of days just to make sure they are okay and she doesn't get an infection and her milk comes in like it should, but I know how much you need and depend on Amber. I went ahead and spayed her so no more surprise pregnancies and no more difficult pregnancies. I need you to promise me you will call me immediately if something seems off with her or the puppies, okay? Any teeny tiny little thing you call me, okay?"

"Thank you, Doc Em," She cried, "Thank you. I promise."

"Good, Rebekah will help me carry her and the puppies out to your car," Audrey hugged her tightly.

"What about—" Julie asked and Audrey shook her head.

"You are on the plan for half and you have those teenagers of yours come help me this weekend for the other half, okay?" She asked, "I will need their help for this weekend."

"I promise," Julie nodded, "Thank you again Doc Em."

"Of course," She smiled, "It's what I'm meant to do. Now come on, gather yourself so you can see these little cuties."

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