Secrets & Lies

Chapter Two

(Leo's POV)

"Bring him back in about ten days and I'll have a look at him again. If it hasn't cleared up by then, we're going to have to consider operating," I explain to the woman while placing her cat back into his basket. I carry the basket out to the reception and hand her the prescribed tablets.

"Thank you very much," she says to me, sincerity clear in her voice.

"It's no problem at all," I tell her before making my way back into the surgery room and wiping down the examination table with some disinfectant.

It's twenty-five past five and I have to say, I'm beyond wrecked. Just thirty-five more minutes before I can finally call it a day, and with only one patient left to see, it looks like I just might be able to get off that bit earlier.

I smile at the thought. It's been a long day.

Not that I don't love my job, I do. I couldn't ask for a better, more rewarding job. Yes, I've had a nasty bite along the way from an angry dog or a bad scratch from a grumpy cat, but I wouldn't change my job as a vet for anything else.

Fifteen minutes later, after establishing that Mr. Walker's pug is indeed pregnant, I tidy up my surgery. There are no operations booked for this weekend. I'm very much looking forward to a Saturday night off. I make my way into the reception to see Sarah, my receptionist and friend from college, holding the door open for Mr. Walker as he carries a snapping pug out to his car.

"What a day," Sarah says with a sigh as she shuts the door.

"You can say that again," I chuckle, picking up an unopened letter and tearing it open. "I thought it would never end."

She looks over at me from the opposite side of the counter. "Me too. I left those letters there yesterday but I never got around to opening them. It's just been hectic the past few days."

"Yeah, I know," I say, scanning through the invoice in my head.

I look up to see Sarah yawning. She's been working extremely hard the last few days, it's no wonder she's wrecked.

"Listen, I'll lock up, Sarah. You go home and enjoy a well-deserved weekend. I'll see you on Monday."

"Are you sure? I don't mind locking up."

"I'm positive. Now, go. Before I have to kick you out," I tease, handing her, her bag and coat before she comes up with an excuse to stay the last twenty minutes.

"Thanks, Leo," she says with a laugh. "See you Monday."

"See ya, Monday."

I grab make my way into the kitchenette inside the storage room and make myself a cup of coffee.

I've twenty minutes left before I can close up so I might as well make a start on the orders for next week. We're running low on worming tablets, dog food, bedding and cat litter. No doubt by the end of Monday there'll be more things I have to order though.

I log onto the computer and open my emails before I start the order. Like always, there's a ridiculous amount of junk emails in but there are also some important ones that I flag to read again on Monday.

Just as I open up Excel, I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pull it out and check the caller I.D. Brian.

"I thought you were gone camping," I say into the phone. "Don't tell me you chickened out already. It's not even dark out yet."

"Leo," Brian says. He sounds worried, his voice slightly shaky. He instantly has my full attention.

"Brian, what's wrong?"