Piece By Piece

Chapter 2

                                                              Chapter two

                                               Didn't see that one coming.

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After school, I drive to my afternoon shift at the animal clinic. It's in the secluded country part of town, surrounded by huge trees and smelling like pine cones and nature. I love working there, even if I do have to pick up dog and horse crap all of the time.

The building's old and run-down with drooping shutters and sqeaky doors, but it's still sanitary and buisness is still booming. The clinic is run by a cute old couple, William and Willa, who are the sweetest people in the world, and who happen to be my bosses. I consider them as my grandparents, and I know that they'd do anything for me. Also, I get paid fairly well and get to to play with animals all day, so why wouldn't I love it here?

I walk up the old front porch of the clinic and open the door. The bell chimes as I walk through and I'm greeted by Willa who's got her hands full of horse feed. "Willa, let me help." I grab a sack of food. "You're going to throw your back out."

Willa flicks me in the arm. "Are you saying that I'm getting old?"

"Hey, you said it, I didn't." I teased. She laughed, leading me to a room in the back of the building called the "Food Room." We dropped the sacks of feed, and then I went off to work.

I strolled outside, taking my time walking to the pastures and barn. It's warm outside, so I twist my hair in a low bun and roll up my sleeves. I'm wearing my usuall work attire: shorts, a tank-top, and cowgirl boots. I've definitely learned the hard way not to wear flip-flops when dealing with horses.

I finally reach the barn and walk inside, thankful for being shaded from the hot sun. I walk towards the tack room and grab a rope and a curry comb, and then walk out.

"Hey, pretty girl," I coo, as I walk up to Sugar, my mare. She's a white arabian, and the sweetest thing ever. I've had her since I was about eleven, after I begged my parents to buy her. "You ready to eat?"

Her ears perked up and she trotted over to me. I scratched her behind her ears where she likes it, and gently slung the rope over her neck and tied it. I open the gate and slide through, leading her towards the barn. I loop the rope around a pole while I pour her food into a bucket and sit it down next to her. While she gulps down her dinner, I brush her with the curry comb, making sure to get all of the dirt and mud off.

After we're both done, I lead her back to the pasture and untie the rope. I kiss her nose and she nickers. I walk off, leaving her to graze and play with the other horses while I feed the other animals.

I feed and brush Buddy, a hyper Lab, and then water him. I tend a small wound on a grumpy old cat named Cranky, almost getting shredded to peices in the process. He better be thankful that I at least fed and watered him.

"Hey, Hun. How are you?" William walks in, and leans against the doorframe. He's practically being dragged by a German Shepard, who's tied up in his leash ready for his afternoon walk.

"I'm okay, I guess. School's just been stressful," I say, grabbing the pooper-scooper and getting to work.

Will's eyebrows furrow. "How so?"

"Just people and stupid incidents," I answer. The memory of me getting ravioli-fied earlier springs into my mind like an olympic gymnast. "It's nothing."

"Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to, then I'm always here." He pats me on the shoulder. "Bye, kiddo," he says, and then leads the Shepard outside. I feel tears prick in my eyes, just like they always do when someone calls me "Kiddo". When I was little, my dad would always take me to the park and push me on the swings and down the slide. He'd also take me to the community pool. Everytime, I'd be afraid of falling off the slide or swings, and being afraid to jump off the pool-side, he'd always say, "C'mon, kiddo. You can do it. Just jump."

And everytime he'd say that, I wasn't afraid to fall or jump anymore. I knew that he would catch me. When I was twelve, my life drastically changed. My dad was in the military, and he was killed in Iraq 6 years ago. Living without him has not only put a strain on my family, but it's also seperated us. Mom's more bitchy and tired, and Pac's more depressed and lonely. Dad was like the super-glue to our family; always holding us together in more ways than one.

"Bye, Will," I say, scooping up kitty litter and dog termines. I dump the litter into the garbage can and then walk through the clinic to the reception area, where Willa's looking through patient files, a frustrated scowl on her face. As she's fingering through files, I mindlessly grab the broom from the supply closet and start sweeping slowly. I do this when I have no more work to do, but I'm not ready to go home yet.

I sweep around the room until I notice a flyer taped up on one of the windows in the front of the building. I read the sign: Help Wanted.

"Willa," I start. "What's this?"

Willa looks up from the files, and gets up from her chair. "Oh, just a flyer that I put up last week." She walks up next to me and rips the sign off. "But we don't need it anymore."

I frown. "How come I didn't see it?" I ask. "And how come we don't need it anymore?"

Willa smiles her sweet, grandmotherly smile at me. "Maybe you weren't paying attention, dear." She throws the flyer into the trash. "Because I've already hired someone."

"When?" I start sweeping again.

"The other night. He's a hard worker and his grandparents are good friends of mine," she says. "He loves animals, too. Just like you, honey."

"What's his name?" I mumble, already not liking him. I hate being compared to people.

Willa smiles at me again, and what she says next almost makes me drop my broom. "Alex." she walks back towards the reception desk. "But he goes by L-"

"Lex."

"How'd you-?"

"Looooong story."