Miles of Aldonia

Chapter 4: Pound Hound

Chapter 4: Pound Hound

Jack and Oliver made their way to the lobby just as the receptionist was about to make her way home. "Hello Oliver, Jack. What brings you boys this late in the afternoon? Dr Taylor called you?. Don't worry, she will be here in a few minutes. I'm getting late for an appointment. Could you boys mind the desk while she gets here, please? Thank you. I owe you both." Said Nicole, as she grabbed her bag and jacket and started making her way out.

Before either of the boys could respond to her, Nicole had already gone out the door and was getting into her car in a rush. Jack and Oliver looked at each other. Jack started planning it would be an excellent time for him to convince Dr Taylor about taking a puppy home while Oliver went to have a look at new addition of fish in the lobby aquarium.

He was getting fascinated looking at the one of the ray-finned fish busy blowing bubbles near the top. The water surface was covered with hundreds of small bubbles delicately placed next to each other. It was continuing to do the same thing over and over again almost covering the entire aquarium surface with the bubbles. The fish looked almost like a rose more than a fish, from where Oliver was standing watching it doing its task. The lights from around the room, reflected onto the bubbles that the fish had made and it seemed like a beautiful rose was floating in a sky full of colorful balloons. Oliver was totally engrossed with the fish that he did not hear someone enter the lobby.

"Oh!Oliver, hi. Didn't expect to see anyone here" said a orotund sounding voice to Oliver standing by himself and staring at the aquarium like a statue.

Oliver turned around to see a oval faced shoulder length brown haired women standing behind him. Her ultramarine-blue eyes radiating with brilliance from underneath her neatly kept pair of shiny eye brows. Dressed in a blue blouse and black slacks, her smooth jawline and slim retrousse nose didn't make her look a day over 20. Slim build from a possibly athletic nature had kept Dr Taylor trim and in shape through her hectic career and busy schedules.

Oliver was as surprised himself to see that he was all by himself in the lobby and Jack was no where to be seen. "I see you have met Thorn, our new addition to our fish family." said Dr Sophie Taylor. "Thorn was brought in by a family that had him but Thorn was being very aggressive with his "tank-mates" and refused them in his space. Injured quite a few, so the family brought him in to us instead."

"Thorn is so pretty, Dr Sophie. He looks more like a rose than a fish." Said Oliver.

"You are quite observant and correct as well, Oliver." Replied Dr Taylor. "Thorn is a Rosetail Betta fish. Their dorsal and caudal fins when fully open, resemble petals of a rose hence their name Rosetail. Thorn here, is more of a prick than a rose." Said Dr Taylor laughing at Thorn who was now staring at them both, as if listening to their conversation, while still blowing bubbles but just not stacking it like he had been doing it before.

"Those bubbles which you see on the water surface are actually his saliva coating air bubbles. He is building a nest for his family. That shows that Thorn here, is just a healthy and happy little fish, quite content in his own little world right now." Explained Dr Taylor to a very thrilled Oliver who was listening very attentively.

"I am so sorry, I forgot to ask. What are you doing here? Has Nicole left already? Are you by yourself?" Dr Taylor inquired.

"Oh, Jack and I came.." Oliver started to explain when they heard a loud crashing sound from one the rooms at the back. Oliver and Dr Taylor rushed out of the main lobby towards the room that they thought the sound had come from. As they neared the room labelled Drop-off lobby, they heard giggling and laughter coming from inside. As they opened the door and entered in, they saw Jack giggling and rolling about on the floor laughing and a fluffy puppy licking his face.

Feeling a sense of relief, Dr Taylor rescued Jack from the "ferociously licking" puppy that was holding him hostage on the floor of the animal shelter. Oliver took the puppy from Dr Taylor's hand, and it started licking Oliver's hands as well. Then it tried to reach Oliver's face and when it couldn't it just licked his chin and wagged his adorable white tipped bushy tail.

The soulful eyes and dark tan droopy ears covering half his face from each side, was more than enough for Jack to fall in love with this puppy. It's happiness seemed contagious as Jack no longer felt unwanted as he was feeling yesterday when no one seemed to bother about him despite his repeated calls for attention. This puppy was the answer to all his sorrows, Jack thought.

Oliver still holding onto the puppy, handed it to Dr Taylor and asked her "Is that puppy a hound dog, Dr Sophie?".

Dr Sophie was very impressed with Oliver "Oliver, you seemed to pay attention while helping out in our store. You may have seen that the hound dog replica's are one of our most popular items. This is a Basset hound puppy. We just got him today from one of the families that is going to move from Newmore soon. We are yet to examine him and get the other procedures done on him. Both of you can come along tomorrow and help me do the procedures for him and the others, if you are free. I can let your parents know if you want."