The Practice Read online

  Emma said, “Just make it a diet cola for me. I’m driving.”

  Thomas scanned the rest of his friends and they just nodded in response. He was finally feeling the welcome home that he hoped for. It was more than three years since the group were all last together, but everything seemed to just pick up where they left off.

  Yale helped Thomas deliver the beers to the tables. As he walked up, Emma asked, “So have you met any cute guys since you got back to town.”

  Derek started to say, “In only two weeks in this tiny town…”

  Thomas said, “Actually, there’a a hot guy that walked into the animal hospital yesterday.”

  Derek shook his head. “Damn, you work too fast.”

  Aaron laughed. “Thomas always worked fast. And it was over even faster…”

  A loud round of laughter rose from the group.

  5

  Hadley

  Hadley’s job at the factory didn’t require all that much concentration. It was repetitive work babysitting a machine and checking for any errors, but he was distracted. He kept thinking about the dog in the animal hospital and wondering how he could figure out a way to pay for its care. He told Lisa on Friday that he would stop by the animal hospital on the way home. By the time 5:00 p.m. rolled around he was both eager to see the dog and dreading the talk about care payments.

  Dogs and other pets along the street still made Hadley nervous, and he passed two on the way from work. He slowed his truck’s pace down to a crawl as he passed by so that he could be alert to any sudden dashing out into the street.

  The clinic was much busier late on a Monday afternoon than it was on Friday. Hadley met a woman with an Irish setter on his way into the building. It made him think about Aunt Mae’s Irish Setter Colleen.

  Hadley stopped at the desk. Lisa was on the phone. She held up one finger to signal to Hadley to wait a moment. He glanced around and smiled at a young boy sitting next to an older woman who was likely his mother. The boy held a pet carrier on his lap containing a long-haired tiger cat. The cat was making its displeasure known with plaintive meows.

  To their right sat an elderly man with a small, white, fluffy dog on a leash. The dog lurched forward and the man pulled it back until it sat on its haunches. Then the dog lurched forward again, and he pulled it back once more. Hadley wondered how many years the tug of war had been taking place.

  “Mr. Rogers, good to see you.” Hadley turned back around to face Lisa. “I would guess you are here to see Lucky?”

  “Lucky?” asked Hadley.

  Lisa grinned. “That’s what we are calling the dog that you brought in on Friday. We think that she was very lucky you were driving by.”

  Hadley smiled in return. “Is she doing well?”

  “She’s doing very well. All of the techs love her. She’s so calm, relaxed and gentle. Dr. Randall thinks there is a good chance most of the pups will share her temperament.”

  Hadley leaned across the desk and whispered, “And we were supposed to talk about some kind of payment plan. I still don’t know if I can afford it, but I guess I’m willing to talk.”

  Lisa whispered back, “Yes, and, actually, Dr. Benton is here, too. He was checking in to see how things are going. Maybe he will have some kind of idea on payments. I saw Dr. Benton come up with many creative solutions. I’ll let them know that you are here.”

  Hadley turned and looked for an empty place to sit. The boy with the cat smiled at him, so he stepped in that direction when Drs. Benton and Randall burst into the waiting room from the back. Dr. Benton was saying, “Looks like you have everything in great shape, Thomas. Remember, I’m always just a phone call away.”

  Lisa leaned out toward the room with a pen raised in the air. “Dr. Randall, Dr. Benton…Hadley Rogers is here to see you.”

  Dr. Benton said, “My neighbor.” He turned toward Hadley and offered his hand for a shake. “I heard about your heroism from Dr. Randall. Animals need more men like you among the general public.”

  Now that he was in close proximity to Thomas Randall again, Hadley felt a weakness in his knees. He was happy to see Thomas again up close, but he worried about his own urges inside. He reassured himself over the weekend by thinking that maybe Friday was just an isolated incident. No, in Thomas’ presence once more, he knew that assessment was wrong. Hadley asked, “Could I see…uh…Lucky.”

  Thomas smiled warmly. He said, “I see Lisa told you the temporary name we gave her. Of course you may.”

  Lisa whispered in Dr. Benton’s ear, and he said, “I’ll join the two of you. I can’t stay long, but I still have plenty of time before I’m late for Ellen’s dinner.”

  After they stepped out of the waiting room, Thomas said, “Why don’t the two of you wait here in the examination room, and I’ll bring Lucky out.”

  While he was gone, Hadley said, “Dr. Benton, I do have a little bit of a problem. I’m supposed to pay the bill for Lucky’s care, and I don’t think I can really manage that.”

  Dr. Benton stroked his chin. He said, “We always kept a charitable fund for situations like this. I suppose I could suggest to Thomas that he use part of the balance for Lucky’s care.”

  Hadley shook his head. “I don’t want charity, Dr. Benton. Is there any other way?”

  Thomas entered the room with Lucky on a leash. She looked alert and well. She was wearing a red bandana around her neck. Thomas bent down and lifted her to the examination table. Her belly was partly shaved, and that made the pregnancy even more obvious.

  Thomas said, “She’s doing very well, and the puppies seem to be in great shape, too. If you touch her belly, you might be able to feel the pups kick.”

  Hadley reached his hand toward Lucky, and he was dismayed to see his fingers shaking. Thomas reached out his hand grasping Hadley’s wrist and placed Hadley’s fingers on the shaved bare skin.

  The grip was strong and firm but warm and gentle at the same time. Hadley gripped the table with his other hand to make sure of keeping his balance. He could feel movement in Lucky’s belly and smiled. The obvious presence of healthy puppies inside their mother made the entire rescue mission worthwhile.

  Dr. Benton spoke up and said, “Thomas, Hadley here has concerns about paying for Lucky’s care. I do have an idea of how to take care of the situation.”

  Hadley watched as Thomas rubbed the knuckles of Hadley’s fingers lightly before pulling his hand away. He crossed his arms over his broad chest and said, “I was considering not charging him. After all, he’s not the dog’s owner.”

  Looking into Lucky’s eyes and leaning down to place his cheek against hers, Hadley said, “But I want to help out. I think I have some responsibility.”

  Dr. Benton said, “Between the three of us I think we can come up with something to work this out. Thomas, as we were walking around today, you mentioned that you could use a handyman around here to fix minor mechanical issues and someone to take care of the yard and landscaping outside. Hadley is one of the handiest men in my neighborhood. He has helped Ellen and me in the past.”

  Hadley opened his eyes wide. He liked Dr. Benton’s idea. He could help pay for Lucky through helping out at the animal hospital. He would think of it as more like volunteer assistance for the animals than really working for a payment. It would also give him many opportunities to get to know Thomas better. He thought about that prospect and froze.

  Thomas said, “That sounds perfect if Hadley is interested.”

  Hadley looked from one man to the other. He knew that he was fully capable of doing the work that they required. He was more nervous about what might happen spending more time around Thomas, but they were neighbors anyway. It wouldn’t be possible to completely avoid him. Hadley said, “I’m interested.”

  Thomas asked, “Could you stop by around this time tomorrow, Hadley? I can have a list of the projects together that need attention. Then we could go over priorities and figure out where to start.”

  Hadley nodded. “I can do that.”
He knew that he had to discuss the situation with Aunt Mae. It would mean being late for their three-times-a-week dinner dates. She mentioned in the past that he should consider volunteer work sometime to give back to the community, so Hadley would frame the work in that context.

  Thomas said, “Now that we have payment for the care sorted out, would you like to adopt Lucky, Hadley? I will make sure she is up on her shots after the birth of the pups for free. I’ll even throw in the first exams and shots of the pups gratis. Lucky really could use a good home after everything she has been through. We haven’t heard anything from someone looking for her. She would be ready to be released tomorrow.”

  Dr. Benton said, “She would be good company for you with only you in that house. I’m sure Thomas and I could pitch in to try and find good homes for as many of the pups as you wished to give away.”

  Hadley was on the spot, and he felt uncomfortable. He wanted Lucky to be well, but the last thing he thought about was actually bringing her home. She would need to be walked every day, and he knew that he would become attached to the pups and have to keep some of them, too. Hadley shook his head and said, “I don’t think that I can.”

  Thomas said, “She is a bright dog with a great temperament, but I don’t want to push you into anything that would make you uncomfortable. I’m sure we can sort something out.”

  Hadley offered his hand to both doctors for a shake. He said, “I do want to thank both of you for all of your help with Lucky. I knew that it was the right thing to help, but I was still worried that she wouldn’t survive. I had no idea that she was pregnant.”

  Dr. Benton’s grip was warm with rough, aged hands and knobby fingers that were developing arthritis. When Hadley shook Thomas’ hand, he didn’t want to let go. It was a youthful shake, but his hands were strong. Hadley smiled weakly when he let go and said, “I’ll be here tomorrow after work, and I will see you again then Dr. Randall.”

  Thomas said, “It’s Thomas from here on out, Hadley.”

  Hadley’s drive to Aunt Mae’s was frustrating. As soon as he left the animal hospital, he was having second thoughts about such a quick decision to reject Lucky. Maybe she would be just the thing to bring something new and vibrant into Aunt Mae’s world. It was years since Colleen died, and Aunt Mae still talked about her almost every day.

  Then he thought about the cost involved. He would have to pay for veterinary visits, shots, food, and pet care if he had to be away and Aunt Mae couldn’t take care of her. Some of those costs would need to be multiplied by however many puppies he decided to keep.

  Dr. Benton lived just across the street. Maybe he would be willing to help with some of the dog care. By the time Hadley arrived at Aunt Mae’s, he was even more confused than before.

  6

  Thomas

  Later Monday evening, after the practice closed for the day at 7:00 p.m., Thomas returned to Lucky’s kennel and peered through the bars at her. She was curled up on an oversized cushion in the corner, but she sensed his presence. She stood and waddled over to the door of the kennel.

  He said, “I hope we were correct in assigning your name.” He reached through the bars and let Lucky lick his fingertips. “Unfortunately, I’m not exactly sure what to do with you.”

  Lucky sat back on her haunches and looked up at him. Her medium length black and white hair was brittle and coarse when Hadley first brought her in. Now it was silky, shiny, and soft to the touch. She stuck her tongue out and panted softly.

  Thomas thought about the animal shelter in town, but it was a shelter that eventually destroyed animals who could not find a home. Thomas knew that he couldn’t save every single animal that passed through the doors of the clinic or that needed a home, but he wasn’t ready to give up on this particular one.

  He glanced around to the other kennels. Not even half of them were occupied. He didn’t expect Catlett’s Cove to experience a sudden upsurge in pets that required medical treatment. However, he did know that a strong positive reputation could start bringing in clients from nearby towns. For now, Lucky could reside comfortably in her kennel. All of the techs loved her and would be willing to take shifts of playtime with her and make sure she got exercise.

  Thomas looked down into her eyes and said, “And what about Hadley Rogers, Lucky? I’m not so sure that he wanted to say no. He is certainly handsome, don’t you think?”

  She looked up at him with an impassive stare. He offered his fingers again and she pulled herself forward to lick.

  He said, “Lucky, I think we both have a lot of questions that don’t have answers right now. You take good care of those puppies, and I’ll take good care of you, and maybe soon we will find our answers.”

  Thomas stood and visited all of the other kennels checking for adequate food and water and giving the animals physical affection. His work as a veterinarian required long hours at the clinic and many more hours on call, but it was rewarding. He couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

  * * *

  On Thursday night, Hadley stopped in for his second shift of performing maintenance tasks around the clinic. A bathing sink in the back was having drainage difficulties and the water pressure was severely reduced from what it should be. Thomas expected that the plumbing needed to be taken apart, unplugged and cleaned. He didn’t really want to pay what would be required to hire a plumber, and he didn’t want to do the work himself. Hadley was eager to help out. Hadley described how he installed new plumbing in his Aunt Mae’s bathroom.

  Thomas worked late in his office past the clinic’s 7:00 p.m. closing time. Despite his expertise at healing animals and his social gifts in easing the minds of Catlett’s Cove’s pet owners, Dr. Benton was not a skilled bookkeeper. Thomas was making his way through back records of the animal hospital and found both mistakes and missing information. After diligent attention to the books, Thomas was getting close to figuring out exactly what the clinic’s financial resources were, and how much was owed to outside vendors for regular contracts.

  Hadley reached around the corner and knocked on Thomas’ office door. He stepped into the doorway and said, “It looks like I’ve got it all sorted out Doc. The drain is draining properly, and the water is coming out of the faucet and the spray head at full force.”

  Thomas looked up and saw dark smears across Hadley’s blue denim work shirt, and his hair was pasted back on his head with sweat. Still, he looked as desirable as ever. Thomas said, “Thank you. Dr. Benton said that station was a problem for the last three years.”

  Hadley laughed. “You don’t wanna know what I dug out of the drain. I’m surprised you didn’t have critters living down inside there.”

  Thomas said, “With those strong arms, I’m sure you would have been able to wrestle any of them down and protect the rest of us.”

  A light blush crossed Hadley’s cheeks at the mention of his arms. He looked down at Thomas who was still dressed in his white coat over his regular clothes. The desk was covered in piles of paper and a computer screen occupied one-third of the desk. Hadley asked, “Are you finished with your work for the day? I mean, some guys like to still hang out in their office even when their work is done.”

  Thomas shook his head. “Not this guy. I would much rather be cuddled up on the couch in front of the TV or out to dinner at a nice restaurant.”

  “Alone?” asked Hadley. He bit his lip as soon as he asked. He was not wanting to look like he was trying to start a leading conversation.

  “Not if I can help it.” Thomas looked up and leaned forward slightly. He said, “I would much rather have the company of a good man.”

  Hadley could feel goosebumps spread along his forearms. He wrapped his arms over his chest to hide them even though he was certain that Thomas was too far away to notice. That was the answer to one of Hadley’s questions about Thomas. He was into guys. Hadley decided to try and deflect the track of the conversation. He asked, “Would you like me to get started on mowing the lawn over the weekend?”

&nbs
p; Thomas smiled to himself. Hadley was interested enough and caught off guard enough to want to change the topic. It was possible that he was available, and that possibility excited Thomas. Still, he was certain he needed to take things very slow. If Hadley was the kind of man who jumped into things, he would have asked Thomas for a date by now. He said, “Sure, that sounds like a good plan. Also, if you have any ideas about some kinds of flowers that might spruce things up just a little bit and draw attention from the road, I’m open to suggestions.”

  Hadley opened his mouth to give an answer when they both heard pounding at the main entrance door. Thomas rose from his desk. “Let’s hope it’s not an emergency situation. Why don’t you come with me, Hadley, just in case I need some assistance.”

  The pounding grew louder, and Thomas smiled when he saw who was at the door. Derek and Yale had their faces pressed up against the glass peering inside. Thomas unlocked the door and let them in. He asked, “What are the two of you up to?”

  Derek said, “Remember, we had dinner plans. You weren’t answering your cell phone, so we decided to come and look for you. I was worried there might have been an animal rebellion.”

  Thomas turned toward Hadley and said, “Hadley Rogers, meet two of my very best friends Derek and Yale. We went to high school together here in Catlett’s Cove.”

  Hadley said, “I think I remember seeing all of you before, but I was two years behind.”

  Thomas picked up on a glance from Yale and a nod in Hadley’s direction. Thomas nodded back to confirm Yale’s suspicion.

  Hadley shifted back and forth on his feet and said, “I was just finishing up, so don’t let me get in your way. I’ll just go gather up the tools. All of you have a great dinner. Thomas, I’ll be here over the weekend. I guess I’ll see you next Tuesday unless you stop by on Saturday or Sunday.”