Baby, I'm Back (a Southern Roads short story) by Bond Stephanie

Author:Bond, Stephanie [Bond, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Southern Roads short story
Publisher: NeedtoRead Books
Published: 2013-06-24T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

LORA WAS WALKING out of the clinic with her lab coat folded over her arm when Barry rode up on a four-wheeler. Her heart cartwheeled at the sight of him, but she schooled her face into a professional smile. Until she saw the blood on his hands and coat.

She gasped. “You’re hurt.”

“Not me,” he said, opening his coat. “My friend here was caught in a barb-wire fence. Can you help?”

At the sight of the scratched and bleeding fur ball, she melted. “How bad is it?”

“Superficial cuts, but he’s weak.”

“I can treat him in the utility room of the clinic.” She gathered the whimpering dog in her arms. “Follow me.”

“Unless you need a hand, I think I’ll take off,” he said.

She looked up, surprised. “I can handle him, but he’s your dog.”

He lifted his hands, stop-sign fashion. “He’s not my dog. I found him, and I’m handing him off. See you later.”

Barry drove away and Lora stared after him, perplexed over his abrupt demeanor. She’d selfishly hoped his unexpected apology over teasing her when they were young would pave the way for them to become friends. Instead as he’d progressed in his physical therapy, he’d withdrawn more personally.

“Let’s get you patched up,” she murmured to the dog.

Thankfully, the stray’s wounds required no more than cleaning and a few stitches. The poor thing was dehydrated and malnourished, so she fed him and gave him water, then took his picture and printed flyers for Dog Found and posted them all over town. Even though Sweetness was off the beaten path, it wasn’t unheard of for stray animals to be dropped off along the state road leading to the town and somehow finding their way to civilization. Until she found an owner, she received permission to keep the dog in her room at the boardinghouse.

The next morning at Barry’s PT session, he was more pensive than normal. In fact, his overall mood seemed antsy and distracted.

“How is your pain level?” Lora probed.

“Fine,” he said. “Better, even.” He pursed his mouth. “How’s the dog?”

“Healing. I’m trying to find him a home.”

“I saw the flyer at the diner,” he said, his tone clipped. Then he proceeded to throw himself into his exercises with more zeal than necessary.

Lora was gratified to see him walk the length of the room many times without his cane. “Your alignment is much improved. How does it feel?”

“Awkward,” he admitted. “I have to concentrate.”

“It’ll be second nature soon,” she assured him. “Why don’t you give the steps a try?”

He walked to the set of four steps up and four steps down girdled by a handrail. Slowly, he maneuvered them, using the rail only occasionally. “Why did you come back?”

She looked up from where she was making notes on his file. “Pardon me?”

His expression was curious. “Why did you come back to Sweetness? You couldn’t have great memories of living here.”

He was referring to the bullying again. She gave a shrug. “School was tough, but otherwise my parents made sure I had a happy childhood.

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