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On Thursday, Alan had a meeting that he couldn't miss for any reason. So, I took the day off.
I woke up to Don's coughing around seven. With a groan, I got up, but he was actually in the kitchen eating cereal. His way of eating it, reminded me of Alan's.
"Good morning! How are you feeling?" I asked.
"A little better" he told me. "You didn't need to stay"
"I don't mind" I said. Alan had made me promise to make sure that Don didn't do anything work related.
To my surprise, I noticed that Don was also eating Rocko's biscuits! They were from a place called 'The Barkery at the Ark', and sold homemade dog treats and accommodated dogs and their caregivers who wanted to just hang out, and enjoy the atmosphere. They were in clear bags, and I kept them in the cupboard. Alan almost made the same mistake.
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I munched on the cookies that I had found on the cupboard. They were pretty good.
"Uh…Don…those are actually biscuits that I bought for Rocko" she said, reluctantly.
I spit it out "What?"
"They're from a place that specializes in Dog treats." She said.
"Why in the hell is it doing in the kitchen with the human food?"
"It's the safest spot, out of Rocco's reach" she said.
I chugged down the leftover milk from the cereal.
Natalie let the dog in from the back yard, and the cat out of the laundry room. Quickly, the dog smelled that one of his treats was on the table. I gladly gave my half eaten biscuit to him while Natalie put out the food for both of them.
"How's my princess?" she cooed at the cat, which just ate.
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Seeing Don's face at hearing that he was eating dog biscuits had been priceless. However, I hid my laughter.
"Natalie, would it bother you not to know how one of your patients is doing" Don asked, I knew his motivation. He wanted to guilt me into letting him do work related stuff.
"Yes, and it's something I often deal with" I told him honestly. "I hate it, but what can a person do?" I took the wind out of his sails.
Soon, I was making myself coffee, and toasting some bagels to have with cream cheese. I offered Don one, but he declined.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang
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Natalie got the door, with a bagel in her hand. A guy with gray hair and blue eyes greeted her.
"Nat?" he asked. "Would you be up for a consult?"
"Sure!..." Natalie wrinkled her nose "Though by the smell of it, I think I may be too late"
"I think this animal was killed by human hands" he said.
Natalie didn't seem to believe him. She shooed him outside. As I looked out the window, I called Charlie, who told me that David, with Colby were following some hopeful leads. All too soon, Nat seemed to be on her way back into the house, so I ended the conversation.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Mack and his crazy theories!" she sighed. "He's like the Carl Kolchak of Veterinary medicine!"
"He thinks Aliens killed the animal?" I joked.
"He believes that the raccoon died from being a witch's familiar" she rolled her eyes.
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Good old Mack, we had met in veterinarian school. The first time I talk to him, he asked me and a few others if it treating a centaur should be illegal for a vet.
"How long have you known him?" Don asked.
"Vet school. We were never close. He's a friend of a friend."
"Why does he know where you live then?"
"Because a friend of mine made the mistake to bring him here" I explained. He was an okay guy, but pretty weird.
"I see. Why do you think he came to you about this animal?" Don continued his questioning.
"Because I was his dominamatrix….." I joked, but added "I can't really tell you"
"Okay." He raised his eyebrows.
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Who in the hell carries around a dead raccoon who could have rabies? Shouldn't a vet know better? Why wasn't Natalie creeped out at some guy, she hardly knows coming to see her about some kooky theory?
"Aren't you worried at all?"
"He's harmless" she told me.
"Do you think he'll visit you again?" I asked.
"Hopefully not in the near future"
"Let me know if he ever gives you trouble" I offered.
"Thanks, but don't worry"
Soon, I was channel surfing while Natalie read. After a bit, I asked,
"Does this Mack have a last name?"
"Huh?"
I repeated my question.
"Why?"
"Just asking"
With a sigh she told me that his last name was 'Nelson'.
By midday, Dad was home. Natalie told him about what happened. Listening to her, one might think that this was, just one of life's annoyances. I could tell that Dad, by the look in his eyes, was concerned.
"Should we worry about this, Don?" he asked me. We all were eating some grilled cheese sandwiches, with ham, that Natalie had made to my surprise.
"Like I told Natalie, call me if there's any problems" I tried to sound casual, but not to the point, where Dad would think that I was blowing him off. Far from it.
Dad nodded.
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Don told me about the weird guy who came to show Nat a dead raccoon when I came to visit on Thursday evening. We were in the living room, while Dad was in the kitchen, and Nat was in the store.
"Why not go to his friend?" I asked suspiciously. "How can anyone memorize an address by one visit?".
"I saw them through the window." Don said. "They weren't awkward or flirting. They kinda argued, and Natalie came inside."
"What if they have a history?" I insisted. "Would you admit something like that to one of your girlfriend's kids?"
"She seemed very casual about it" Don said. "Besides, why use a dead raccoon as an excuse?"
"You two better not be talking shop!" Dad yelled from the kitchen
"We're not Dad!" Don rolled his eyes.
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"He must think that Natalie would be willing to help him. Why else come here?" Charlie stubbornly persisted.
"Maybe she's got a rep among other vets?" I shrugged. Natalie may be weird, annoying, and wrong for Dad, but she's not a cheater, or a liar.
I heard Dad get out of the kitchen and signaled for Charlie to change the subject. He did by talking about some lecture he was preparing. Natalie returned eventually
At dinner, we all ate in the dining room.
"Don told me that a colleague of yours came by to show you a raccoon" Charlie commented with his mouth full. I could hear a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"He thought that it died from being a witch's familiar" Natalie commented.
"What exactly does being a witch's familiar entail?" Charlie asked doubtfully. He didn't quite believe her.
"From what I understand, having a familiar helps your power as you can channel more of it because power goes through the animal. I've only read about it in novels, and Mack reminded me of what it meant." Natalie said.
"Why didn't he go to your mutual friend?" Charlie persisted.
"I didn't ask." Natalie said. I could feel Dad's dirty look.
"Dinner's delicious!" I commented, though I hadn't eaten much of it. There are some conversations, you know aren't going anywhere useful.
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"Yeah, it's wonderful!" I concurred with Don, as I saw Dad's frown. He looked miffed. I then added lamely "Sorry about my curiosity, I guess it felt good not to be the only one with weird colleagues."
"It's okay" she said.
After everyone had dinner, Dad said "Charlie, why don't you help me load the dishwasher?" He phrased it as a question, but I knew it was a command.
Soon, we were alone in the kitchen.
"What the hell was that about?" he demanded. "She gets harassed by someone and you start to interrogate her!"
"I was just curious…………." I half heartedly put some spoons in the machine.
"No you weren't!" Dad snapped. "You were distrustful!"
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I thought that Charlie was starting to get used to her! What's going on? How could he actually distrust Nat? She's very trustworthy and has never shown me or the boys any reason why we should feel otherwise.
"Don't you realize how much Nat has helped me to take care of your brother?" I asked him sharply.
"I'm sorry" Charlie said, as Don dropped in.
"Don't be mad at Charlie, Dad!" my oldest son defended his brother. "With mom gone, we both feel that we need to…look out for you. Right buddy?" Charlie nodded.
"I can look out for myself! Thank You!" it annoyed me that the boys felt that I needed to be taken care of. So, I left the kitchen.
I went to join Natalie on the large couch, doing crosswords, while she read.
"Is everything okay?" she asked a bit after I sat down.
"It's fine" I assured her.
Soon, Charlie left. Don went to watch T.V in the living room.
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I watched TV in the living room, and wished that I was in my apartment yet again. Dad was mad at me now because I tried to defend Charlie. Why didn't he just take my word for it, or at least be more subtle?
Dad got over his annoyance at me more or less within a day or so. Nat came home three days later with a surprise.
"Look what I found when I went to get toys for the 'kids'!" She showed us two board games. "Catopoloy, and Dogopoly! I was hoping we could play one of them?"
"Okay!" Dad, being the nice guy agreed. He did a crossword "All three of us could play now that Don's feeling better"
God! I wanna go home!
Natalie, choose Catopoly. Unfortunatly,there wasn't a square that said 'You're so sick that you must be Euthanized'. That way, I would have gotten out of the game much sooner. After forty five boring, irritating minutes, I started to cough more than I was already to the point where Dad shooed me to bed.
"But the game's getting good!" I protested, but was relieved. I could watch T.V in the guest room.
"Go!"
Another week dragged by, and Dad finally let me go home.
By and By, the month ended, and I starting to see someone. She was a prosecuter, who seemed to be a better match for me than Nadine.
"When do I get to meet her?" Dad asked me after a few weeks, then, he got the 'I've got the most brilliant idea ever face' " Why don't you two join Nat and me? We could make it a double date"
TBC