Chapter 5

Daniel turned to Kelly and sighed. "You can't do that again. Archie is getting old; he can't take being shoved around."

Having delivered that toothless reprimand, he looked back at me.

"Nora, Kelly just got divorced, and the mental stress is overwhelming. She just lost control for a second. She knows she was wrong, so just forgive her."

Right then, Diane walked in, clearly summoned by Kelly.

She rushed forward, taking Kelly's hand tightly as if terrified her daughter might suffer the slightest slight.

"Nora," Diane said with a frown, "since Archie has already seen the vet, he just needs some medicine and rest. It's the middle of the night—why make such a scene? Besides, I know Kelly never meant to do it."

I looked down at Archie on the exam table.

Under the pain medication, his eyes were half-closed, his chin resting softly against the back of my hand, his right leg immobilized in a tight bandage.

"Two things." Gently stroking Archie's head, I looked up at them. "First, tonight's emergency visit, the X-rays, and the follow-up care total nine hundred and eighty dollars. Kelly must pay every cent. Second, starting today, Kelly is not allowed near Archie unless I am present."

The moment the words left my mouth, Kelly's whimpering stopped abruptly.

Daniel's expression darkened instantly. "Nora, what is that supposed to mean?"

"She injured Archie. Paying his vet bills is the bare minimum," I said evenly.

"She doesn't have a job right now! She walked out of that marriage with nothing, and you expect her to pull nearly a thousand dollars out of thin air?"

Daniel's voice rose, his expression full of outrage.

"Demanding money from her like this—aren't you just trying to humiliate her in public? I think Kelly apologizing to you should be more than enough."

"She nearly crippled Archie's leg." I stared into Daniel's eyes. "If I pushed one of your family members and broke their bone, would you think an apology was enough?"

"How is that even remotely the same!"

Daniel took a sudden step forward, as if his patience had finally run out, blurting, "Kelly is my sister, and Archie is just a dog! You keep comparing a dog to my sister—do you have any sense of decency at all?"

I noticed the on-duty nurse walking in with a prescription sheet, her steps halting awkwardly at the door upon hearing his shout.

At Daniel's sudden roar, Archie pulled his ears back flat and shrank his neck.

I looked at the man I had lived with for seven years.

Over these seven years, I thought we were building a home together, thought he had embraced Archie as part of that family.

Only at this moment did I understand that in his heart, Archie was nothing more than an expendable burden I had brought under his roof, never truly his family.

I said nothing more, nor did I look at Daniel or Kelly again.

I turned around, pulled my credit card from my purse, and handed it to the nurse by the door.

"Please ring me up."

Standing behind me, Daniel seemed to realize he had gone too far, reaching out to catch my wrist.

"Nora, I didn't mean it like that. I'll pay the bill."

I turned my shoulder to avoid his touch, signing my name cleanly across the receipt.

Pocketing the slip, I leaned down and gently scooped the bandaged Archie into my arms.

Archie was heavy, making my arms ache, but I refused to let Daniel touch him for a second.

Carrying Archie down the clinic hallway, I pushed open the glass door and settled him safely into the backseat.

Daniel and the others chased after me. Daniel tapped on the driver's side window, his lips moving as if to say something.

I didn't roll down the glass. Shifting into reverse, I cut the wheel right in front of them and drove Archie into the empty streets of the early morning.