Furever Enchanted, page 4
“Okay. Let’s do that.” Zuri nodded, still feeling a little nervous.
She was responsible for Gigi and wanted to make sure she was okay. If Gigi didn’t eat soon and she later found out she was sick or in pain, Zuri was going to feel extremely guilty.
“Great. Michelle will bring you an estimate for the work we’ll do today and another for the potential X-ray, and once you sign off, we’ll take Gigi to the back to draw some blood. We can give her the vaccines while she’s back there. Just rabies, Bordetella, Lepto, and Distemper.”
“Distemper?” Zuri had to have misheard her. There was a vaccine against the dog having a bad temper?
“It’s a highly contagious disease that attacks the dog’s nervous system. Is this your first dog?” Dr. Rodriguez questioned, looking mildly concerned now.
“Yes. My first as an adult on my own, anyway.”
“And you picked a Chow?” Dr. Rodriguez said in disbelief.
“I didn’t pick her. Julianna insisted I take her. She took the ‘We choose the right furever friend for you’ thing very seriously,” Zuri said.
It was what it was. In hindsight, maybe she should have just left and gone to another shelter to pick her own dog. On the other hand, Gigi not eating aside, they had been getting along pretty well.
So far, she was low maintenance and independent. She didn’t bother Zuri while she was working, loved lounging in the backyard during the cooler parts of the day and didn’t yank Zuri’s arm unless she saw a lizard or rabbit, so their walks were leisurely and enjoyable. Zuri had to give Julianna some credit for the choice. She certainly hadn’t been too far off the mark. It also didn’t hurt that Gigi was adorable, especially after a bath and a little brushing, despite the bald spots.
Now that she was out and about more, she had also seen a few Huskies in the wild. The energy. The friendliness. It would have been too much for her.
“I’m gonna kill her.” She heard Dr. Rodriguez mumble under her breath before she turned back to her computer.
Heat rushed to her neck and shoulders, and the weight of a rock suddenly hit her stomach. Her breath quickened to keep up with her beating heart as a wave of thoughts fought for space in her mind.
Zuri didn’t like the idea of anyone, but especially a veterinarian, thinking she was a bad dog owner. She followed all the rules. She kept Gigi on a leash at all times and would pick up after her if she ever decided to go number two. Like Julianna insisted, they went on regular walks throughout the day, and she even washed her ceramic water bowl in the dishwasher nightly. The groomer had recommended a few different brushes and grooming supplies that Zuri had purchased immediately, not even waiting to see if she could find them cheaper online. Did she miss something?
“Am I not a good enough dog owner?” Zuri asked, a little afraid of hearing the answer.
“No, no!” Dr. Rodriguez immediately recounted. “It’s just that Chows can be stubborn and independent, so they’re not known to be a great choice for a first-time dog owner.”
“She is a little stubborn,” Zuri admitted. “But we’re also both a little introverted, so maybe that’s why we seem to get along. At least so far.”
“That’s great.” Dr. Rodriguez didn’t meet her eyes. She combed through her bangs before walking to the door. “Michelle will be in shortly with the estimate.”
Zuri looked down at Gigi as the door closed behind Dr. Rodriguez.
“We’re doing just fine. Aren’t we?”
Gigi went back to her hiding spot underneath the chair and sighed at Zuri, dropping her head down onto the floor. It wasn’t a resounding yes, but it wasn’t a no. She sat back down, hoping they could get out of there soon. In the meantime, she registered Gigi’s expensive new collar. It was something to do, which would help keep her spiraling thoughts in check, and she also might as well get her money’s worth.
Chapter 5
Saturday
Chicken. Ground turkey. Ground beef. Pizza. Chinese food. The dog wouldn’t eat anything. Zuri tilted her head back and groaned while she waited for Gigi to finish sniffing a bush. At her wit’s end, she didn’t know what to try next.
The day before, while waiting for Gigi to get her blood work and vaccines done, Zuri ordered some groceries to be delivered that night. She cooked the chicken by boiling it in plain water, but Gigi wasn’t even remotely tempted.
She thought it was possible Gigi just needed time to decompress from the vet. She tried again later, but Gigi merely rolled her eyes. Most dogs didn’t roll their eyes, but Gigi did, Zuri was sure of it.
That morning she tried again with ground beef and turkey, but no luck. At lunch they took a car ride and drove through McDonald’s, but Gigi was not impressed with her happy meal. At least Zuri got to eat the fries.
Gigi yanked on the leash, pulling Zuri out of her thoughts. Cars took up all the extra space along the street in front of the house on the corner. The smell of grilled beef filled the air.
Gigi tried to pull Zuri up to her neighbor’s back gate, but Zuri pulled back on the leash. She didn’t know this neighbor, and as a black person in a mostly white neighborhood, she needed to be careful.
“Gigi, let’s go,” she called, but the Chow sat in front of the gate and stared longingly, whining; a sound she had yet to hear her dog ever make.
Suddenly, the gate opened. Before Zuri could pull Gigi away, a tall gray-haired man walked out, pushing a large black trash can. He stopped in his tracks, eyes taking them in.
“Well, hello there. And who’s this?” He pushed the trash can to the side and stepped closer to Gigi. She didn’t shy away like she did with most people. Instead she stared at the man, cocking her head attentively to the side.
“Sorry, I think my dog smelled your BBQ. She’s refused to eat anything, so maybe I need to get some of whatever you have on your grill.” She gently tugged on the leash again, attempting to get Gigi to stand.
“I have a few steaks on there right now. Let me go get a piece for her.” The man turned around, gate slamming behind him before Zuri could stop him. He was back in less than a minute with a few pieces of cut up steak on a plastic plate.
With no hesitation, Gigi devoured every piece and licked the plate clean of all its juices. Zuri’s eyes widened in both relief and horror. Would Gigi really only eat steak? That couldn’t be healthy, not in the long run. For now, at least she would eat something.
“Wow, I haven’t been able to get her to eat anything all week. Thanks!” Zuri paused. “Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Zuri. I live on the other side over there. Next to Donna, if you know her.” She pointed.
“Who doesn’t know Donna!” He smiled. “I’m Paul. We used to have a black Chow just like this years ago.”
Paul grinned at Gigi before picking up the plate. Gigi backed up and politely sat in front of Zuri. She seemed relaxed, but her eyes danced between Paul and the empty plate.
“Oh, really? This is my first one. I got her from Tails.” Zuri rocked back on her heels. Small talk was her enemy, but the man had just fed her dog steak, so she had to try.
“Tails. I know that place. We got our last dog from there. Strange how they insist on picking out the dog for you, but she was one of the best dogs we’ve ever had.”
“Yeah, it was weird at first for me too, but it looks like it worked out.”
Gigi, apparently giving up on getting seconds, got up and started pulling Zuri away.
“I guess we’re going now. Thanks for the steak. Apparently, that’s what she’s been holding out for.” Zuri smiled.
“Anytime. Congratulations on the new dog.” He smiled and waved before going back into his own yard.
She had lived in this neighborhood for a couple of years, and except for Donna, never really talked to any of her neighbors. Everything she knew mostly came second hand from the nosy woman. A week with Gigi, and she was having an actual conversation with one. She still didn’t enjoy talking to nosy Donna, but Paul wasn’t bad. Maybe he could give her some advice if Gigi kept being stubborn about eating.
She remembered playing with the neighborhood kids when she was in elementary school. No matter where they’d moved, there were always other kids, and they were as eager for someone to play with as she had been. The older she got though, the less she talked to her neighbors. It was a truth universally acknowledged that middle school girls were mean. High school girls weren’t much nicer. That was when she’d started keeping to herself.
When they got home, Zuri ordered steak from her grocery delivery app, along with a few indulgences for herself. She deserved a reward for talking to her neighbor, after all.
Chapter 6
Sunday
Zuri walked Gigi down their usual route. She eventually wanted to take her to the park, but not until she was eating properly. There was definitely a little more pep in Gigi’s step after eating a small amount of steak for dinner and breakfast that morning.
This was their third stroll for the day and Zuri intended to keep it short as the afternoon heat baked the city. She made a habit of checking the sidewalk before they went out, and although it was only warm and not hot, she tried to encourage Gigi to walk in the grass when it was available. Gigi, of course, had her own ideas about this and preferred to stay on the sidewalk. If Zuri tried to shorten the leash to keep Gigi in the grass, Gigi would tug on the leash, yanking Zuri forward until they were on the sidewalk again. She was stubborn and wanted to live on her own terms.
When Gigi sniffed a spot she often peed on, Zuri thought little of it, until Gigi squatted. It differed from how she squatted when she was going to pee. Her back was round, and she took little steps, hobbling around in circles.
Finally, she was going to poop!
She pulled a plastic bag from her still-very-brand-new-looking dog poop bag holder.
Gigi whimpered, and a few drops of blood splashed onto the ground beneath her. Finally, she seemed to empty her bowels, but it wasn’t doo-doo. Where she had squatted were four rather large gold coins, all covered in drops of bright red blood.
“What the. . .” She stared at the coins and then looked at Gigi who had laid herself down in the nearby grass. Blood rushed into Zuri’s ears and she had to remind herself to breathe. There was no need to panic. She would not panic. Gigi was going to be fine. It was just a little blood. Tiny. Miniscule. Nothing to worry about. They could go to the vet and get this sorted out.
She picked up the coins with the plastic bag and tied it off with a knot, then grabbed another bag and double bagged the coins before sliding them into the back pocket of her shorts. It wasn’t poop, but it had still come out of Gigi’s butt. Gold or not, until the coins were washed and maybe even after, they were gross.
Gigi was reluctant to get up so she pet her and let her rest for a few more minutes before insisting they walk back home. She didn’t want Gigi to get overheated in addition to whatever this was.
The first thing Zuri did when they got back inside was call the vet. It was getting close to their closing time, so they might not see Gigi, but it was worth calling before she went to an emergency vet. She wasn’t worried about the care costing more, but the emergency vet was farther, and Gigi was uncomfortable, Zuri could tell. Instead of laying down in her own bed next to the couch or on the floor nearby like she usually did, Gigi got up on the couch and laid next to Zuri. Right next to Zuri. Not even the other side of the couch. Not normal at all.
“Claws and Paws Veterinary Clinic. How can I help you?” the receptionist answered, her fake pleasant customer service voice grating against Zuri’s ear.
“Hi, I was there with my dog, Gigi, the day before yesterday for our first checkup, but she just pooped these weird gold coins and some blood. Is there any way you could see her before you close today?”
“I’m not sure we’ll be able to fit you in but let me go check with the vet. Who did your dog see when you were here before?”
“Dr. Rodriguez, I think. Dark hair in a ponytail. A little tall. Pretty.” Zuri hadn’t meant to add the last part. Was it weird to think your dog’s vet was pretty? It was just an objective observation. Hopefully, the receptionist wouldn’t think to mention it to Dr. Rodriguez. At least she hadn’t accidentally said a little mean.
“Yeah, that’s Dr. Rodriguez.” Zuri could almost hear the receptionist nodding. “She’s here today. Hold on and I’ll see if I can pencil you in.”
Seconds that felt like hours ticked by.
“Are you still there?” The receptionist rejoined the call.
“Yes!” Zuri answered, a little too loud.
“Dr. Rodriguez said she would see you after her last patient if you can get here in the next thirty minutes.”
“Yes! We’re only a couple of minutes away. We’ll be right there. Thank you so much.”
“No problem. We’ll see you soon,” the receptionist chimed before hanging up.
“Come on Gigi, we’re going to the vet.” Zuri stood. Gigi looked at her but made no move to get up. She went to the door and got her leash and harness. Still as a statue, Gigi didn’t even blink.
“Gigi, let’s go,” she squealed in a high-pitched voice that dogs were supposed to like but made her feel ridiculous. Gigi closed her eyes, unamused and unimpressed.
Surprising both of them, Zuri went to the couch and wrapped her arms around Gigi, scooping her up. It wasn’t her best idea. She wobbled a little before placing the dog on the floor, panting. Gigi still refused to stand, knowing full well just how heavy she was.
Zuri opened the front door, walked to her car, and opened the door to the back seat. She went back to the living room and once again, heaved the hefty Gigi up and carried her to the car. Barely. Gigi didn’t help her one bit, but at least she didn’t wiggle in her arms either.
After frantically grabbing her wallet, phone, and keys and locking up the house, they were on their way.
Chapter 7
Zuri sat in a plastic chair, tapping her right foot anxiously. Any minute now, Dr. Rodriguez would bring Gigi back from her X-ray. Although they hadn’t made time to call Zuri yet, when she arrived, they let her know Gigi’s blood work from the other day came back normal.
At first, Dr. Rodriguez had assumed the coins were Zuri’s, and told her, “You have to watch dogs carefully. Sometimes they eat things they shouldn’t.”
“I’m not a coin collector,” Zuri had stated, trying not to sound defensive. “The coins aren’t mine. She must’ve eaten them before I picked her up from the shelter.”
Dr. Rodriguez didn’t exactly apologize for her assumption, but her face went a little red. She had carried on as if she hadn’t accused Zuri of being an irresponsible pet owner. It was nice of the doctor to see Gigi on such short notice and to stay late, but if she kept assuming things about them, Zuri was going to have to find a different vet.
“Here’s your mom,” Michelle, the same vet tech who had helped them the last time, chimed as she led Gigi back into their exam room. Gigi hurriedly shuffled right up to Zuri as her tail swung back and forth behind her.
“We didn’t have to sedate her. She stayed perfectly still.” Michelle smiled.
“Thank you.” Zuri took the leash from Michelle.
“It’s going to be a few minutes, and then Dr. Rodriguez will be in.”
Zuri nodded in response, and Michelle left the room again.
Gigi laid down at Zuri’s feet, heaving an enormous sigh. Zuri reached down and ran her fingers through her dog’s thick fur. A wave of guilt swept over her like a much too heavy weighted blanket. She didn’t like to see Gigi so distressed.
The door swung open and a blonde woman dressed in a white coat over purple scrubs walked in. A glimmer from a large gold ring with a red ruby gemstone on her right index finger caught Zuri’s attention. It seemed odd for someone who put on and took off gloves all day to bother with a ring, especially one that looked so expensive.
She recognized the woman as another vet from the clinic’s website, though she couldn’t remember her name. The woman’s coffee-colored eyes flicked from Gigi to Zuri and her red lips shifted from a sharp line to a serene smile. A shiver ran down Zuri’s spine. Something about this woman gave her the creeps. She instinctively sat up and shortened the leash, not enough to pull on Gigi’s harness, but enough that if Gigi got up, she wouldn’t be able to go far.
“Hello there. What an adorable matching harness and collar. I don’t think I’ve seen this one before.” The veterinarian stooped down in front of Gigi. The dog sat up slowly and she heard a low growl as Gigi flashed her teeth in warning.
“Um, we’re already being helped by Dr. Rodriguez.” Zuri grabbed the handle on Gigi’s harness, just in case. She felt her shoulders inching toward her ears. There was just something about this woman that made her want to put some distance between them, but there was nowhere to go. Maybe it was her perfume. It was something flowery and sickeningly sweet. It didn’t smell bad, but it was overpowering in the small room and something about it gave Zuri the urge to plug her nose.
“I was told these were yours?” The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out the four gold coins that Gigi had passed. They were clean now, no longer dripping with blood. It got stranger the more Zuri thought about it. There had been nothing but gold and blood when the techs unwrapped the coins to see what Gigi had passed. She didn’t remember seeing any actual poop on the grass either. Only blood and gold.
When she was a kid, one of her mother’s little dogs ate some of a doll’s plastic clothing and eventually it came out with the dog’s poop. The same thing had happened with crayons and other small miscellaneous items. If only the coins had come out, was it possible they had damaged Gigi’s organs? Or did the steak help move things along, but it hadn’t been digested yet? She really hoped Dr. Rodriguez came back soon with some answers.
