She didn’t want to think about an internship.She wanted her mother to see she was in pain.For once she wanted her mom to comfort her.
Coming home had been a mistake.
Maggie glanced to the back yard.“Where’s Walker?”She looked back at her mother.
Her mother’s gaze darted away, and she began working on a floral centerpiece arrangement for the dining room table.
“Mom?”Maggie narrowed her eyes.
She let out an irritated sigh.“He’s in the garage.We’ve been keeping him out there since he started having problems.”
Maggie’s heart tugged in her chest.“What kind of problems?Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Her mother shrugged and continued to work on the arrangement to her liking.“I wanted you to focus on school and not worry about your dog.You know how important college is.”
Worry seeped into her chest.“What’swrongwith Walker?”
Her mother set down a bunch of frilly white flowers and turned to look at her daughter.“Walker is having problems running into things.He walked into my very expensive vase that I keep by the fireplace and busted it.When he kept running into the wall, I finally took him to the vet.I thought he was having a stroke, but the vet said … getting old.As dogs do.”
Maggie’s heart dropped.She couldn’t imagine a life without Walker.
Her mother picked up the flowers and began sticking them in the centerpiece.“So I decided to stick him in the garage.He can’t get into trouble out there.Maggie, you must know he’s an old dog, and it’s time we said our goodbyes.”
Maggie couldn’t believe her ears.Ignoring her mother, she ran toward the garage and opened the door.Her hand found the light switch on the wall and flipped it up.
Walker was in the corner of the garage curled up on his dog bed asleep.His once white fur was starting to yellow, reminding her of his age.
Her heart twisted in her chest.Her mother put his dog bed out here.
Maggie swallowed the lump in her throat.“Walker?”
The Labrador retriever slowly lifted his head and wagged his tail.
Chapter3
Walker lifted his head and smiled when he heard Maggie call his name.His eyesight may be blurry but he would know her voice and her scent anywhere.
She was his Maggie.
The scent of oil and gas hung in the air.He didn’t much like this part of the house.It was cold and damp and he kept running into the car.
“Walker.”Maggie knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.
He smiled and nudged closer.He’d missed his Maggie.
When she pulled away, he tried to focus on her face.But his eyesight wasn’t what it used to be.The last few months it was getting harder to focus.
Good thing he still had his nose.He could find his Maggie anywhere using his nose.
Maggie sat beside him and ran her fingers through his fur before scratching him behind the ear.
He grinned and curled up in her lap.
“I’ve missed you, Walker,” she whispered against his fur.
He gave her a lick across the face letting her know he’d missed her too.
She let out a giggle.
