And then came the vomit. So much vomit.
Peter chattered away to them all whilst at the same time putting fresh trays and towels out across the floor of the clinic, and Liz and Ed answered most of the questions while Alice stayed close to her pup. Eventually, when the tired thing seemed not to have anything left in him, the vet smiled.
‘Okay, well done, everybody; that was an eventful first trip to the vet. Go gently on the food today. And you –’ he booped Bear’s nose, who looked at him sadly ‘– no more stealing brownies.’
Ed insisted on paying the bill, and the three of them returned to Alice’s flat, with her holding Bear on her lap in the car.
Once inside, Bear skulked straight into the corner of Alice’s living room – his living room – and lay down. Alice exhaled, and her mum appeared at her side.
‘Jill would be very proud of how well you’re doing looking after her dog, you know.’
‘I just let him eat poison.’
‘No you didn’t, you just saved him. Believe me, as a mother – of a daughter, not a dog, granted – we can’t stop bad things happening to the ones we look after. Okay? The most we can do is be there when they need us.’
Alice put the kettle on. ‘Well, that’s very Disney Channel of you.’
‘Cheeky madam.’ Liz laughed.
Ed, who’d been petting Bear, gently, walked into the kitchen. ‘Those ended up being the most expensive brownies I ever bought,’ he said. ‘Shall I pop out and get some more?’
