up to you. Should I go over to the RRPD? Or call him? No, can’t do this over the phone. This is a serious matter. I’m having his puppy! I mean, his baby. My baby. Our child.”
Gabby’s shriek of laughter rent the room and Patience jumped. “Jeez Louise, Gabby, you scared me! But you’re right.” She gently closed Fred’s crate door and went back to the macaw, who’d polished off her veggies and was scraping her beak clean on the cage bars. “Come here, sweet birdie.”
Gabby promptly got on Patience’s forearm and leaned close to her face. “Give me a kissy.” Gabby’s voice perfectly mimicked his elderly owner’s and Patience laughed. As shocking and emotional as her day had started, this was the best therapy anywhere. Being with her animals. Of course, they belonged to their various owners, the K9s to their handlers at the RRPD, but while they were under her care, they were her responsibility. It was a sacred commitment.
Right now, Gabby needed some human touch and affection. And Patience needed to calm down before she faced Nash again, most likely in the morning, to tell him the news. They were having a baby. Well, she was. She in no way expected anything from him.
“Okay, Gabby girl, come here and I’ll have you and Fred help me practice telling Nash.”
The parrot stepped daintily onto the T-stick Patience used to handle the exotic bird to prevent a bite. She’d learned the method during her avian course in vet school. As much as Gabby wanted to be on her shoulder, Patience never allowed it. Just as she exuded an alpha energy around the K9s and other dogs, she kept birds from thinking she was a tree and her shoulder a branch by using the perching tool.
She walked with Gabby the few steps to Fred’s kennel, which was at eye level.
“Now, you two tell me what sounds better. First choice—Nash, I’m pregnant and keeping your baby. I don’t need you to do anything. You’ve done quite enough already.” She looked from Fred to Gabby, surprised to find that they were both staring intently at her. Gabby was used to touring the dog kennel with other members of the staff for a break in the monotony of her cage. Fred wasn’t reacting to the parrot as he had to the duck earlier. Of course, he was heavily sedated.
Since both animals didn’t react, she tried again.
“Too serious? Well, having any man’s baby is serious business, but I get your point. How about this... Hey, Nash, how have you been since we hooked up after the K9 training session? In case you were wondering, your sperm is viable. I’m pregnant! Congratulations!”
Fred’s tail gave a firmer thump than earlier and Gabby nuzzled her huge white beak into her brightly feathered chest, inviting touch. Patience gently scratched the back of the bird’s nape, marveling at the silky soft skin under her feathers. Gabby made lovey-dovey noises, indicating her enjoyment of the contact.
“Okay, you both seem to like option two. I think it’s going to need more work, though. I’ll think about it and we’ll practice again after dinner.” She walked Gabby back to her cage and put her inside. The bird went obligingly but Patience had to coax one claw off the T-stick. “Sorry, hon. I know you’d rather be out, but your cage is the safest bet until I come back.”
Back in the staff area, she heated up the leftovers from last night’s dinner—or was it two nights ago?—and streamed two episodes of her favorite sitcom on her laptop as she ate. She had to make a concerted effort to eat as nutritiously as possible, especially now.
She was going to be a mother. Have her own family. Thinking of it, the prospect was at once terrifying and thrilling. She had shared a bumpy relationship with her father since she’d gone to college and vet school on her own, scraping and saving to pay back every cent of her loans. Fenwick had watched in exasperation, trying to convince her that she didn’t have to make things so hard on herself. She had her own trust fund.
But Patience had to know that her degree and career were hers. It wasn’t another freebie from being born into a rich family.
Her phone lit up with a call from Layla. Patience considered ignoring it; she wasn’t about to tell anyone she was pregnant until she told Nash. And even then she wanted to keep this to herself for a bit. As the phone vibrated, she put it on speaker.
“Hi, Layla. What’s up?”
“Where are you? I need a drink. I want you to meet me downtown.” Layla sounded just like their father. Her harsh countenance grated at times, same as Fenwick’s. But unlike him, she was soft and kind underneath her hard corporate exterior.
“I’m on duty.” Thank goodness. Patience wasn’t ready to face her half sister yet. Layla always seemed to sense what was going on with her, as different as they were. “I’m tied to the clinic all night.” Not completely true, as she could call on a volunteer to watch the patients at any time. She was still miffed at Layla for getting engaged to Hamlin Harrington. No business, even Colton Energy, was worth a marriage of convenience. Screw the millions Hamlin promised Fenwick he’d pour into the utilities company.
“We had a labradoodle come in with birdshot and I need to make sure he stays comfortable through the night.”
“Oh, that’s awful! Who would do such a cruel thing?” More proof that Layla had a kind heart. She loved animals as much as Patience did.
“It was an accident, truly. Trust me, if I thought it was foul play I’d have called the RRPD.” Animal welfare was a safe topic with Layla, who was otherwise too preoccupied with her corporate role as Colton Energy VP for Patience’s liking.
“Make sure you report it if you change your mind.” Layla never seemed to realize that Patience had her DVM and was fully capable of deciding when and why on the calls into the RRPD. Not to mention her K9 certification.
“What are you up to now, Layla?” She heard the hard edge in her voice but it couldn’t be helped. It rarely could with Layla.
“Since my sister can’t meet me for a drink at the only decent bar in town, I think I’ll spend more time here in the office. There’s always more to do, and I’ll need to have things in order for when we have our cash flow back in the black.”
Patience gritted her teeth. Layla was goading her. When it came to the subject of Layla’s secret engagement with the smarmy Hamlin, silence was the best approach.
“Patience?”
“I’m here.” She rolled her eyes and popped a grape into her mouth. Good thing they were on speakerphone and not doing their usual video call.
“You know your judgment is stinking over the line, don’t you?” Layla’s tone was pure corporate executive with a dollop of big sister.
“I haven’t said a thing!” Either the grape had been sour or she was reacting to Layla’s tone, for her stomach began to roil. She’d felt fine for the most part, until she realized she was pregnant. And thought back to how shaky her stomach had been the last couple months. Another reason to put off meeting Layla. Her sister would connect the dots in an instant if Patience turned her nose up at food and, of course, alcohol. Gourmet meals paired with fine wine were the one luxury Patience indulged in, and only with Layla, on occasion.
“You don’t have to say anything, dear sister. I do think Hamlin cares about me, by the way. Dad’s putting pressure on us to make it legal ASAP, but with the Groom Killer around, Hamlin’s rightfully nervous. I know you don’t approve of us or how we’re handling our engagement. But it is what it is, little sis. I’m doing what
