YIPPING, BARKING, mewling, and hissing filled the air of the small waiting room of the Hunter’s Moon Clinic. It was loud, it was constant, and it was music to Dr. Dae Anderson’s ears as he strode past the waiting room and into one of the examining rooms.
“Ah, Mrs. Denson. Good morning,” he said, smiling at the older, blonde, coifed, deeply tanned woman who sat in tennis whites on a nearby stool. Sean stood at the examining table fussing with a lethargic Maltese. “How is Sweetums today?”
“Not too well today, Doctor. She’s been acting oddly,” the woman answered. “Yesterday she wouldn’t hold still for a moment, but this morning she doesn’t want to move at all.”
“Mrs. Denson, have you been letting Sweetums share your cappuccino again?” Dae asked as the Maltese whined and licked his hand.
“No, Doctor. You said not to let her have any caffeine,” the woman answered, looking affronted.
“What’s her diet been like for the past few days?” Dae asked as he checked the dog’s eyes and ears and listened to the rumblings in its belly with a stethoscope.
“She hasn’t touched her kibble. Poor baby, she practically lived on oatmeal cookies all weekend!”
Dae sighed and exchanged a look with Sean over the examining table. “Mrs. Denson, sugar is as bad for her as caffeine. No more cappuccino, no more sugar, no more table scraps, no more anything but her kibble and an occasional doggie treat. Okay?”
“But she loves oatmeal cookies!”
“Dr. Dae loves cabbage, but I won’t let him eat it because it doesn’t agree with him,” Sean said as he fished a dog treat out of a jar and tried to tempt Sweetums with it. “Sometimes you just need to say no, Mrs. Denson.”
Dae rolled his eyes behind Sean’s back, which made Mrs. Denson giggle like a schoolgirl. He picked Sweetums up off the table and handed her to Mrs. Denson. “She’ll be fine in a day or so. Just keep her to her kibble.”
“Yes, Doctor. Will you boys be at the potluck next weekend?” Mrs. Denson asked, cuddling her Maltese under her chin.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Dae smiled.
“Good. I’ll make sure there’s no cabbage on the table,” she said, picking up the Maltese’s paw and waving it in farewell at the two men.
Dae pulled the door closed behind her, then turned and raised a brow at Sean.
“Since when does cabbage not agree with me?” he asked as he folded his arms across his chest.
“Since I needed to give her an example of saying no to someone you love when it’s for their own good.” Sean grinned.
“Everyone in town is going to be thinking about me and gas at that potluck!” Dae grumbled.
“You do get gas. It’s horrible.”
“I do not!”
“Yes, you do. You don’t have to sleep with you. You polluted the bedroom after we ate those cabbage rolls Mrs. Winston sent over last week,” Sean answered, placing his hands on his hips and looking stern.
“Fine. Then from now on after I eat cabbage, I’ll shift. You can sleep with the wolf,” Dae threatened.
“The wolf is even worse!” Sean retorted, waving a hand in front of his nose. He burst into laughter at the look of mock outrage on Dae’s face. Sean walked around the table and then threw his arms around Dae’s waist. “You know I’m only playing, Dae.”
“I know.” Dae grinned, wrapping his arms around Sean’s back and holding him close. “That was our last patient of the day, and I’m starving. Let’s close up and go get some dinner.”
“Okay,” Sean agreed, brushing his lips against Dae’s. “What do you feel like having? Chinese? Italian?”
“Cabbage,” Dae replied, then winced at the blow Sean landed on his shoulder.
Together the two men left the Hunter’s Moon Animal Clinic and walked out into the palm-tree-lined parking lot.
Above them the moon, full and lustrous, shone in the warm night sky, and as Dae looked up at it, happy and content, he howled.