Cupid's Christmas (Serendipity #3)(47)
All in all, it was a really good day. Everybody said the turkey was delicious, but I didn’t taste much myself—I was too busy being happy.
I was packing up leftovers when Ray and Traci came in to say goodbye. He kissed my cheek then leaned over and whispered in my ear that John was a pretty nice guy after all. When I saw Ray walk out the door wearing a smile, I thought my heart would burst because it was so full of happiness.
You can’t ask for a better Thanksgiving than that.
Cupid…The Dog’s in the Mail
Right now I am seeing a rosy outlook for everyone—everyone except me. I’m not quite finished here and I’ve still got the 684 not-so-happy couples to deal with. Yeah, maybe I could walk away and let love take its course, but the truth is I’ve got a vested interest in seeing it out. People like Eleanor restore my faith in humans. Granted, you’re an odd lot, but you’re what I’ve got to work with. So I try to make the best of it and every so often, a few couples like this happen along—then I realize how really important my job is. After more centuries than you’ve got fingers to count, I still get a thrill out of matches like this.
Unfortunately Lindsay’s days of working at the Kindness Animal Clinic were over, at least for the time being—and even though that accident was not of my making, her not being at the clinic gave me the opportunity to push my plan into action. It started five days after Thanksgiving when Matthew received an e-mail that read:
Dear Doctor Mead,
I am responding to a notice you posted on the Tiny Treasures website. I think we have the dog you are looking for. Three weeks ago a dog matching this description showed up in our back yard. I thought it most likely belonged to someone in our area, but after two weeks of advertising in the newspaper and putting posters in store windows, no one has called to claim her. Yesterday we took the dog to our vet for a checkup and discovered that she has a microchip implant with the Kindness Animal Clinic listed as owner. The address indicates that you are in New Jersey. We are located in Florida and I am uncertain as to how best to get this dog back to you. Please advise.
Jayne Rayner. –
A photo of the dog is attached.
At first Matthew thought the e-mail was a hoax, a cruel joke maybe. He sat there and reread the words four times before he could come to believe it was true. A fairly practical man, he kept asking himself how Kindness could be listed as the owner. Was it possible Lindsay found the dog and put the chip in? No, not possible. She’d have said something.
After nearly a half hour of wondering how this had happened, he came to accept that there was no explanation. The picture of the dog was exactly the same as the one Lindsay tacked onto the bulletin board. Finding the dog was as unexplainable as a crocus popping up from beneath the snow or a rainbow on a clear day.
Carefully measuring the weight of each word, Matthew responded to the e-mail,
Dear Ms. Rayner,
I am delighted to learn that your vet discovered the microchip in…he hesitated a moment then typed in the name Fluffy…the woman inferred the dog was a female—the e-mail read took her to the vet, she had a microchip—but probably best to use a generic name good for either male or female.
He started typing again…
I am delighted to learn that your vet discovered the microchip in Fluffy. My fiancée has been searching for her for well over a month and this will most certainly be welcome news. If you will send me the name of the vet you work with, I can arrange for them to crate and ship the dog to me. To thank you for taking such good care of Fluffy, I’d like to send you a token of my appreciation, so please also include your address.
Sincerely yours,
Matthew Mead
He pressed send. I knew exactly what he was thinking. Nowhere in the e-mail had he actually lied, well with the single exception of giving Fluffy a name. He had not said send her home, nor had he said it was his dog, or Lindsay’s dog, he had simply said they’d been searching for her. Okay, he did call Lindsay his fiancée which was a stretch, but perhaps in time…For once Lindsay is right, this one is a man with principles.
I watched as Matthew leaned back in his chair and began waiting. That day he checked his e-mail seventeen times. He found plenty of messages, dog food specials, breeder notices, volunteer requests, everything but an answer from Jayne Rayner.
Later that night as he sat on the sofa alongside of Lindsay, I knew it was all he could do not to mention the e-mail. He was afraid there was a remote chance it wouldn’t work out. I can assure you it will, but you’ll have to wait to learn about Matthew’s plan.
The next morning Matthew arrived at the office a full hour earlier than was necessary. He walked through the front door, straight back to his office, and immediately switched on the computer. As he sat there waiting, it seemed to take forever for the computer to boot. When at long last the screen came to life, he clicked the ‘Get Mail’ shortcut and began to scan the list. It was third from the bottom.
Dear Doctor Mead,
As per your request, the name and address of our vet is Herman Goodman, 467 Main Street, Stuart, Florida. Doctor Goodman’s telephone number is 772-894-7867. After you have made arrangements with him, please let me know and I will take Fluffy to his office.