Moonlight Over Manhattan(23)
“I don’t think she was trying to destroy your home. I think she was expressing boredom. Or fear.” Having dried and checked the last of Madi’s paws, she stood up. “Spaniels are an active breed, and they crave companionship. They need to be well trained. Behavioral problems are not uncommon. What we have to do is evaluate the cause of the behavior. She’s in an unfamiliar environment. I suspect that’s all it is.”
All?
Ethan thought back to the carnage he’d witnessed. He opened his mouth to suggest she might be minimizing the problem and then closed it again. “So what do you suggest?”
“She needs to be shown patience and kindness and then she’ll be fine.”
“That’s it? Are you sure? What if you’re wrong?”
Her eyes narrowed. “When I came to the ER the other night, I didn’t question your professional opinion, Dr. Black. You told me I didn’t need an X-ray. I accepted your judgment.”
When I came to the ER…
That was where he’d seen her before. Of course. The girl with the injured ankle. And she was right. She hadn’t questioned his opinion.
He felt thoroughly put in his place. And he noticed that she was no longer stammering. Nor did she seem afraid or intimidated.
“I remember now. That explains why you look familiar. How is your ankle?”
“It’s improving, but I did as you instructed.” She said it pointedly and he took the point.
“So what, in your professional opinion, am I going to do with this dog to settle her down? How do I care for her?”
“You can’t care for her. It wouldn’t be fair.”
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you appreciate that. It’s more than my sister did. I have a busy, responsible job and it certainly isn’t fair on me to expect—”
“I was talking about Madi.” Her gaze was steady on his. “It isn’t fair on Madi to be with someone so unsympathetic and ignorant of her needs. And I can’t teach you. You don’t have the patience for it.”
Ethan was taken aback. “I work in the emergency room. I have more patience—and patients—than you can possibly imagine.”
“The difference is that your patients matter to you,” she said. “I don’t believe Madi matters. I think you agreed to do this because you love your sister, but loving your sister is not enough. You have to love Madi too, not just tolerate her. Dogs have an instinct for how someone is feeling. Let’s be honest, Dr. Black, you’re not a dog person.”
“What does ‘not a dog person’ look like?”
“They look pretty much like you. They keep their distance from the animal, sometimes it’s because they’re afraid—”
“I’m not afraid of dogs.” She thought he was a coward?
“—and sometimes it’s because people simply don’t like dogs, which is perfectly fine with me—” her tone suggested it wasn’t fine with her at all “—as long as they don’t try and care for a dog. You have a dog to care for, and the only solution I can come up with is that I will take Madi with me.”
“Take her? Take her where?”
“Home. I’ll call a cab and I can take Madi and all her food and belongings over to my apartment.”
“I can’t let you do that. I don’t even know you.”
“Madi knows me.” Offering her support to that statement, Madi pressed close to Harriet, licking her face adoringly.
Ethan tried not to think about all the potential pathogens she was spreading. “Are you allowed pets in your apartment?”
“I would never live anywhere that wouldn’t let me keep a dog. I often foster animals for the animal shelter.”
And now she wanted to take Madi. She was offering to remove his problem.
He was sorely tempted to let her do exactly that, but then he remembered his promise to his sister.
He thought about Karen, lying in hospital anxious about her dog.
“I can’t let you do that.”
“You don’t have a choice, Dr. Black, because I’m not leaving Madi here with you.”
Had Debra really said Harriet was gentle and mild?
Clearly she didn’t know her well.
He breathed deeply. “Can we start this again? I had a long day. A difficult day. I returned home to mayhem. I’ve needed an adjustment period, that’s true, and it’s also true that I have almost no experience caring for animals, but this dog is precious to my sister and my niece and I will do whatever it takes to make her happy while she’s staying with me.” He couldn’t believe he’d just said that. “But I’m going to need you to help me because, as you rightly say, I know nothing about dogs. And before you think that disqualifies me from caring for her, I should emphasize that I’m a quick learner.”
“I don’t think it’s in Madi’s best interests to stay here.” She stared at him for a long time and he sensed she was trying to read him.
“Look—have you eaten?”
“Excuse me?”
“Have you had dinner? It’s late. I’m hungry and I worked right through without lunch. My job doesn’t leave much time for food or bathroom breaks. You might as well join me and we can talk this through. I need to convince you I can be a good temporary home for Madi, but I can’t do that while you’re sitting there covered in snow glaring at me as if I’m an axe murderer. So let’s have dinner.” Why was she still staring at him? And why did she look so horrified? “I’m hungry. You must be too.”