“Problems with the famn damily?” Fiona asked as she came towards her carrying her narcotics box.
“What? Oh no. Carmen just wanted to see where I worked,” she answered distractedly.
“Whose Jeep Cherokee is that in the parking lot?” Fiona asked, pointing backwards with her thumb as Allyssa locked the front door behind her.
“That’s mine,” she said proudly, glancing at it under the lights in the parking lot before closing the blinds on the door.
“Nice,” Fiona commented as she continued into the back to lock up the box.
“Yeah, I got lucky. The station wagon my father had picked out had been sold,” she said, sort of triumphantly. Her grin gave away how happy she was with this turn of events.
“That’s a nice SUV,” she complimented her, returning the smile. “Hey, have you eaten dinner? I’m starved and I could sure use the company.”
“I can’t. I have to man the phones, and if someone comes in late….”
“Forward them to your cell and we can catch a bite to eat,” she advised as she began to wash up.
“I don’t have a cell,” she confessed.
“You don’t have a cell?” she looked at their receptionist incredulously. She’d never met a girl her age who wasn’t obsessed with their cell phone.
She shook her head. “My father doesn’t see the need for one for girls my age,” she confessed and then grinned. “Besides, the only ones who would call me are my family and this way they aren’t bugging me.”
“Good point and good attitude,” she complimented her with a grin. “Tell you what, let’s get this place cleaned up and we’ll forward the calls to my cell for dinner. My treat. I want a ride in your new SUV,” she confessed with a grin.
“Oh, hi, Fey. Just get in?” Dr. Bruce asked as he came in from the back kennels where he and the tech had just laid his patient out.
“Yeah, I had two calvings back to back. What a mess,” she pointed to the sterilizers that were humming.
That explained the mess, thought Allyssa as she listened.
“Yeah, I don’t know why you enjoy the large animal work. It’s not like that’s the majority of our business. I think you probably spend more on gas for those you attend.”
“I like large animal work,” she confessed.
“Better you than me. That reminds me…Allyssa, you are going to have to check on our patient every four hours. He shouldn’t awaken until morning, but you never know. I’m going to call the owner and let him know how it went,” he indicated his office where he would go write up his notes as well.
“Will do, Doctor Bruce,” she answered and then looked at the table he and the tech had used. The tech had left it for Allyssa to clean up, but then he was lazy like that.
“Let me help you,” Fiona offered when she saw the girl start cleaning up around where a very messy operation had just taken place.
“No, no, this is part of my job,” she refused.
“Actually, it’s his,” she nodded her head to where the tech had taken off out the back door.
“Well,” she shrugged, “I don’t mind.”
“Well,” she mimicked her, “you should.”
They shared a laugh, which made the clean-up easier with the two of them working quickly. Dr. Bruce left soon afterwards and then Allyssa made sure the back was locked up and quickly did a run through the front and back kennels, checking on patients including the emergency that had come in. The dog was sound asleep, an oxygen tube taped to its nose and an I.V. in its leg. She checked on Thumper, now Rex, who wagged his tail to show he recognized her. She’d have to take him out one more time later, but not now.
“Ready to go?” Fiona asked her when she returned to the front.
“Just have to set the phones to call forward,” she answered and quickly did that. Fiona’s phone rang a moment before she disconnected the call.
They went to a diner that was near the clinic down the road a way.
“Wow, I’m exhausted,” Fiona admitted as she slid into a booth and sighed gustily. “Glad I don’t have to cook,” she smiled at the waitress as she was handed a menu.
“Do you know what you want?” Allyssa asked her before even looking at the menu.
The waitress hovered in case they wanted to order right away.
“Actually, I do. Do you?” Fiona looked inquiringly across the table at the blonde.
Nodding, Allyssa looked up at the waitress and said, “I’ll have a BLT on white toast, fries extra well-done, and a root beer please?”
The waitress quickly wrote it down on her pad. “Extra well-done,” she murmured, repeating it back to them. “And you?” she turned to Fiona.
“I’ll have the roast with mashed potatoes, carrots instead of corn, and a large glass of milk please,” she smiled at the waitress as she handed back her menu.
“I’ll get that right up,” the woman assured her as she took the menu and then the one Allyssa handed her. “Do you two ladies want some water to tide you over?”
Both nodded and she took her menus and walked away, returning almost immediately with two ice waters for them. “Carl said it will take an extra minute or two on the fries,” she told Allyssa who nodded.
“Extra well-done?” Fiona asked her with a raised eyebrow after the waitress left again.
Allyssa shrugged self-consciously. “What can I say? I like them crispy.”
“I bet you like plenty of ketchup too?” she teased.
Allyssa smiled, “You’d win that bet.”
“So, a new SUV, eh?”
Allyssa’s smile got even wider as she nodded eagerly. “It’s got plenty of leg room and I love that it’s four-wheel drive. That Volvo had me slipping all over the interstate a few times.”
“I liked the sunroof. That’s going to be nice on summer days,” she admired.
“It’s still got the new car smell from when they cleaned it. I know it’s used, but it’s new to me,” she enthused.
“You’re one lucky girl,” Fiona smiled at her as she took a sip of her ice water.
Thinking about how she had let her father’s guilt help her to get it, she was sure she should be ashamed, but she wasn’t. It was a much better vehicle than that ugly green station wagon and made so much more sense than something without four-wheel drive in the snow and ice that was soon to come. She didn’t want to think about that anymore. Her father and his behavior still baffled her. She wondered if he had done that before with others. To get her mind off it she asked Fiona, “So, you like large animal practice more than small?”
Fiona smiled as she nodded. “I’d like a large animal practice of my own someday,” she gestured expressively.
“Not a lot of large animals in Denver,” Allyssa pointed out as she took a drink of water.
Fiona laughed. “That’s why a vet willing to travel a little way out of town is appreciated. I don’t mind the small animals, in fact I love the dogs and cats and the occasional rabbit or hamster. But I really love the horses, the cows, and even the exotics.”
“Why aren’t you a partner in Doctor Robinson’s clinic?
“He’s asked, but I don’t want to put out the money to be a partner as I’m saving for my own set-up. He’s selling me one of his older trucks and I have the money, but I’m still saving towards my own goal.”
“Oh, so you are going to move or set up out of his clinic?” She was confused as to what Fiona was planning.
The brunette shook her head. “No, I’m going to set up elsewhere if I can find the perfect place when I’m ready. I live simply and I’m going to do it right with the money I have saved up.”
“Well, maybe I can be your receptionist,” Allyssa teased with a grin.
Looking at the woman speculatively for only a moment, she smiled to show she appreciated the teasing, “Maybe you will at that.”
The waitress returned with their two plates of food and slid them in front of each of them before rushing off to get their drinks. “Sorry, should have
brought these first,” she apologized as she put them on the table and pulled a ketchup bottle from her apron for Allyssa. “Will there be anything else?” she asked, and when both shook their heads she headed off to wait on someone else.
“This looks good,” Fiona nearly moaned as she pulled out her napkin to spread across her lap and then, with her fork, dug into the mound of potatoes covered in gravy from the roast beef.
“Oh yeah,” Allyssa agreed as she put her own napkin on her lap and picked up the sandwich to take her first bite. She wasn’t allowed to indulge in such things too often; her money was tight and her parents didn’t approve of eating at such places. She loved BLTs, but few people, if any knew that. The fries were perfect too and she squeezed plenty of ketchup into a puddle on her plate.
“That looks good,” Fiona watched as the younger woman enjoyed her food. She looked like a little girl and Fiona was never more aware of their age gap than she was at this moment.
“That doesn’t look too bad either,” Allyssa pointed out and asked, “Why carrots instead of corn?”
“Roast should have carrots and potatoes, not corn,” she answered with perfect logic, cutting her roast into smaller pieces as it tore apart effortlessly.
“It should, eh?” Allyssa laughed at her.
They enjoyed their friendly banter, sharing stories of patients and their owners. Even in the short time Allyssa had worked at the clinic, she had some stories.
“So, you like working with the animals?” Fiona confirmed.
Nodding, Allyssa licked a bit of ketchup off the corner of her mouth, not realizing how provocative it looked. “I love it,” she admitted. “I told you, someday I want a hobby farm. Maybe I’ll make enough money in business that I can do that full time.”
Fiona smiled, watching the younger girl and feeling an undeniable attraction; however, she got no vibes from her that she was interested. “Won’t your boyfriend have something to say about that?”
Allyssa lost her smile almost immediately. She shook her head. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“You don’t?” Fiona was surprised. With the little she had gleaned about Allyssa’s family she was sure the girl would. “Why not?”
“My parents keep introducing me to all the ‘right’ guys at the country club, but they are the same horny frat boys I met at the college, and while their families have money and class, they don’t. I don’t want that,” she suppressed a little shudder at the thought.
“So, no boyfriends,” Fiona stated. Figuring what the hell, she asked, “How about girlfriends then?”
Allyssa laughed like Fiona had made an actual joke. “Could you imagine that with my parents? They barely allow me to have friends.”
“Allow you?”
“Well, they were very particular about who I hung out with in school. They didn’t want me meeting the wrong element. It seems to me that you are going to have that wrong element whether you go to public or private school. The smart kid is going to realize that and stay away from it unless they want it anyway. When I have kids, I won’t tell them what they can do all the time. I’ll provide guidance, but I won’t choose their friends.”
Fiona was surprised. This was the first time she’d heard Allyssa really speak up for herself and talk about what she would want other than the hobby farm. “So, you want kids?”
“Oh, yes,” Allyssa nodded. “Don’t you?”
“I never really thought about it,” she admitted. “I’ve been too busy with school and now saving for my own practice to think about it.”
“Do you like kids?” she asked before she remembered seeing her with some of their patients’ owners. She was very kind to the children. Then she remembered she had seen her with a niece and a nephew.
“Yeah, they are great. There weren’t a lot of them around on the ranch, but I always got along with others, and they love animals, so they can’t be all that bad,” she teased. “I’d put them down if they were.”
Allyssa laughed as she was supposed to. “I want two boys and two girls; a nice round, even number.”
“You know,” Fiona pointed out with her fork, “you don’t get to choose the sex?”
The young blonde laughed harder. “Well, in my utopia I get to.”
“Then you’ll have to make your utopia a reality,” she teased.
“You seemed good with your niece and nephew,” she pointed out.
“Oh, they weren’t really my niece and nephew. My brother and sister are too young to have children. That was actually my girlfriend’s children I took to the pool that day.”
Absorbing that, Allyssa wasn’t sure if she meant girlfriend or girlfriend and really didn’t want to sound naive, so she didn’t ask.
They enjoyed their dinner and friendly banter. Declining dessert, they headed back to the clinic with Allyssa driving her new Jeep. Fiona had admired it before, but had been too hungry to appreciate it. Now she looked over the features and watched as the younger girl effortlessly and unconsciously drove it safely back to the clinic. She was a safe and conscientious driver. She admired this responsible young girl and was glad to consider her a friend.
Fiona checked on the animals with Allyssa and watched as she carefully helped Rex out of his cage and out to the back so he could poop and pee. The sling made things awkward, but he was anxious to go so he put up with it. The girl was patient and kind and it was obvious she had developed an affection for the big pup.
Fiona quickly wrote up her notes for the files and cleaned up the office before turning out those lights and leaving Allyssa to her solitary evening. She had very politely thanked her for dinner and Fiona had promised her they would do it again sometime.
As the assistant vet, Fiona was frequently given the late-night hours and since she enjoyed it so, the occasional large animal part of the practice. As a result, she ran into Allyssa frequently in her solitary existence late at night in the clinic. Their conversations, while sometimes brief, were the development of a true and firm friendship. Fiona asked her to call her Fey when the others weren’t around and Allyssa talked to her more about her own dreams and desires.
“Why don’t you switch your major to something in animal husbandry. Become a vet tech or, since you have the brains for it, become a vet yourself?”
“My parents would never allow it. They are paying for my college education and they seem to feel they can dictate what classes I take. They still don’t know about the classes I didn’t drop on their advice.” Allyssa knew she would pay for that at midterm, but it was still a way off and she was doing better this term. She was happier than she could ever remember being. Studying at the clinic was helping, but she liked her job and her life was pretty good. Her weekends at home were the only bane of her existence and she took shifts at the clinic whenever she could so she didn’t have to go home. Things were tense there since Juanita left and her mother hadn’t been able to find an adequate replacement. No one dared to tell her she was the reason no one would stay. Her imperious attitude towards ‘the help’ tended to make anyone that worked there want to leave, but her mother couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to work for the Webster family.
Allyssa avoided her father except when she had to interact with him. His behavior that day and her guilt about using it to her advantage made things awkward. He seemed to be spending a lot of time at the country club these days and his invitations for her to play tennis or even golf, which she hated, were rebuffed. Helen took him up on the offers frequently even though he hadn’t made them to her and this seemed to annoy him.
“I don’t know why Mother and Father are spending so much time at the country club this fall, but they always seem to be doing activities there,” Carmen complained to Allyssa when she saw her.
Allyssa didn’t comment, but then most conversations with her sister were one-sided. She didn’t want to venture an opinion as that would open the conversation and allow her sister to somehow criticize her, so she stayed quiet.
Allyssa only went home
to do her laundry and have the family dinner, which was forced conversation answering questions about her work or school, which she could honestly say had improved. She was enjoying this semester and doing well, but of course, her family wouldn’t believe her until her grades came in. She resented that the grades would come to this house and she wouldn’t even have the privacy of seeing them first. Her mother or her father would open them because they were paying for the education. She knew the day the grades came out and they found out she hadn’t dropped the animal husbandry or the sciences courses and taken more business courses there would be a conversation she wasn’t looking forward to. Still, she had done very well in all of them and she hoped her good grades would overcome their aversion for these courses she didn’t ‘need.’
Chapter Eight
Allyssa received some sort of reprieve when she learned that someone had stolen mail from not only her parent’s mailbox, but several people’s in the area. Things like this didn’t happen in Regal Crest Gardens. It was unprecedented, so it created a lot of drama with the police being called when it was realized it wasn’t limited to one household. The post office was involved, so it was a federal crime. By the time her parents realized that Allyssa’s midterm grades must have been among the mail that was missing, she was well into the second half of the term. Her ‘forgetfulness’ in obtaining a copy from the college was commented on, but as it wasn’t of vast importance she only received a few tongue lashings about this.
The truth was she had received a copy of the grades when she went into the university offices, and she had been very pleased with the results. She showed them to her friend Fey, but no one else. She didn’t want to hear from her parents about her chosen courses. She was planning on taking more animal husbandry and other science classes. She had decided she would pursue being a vet tech and maybe, if she had the brains for it, become a vet herself. Her fascination at the clinic had increased and she helped whenever they let her. She realized now, that first night with Fey had been an anomaly and the doctor didn’t normally let a lay person help with an operation. Still, it had led to an association she cherished; not only in the clinic, but in her friendship with Fey. She didn’t want to jeopardize her plans by allowing her family to put their two cents into her life.
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