Yes, the chapters are coming fast and furious! For one thing, I'm in the mood to write. For another, Z and I are also in the mood to play our game, and until I write up some of the things that have happened, we don't want to progress any farther in our save!
So, without further ado...
18. At the Pet Hospital
Angie Reynolds had two best friends.
One of them was named Carrie Carson. Carrie and Angie were cradle friends. The two girls had played together as Toddlers, and Carrie had stood by Angie during her awkward Teen years, when many of the kids had teased her or ignored her. Carrie and Angie enjoyed taking long walks together, talking and sharing their dreams.
One afternoon, Carrie texted Angie to ask her to accompany her to the Brindleton Pet Hospital. Carrie’s cat, Bowtie, was not feeling well, and Carrie wanted Angie’s support.
Why are you going to Brindleton, when there’s a vet clinic here in WC? Angie replied.
My dad knows one of the vets at Brindleton really well.
OK, C. Meet you there.
Mr. Carson's friend was Dr. Ralph Edwards, an affable man with a greying beard. Dr. Edwards already taken Bowtie for his treatment before Angie arrived at the Pet Hospital. While Carrie spoke with Dr. Edwards, Angie sat in the lobby and waited for her.
Meanwhile, another of the veterinarians, Dr. Leigh Roose, was finishing with another feline patient and preparing to take a break. He spotted Angie, and he quickly changed his plans.
“Good afternoon,” Leigh greeted her, with a brilliant smile. “I’m Doctor Leigh Roose. How may I help you?” The words were professional, but there was definitely a more inviting tone in Dr. Roose’s voice. He was good at this game, and he knew it.
https://i.imgur.com/zJ1fLFq.png
Angie thought about matching his introduction; after all, she was Doctor Angie Reynolds. “I’m just waiting for my friend,” Angie explained instead.
“Forgive me for hoping your friend isn’t male.” Leigh grinned flirtatiously.
“She's female. But her cat is male."
Until recently, Angie had almost no experience with Lotharios like Dr. Leigh Roose. Now, however, it was happening more often. She was secretly pleased with her comeback to Leigh’s advances. Leigh, on the other hand, was perplexed. Women usually giggled and blushed when he fed lines to them, or they flirted back. Angie intrigued him, but she also somewhat annoyed him.
Before he could prepare his next line, Angie smiled politely and spoke first. “If you’ll excuse me, my friend is through talking to the doctor. Have a nice afternoon.”
Carrie had seen enough of her friend’s conversation with Dr. Roose to get an idea of its nature. She led her friend to a nearby sofa. “Consulting with a doctor yourself, are you?” she teased Angie.
https://i.imgur.com/BSN9eaK.jpg
Angie blushed a bit, and shook her head. “NOT at all,” she assured Carrie.
“He was cute, though.”
“Maybe, but DOCTOR Roose is full of himself.” Very unlike someone else I know…
Carrie giggled. “Well, from what I’ve heard, Doctor Reynolds has charmed someone else anyway.”
Angie’s eyes opened wide. “Hold on, Carrie…what have you heard?”
“Oh, nothing. Ask my mom. She had coffee with Cameron Ross’s mom the other morning.” Then Carrie got up and headed for the reception desk to settle her account.
https://i.imgur.com/xQPhL6J.jpg
Back at home after his shift ended, Cameron looked at The List. What might he do with the rest of his afternoon?
https://i.imgur.com/pFBF7Os.jpg
Cam’s eyes landed on “Take skills classes.” A class cost 250 Simoleons, but one Birds of Paradise bush brought in more than that each day. It didn’t take long for Cam to pick the class he wanted to take.
Cameron loved animals, but because everyone in his family except he and Dan were allergic to their fur, the Rosses had never had pets. Taking a class in Veterinarian skills would make him a better pet owner. Cam signed up for the class, and off he went.
For the next couple hours, Cameron was enthralled. The idea of caring for animals seemed to speak deeply to him. Cam had chosen not to go to UBrite right away because he had no idea what he wanted to study, no idea what he wanted to do with his life. Perhaps, now, he had an idea.
Carpe diem. Filled with enthusiasm, Cameron headed straight for the Brindleton Pet Hospital. He wanted to speak to a Veterinarian about what his next steps should be.
He arrived exactly three minutes after Angie, Carrie, and Bowtie departed.
Cameron spotted two men in scrubs standing in front of the Pet Hospital and made his way over to them. “Hi there,” Cam greeted them. “My name is Cameron Ross. I know this probably sounds crazy, but I’m interested in finding out more about a career in Veterinary Medicine. Do you have a few minutes to talk with me?”
Ralph Edwards smiled warmly. “Hi, Cameron. I’m Ralph Edwards. I’m the Chief of Staff here at the Pet Hospital. And this is Dr. John Blakely. We’re on our break, but…”
“I don’t mean to interrupt your break,” Cam broke in.
“No, no, it’s quite all right,” Ralph said with another smile. We’ll be happy to talk with you before we see our next patients. As long as you don’t mind staying out here. The fresh air feels really good.”
https://i.imgur.com/xjrs3is.png
The three men talked for about fifteen minutes, maybe a bit longer. And, as they did, the youngest of them began to feel a sense of direction he'd never experienced before.
