Page 37 of The Sweet Talker
I start the car, and Mabel presses her nose to the window as I pull into traffic and head for the highway. Josie sits up a little straighter. “Where are we going?”
“Have you ever been to West Haven?”
“Actually, no.” I nod, and feel her eyes on me. “You made out okay with your delivery there today?”
“Oh, yeah, for sure.”
“Why are we going back?”
“You’ll see.”
She just shakes her head at me. “Fine, Brody. You can have your secrets.”
She hums to the radio as I drive, and conversation turns to her parents and how much she misses everyone. As she reminisces, an idea forms. If she can’t go home for Christmas, maybe I can bring home to her.
Soon enough, I pull off the highway and drive through the quaint town of West Haven. “So pretty here.”
“They don’t decorate quite as much as Holiday Peak, but close.”
“Where’s the pharmacy you delivered to today?”
“Right here,” I say, and pull off the road. She stares straight ahead at the big old homestead in the distance, and the busy hill behind it, kids and adults both sliding down it on toboggans.
“What…”
I point to the sign. She reads it, and her nose crinkles. “Farmacy? I don’t get it.”
“It’s not a pharmacy, it’s a bed and breakfast, and they have tons of different animals that guests can pet for therapeutic healing. A farm-acy. It’s brilliant.”
Her jaw drops open. “No way.”
“Yeah, and you don’t have to stay at the bed and breakfast to do it. It’s open to the public. I already bought us tickets, and they use the funds to care for the animals. They have snowmobiles, sleds, and all the animals we can pet.”
Her smile is so big, it lights up her entire face. “I love this, Brody.”
“I figured you would.”
“Asking around about me again, were you?”
“Nope, don’t need to. You’re an animal lover, and after seeing the stress on your face today, I thought you could use a natural, therapeutic treatment to unwind. You’re wrapped up in getting all your orders correct for others, but you can’t forget about yourself.”
“You won’t let me do that.”
“Damn right I won’t.” Mabel sticks her head between the seats.
“They won’t mind Miss Mabel?”
“Dogs are welcome. I asked. They have an area where she can play with other dogs. She’ll love it.”
I slowly go up the driveway and park, noticing there are a few less cars than this afternoon. Josie hops from the car, and Mabel follows her out. She’s spinning in circles with all the new smells. We leash her and head to the back of the house, where we’re greeted and shown around. We introduce Mabel to the other dogs in the fenced off area and head to the barn for chili and fresh biscuits. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Josie smile so hard.
“How did I not know about this place?” she asks as we sit at one of the large tables, and dig into our food.
“You haven’t really lifted your head in a long time,” I tell her, and give her thigh a little squeeze.
She tugs on my hat, and I take it off. She laughs at the mess of my hair, and says, “You’re right, but I’m having fun now.”
“Good. That’s the main thing.” I take a spoonful of chili. “This is so good.”