At night, the meltdowns became shorter. Some nights, they did not come at all. Betty slept with Scooby curled nearby, her body relaxed in a way Vanessa had rarely seen. For the first time, Vanessa allowed herself a fragile sense of hope.
Scooby’s paws were the first thing Vanessa noticed. They grew too fast, spreading wide and heavy against the floor. Each morning, they looked larger than the night before, as if his body had skipped steps Vanessa could not see.