He leaned back against the wall, finally catching his breath. Sunlight streamed through the clinic window, glinting off the metal table. For the first time all morning, the air felt still. Then he glanced at the clock on the wall and winced. “Oh no… I was supposed to be at work three hours ago.” The vet looked up from her chart, amused.
“Something tells me your boss will forgive you once you explain why.” Ethan rubbed the back of his neck and laughed softly. “Yeah, maybe. But I’m not sure he’ll believe me.” He looked down at the puppy, who thumped its tail twice in response. “What do you think, huh? Think they’ll buy the ‘train-stopping dog rescue’ story?”