She knelt beside him, brushing his fur, but he didn’t budge. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “He’ll be back soon.” But Juno wasn’t listening. He pawed at the door, whining with an edge of panic. Gabby offered him his favorite plushie—ignored. Treats—ignored. Even the bacon from this morning—sniffed, but untouched.
She moved him to the quiet playpen and sat beside him. Time dragged like wet wool. Every shuffle of footsteps outside made Juno twitch. He was restless, circling the fence, eyes always darting to the front. Gabby kept petting him, but her own nerves were beginning to fray. Something didn’t feel right.