Page 3 of Full Contact

She’d been doing well on the medication. Her weight had held, her appetite was good, and her latest bloodwork had been remarkable. That was Dr. Feld’s word.

Some people showed you their children’s report cards. I could show you Peaches’s kidney numbers.

Anna slid her tablet toward me. “They moved September’s appointment. Twenty-fourth instead of the twenty-second. Dr. Feld has a conference.”

I checked my calendar and changed the date. Peaches had bloodwork every ninety days.

“Same time?”

“Nine fifteen.”

“I’ll check it against the camp schedule when we get the final version.”

“Either way, I’ll be here.”

We went through the dates I’d be away, starting with a short trip in August. Anna stayed at the condo when I traveled so Peaches could stay in her own bed and not deal with any inconvenience. We’d tried other arrangements before Anna. None had gone well.

“How was dinner?” I asked.

Anna glanced toward the cat’s bowl. “Left three kibbles.”

“So she ate well.”

Peaches washed one paw beside the treat jar, taking her time. I took a picture while she was still sitting in the light, then sent it to the nine people who received her updates. My brother and his family were on the list, along with two teammates, the receptionist at the vet, and her former sitter in Arizona.

I included the new appointment date and mentioned the bloodwork.

My sister-in-law replied to the update.

Kelsey: You told us it was remarkable already.

Trier: It remains remarkable.

Kelsey: Give her a kiss from us.

I bent and kissed the top of Peaches’s head. She stopped washing long enough to look at me.

“From your aunt. Take it up with her.”

Anna smiled and began putting her things away. We said good night at the door, and I waited until I heard the elevator arrive before turning back toward the kitchen.

Peaches stepped onto the chair beside the counter, then down to the floor. I’d bought the chair after watching her consider the full jump one evening and decide against it. It was a little too low for anyone to sit comfortably at the counter, but it was the right height for her.

She ate the last three kibbles out of her bowl.

***

Russ called the following afternoon while I was choosing a shirt for Rook and Varga’s cookout.

I propped the phone against the bedroom mirror. “If this is about the video, I’ve seen it.”

“Christmas.”

“It’s July.”

“It’s late July. Last year we waited until October and Kelsey’s mother got the good week.”

“You mean Christmas week?”