Read Online Healing Hearts by Margaret Daley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Margaret Daley
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be ready by the time we get back. We’ll have Mrs. Ponder cut some slices for us. It’s your favorite, chocolate with vanilla icing.”
Abbey walked next to Madison. “I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering just thinking about it.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Madison’s shoulders slumped, and she stared at the carrots in her lap.
“When was the last time you saw Spice?” Abbey asked, watching the child’s body language.
“The day before the accident.” Madison shifted around and peered at Abbey. “What if she forgot who I am? It’s been a long time.”
“She won’t have forgotten you. Lots of animals have a long memory when it comes to stuff like that.”
“I hope so.”
Dominic arrived at the yard in front of the barn. “Look who is coming out to greet you.”
The girl lifted her head. “Spice!”
Walking bowlegged, a cowboy, probably in his fifties, led a pinto out of the open double doors toward Madison. “My lands, child, she saw you coming and began prancing around. Here, would you like to hold her reins?”
“Do you think she missed me, Uncle Chad?”
“She’s been pining for you. I usually keep her in this paddock next to the barn, and she hangs out at this here fence, watching the back door at the house.”
Spice dropped her head near Madison while the girl held up a carrot for the pinto to munch. When there were no more carrots, the horse nudged the child until she began stroking Spice’s nose.
“I’m thinking she remembers you and misses you.” Uncle Chad winked at Madison. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s horses.”
Gabe planted himself next to the wheelchair and watched the exchange between Spice and Madison. The pinto finally acknowledged the dog’s existence by sniffing him. Gabe let her. When Spice returned to Madison, Gabe yelped once.
“Gabe approves of Spice.” Abbey moved closer to Dominic while giving Gabe more of the leash.
Madison’s expression emphasized how important animals were to her. She connected to Spice, but she also took time to rub Gabe and give him attention while all three acquainted themselves with the others. Abbey immediately thought of the abandoned dog she’d taken in. She hadn’t named her yet, and she was beginning to think that was because she thought the bichon would be perfect for Madison.
“I’d like to bring the little dog I just took in to meet your sister. I think Madison and the bichon would get along great,” Abbey whispered to Dominic, not wanting the child to hear in case her brother didn’t agree.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to try to replace Zoe so soon? They went everywhere together. Zoe even slept with Madi.”
“I think it’s worth seeing if it would work.”
“We’ll see. So much with Madi is up in the air until she heals.”
“But a lot of it doesn’t have to be. A kid needs to feel everything around her is the same where it can be. Routine gives comfort. The familiar does, too.” Abbey had worked hard to make sure Lisa’s life was as normal as possible even in the middle of the fight for her life.
“We’ll let Madi decide what she wants after she spends some time with the dog. I think Gabe will be hard to replace.” Dominic grinned. “He’s a charmer and reminds me of my golden retriever the more I’m around him.”
“Yeah, he senses what others need and tries to give it to them.”
“Unless they’re in an electric wheelchair.”
“He does have his limits, unfortunately.”
Dominic’s gaze snagged hers. “How about you?”
“Everyone does,” Abbey said with a chuckle. But behind his expression was a seriousness, as though he’d been questioning his own limits. She remembered doing that about this time after her daughter died.
* * *
“The end,” Abbey said, and closed the book she’d read to Madison in her bedroom later that evening.
Madison’s eyebrows scrunched together. “But it’s not the end. I want to know if Nancy Drew catches the
Abbey walked next to Madison. “I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering just thinking about it.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Madison’s shoulders slumped, and she stared at the carrots in her lap.
“When was the last time you saw Spice?” Abbey asked, watching the child’s body language.
“The day before the accident.” Madison shifted around and peered at Abbey. “What if she forgot who I am? It’s been a long time.”
“She won’t have forgotten you. Lots of animals have a long memory when it comes to stuff like that.”
“I hope so.”
Dominic arrived at the yard in front of the barn. “Look who is coming out to greet you.”
The girl lifted her head. “Spice!”
Walking bowlegged, a cowboy, probably in his fifties, led a pinto out of the open double doors toward Madison. “My lands, child, she saw you coming and began prancing around. Here, would you like to hold her reins?”
“Do you think she missed me, Uncle Chad?”
“She’s been pining for you. I usually keep her in this paddock next to the barn, and she hangs out at this here fence, watching the back door at the house.”
Spice dropped her head near Madison while the girl held up a carrot for the pinto to munch. When there were no more carrots, the horse nudged the child until she began stroking Spice’s nose.
“I’m thinking she remembers you and misses you.” Uncle Chad winked at Madison. “If there’s one thing I know, it’s horses.”
Gabe planted himself next to the wheelchair and watched the exchange between Spice and Madison. The pinto finally acknowledged the dog’s existence by sniffing him. Gabe let her. When Spice returned to Madison, Gabe yelped once.
“Gabe approves of Spice.” Abbey moved closer to Dominic while giving Gabe more of the leash.
Madison’s expression emphasized how important animals were to her. She connected to Spice, but she also took time to rub Gabe and give him attention while all three acquainted themselves with the others. Abbey immediately thought of the abandoned dog she’d taken in. She hadn’t named her yet, and she was beginning to think that was because she thought the bichon would be perfect for Madison.
“I’d like to bring the little dog I just took in to meet your sister. I think Madison and the bichon would get along great,” Abbey whispered to Dominic, not wanting the child to hear in case her brother didn’t agree.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea to try to replace Zoe so soon? They went everywhere together. Zoe even slept with Madi.”
“I think it’s worth seeing if it would work.”
“We’ll see. So much with Madi is up in the air until she heals.”
“But a lot of it doesn’t have to be. A kid needs to feel everything around her is the same where it can be. Routine gives comfort. The familiar does, too.” Abbey had worked hard to make sure Lisa’s life was as normal as possible even in the middle of the fight for her life.
“We’ll let Madi decide what she wants after she spends some time with the dog. I think Gabe will be hard to replace.” Dominic grinned. “He’s a charmer and reminds me of my golden retriever the more I’m around him.”
“Yeah, he senses what others need and tries to give it to them.”
“Unless they’re in an electric wheelchair.”
“He does have his limits, unfortunately.”
Dominic’s gaze snagged hers. “How about you?”
“Everyone does,” Abbey said with a chuckle. But behind his expression was a seriousness, as though he’d been questioning his own limits. She remembered doing that about this time after her daughter died.
* * *
“The end,” Abbey said, and closed the book she’d read to Madison in her bedroom later that evening.
Madison’s eyebrows scrunched together. “But it’s not the end. I want to know if Nancy Drew catches the
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