As I pulled into the parking lot at the vet's office I passed a woman standing alone behind a pickup truck with the gate down. Her hair was wet and disheveled and she had on dark sunglasses that weren't necessary. I knew instantly that she was there to have her dog put down...the grief was radiating off of her. We carefully avoided eye contact as I got Aubrey out of the car and took her inside to get her nails clipped. While Aubrey was in the back the woman came into the waiting area and just stood there, unsure of what to do, whether to sit or stand. She kept her dark glasses on. Suddenly the exam room door opens and a large man with a gaunt face asks her to open the outer door. The man and the doctor struggle to lift and carry the body of what is obviously a very large dog, who is wrapped carefully in a lovely old quilt. My breath caught in my throat and instantly my eyes filled with tears. The woman came back into the office and handed her credit card to the doctor, a silent transaction. I wanted to tell her how sorry I was for her loss but I didn't want to intrude.
I wasn't prepared for the juggernaut of sadness those few seconds created, and I can't get the image out of my head. When they brought Aubrey back to me she jumped into my lap and kissed my cheek and I hugged her close to me, my tears dropping onto her head. I miss Bailey so much.
