“Let me know if there are any problems,” he said. “I’ll be in my office.” Where he would update the dog’s file and scan the list of appointments he had for the afternoon.
As he walked down the hallway, he instinctively paused outside the grooming area. Rina was wielding clippers with the skill of an artist, trimming a small poodle’s feet. She carried on a conversation with the animal as she worked, her voice low and soothing. He was familiar with that voice. He’d heard it when he’d had the flu and Rina had practically moved in to take care of both him and Kaitlyn.
He shook off the memory and continued toward his office. On the main hallway wall were hundreds of pictures of pets, donated by their happy owners. Rina had been the one to suggest the picture wall and it had grown. More than one family brought in a new picture every visit to add to the collection.
The bulletin board in the waiting area had a flyer for the adoption event coming up next weekend. Something else Rina was involved with. In his office, he skirted around a planter full of “kitty grass” Rina insisted they keep for their overnight feline guests.
She was everywhere, and he’d never noticed that before. When he’d first arrived in Fool’s Gold, she’d been the one who had given him the list of where to shop and how to avoid trouble with the Gionni sisters by making sure he and Kaitlyn alternated between their hair salons. Rina had chided him into joining the Chamber of Commerce and signed him up to speak on taking care of pets at the local elementary schools. She’d taught his daughter to skate, had baked her a birthday cake and carefully curled her hair for the first day of school.
When Rina disappeared from his life, he would lose far more than simply a babysitter or even a friend. A part of him wanted to be angry at her for changing the rules, but another part of him understood why she wanted more than she had.
Which made him wonder, when she walked away, what would she lose?
She said she loved him and he believed her. But, thinking about all she’d done for him and how little he’d done for her, he couldn’t help but wonder why. He’d never consciously gone out of his way to be kind. She was someone he liked and enjoyed spending time with. When she’d needed a new-to-her car, he’d helped her pick out the one that suited her needs best and then had given her advice on negotiating. He’d fixed a few things in her apartment. She had a crazy phobia about the dentist, so he literally held her hand during her twice-yearly cleaning. But that’s what friends did for each other. It wasn’t love.
He crossed to the window. While he paid her to take care of his daughter, he didn’t pay her to care. That she had given freely.
The holiday pageant was a celebration of cultures and traditions. The translation of that statement was that it challenged the parents of grade-school-aged children with costume design and construction worthy of Broadway.
Rina had spent nearly a month on Kaitlyn’s Christmas princess costume, wanting the girl to be thrilled with the results. The hours of sewing had produced a fairy-tale confection in deep red with ruffles and lace and a few beads thrown in for good measure.
Now Rina carefully removed the hot rollers from Kaitlyn’s dark hair and finger-combed the ringlets. The girl stayed completely still, as if willing the transformation.
“This would be better if we had some cartoon forest animals,” Rina joked, separating a few curls, then reaching for her can of hairspray. “Okay, deep breath.”
Kaitlyn obligingly took a breath and held it. At the same time, she put her hands over her face. Rina carefully sprayed the curls into place, made a few last-minute adjustments, sprayed again, and then announced, “Got it.”
Kaitlyn lowered her hands to her side. “How do I look?” she asked.
Rina studied the girl, taking in the green eyes so like her father’s and the flush on her cheeks. She was lovely, the structure of her face already hinting at the beauty she would be as she grew up.
An ache began in Rina’s chest, the knowledge that she would miss so much about Kaitlyn’s daily life.
“Almost perfect,” Rina told her. “There’s just one thing missing.” She reached up for the small diamond heart pendant she always wore. The one her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday.
After unfastening the pendant, she placed the chain around Kaitlyn’s neck. “I think you should wear this tonight. Because every princess needs to sparkle.”
Kaitlyn touched the heart, then threw her arms around Rina’s neck. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too. Always. Remember that. Whatever happens, I’ll be there for you.”
Kaitlyn straightened and looked her in the eyes. “I know.”