Run Over
Fargo, North Dakota. Mid-January—5pm.
"Hey Dad?"
"Uh huh?"
"I'm gonna go over to the clinic for a couple of hours."
"Isn't it closing soon?"
"Yeah, but I can get more work done after Doctor Collins leaves, so this makes sense."
"You gonna be back for dinner?"
"Probably not."
"Okay. I'll just throw something in the microwave and you can fend for yourself."
"Sounds good, Dad. I'll be back by eight at the latest."
His son grabbed his heavy coat, and as much as his dad tried not to say anything, it just sort of came out.
"Alex? I know you're devoted to becoming a vet, but shouldn't a healthy 25-year old guy be spending time with a young lady instead of cats and dogs?"
His son didn't get upset anymore. The breakup had been nearly a year ago, and he knew it was high time to, as they say, get back in the ball game. But his dad was right. His sole focus at this point was graduating from veterinary college and coming back to Sandy Paws Animal Clinic as Dr. Collins's partner rather than her apprentice.
"Tell you what, Dad. When you start dating again, I'll go out with you and your girl. Deal?"
Michael McDonald's wife left him nearly six years ago right after Alex graduated from high school. He was now 58 years old and hadn't been on a single date, and because the experience left him so bitter, he didn't care if he never got close to another woman. And as long as Alex was still living at home with him, even if he was gone almost all the time between school and work, he just didn't see where he needed anyone else.
He stood there and looked at his son then started smiling before he said, "Okay. You win."
Alex laughed then walked over and gave his dad a hug and smiled.
"You know I'm right."
"Yeah, yeah. Go see your damn cats!"
"I won't be too late, Dad. I promise."
"I've heard that before!" his father called out as his son opened the door letting in a blast of frigid air.
*****
Same day—5pm. Fargo National Cemetery.
He shivered as the cold seeped into his bones in spite of the fur hat, coat, scarf and gloves. He'd stood there for a good ten minutes, but this was about all he could take.
"Leece? You stay as long as you like, but I gotta go warm up, okay?"
His sister was staring at the headstone, and he wasn't sure she'd heard him. He was going to repeat himself when she finally looked at him.
"Sure. I'll be right there. I just need another minute or two. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is," her brother replied as he tried to keep his teeth from chattering.
It was not only very cold, the sky was low and dark and looked ominous. More snow was coming soon, and while there was nothing he could do about that, he could get out of the cold.
By the time his sister got in the car with him, the heater was blowing warm air.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to stay that long," she said after closing the door.
Her brother looked at her and wondered if she was even aware of how cold it was outside, but he knew how much she'd loved him, and on the third anniversary of his passing, there was no doubt she was deep in thought.
"It's fine. Really," he told her before gently reminding her to put her seatbelt on.
Neither of them spoke on the ride home, but there wasn't really anything to be said. They'd said it all before many times before, and nothing was going to bring him back.
Lisa Blackman was 36 years old and had lost her husband, Joe, to pneumonia, of all things, when he was just 35. It was rare, but as they learned, it did happen. Her older brother, Ed Halstead, had just turned 41 and did his best to be there for his little sister who was finally coming out of the dark haze that had surrounded her since Joe's death.
Today was an exception, and Ed realized that this would most likely always be a solemn day for Lisa as long as she lived. Even so, he hoped with all his heart that she'd find someone else and maybe even be as happy as she'd once been.
"Isn't it supposed to snow more today?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.
"That's what they said on the weather this morning."
"It looks...terrible out there."
"You need to get home and get inside before the next wave hits," Ed told her.
"I will. I'll go straight home as soon as we get back to your place," Lisa promised.
The first heavy, fat flakes were falling just as they pulled up to her car in Ed's driveway.
"Thank you, big brother," Lisa said as they sat there, the car still idling.
"I'm always here for you, Leece. You know that."
"Yes I do, and you know how much that means to me."
"You better go. Just be careful, okay?"
"Always," she promised.
They'd both been born and raised in Fargo, so winter was no big deal to them. Even so, it still presented challenges, and one of them was driving in snow, something Lisa hated to do. She did it on a routine basis, but the older she got the more she dreaded it.
It took nearly ten minutes for the windshield to clear enough to let her see out of the front window. By the time she could safely drive, the back window had defrosted and she was able to see well enough out of either side so she put the car in reverse and carefully backed out onto the road.
Dark, dirty snow was piled high on both sides of the road from the snowplows that kept the streets as clear as possible during the winter, and another small layer had already formed as she drove along at around 15mph in order to be able to stop if need be.
She made a right turn at the end of the street then drove four blocks before making a left at a light. Seven blocks later she made another right and breathed a sigh of relief now that she was less than a mile from home. Still being very cautious, Lisa upped her speed to nearly 25 in the 35mph zone and focused on staying in her lane as cars slowly passed her from the opposite direction. Everyone had their lights on, and that caused a glare she had to deal with on top of the icy road.
Her phone buzzed indicating an incoming text. Were it a call, Bluetooth would have sent it to the car's audio system. But it didn't handle texts, so she took a quick look at her phone to see who it was from. It was a reminder from Ed, but she already knew about it, so after just a quick glance, she looked back at the road.
It took her brain a second to comprehend what it was seeing, and in just that short amount of time, she knew it was too late. Even so, she stepped on the brake and prayed she'd miss it without sliding into oncoming traffic. The top of the dog disappeared under her hood as she closed her eyes and said, "No, no, no!" just before the 'bump' followed by a howl of pain.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" she repeated as the car finally came to a stop.
Without even checking the rearview mirror, Lisa jumped out and ran to the animal that was laying in the road, whimpering and crying.
"I am SO sorry!" she said as though the dog could understand her.
She saw the left rear leg and realized it was hurt. A man about her age who wasn't all that far behind her stopped and got out to help.
"What can I do?" he asked as he walked up.
"I...I don't know. I didn't even see it. I was just driving along and then...."
