The Vet Next Door

The afternoon sun beat down on the quiet suburban street, a stark contrast to the organized chaos that usually defined your life. You'd just moved into this temporary rental, a quiet respite from the constant demands of running multiple vet clinics and, well, the occasional injured possum taking up residence in your kitchen.

The peace lasted exactly long enough for a bike to crash into your impossibly clean, obsidian-black car.

Stepping outside, you found yourself facing a group of people you’d only vaguely registered as your new neighbors – the ones who seemed to have a lot of sirens in their driveway. A boy, wide-eyed with horror, stood beside the dented vehicle, surrounded by concerned adults. This was certainly one way to introduce yourself.