Connections by Jacqueline Wein

the sounds and smells were exaggerated. The soft hairs that made her fur so smooth stiffened into quills, pricking inward, piercing her skin. Her tongue ached from swallowing to try to force saliva into her throat. The saliva that bubbled around her mouth and hung from her tongue. Her instinct to run away and to be free hurled her against the door.
    Then the small arms were around her middle, the light body on her back. And even though they were much too weak to restrain her, the strength of the little boy’s love hugged her. “Don’t worry, Kola. I’m not going to let them hurt you. Ever. And I’m not going to leave you here. You gotta come home with me after.”
    She let Clifford lead her back to the bench where Jessica was sitting, the woman’s arm reaching for both of them. She sat between the boy’s legs. Rather than prison bars, Kola knew they would shelter her.
    “Oh, what a sweetheart you are.” Clifford instinctively held Kola tighter, but he smiled at the lady who had just come into the waiting room. “Aren’t you a honey,” she said to Kola who knew, without being touched, that the lady was not speaking to Clifford or to his mother but to her, in a warm, friendly way. Kola stood, her tail arched in a plume behind her. When the woman saw the welcome reaction, she went over to Kola. “Wanna know who thinks you’re gorgeous, huh? Well, we glamour girls have to stick together.”
    Jessica bent her head to hide her smile. Because Laurie Epstein was probably the most unglamorous person she had ever seen. Her features were bland, and her brown eyes looked huge in the expanse of forehead because she didn’t seem to have any eyebrows. Her cheeks were dented with tiny reminders of old pimples.
    Kola’s tail made furious circles in the air. Clifford pretended to walk to the front door, knowing, hoping, that she would bound after him.
    Understanding the jealous maneuver, Laurie went on talking directly to the dog. “Yes, I know you’re a sweetheart and you like this attention, but you only have eyes for your little master, right?” Squatting, she turned and said to Clifford, “She’s just beautiful. What’s her name?”
    He stared back, without speaking. Jessica’s heart pleaded with him not to snap back to his old self. It was the first time she remembered seeing him act threatened—before this, he didn’t care enough about anything to feel threatened. “Kola,” Jessica said for him.
    “Like in Coca?” Laurie spoke directly to Clifford, even though the answer had come from his mother. “What a nice name. I bet you thought of it.” Laurie talked to him as if the conversation was between the two of them.
    He nodded his head.
    “I think it’s very clever,” Laurie said.
    “She’s my dog,” Clifford insisted.
    Jessica exhaled.
    “Oh, I could tell that right away,” Laurie agreed, continuing to stroke the dog’s head. “Soon as I walked in.”
    “You could?” Clifford came closer.
    “Of course. Just the way she was sitting close to you, there was no question you’re her owner. She’s probably a lucky dog to have you. I know you take good care of her.”
    “Me too. I’m lucky.” He squatted right beside her. “She’s the best dog in the whole world. And she’s my best friend.” He put his hands on her possessively but let Laurie keep on petting her.
    “Well, then, I’d say you’re both very lucky, aren’t you?” Laurie said. “Have you brought her here before?”
    “No, we only got her a few weeks ago.”
    “Well, have you answered all the questions yet?” She looked toward the top of the receptionist’s head, visible in the open glass window.
    “No.”
    Stacy lifted her head and whined, “I was just going to call them in, as soon as I got finished here.”
    “Just asking, just asking,” Laurie said. “Want me to do it for you? I’m back early.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Okay.” She reached for Clifford’s hand. “Now, what’s your name?”
    “Clifford,” he said,