Leashed (Going to the Dogs) by Zoe Dawson

bleak now, sweetheart, but take each day at a time.”
    Callie nodded and reached for another cupcake.
    Two hours later, she let herself back into her loft. She had just set down her keys when she heard a terrible pounding at her door.
    When she opened it, it was Owen. His eyes were frantic. He grabbed her upper arms. “Jill is having her puppies.”
    “What? No! It’s too early.”
    “Only by a week. Please help her. She looks like she’s having a hard time.”
    Without hesitation she headed towards Owen’s loft. Jack whimpered when she closed him into her loft. “Sorry, buddy, but you’ll just get in the way.”
    Callie walked up to Jill’s whelping box, where the poor thing was panting and whimpering. Kneeling down inside, she said softly, “How’s my pretty girl?”
    The dog looked up at her with pain-filled eyes and whimpered again. Callie gently put her hand on Jill’s stomach. Owen hovered over her.
    “Owen, go boil water.”
    “Water,” he said dumbfounded, not taking his eyes off Jill.
    “Yes, water. Now! We need hot water and some rags. Give me your cell.”
    After handing her the phone, he disappeared into the kitchen. Callie dialed Poe’s number. Her sleepy voice answered.
    “I need your help. Jill is whelping and she’s in distress.”
    “I’m on my way.”
    Owen came back into the room and paced. Callie let him. She tried to put her feelings aside for the sake of the dog. But she couldn’t help caring about Owen.
    “Please help her, Callie. I can’t lose her. I love that dog.”
    Callie’s heart twisted in her chest and she rose and put her arms around him. “I’ll do everything I can. Poe is on her way. Everything will be fine. First time births can be difficult.”
    He pulled her tight against him and said, “Callie—”
    The knock at the door cut him off. “That’s Poe.” Callie raced to the door and pulled it open. Poe, still in her pajamas burst in. “Did you start water?”
    “Done.” Just then the kettle started to whistle. Owen left the room.  
    “Keep the water coming,” Callie called after him.
    Poe pushed up her sleeves and quickly and quietly examined the dog. Her face was concerned, but not overly so. Callie was already relieved, because she knew Poe was too expressive to hide it if she was really worried.
    “We were worried about you.   Are you okay?” Poe whispered.
    “Yes.   I was caught off-guard.   Now Brooke can say she told me so.”
    “I’m not so sure about that.   Owen was completely upset by the whole—”   Poe stopped talking and said, “She’s having contractions, and I think she might need a little bit of help. Could you talk to her and hold her head?”
    Callie got into position as Owen brought in a big bowl of water and some old towels. He set it down within Poe’s reach and stepped back, watching them.
    Poe dislodged the first puppy and as soon as she did, it began to yip. Poe smiled and said, “A feisty little guy. Owen, clean him off with the water and set him near Jill. She’ll be worried if he’s out of her sight, so stay close.”
    He took the wriggling little dark wet bundle of fur and ears and did as he was instructed. Callie met his eyes and the wonder in them was touching. He smiled and held the puppy close to Jill. “Look, Jill, you’re a mom.”
    Poe was pulling out another puppy; this one was black and white—a mantle like Jill with a tiny black nose and paw pads. “It’s another male.” Owen set down the first male and took the latest puppy from Poe. Callie stroked Jill’s head and murmured to her. “Good job. Two so far.”
    Over the next fifteen minutes, Poe delivered a merle black and white patterned male, two more black and white puppies, one a male and one a female, and a merle female. Poe felt her stomach and frowned. “I think there’s one more.”
    When Callie saw the tiny Harlequin emerge, she smiled, but it soon faded as Poe looked down at it.
    “Callie…” she trailed off.
    “No,” Callie