me.”
“I can see into people’s souls,” he announced as though it was something ordinary. “You have a very good soul. That’s why you connect with animals so well.”
“If you’re talking about the wolf, he was hurt and stunned. I’m sure he won’t be such a pushover today.”
Matthew got up from the table and thanked her for lunch. “I have to get that recipe from your mom. It was delicious. Why don’t we go check on your wolf? Have you named him yet?”
“He’s not going to be here long enough to have a name.”
He chuckled. “I have a feeling you’re wrong about him. He might be attached to you now. If he is, he won’t ever leave you. Maybe you could call him something obvious like small wolf or dark wolf. I could look up those names in Cherokee. They might sound better.”
Bonnie led the way to the laundry room. “And I know something about you, Matthew Brown Elk—you’re a nag.”
He denied it as she opened the door. The wolf was sitting in the middle of the room. His eyes were clear and sharp, focusing immediately on her.
“How did he get out of the kennel?” Bonnie asked. She would never have left it unlocked.
“Don’t ask me. I don’t live here. I think he was waiting for you.”
She carefully moved toward the kennel and put on her gloves. “It’s going to be hard getting him back inside.”
As soon as she opened the kennel door, the wolf trotted in without hesitation.
“And you’ve never noticed that you have a way of making animals understand you?”
Bonnie closed the door and carefully latched it. She wiggled the latch to be sure it was secure. “I’m not Dr. Doolittle, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“Dr. who?”
“Never mind.” She crouched close to the kennel and studied the wolf as he curled up in her jacket again. “He’s just clever. He knew what to do when I opened the door. Wolves are much smarter than people give them credit for.” She put a few pieces of chicken from the kitchen in the kennel for him. “I guess I’ll need some dog food.”
“Get a big bag,” he advised with a smile. “That wahya is never going to leave you.”
Bonnie ignored his predictions as she watched the wolf eat. She could tell his mouth was sore, as he chewed every bite slowly and carefully. “You are a sweetheart,” she told him. “But wolves don’t belong with humans. You have your whole life in front of you.”
Peter came running in to remind his father that they were going to miss a favorite show of his on TV. He and Matthew were getting ready to leave after saying goodbye to Rose.
“If you need anything, let me know,” he said to Bonnie. “People in the valley have to stick together, right, Peter?”
“That’s right, Dad.” His smile showed one missing tooth in front.
Bonnie thanked him. She and Rose waved to them as they left.
“What are you going to do with that wolf?” Rose asked as she closed the front door.
“Reintegrate him into the wild once he’s well,” Bonnie answered. She didn’t tell her mother that the wolf had gotten out of the kennel. She didn’t want to worry her, and she was sure the latch was fastened this time. “I need to run over to Harvey’s office. I shouldn’t be gone long. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. You have work. I can take care of myself.”
“All right. My phone number is programed into your cell phone. Call me if you need me.”
“Of course. And don’t forget that school from Knoxville is supposed to be here to get their trees this afternoon. It’s on the calendar.”
“I won’t forget.” Bonnie looked at her mother. “You could come with me over to the office. I’m just taking a look at it.”
“No, I have my knitting. I’m way behind on my Christmas projects. Go on. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Okay.” Bonnie put on her jacket and gloves. “Be back soon.”
It wasn’t easy leaving her mother knowing she was sick, and yet Eric had told her not to hover over her.
“I can see into people’s souls,” he announced as though it was something ordinary. “You have a very good soul. That’s why you connect with animals so well.”
“If you’re talking about the wolf, he was hurt and stunned. I’m sure he won’t be such a pushover today.”
Matthew got up from the table and thanked her for lunch. “I have to get that recipe from your mom. It was delicious. Why don’t we go check on your wolf? Have you named him yet?”
“He’s not going to be here long enough to have a name.”
He chuckled. “I have a feeling you’re wrong about him. He might be attached to you now. If he is, he won’t ever leave you. Maybe you could call him something obvious like small wolf or dark wolf. I could look up those names in Cherokee. They might sound better.”
Bonnie led the way to the laundry room. “And I know something about you, Matthew Brown Elk—you’re a nag.”
He denied it as she opened the door. The wolf was sitting in the middle of the room. His eyes were clear and sharp, focusing immediately on her.
“How did he get out of the kennel?” Bonnie asked. She would never have left it unlocked.
“Don’t ask me. I don’t live here. I think he was waiting for you.”
She carefully moved toward the kennel and put on her gloves. “It’s going to be hard getting him back inside.”
As soon as she opened the kennel door, the wolf trotted in without hesitation.
“And you’ve never noticed that you have a way of making animals understand you?”
Bonnie closed the door and carefully latched it. She wiggled the latch to be sure it was secure. “I’m not Dr. Doolittle, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“Dr. who?”
“Never mind.” She crouched close to the kennel and studied the wolf as he curled up in her jacket again. “He’s just clever. He knew what to do when I opened the door. Wolves are much smarter than people give them credit for.” She put a few pieces of chicken from the kitchen in the kennel for him. “I guess I’ll need some dog food.”
“Get a big bag,” he advised with a smile. “That wahya is never going to leave you.”
Bonnie ignored his predictions as she watched the wolf eat. She could tell his mouth was sore, as he chewed every bite slowly and carefully. “You are a sweetheart,” she told him. “But wolves don’t belong with humans. You have your whole life in front of you.”
Peter came running in to remind his father that they were going to miss a favorite show of his on TV. He and Matthew were getting ready to leave after saying goodbye to Rose.
“If you need anything, let me know,” he said to Bonnie. “People in the valley have to stick together, right, Peter?”
“That’s right, Dad.” His smile showed one missing tooth in front.
Bonnie thanked him. She and Rose waved to them as they left.
“What are you going to do with that wolf?” Rose asked as she closed the front door.
“Reintegrate him into the wild once he’s well,” Bonnie answered. She didn’t tell her mother that the wolf had gotten out of the kennel. She didn’t want to worry her, and she was sure the latch was fastened this time. “I need to run over to Harvey’s office. I shouldn’t be gone long. Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. You have work. I can take care of myself.”
“All right. My phone number is programed into your cell phone. Call me if you need me.”
“Of course. And don’t forget that school from Knoxville is supposed to be here to get their trees this afternoon. It’s on the calendar.”
“I won’t forget.” Bonnie looked at her mother. “You could come with me over to the office. I’m just taking a look at it.”
“No, I have my knitting. I’m way behind on my Christmas projects. Go on. I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Okay.” Bonnie put on her jacket and gloves. “Be back soon.”
It wasn’t easy leaving her mother knowing she was sick, and yet Eric had told her not to hover over her.
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