The Missing Piece
Tom stood up, wiping dog slobber from his face. He apologized profusely to a stunned Anna.
He explained that he had spotted Athena on the street earlier but didn’t want to freak Anna out. He had followed them to the ATM just to get a closer look, to make sure his old partner was being taken care of.
The pacing? The insomnia? The reaction to sirens? Athena wasn’t broken. She was just missing her dad.
That night, the fear turned into a friendship. Tom explained that he wasn’t allowed to keep Athena when he retired due to department policy, and it broke his heart.
Now, they have an arrangement. Tom has “visitation rights.” He comes over to walk Athena, and for the first time in months, the dog finally sleeps through the night.
She didn’t need a guard. She needed her family back together.