Third person's POV
When Wilmot finished speaking, the first thought that crossed Tabitha's mind was not Tucker but Derek's face.
She shuddered at the thought. Wilmot calmly added, "Perhaps this is the dog coming back to find you. Animals in this world have a certain spirituality. Maybe it's reappearing in your world in a different way."
Tabitha's brows unfurled at this. Thinking this way made her feel a little better.
Everyone is reborn in new ways.
Tucker was, and so was she.
At the vet's office, the doctor carefully examined the puppy. Tabitha was anxious the entire time.
She feared the puppy's poor resistance. If it had contracted something like distemper while wandering, it would be hard to save.
Fortunately, the doctor removed his gloves and reassured her, "Don't worry, it is very healthy, just a bit dirty. It doesn't even have ear mites. It can have a bath and be vaccinated on schedule."
The puppy, with its bright, inquisitive eyes and its tiny, wriggling body, seemed to be brimming with an endearing vitality. Its little tail wagged ceaselessly, as if it were trying to convey its happiness and excitement.
Tabitha finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Miss, please wait a moment, I'll take it for a bath."
"Okay."
Tabitha waited outside the glass room, her eyes never leaving the puppy.
It was because of having lost something that one understands its value when they get it back.
On the way home, Tabitha still held the puppy in her arms tightly.
The puppy nestled cozily in her embrace, its soft fur tickling her skin.
It was also extremely attached to her, frolicking at her feet or trailing after her like an adorable little shadow. It even slept in her arms at night, its small body curled up into a ball, its breathing gentle and rhythmic, looking like a little angel.
In her heart, she had already considered it as Tucker.
The puppy was also very attached to her, playing at her feet or following her like a little tail.
It even slept in her arms at night.
Tabitha's heart seemed to be filled with warmth in one corner finally.
However, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her at night.
This sensation struck her again. She opened her eyes abruptly, but there was no one in front of her.
She hadn't drawn the curtains, and she could see the yard clearly. It was quiet. Under the cherry blossom tree stood a person, Wilmot.
But he wasn't looking at her. Tucker had sneaked out at some point.
In the dim light, Wilmot was crouching, playing with Tucker.
The man, who hardly spoke a word a day, had a soft expression on his face, holding a dog toy in his hand.
The man and the dog were having a great time.
The puppy leaped and bounded around him, its ears perked up, its tongue lolling out in sheer delight. It pounced on the toy with gusto, its little paws scrabbling playfully.
Tabitha thought of a phrase, "In me the tiger sniffs the rose."
Such a rough man actually had such a gentle side.
At first glance, his crouching figure reminded Tabitha of Derek.
She quickly dispelled this unrealistic thought. How could it be?
Derek never liked dogs, and this man clearly loved them.
She must have been losing her mind, seeing Derek in everyone.
Wilmot was noticeably thinner than him, like a clammed-up person, very honest, with no trace of nobility.
Wilmot must love dogs. But he didn't dare to show it in the daytime because of Tabitha's presence, so he could only play with the dog in the middle of the night.
No wonder Tucker had been sleeping a lot recently.
Tabitha was no longer sleepy, so she simply got out of bed and walked outside as well.
"Woof."
Tucker saw her coming and quickly hopped over to Tabitha.
Wilmot seemed surprised that she had woken up and quickly stood up, looking flustered.
"Ms. Hartley, I'm sorry. Did I disturb you? Tucker came to play with me, so I played with it for a while."
Tabitha smiled, "It's okay. I slept too much during the day and can't sleep at night. Keep playing with it. Tucker likes you."
"Maybe it just likes the dog toy you bought," he said, scratching the back of his head, looking embarrassed.