For as long as she could remember, being a veterinarian specializing in large animals was her one and only dream. While other girls played with Barbies, had tea parties, or messed around with their mom’s makeup, Macy was taking care of her stuffed animals.
She treated them for everything from mange to broken bones. Removing thorns from their paws and trimming their nails with scissors highjacked fromAbuela’ssewing room were two of her specialties. Then tragedy struck. She flooded the bathroom while trying to give them all a bath at the same time. Being grounded for a week should've deterred her dreams, but it only strengthened the young girl's resolve.
Cleaning out her dad’s old shed, the eight-year-old spitfire with dark braids set up her own backyard clinic, and Dr. Macy J. Lindon was born. She treated all types of minor booboos for her friends’ dogs, bunnies, gerbils, and even her teacher’s pet canary when the ‘real’ vet was out of town.
She was even interviewed for the newspaper and got to volunteer at Dr. Henshaw’s clinic when she turned ten. Spending time with the animals, the staff, and especially the vet himself firmly cemented her resolve to become a veterinarian.
“And here I am, half-owner of the Lindon-McDonald Veterinary Hospital, youngest female ever to be inducted into the Texas Board of Veterinary Medicine, and about to be an auntie.” Looking in the rearview mirror to be sure Lou was getting into his car before she exited the gate and followed the lane to the left, she sighed, “And my brother-in-law’snotgonna get me killed because he’s gonna be home on time and Rox will be happy. Life is definitely…."
“Grrraaawwwrrrrrrr…”
Not only were the words stolen from her lips, but every thought was shoved from her mind ashislow, haunting call cut through the cool evening air. Pressing on the gas, tearing around the bend so quickly that dirt and rocks flew from under her tires, Macy gripped the steering wheel, sat up tall in her seat, and scanned the horizon.
“There you are,” she breathed.
The outline of what she was sure was the most enormous Dragon ever seen by human eyes stood atop the tallest mesa between her and the desert she loved so much. Heart skipping a beat, she whispered, “Dammit, I hate to admit it, but Lou was right.”
Leaning forward, straining to see even more of the massive Being that had become her obsession, she murmured, “There’s no way in hell you’reanythingbut one-hundred-percent male.”
Then his wings unfurled, and all she could do was gasp. It was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. Pushing the accelerator as far down as it would go, her hands held onto the steering wheel with such force the grips bit into her palms.
The breath froze in her lungs.
Then his glowing green eyes met hers, and his low deep voice sounded in her mind,“Come on, Macy J. Catch me if you can.”
And she knew life would never be the same.