Daisy was in her kennel, her eyes following us with a gentle curiosity as we approached.
The puppies were nestled against her, a tangled mass of fur and tiny limbs.
Mrs. Hammond knelt beside them, her fingers brushing over their backs with a tenderness that belied her earlier tension.
I watched her, caught between the sense of intrusion and the need to understand.
‘They seem healthy,’ I offered, more as a question than a statement.
‘Yes, yes they do,’ she replied, her voice distant, eyes fixed on the pups.
There was a moment where I considered pressing further, asking the questions that were building up inside me, but something held me back.
Perhaps it was the way Dr. Miller had dismissed my earlier concerns, or the subtle pressure from the clinic owner to maintain our reputation above all else.
It was easier, sometimes, to let the silence speak.
Still, the unease lingered, a shadow that clung to the corners of the room.
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