He started the car and I sat back in the seat, watching him pull out of the lot. He drove silently, making several turns before I realized we weren’t headed toward the club where I’d left my car and instead, traveling in the opposite direction.
“Rex?”
“Yeah?”
“Where you going? This no the way to the club.”
He smirked. “No, it ain’t. I’m takin’ you back to my house so I can feed Lola and put her to bed. The doctor says she only ate a little wet food this mornin’, so she’s probably hungry.”
“No.” I shook my head. “That’s not what I mean. I need my car and you say you take me to it.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I know, and I will, but first, I gotta get Lola home. It’s too hot out.”
I guess he was right about that. “What wrong with Lola? You said she has test.”
“She’s been more tired than normal and because of her condition, I wanted her seen by the doc. When he decided to do some tests, she had the reaction I told you about.”
I frowned. “What her condition? Besides the paralyzed.”
“Besides bein’ paralyzed,” he corrected.
“Yes. Besides being paralyzed,” I corrected him, and he smirked.
“I adopted Lola from a pet rescue where I volunteer,” he replied, sounding very proud of the fact. “There was a lottery for people to enter if they wanted to adopt her. They got a lot of applications, and I was the lucky one who got to take her home.”
I nodded. “Okay, but you no answer.”
“Oh, sorry. She was hit by someone and her back legs were destroyed by the driver who drove off after hittin’ her. She also lost a kidney in the process. So when she gets tired, I have her seen by the doctor, just to make sure her lethargy ain’t related to her kidney function.”
I frowned deeply. “That’s horrible!”
He glanced over, looking murderous. “That some bastard hit her and left her to die on the side of the road? Yeah, I agree.”
“I never understand how anyone can be mean to dogs or any animals,” I said, feeling mad.
He nodded. “Yeah, I don’t get it. It’s why I volunteer with animal rescue groups. I used to be a foster but after gettin’ Lola, I decided I wanted to devote all my time to only carin’ for my one special friend. It wouldn’t be fair if I had to split what time I have off between her and another dog or cat.”
I nodded, saying nothing as I pictured some cabrón bastardo of a driver hitting a small dog, hearing it cry, and then driving off like a monster. He looked over.
“It sounds like you’re passionate about animals too. Do you have a dog? I didn’t see one in your house.”
“No, I no have a dog. I wish I have one. My tia have a cat but she die last year. I no want to make her sad.”
“I can understand that.”
“Back in San Juan, I want to be a veterinario, pero, I couldn’t afford the college. Medical degrees are expensive in Puerto Rico and after my mamá’s divorce, I must work.”
He smiled. “I bet you’d be a great veterinarian. I can tell you love animals.”
I returned his smile. “I adore them. I wish I could work with them, but I need train.”
“Training,” he corrected.
“Si. Training,” I repeated. I realized if he kept correcting my English, I might improve in no time.
“You can get student loans and grants. Maybe I can help you apply to vet school,” he said.
My eyes widened. “You do that?”