Dodds.Dodds. She remembered Dodds coming to the house. He had done something to her dogs. She felt a pang of worry that faded quickly. He wouldn't have done anything to harm them, she knew. "He likes animals," she heard someone say. The sound of her voice startled her. She had been thinking aloud. She remembered that he owned two gigantic Scottish Deerhounds. She made to get up, to check on Charlemagne and Attila, but when she sat upright, her head spun, and she fell back onto her pillow, exhausted. God, I'm worn out, she thought. I'll just lie here a moment, gather my strength... -=*=- When Mandy next woke up, there was daylight streaming in the window. She had to be in her own bed - hers was the only bedroom in the house with a window. She was facing her other bedside table now. There was a vase on the table with a single yellow rose bud in it. Propped against the vase was a card. She reached for it. "Dearest Mandy, You know how I hate good-byes. I have come to believe that my unexpected appearance has jeopardized the budding relationship between you and Jason, so I am taking my leave early. I am glad to see that you have finally acknowledged men as humans beings again. I hope you found my short stay entertaining, and I look forward to our next meeting. |