Daniel quickly updated the vet, Dr. Peters, with any information he could regarding what had happened to Gray. Two of the animal hospital nurses were pushing the stretcher down the hall at a brisk pace. The doctor, Daniel and Rachel matched the pace and were only about three feet from the stretcher. Harold had parked the vehicle and rushed past the three who were sharing information and grabbed the head of the stretcher to hurry it along even faster.

Within minutes, the doors to the surgical wing burst open and the vet advised Daniel and Rachel to wait, indicating chairs. Their last view of Gray was the tip of his tail slightly wagging. They sat and were silent for several minutes.

They both had their heads bowed and eyes closed. It was obvious that they were praying to their God. It had been a miracle that Gray had been found and delivered to Dr. Peters. His survival, his destiny was in God's hands.

Daniel grabbed Rachel's hand, "I appreciate all your help today. I couldn't have done some of those things without your assistance. I know Gray liked hearing your singing. You have, I hope noticed that his ears perk up when he hears you. And I was glad to hear you talking to him when I cleaned his wound. That was cute; all that stuff about Mama and Daddy, sure helped me keep focused."

Rachel smiled and placed her free hand on top of his, "He will be okay. I feel it in my bones. I know he is old, but in his mind and heart he is still a pup. Just listening to Dr. Peters with his questions and comments, I trust him and have a great deal of faith in him." She paused as if thinking before speaking.

"I said those things because that is how I felt through all this. I honestly feel that Gray sees you as his daddy. He trusts you, he loves you and he deeply cares for you. I do too."

His head jerked up so that his dark brown, almost black colored eyes looked into her hazel gaze.

"You do? I was afraid of pushing you too fast. I thought I was going too fast for myself. Are you sure?"

"I am most definitely sure. You feel so right for me. I know we have had sex but that just made it more right. That's why I wanted to stay, and I was so glad that you were okay with it. It was so sweet that you offered to sleep on the cot. I want you in my life. No, I need you in my life."

"Okay, for now we will hope for the best for Gray, then we will start to figure this out. Things will be fine, I promise. We are both intelligent people and we can do this. Wow it has almost been an hour. What is taking so long?" He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"All good things take time and Dr. Peters is doing a great job, just be patient, Gray will be fine. That I can promise, remember I am the one with a medical background, granted not for animals but I just know these things. Let's get a coffee, I saw a machine just around the corner."

She tugged on his arm and they wandered around the corner to where the coffee urn sat. They smiled at each other when they noticed the hot water urn and a wide selection of teas, someone had even remembered a squeeze bottle of honey in the shape of a bear. They returned to their chairs to wait some more.