Chapter 13 – Bruno
Anna thought about Bruno often.
The first dog.
The dark blanket.
The two-minute delay.
The moment she had decided something uncomfortable was probably harmless because the people around her acted like it was normal.
She visited the family who had eventually adopted him.
Bruno had recovered well.
He ran badly.
One hind leg remained stiff.
But he ran.
He brought Anna a tennis ball within thirty seconds of meeting her again.
His adopter smiled.
“He does that to everyone.”
Anna threw it.
Bruno chased it.
For a few minutes there was nothing complicated about him.
He was not content.
Not a campaign.
Not an emergency.
Not proof against Elisa.
Not proof for Elisa.
Just a dog.
Then his adopter asked:
“Do you think they hurt him?”
Anna did not answer immediately.
“No.”
The woman looked relieved.
Anna continued.
“I don’t know that they caused his injury.”
“But?”
Anna watched Bruno return with the ball.
“I think at some point, helping him and showing people how badly he needed help became two different priorities.”
The adopter frowned.
Anna said:
“And I think sometimes the second one won.”
