Page 53 of Saving Veronica
“Do you want him on you?”
“Doesn’t bother me.”
“Then just relax and act like he’s not there. I haven’t had him around anyone except Hector, Angelo, my grandparents, and myself, so I’m actually surprised he’s up there. But don’t worry, he’s tethered to the scooter. And he shouldn’t peck you. Just talk to him.”
“Hello, Captain.”
“Awk! Hello! Awk!”
“I’m Finn.”
“Awk! Hello, Finn! Awk!”
“Is he always this verbal?”
“Don’t know, I’ve only had him since I came home from the hospital. And he’s young, so I’m learning something new about him every day.”
They continued to walk around and several people stopped to talk to them, but after about an hour, they found a quiet spot and Finn sat down with a sigh. He looked around and was surprised that Patch was still talking to the woman that said she’d been in foster care with him. He caught sight of Ronnie out of the corner of his eye, and turned to look at her. He had to chuckle at himself. His pet, Major, was actually riding on the scooter with her, while her pet, Captain was on the dog’s shoulder. As he studied the woman, he sighed and settled back, and watched her intently. He noticed she treated everyone the same. He wondered why she didn’t have a man in her life. He wondered if she would go out with him. He watched as she looked around, and he swore her eyes lit up when she spotted him. She excused herself and wheeled herself toward him.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, just taking a rest,” he said, and began petting Major when he got off the scooter and joined his master. Then, the bird flew over to Ronnie’s shoulder, and the humans grinned when their pets went back to their own owners.
“Can I ask you something?” Finn blurted out.
“Sure.”
“Will you go out with me?”
Ronnie frowned at him, “Like, on a date?”
“Yes, I was thinking maybe a dinner and a movie?”
“Just the two of us?” she asked, with her brow furrowed.
“Well, yeah, that’s what I’d call a date.”
“Um, I don’t think that’s going to work, so I’m going to have to decline.”
“Why not?”
“Hello, who’s going to drive? I’ve driven my Jeep with my left foot before, well, my old one, but my current one has a clutch.”
“Oh, shit, so does mine. Patch drove us over here. Shit,” he said, and hung his head. “I don’t know if I can wait four weeks for the cast to come off.”
“Unless you can figure out a way, we’re going to have to wait. And I don’t know if all my casts will be coming off then or not. I might have to have my leg casted after the pins come out. Depends on the x-rays.”
“Why not? Aren’t you healing?”
“I am, but you never know.”
“Okay, then what are you doing the Saturday before Halloween?”
Ronnie threw her head back and laughed. “Hell if I know. Saturdays seem to be the busiest time at the farm. What’s happening that day?”
Before Finn could answer, he looked up when he saw something out of the corner of his eye, and saw Maggie and Grady Applewood shake their heads at him, so he quickly shrugged at all of them “Maybe both of us will be out of the casts by then. I know its weeks away, and I’ll be done in four. Just a thought.”
“I’ll have to get back to you on that.”
