They’d said that they would be filming, and Caro supposed she’d better do so, even if this wasn’t one of the exercises that all of the other dogs had done. She disengaged the camera from the treadmill, switching it on as Peter walked Rolf up and down. Drew was concentrating hard on the puppy, and Caro thought she saw concern on his face.
There was something he wasn’t saying. Peter had obviously already given his heart to his puppy, and the thought that there might be something wrong with him tore at Caro. Drew seemed intent on watching the way that the puppy moved, and she asked Peter to walk him up and down a few times more.
‘Okay, that’s good.’ Drew shot her a smile. Please...please...let that be a good sign. Maybe he’d decided he was mistaken in whatever he thought he’d seen. But when he gently lifted the puppy up onto the examination table, Caro saw an extra tenderness in the way Drew gently stroked him and knew that everything wasn’t all right.
‘I think we should take an X-ray, Laura.’ Drew spoke quietly, and Laura nodded. She’d seen the way that Drew had carefully examined the puppy’s back, legs and hips.
But Peter hadn’t and Caro could practically see the questions forming in the boy’s eyes. If she couldn’t help with the puppy, this was something she could help with.
‘Hey, Peter, I’d like to give you a little thank-you for helping with my research.’ She reached into her bag and the boy’s head turned, his attention drawn away from what Drew was doing.
She’d used the 3D printer to make a few small carapaces, equipped them with sensors and circuitry, and put them into her bag. As she drew the model of the tiny tortoise out of her bag, Peter’s eyes widened, in just the way she’d hoped.
‘What is it?’
‘There’s a little switch underneath, just push that...’ When Peter pressed his fingers on the spot she’d indicated, the tortoise’s legs started to work. ‘Now put him down onto the floor.’
Peter started to cackle with glee as the tiny tortoise began to scurry across the floor. When Caro put her foot in its path, he caught his breath as the tortoise swerved out of the way, avoiding the obstacle and making its way towards Drew.
He reached for his stick, planting the end in front of the tortoise until it had turned full circle to make its way back towards Peter. The boy caught it up, turning it over in his hands.
‘Can it see me?’ Peter was staring intently at the tiny head.
Caro was about to explain that the tortoise couldn’t actually see anything, and that the sensors simply registered any obstacle that was placed in its path. But Drew had a different answer.
‘I think he’s taking a look at you right now.’
That satisfied Peter. He put the tortoise back down onto the floor, running to place his foot in its path, and beaming when it swerved out of the way.
There was something in Drew’s eyes. He knew that she was trying to divert Peter’s attention. ‘Why don’t you and Caro go and show it to Tegan, while your mum and I finish off the research with Rolf?’
‘That’s a wonderful idea.’ Laura beamed suddenly. ‘Thank you so much, Caro.’
‘We’ll bring one along for Tegan, shall we?’ Caro reached into her bag, taking out two more of the tortoises. Putting them on a tabletop, and watching them avoid the edges of the table and each other would keep Peter occupied while Drew did whatever it was he needed to do for Rolf.
The plan worked. Peter followed Caro out into the reception area, and Tegan let out a little scream of excitement when he showed her the tortoise. When Caro handed her one, she planted a red lipstick kiss on its carapace, and walked over to the coffee table, clearing it of magazines.
‘Tortoise wars, eh, Peter?’ Tegan knelt down on the floor at one end of the table and motioned for Peter to sit at the other end. The phone rang, and Tegan ignored it completely in favour of watching the two tortoises swerve to avoid each other, so Caro leaned over the reception desk to answer it.
‘Oh... Um... Hang on a moment, please...’ She saw Lucas, looking around for his next patient, and beckoned him over. ‘Someone would like an appointment...’
‘Okay, thanks.’ Lucas took the phone, tapping on Tegan’s computer to make the appointment, and then bidding the caller a cheery goodbye. Then he turned to Caro, frowning, as Tegan shrieked with laughter.
‘What’s going on?’
‘Don’t disturb them. Drew’s taken Peter’s puppy to be X-rayed and... I think there’s something wrong with it.’ Caro shrugged miserably. ‘I don’t know what, but he seemed pretty keen on keeping Peter occupied with something else.’
Understanding dawned in Lucas’s eyes. ‘I see. I’ll stay and answer the phone, then. My next patient isn’t here yet.’
‘That’s okay, I can do that. I’ll take messages and Tegan can phone everyone back.’ Caro slipped behind the reception desk, sitting down and taking the last tortoise from her pocket. Wordlessly she handed it to Lucas.
He found the switch and grinned when the little legs began to move. ‘That’s very cool.’
It seemed that tortoises had the ability to take everyone’s mind off the one thing that was consuming her thoughts. What if Drew found something seriously wrong with the puppy? How would Peter react then?
‘I hope...’ She was desperate for the reassurance that she knew Lucas wasn’t in a position to give. Lucas looked up at her suddenly.
‘Drew’s the best at what he does.’ His quiet words slowed the thump of Caro’s heart.