Wednesday's Word: RATIO. An Excerpt From Small Town Secrets

 

  Welcome to Wednesdays where I share an excerpt from one of my books using the previous day's word from the New York Times' game WORDLE. Yesterday's WORDLE was RATIO. I didn't have RATIO in my story, but I do a dog named HoRATIO. I decided this is close enough.

This is an excerpt from Small Town Secrets, now available on the Kindle Vella platform. (You can read it here.)

Finally, after dessert had been served and Mrs. Whiting suggested the young people take a tour of the greenhouse, I hoped to get Sadie alone.

“Take Horatio with you, will you?” Mrs. Wendell suggested. “He could use a good scamper.”

Horatio’s ears perked.

“Does he have a leash?” Sadie and the dog exchanged long looks.

“He won’t need one.” Mrs. Wendell braced her hands on the table and hoisted herself to her feet. “He’s a very obedient dog.” She waddled over and scooped Horatio into her arms.

I was so eager to get Sadie alone, I willingly took the dog.

Sadie, Mitchell, and Piper also stood. Well, we weren’t quite alone, but at least we were out from under Sadie’s grandparents’ scrutiny, and away from Mrs. Wendell’s hostile banter.

“Sadie will show you all the way,” Mrs. Whiting said.

After tucking Horatio under my arm, I followed Sadie through the French doors, and out onto a stone patio overlooking the long stretch of green lawn. The afternoon sun glinted off the greenhouse. The poinsettia looked like a smudge of redback porch through the glass walls. Mitchell and Piper trooped after me.

A bunny darted through the boxwood hedge. Horatio twisted in my arms and bounced free.

“Oh no!” Piper cried.

Despite wearing a dress and heels, Sadie plunged into the hedge. “I’ll get him!”

Mitchell went after Sadie, leaving Piper and me to exchange glances on the patio.

Seconds later, Sadie screamed.

I darted into the hedge and came out on the other side.

“What happened?” Piper, still on the patio, called out.

“An eagle!” Sadie pointed a quivering finger at a bird with Horatio caught in its beak sailing above us.

Mitchell darted about the lawn with his arms stretched open, obviously hoping to catch the dog should the eagle have a change of heart.

I stooped to the ground, selected a baseball-sized rock from the garden bed, and hefted it at the eagle. It landed true. The eagle jolted, shrieked, dropped Horatio, and winged away.

Mitchell tripped over his feet, trying to place himself in Horatio’s path. Piper sprinted across the lawn, bowled into him, and the two of them landed in a tangled heap on the ground. Sadie and I both ran to try and catch the falling dog.

I ripped off my jacket, created a safety net, and gently pushed Sadie to the side. She stumbled at the impact and grabbed my waist just as Horatio landed with a thud in my jacket. He lay there, stunned, his breath coming out in huffs.

“He’ll be okay,” I predicted, hoping I was right. After wrapping him up in my jacket and holding him close, I could feel his thumping heart beating against my chest.

“You’re a hero,” Piper said. She had grass stains on her hands, her curls had sprung from her hair clip, and she’d ripped her tights.

Mitchell didn’t look a lot better, but he was grinning and slapping me on the back.

Sadie stared at me with wonder in her eyes. “You saved his life.”

Mitchell shot a look over his shoulder. “Are we going to tell the Wendell woman?”

“We have to,” Piper said.

“Do we?” Sadie asked.

“He’s bleeding,” Mitchell pointed out. “I have a bag in my car.”

“Do you have antibiotics?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“I do.” I knew it wasn’t a contest over who was the best medicine man, but I strode to my truck, feeling as if I’d just won.