Christmas in Evergreen. Nancy Naigle

table doing tricks for a treat before she even got the door closed, perked his ears, looking back at his owner in hopes it was his turn now. Mandy Miller, the town’s cat lady, sat on the other side of Hannah, clutching a red pet kennel. Allie could barely see the orange tabby cat backed into the corner of the small carrier. Less than happy about being trapped, the feral cat wasn’t shy about letting the world know how he felt about it. The overconfident meowing could probably be heard next door. Allie had no doubt this was another stray that needed to be fixed. It seemed like all stray cats eventually made it over to Mandy’s house. She’d already told Mandy this was the last day she was taking patients. Everyone had been squeezing in vet visits before she left. She knew Dr. Myers wouldn’t be as generous with the neutering fee as she was, which was too bad, because Mandy really was trying to do a good deed at her own expense.

      Allie gave them both a quick smile and then said to Hannah, “Okay, these guys have got their shots and are ready for their first Christmas.”

      Hannah jumped from her chair and raced over to see her puppies, giving them each a rub on the forehead.

      This was the part of the job Allie never tired of. She loved having her own practice. Sure, there were days when difficult things had to be taken care of and she turned into a veterinarian and owner therapist all-in-one, but even those days she knew she’d done her best to help a family through the situation they’d been dealt.

      Allie handed the large oval wicker basket of pugs over to Hannah.

      Hugging the basket to herself, Hannah couldn’t help but smile and coo. “Awwww. I can’t get over how cute they are!”

      “How’s our new momma doing?” Allie had given Molly her puppy shots two years ago and had been her doctor ever since. She’d be lying’ if she said it didn’t make her a little sad to be handing over the medical needs of her patients to someone else now. It was like leaving best friends behind for summer break in elementary school. Only forever.

      “Molly definitely has her paws full with these guys.” Hannah blew kisses to the pups between words as she moved over in front of the Christmas tree to put some distance between herself and the noisy cat.

      Too bad Allie didn’t have her camera handy. This would’ve been the perfect photo op with Hannah holding the puppies next to the clinic’s animal-themed Christmas tree with the paw print paper-chain garland. Well, there was a hoof print or two in there, as well. All of her patients participated in that tradition. Even Rhoda the Rhode Island Red hen, who’d broken her wing in a scrape with the neighbor’s dog over at Henry Holloway’s farm, had a link in the chain. After they’d bandaged Rhoda up, Allie and Henry had dipped her foot in white water-based paint and pressed it down on a pretty red strip of colored paper, leaving the recognizable peace sign prints. That was the first chicken print Allie’d ever had the pleasure of incorporating into her garland. Just paper and staples, but she loved adding to the memories each year.

      Allie walked over to the front desk and updated the chart with the next follow-up appointments.

      “They sure are going to miss you.” Hannah’s voice was almost sad.

      “I’ll miss them, too.” It was hard to imagine life away from this clinic and these animals she knew so well. “I’m going to miss all my furry patients.” Their parents, too.

      “Wait a minute. You won’t have any furry patients in DC?”

      Allie made her way from the front desk back to Hannah. “No, I will, but I’m going to be working in a big clinic. I don’t know if I’ll have time for a pile of pugs.” She lifted the tan puppy from the basket and held him in the air. Now she wouldn’t even see these little guys grow up. In the clinic the size of the one she was going to work for, she might not have a history with any of the patients like she did here. They had assistants who did routine checks. It would definitely be different.

      “Aren’t you going to miss it?” Hannah asked.

      The tan puppy whimpered and wiggled. Allie’s heart swelled. These compact pups were strong and a lot of dog in a little space. She’d have named this little hunk of love Brutus if he was hers.

      I’m so lucky to have a job I love so much. How could anything be better than this? She shook the worry from creeping in. She’d miss her small practice, but she was also eager to embrace the possibilities ahead.

      “Of course I will, but this is a big opportunity. I can’t pass it up.” Allie took in a steadying breath. Was she trying to convince Hannah or herself? She’d miss girls’ nights out with Hannah and the gang, too. It wasn’t easy leaving Evergreen, but she had to give it a try. Grandpa had always said there was a big world out there. It would be a shame not to experience it for herself. She’d spent her whole life in this town, except for those few years she’d gone away to college. How would she ever know where she belonged if she stayed here in Evergreen? “And you’ve got Dr. Myers’s number and info in Montpelier, right?”

      “Yep.”

      “He’s great.” The puppy squirmed in Allie’s hands and then locked gazes with her as if trying to convince her to stay.

      “Yes, he is, but…” Hannah shook her head and then whispered, “It’s going to be different.”

      “I know.” Allie put the puppy back in the basket with his sisters. “But different is good. Right? Like having a whole bunch of puppies is different, and that’s a good thing, right?”

      Hannah shrugged and turned her attention back to the puppies. “Yeah, I can’t wait to find these guys a new home.” The woman made her way to the door. “Bye, Allie.”

      Allie leaned forward on the desk, peering into the goldfish bowl there. “Now, we just have to find a home for you, Frank.”

      She was half tempted to bag Frank up and move him with her, but that seemed silly for a dime-store goldfish. She’d had at least twelve Franks over the years, replacing them as they died of old age. Besides, Mom would enjoy taking care of Frank. He might even end up by the magic snow globe on the counter at the diner. That wouldn’t be so bad. Although, it did kind of make her wish she’d sprung for the little castle or treasure chest for his bowl now.

      Allie finished the other patients. Just as she’d suspected, the cat was a stray. She gave the cat a checkup and its shots, then scheduled the surgery for the day she got back from DC. Allie was quite certain Dr. Meyer would charge more than she had for the procedure, but Allie wanted to help reduce the problem of unwanted kittens. If Mandy Miller was kind enough to capture the feral cats, the least she could do was make it affordable for her to do the good, and responsible, deed.

      With the waiting room finally cleared out, she tidied the examination room, filed all the paperwork, and then checked her list to be sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Everything on her list was marked off, except for Frank.

      She glanced over at the goldfish. He was content in his glass fishbowl, swimming among the bright blue rocks and dipping behind the anacharis on those days when Frank was feeling shy.

      There’d still be a lot to do when she got home after Christmas. This trip this week was just to sign the lease on her new apartment. Well, that and spend Christmas with Spencer there. They’d be attending a few Christmas parties, and he was excited to show her the city Christmas lights. Then it would be back home to do the final preparations for the big moving day.

      She’d done a pretty good job getting the house packed so the movers could come and pick up everything the week before she started her new job. Boxes were stacked in every room of her house, but here at the office… She hadn’t even begun to liquidate all her pet supplies. The new practice wasn’t interested in her bringing any inventory along, so she still had a lot to do.

      Finally, there was Frank. He needed be tended to while she was away. She cleaned out his bowl and then put his food in her pocket, then called the Chris Kringle Kitchen to let her parents know she was on her way down with Frank.

      Even though the diner was a short walk—just a few stores up the block and across the