Chapter 8 - THE DIAGNOSIS
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Dr. Jonathan Hayes entered the master suite carrying two heavy silver medical cases.
He was an older gentleman, the trusted family physician who had tended to the Moretti family for decades.
He paused briefly at the sight of the muddy golden retriever on the immaculate designer bed.
However, sensing the deadly seriousness in the room, he said nothing and immediately opened his kit.
Luca and I stood side by side near the edge of the mattress while Benjamin slept peacefully nearby.
Dr. Hayes gently placed his stethoscope against Bruno’s ribcage.
For several agonizing minutes, the only sound in the room was the steady rhythm of the rain outside.
The doctor listened intently, his brow furrowing as he moved the instrument across the dog’s chest.
He checked Bruno’s gums, felt the swollen joints in his hind legs, and inspected his cloudy eyes.
Finally, Dr. Hayes removed the stethoscope and sighed heavily.
“His lungs are filled with fluid, Luca.”
The doctor spoke frankly, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Benjamin.
“Hypothermia set in while he was locked out in that downpour.”
Luca’s jaw clenched so hard I thought his teeth might shatter.
“Can you cure it?”
“The pneumonia? Yes, with aggressive IV antibiotics and heat therapy, we can clear the infection.”
Dr. Hayes adjusted his glasses, looking at the dog with deep sadness.
“But his heart is enlarged, Luca.”
“It’s advanced congestive failure, typical for a golden retriever of this extreme age.”
My hand flew to my mouth, a soft gasp escaping my lips.
Luca’s face remained still, but his hands curled into tight fists.
“How long does he have?”
“With medication and supreme comfort? A few months, maybe half a year if God is generous.”
Dr. Hayes packed a syringe with clear antibiotic fluid and gently injected it under Bruno’s loose skin.
“He’s tired, Luca.”
“The only thing keeping this animal breathing right now is pure, stubborn devotion to that little boy.”
Luca swallowed hard, his dark eyes glistening under the chandelier light.
“Then we give him the best months of his life.”
Luca said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
“He will feel no pain, he will feel no cold, and he will never sleep outside a bedroom door again.”
Dr. Hayes smiled softly and set up a warm IV saline drip on the bedside table.
“Keep him warm, keep him fed with boiled chicken and broth, and let him rest.”
I stepped forward immediately.
“I will prepare the broth right now, Mr. Moretti.”
“I know the exact recipe Isabella used to make for him when he was a puppy.”
Luca turned to look at me, a profound depth of gratitude in his gaze.
“Thank you, Claire.”
He stepped closer, closing the distance between us until I could smell the cedarwood and rain on his skin.
“From this moment forward, you are no longer the maid of this estate.”
I blinked, my heart skipping a frantic beat.
“Sir? Are you firing me?”
“Never.”
Luca shook his head, his voice deep and resonant.
“I am appointing you as Benjamin’s personal guardian and director of this household.”
May you like
“You answer only to me.”
“And tomorrow, we leave this bloodstained city behind.”
