1 A Paw-sible Theory Read Online Free PDF Page B

billowed around his head. “Are you still planning on pot roast for dinner? Can we have cherry pie a la mode for dessert?” He took a long drag, filling his lungs and exhaled.
    “Fine, don’t stress. I’ll stop at the grocery store for the pie.”
    Bob had remarried shortly after he divorced Alyx, and with good reason Ethan didn’t like his new wife. He told his mother that she always complained to his father about the mess he made while visiting, and she did it in front of him, usually leading to an argument and Ethan going home early. Eventually, the father-son relationship turned into one of distant relatives; an occasional phone call, with dinner three or four times a year.
    Bob stood and took a step forward when he saw his son turn into the driveway. Ethan looked straight ahead, oblivious to everything around him as he followed the brick walkway to the front door.
    Ethan, tall and handsome, had the same deep blue eyes and black hair as his father; his father’s hair peppered with gray.
    “Hi, Dad, what are you doing here?”
    They shook hands, patting each other on the back in something resembling a hug.
    “Looking for you, son. I stopped by your apartment and when I didn’t find you there, I thought I might find you here before I checked at the hospital.”
    “Have you been waiting long?”
    “Traffic is bad. I got here about fifteen minutes ago. The official Beachside Visitor Information website boasts that approximately four million visitors a year enjoy the beach and I think half of those four million visitors decided to visit this week.”
    The city hosted several special events during the year that brought as many as three hundred thousand visitors, per event, to the area. Fueled by the local newspaper editorials and local radio station’s talk show hosts, these events were a source of on-going contention between the business community and the residents.
    According to Alyx, the residents felt they were the losers in the struggle. The crowds attending the big name concerts on the beach made it almost impossible to get around town, diverting law enforcement from residential areas and often delaying emergency service. On top of that, the city levied higher taxes to cover the cost of the events while the local businesses, including those in surrounding cities and itinerant businesses, enjoyed the profits.
    Spring Break was in full swing and the subject of daily articles in the newspaper concerning safety and the destruction of property wherever the college students stayed. Unfortunately, the safety issue came up more often than it should have––referring to several deaths that had occurred when drunken students tried to make their way from one balcony to another.
    “Yeah, right? I was stuck in the traffic congestion the new bridge was supposed to eliminate and it took me more than thirty minutes to get across.”
    There was an awkward moment of silence before Ethan picked up the conversation again.
    “Haven’t heard from you in a while, Dad.”
    “I’m sorry, but I lost you cell phone number when I changed phones.” The last part said with some embarrassment.
    “Yeah, I see how that can happen, especially when you don’t call the number much.”
    “You know how it is, son, time just seems to slip by.”
    Ethan had every right to feel as he did, but confronting his father on an emotional level was not his style and I wasn’t surprised he dropped the subject.
    “Yeah, Dad, I know how it is,” he said, looking off into the distance, his chin jutting out ever so slightly.
    He unlocked the door and invited his father in.
    To my knowledge, Bob had never been inside before and he looked around appreciatively.
    “Very nice. Your mother always had a knack for decorating. I’m glad she’s finally doing what she apparently loves.”
    They sat across from each other, Ethan in my favorite chair, while Bob chose the tan, camelback couch. I settled on the coffee table and Misty picked the floor.
    “Son,