Chapter 3
900 Words
I never expected Charlie's Blind Date Diary would blow up so fast.
Maybe it was my dramatic breakup story, or maybe it was just Charlie's handsome good looks.
Either way, in just a few days, my social media account gained tens of thousands of followers out of nowhere.
Every single day, countless people flooded my DMs, volunteering to be Charlie's 'new dad'.
But here's the thing: I haven't actually posted a single real blind date entry yet. Because Charlie wasn't doing okay at all.
Ever since he got abandoned, he's developed severe stress reactions.
He went from being a chill pup to super clingy and skittish. The slightest unexpected noise would send him spinning into a panicked bark.
My heart ached so bad for him, and I knew I had to take him to see a vet.
After Chelsea strongly recommended one to me, I headed to the brand-new animal clinic she suggested.
The place was spotless. There was none of that cloying, heavy disinfectant smell that most clinics have, just a faint, fresh whiff of grass that made everything feel nice.
A man in a crisp white coat walked over. He had a clean, easy energy about him, and his voice was soft like a spring breeze.
"Hi, are you Olivia Yale? I'm Glenn Barnes, the head veterinarian here."
I nodded and pointed toward Charlie, who was hiding behind me, pressed tight against my legs.
"He's been really off lately. I wanted to get him checked out."
Glenn crouched down right there, bringing his eyes level with Charlie's.
He didn't try to grab him right away. He just held out a hand, palm up, and waited quietly.
Charlie was having none of it, though. A low, anxious whine rumbled in his throat.
That only made Glenn soften more, his voice steady and patient as he said, "It's okay, big fella. I'm not gonna hurt you." He then pulled a tiny piece of beef jerky treat out of his pocket and set it right in the middle of his open palm.
Charlie's nose twitched, the scent obviously getting to him, but he still didn't dare step forward.
Glenn didn't rush him either. He just stayed there, half-kneeling on the floor, murmuring gentle little words to calm him down.
Sunlight streamed in through the big floor-to-ceiling window, gilding the soft curve of his jaw and dusting his curled lashes with gold.
The whole scene was so perfect it looked like a painting you'd hang on your wall.
On an impulse I couldn't explain, I pulled out my phone and hit record, sneaking a clip of the whole sweet moment.
About ten minutes ticked by before Charlie finally crept forward, head low, and gave the beef jerky in Glenn's palm a quick little lick.
Glenn smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners into soft little crescents.
"Good boy," he said.
The checkup that followed went way smoother than I ever expected.
Glenn never forced Charlie to do a single thing. He just lured him along with treats and toys, and unbelievably, Charlie cooperated the whole time without a single fuss.
When the exam was over, Glenn reached out and gently scratched Charlie between the ears.
"He's just a little shaken up from what happened, has some minor separation anxiety. Nothing seriously wrong with him," he assured me. "Just spend extra time with him, give him lots of affection, and he'll bounce back in no time."
I let out a huge breath I didn't even know I was holding, and thanked him from the bottom of my heart.
But when it was time to leave, Charlie did something he never does, he didn't trot right after me to the door.
Instead, he nuzzled his head against Glenn's hand, a deep, rumbled purr of contentment rumbling out of his chest.
I blinked in surprise, then teased him playfully, "Baby, what score do you give this doctor, huh?"
Charlie glanced over at me, then back at Glenn, and suddenly barked three times, bright and excited.
Bright, crisp, and brimming with pure joy.
That was the pre-agreed signal Charlie and I had for a perfect score.
I froze. Glenn froze too, and then we both burst out laughing.
"Looks like I passed the test, huh?" he asked.
For no reason at all, my cheeks started burning.
That night, I edited the clip I'd snuck and stitched it together with the bit of our silly scoring interaction.
I added a caption that read:
Blind Date Diary 01: Stumbled upon an absolute dreamboat vet, and Charlie gave him the first perfect score in history! What do you guys think of this new dog dad? Should we go for it?
The second the video went up, the comment section blew up.
A: [AAAAHHHH this guy is so soft! I'm sold! I'm sold on behalf of Charlie!]
B: [Look how clingy Charlie is! He obviously adores this guy!]
C: [Go for it, girl! I'll chip in fifty dollars, you two should get married right here right now!]
D: [I ship it! I totally ship it! Good job Charlie! Mom's happiness depends on you!]
The video went viral overnight, and my follower count blew straight past two hundred thousand.
I stared at my phone, at the shot of Glenn half-kneeling on the floor, gently soothing Charlie, and my heart skipped a beat.
Maybe… my new life really was about to start.
- Writer
