Rebecca waited.
Karen looked toward Rachel.
“I asked for the owner.”
Rachel said, “That’s Dr. Hayes.”
Karen slowly turned back.
Rebecca opened her jacket and lifted the employee badge.
DR. REBECCA HAYES
OWNER / MEDICAL DIRECTOR
Karen stared.
The waiting room became very quiet.
Rebecca stepped closer.
“You wanted to speak with me.”
Karen’s entire posture changed.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
Her shoulders lowered.
Her voice softened.
“Oh.”
Rebecca waited.
Karen smiled.
It was astonishing.
Thirty seconds earlier she had been shouting.
Now she sounded almost charming.
“Doctor, I’m so glad you came.”
Rebecca nodded.
“I’ve been here the whole time.”
The smile faded slightly.
Karen glanced toward the coffee station.
“You were?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Long enough.”
Karen looked at the toys scattered over the counter.
Then at Emily.
“This situation has gotten completely out of hand.”
Rebecca agreed.
“It has.”
Karen seemed relieved.
“Exactly.”
Rebecca continued.
“You threw several toys at my reception counter.”
Karen blinked.
“I was returning them.”
“You were throwing them.”
“I was frustrated.”
“I noticed.”
Karen looked toward Emily.
“She provoked me.”
Rebecca turned toward Emily.
“Did you tell Karen she could take only one toy?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Emily swallowed.
“Because that’s the rule, and the extras are for Desert Hearts.”
Rebecca nodded.
“Correct.”
Karen interrupted.
“That’s what I’m trying to explain. This whole thing is ridiculous.”
Rebecca looked at her.
“What part?”
Karen gestured broadly.
“All of it.”
“The rule?”
“The fight.”
Rebecca nodded.
“I agree.”
Karen smiled again.
Rebecca continued.
“There should never have been a fight. Emily told you one toy per pet, and that should have ended the conversation.”
The smile disappeared.
Karen stared.
“You’re taking her side.”
“I’m establishing what happened.”
“She was rude.”
Rebecca looked at Emily.
“Were you rude?”
Emily took a breath.
“I asked why she was fighting me over the toys. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Rebecca nodded.
“We can talk about phrasing later.”
Karen pointed triumphantly.
“See?”
Rebecca looked back at her.
“That does not explain the toys already inside your carrier before Emily said it.”
Karen lowered her hand.
Rebecca continued.
“You had taken several after she told you the limit.”
“They’re free.”
“One is free.”
Karen laughed bitterly.
“This is unbelievable.”
Rebecca remained calm.
Karen leaned closer.
“You’re willing to embarrass a long-term client in front of everyone over maybe thirty dollars?”
Rebecca thought for a moment.
“No.”
Karen looked surprised.
Rebecca continued.
“You embarrassed yourself over thirty dollars.”
Nobody in the lobby moved.
Karen’s mouth opened.
No sound came.
Rebecca was not finished.
“The amount matters because you keep mentioning it.”
She pointed toward the scattered toys.
“If these objects are too inexpensive to matter, they are too inexpensive to justify ignoring an employee who politely told you they belong to rescue animals.”
Karen shook her head.
“You don’t understand customer service.”
Rebecca almost smiled.
“I own a customer-service business.”
“You own a veterinary clinic.”
“Yes.”
“That’s different.”
“No.”
Rebecca folded her arms.
“We provide medicine. We also provide service. Neither requires allowing customers to mistreat employees.”
Karen glanced around the waiting room.
Now she was aware of the audience.
That awareness made her angrier.
“You’re making a scene.”
Rebecca looked around.
“I arrived after the toys started flying.”
A woman near the cat carrier covered her mouth.
Karen heard another suppressed laugh.
“This is humiliating.”
Rebecca nodded.
“It didn’t need to be.”
Karen grabbed her pink wallet.
“Fine. Bring my dog.”
Rebecca glanced toward the carrier.
“Your dog is already there.”
Karen froze.
Princess Victoria remained asleep beneath a mound of toys.
Several customers started laughing openly.
Even Rebecca had to look away.
Karen’s face turned red.
“I mean finish my checkout.”
Emily returned to her computer.
“Your payment has already been processed.”
“Good.”
Karen reached for the carrier.
Rebecca said, “Before you leave, we need the rescue toys returned.”
Karen stared.
“You’re serious.”
“Yes.”
“They’ve been inside my dog’s carrier.”
“We’ll sanitize them.”
“I don’t want them anymore.”
“I understand.”
Karen began pulling toys out.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
Eleven.
Then a twelfth.
Rachel counted silently.
So did several customers.
Karen placed the last one on the counter.
Rebecca looked at the pile.
“Twelve.”
Karen snapped, “Are you happy?”
Rebecca said, “No.”
That answer confused her.
Rebecca continued.
“I’m disappointed.”
Karen rolled her eyes.
“Spare me.”
Rebecca’s expression changed.
Not angry.
Firm.
“There’s one more thing.”
Karen froze.
“What now?”
Rebecca pointed toward a black dome in the ceiling.
A security camera.
Then another near the entrance.
“The front lobby has continuous video.”
Karen looked up.
Rebecca continued.
“The cameras captured the interaction.”
“So?”
“So if you decide to contact corporate, post online, or claim my staff accused you without reason, we have the original record.”
Karen laughed.
“Corporate?”
Rebecca smiled faintly.
“There is no corporate.”
Karen said nothing.
“This clinic is independently owned.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
Karen stared.
Rebecca continued.
“And the camera also captured you putting twelve donation toys into the carrier after being told the limit.”