Earth

Sayen had no idea where she was going. Just a few hours ago, she had been breaking down in the shower. Now? She was in her car, driving the roads. She'd been driving in a large circle, but she couldn't seem to make herself stop the car. The smooth ride calmed her, made her forget why she was so upset in the first place.

She shivered, pulling the soft blanket closer as she sped around yet another curve on the winding road. Her heater was broken and it felt like thirty below outside. She had forgotten just how cold it could get in the north. Should it be getting warm soon? After all, it was nearing seven-thirty in the morning.

Her foot slammed on the break, seeing a sandy colored lump on the side of the road. She grimaced, putting her car in park and jumping from the vehicle, her blanket billowing behind her. Dropping to the ground, she studied the injured animal. It was definitely canine. Her hands fluttered over the animal to check for signs of injury. The animal let out a weak growl when her hands touched its front leg. She sighed, “I'm so sorry, sugar,” she told the animal.

With a sudden spark of inspiration, she pulled her cell phone from its place in her pocket and dialed Paul's number. It rang a few times and she was about to press the end button when his voice leaked into her ears. “SaySay?”

“Paul, do you think you could come to...Well, I'm three miles from that tourist place. Something's happened and I need your help,” she said in a strained tone, fighting back tears. Something that hurt her more than any guy, was seeing a creature in pain.

“What happened? You all right?” Paul asked, seemingly frantic. She heard the sound of a door shutting and the start of an engine.

“Just hurry, please.” Sayen shut her phone and stroked the animal's fur, making sure she didn't touch its right from leg. What were mere minutes felt like hours as Sayen and the canine waited for Paul to show up. The sound of a somewhat loud truck made both she and the animal flinch. It cut off and Paul was standing beside them in seconds. “Help me get him into the back seat,” she ordered.

He nodded and carefully picked up the injured animal while Sayen opened the back right door of her Pathfinder. Paul gingerly placed the animal in the long seat, and Sayen reached around him to cover the animal up with her blanket. “You're going to nurse a full grown coyote to health?” Paul asked, skeptical.

Sayen glared at him, “I'm not going to let him sit there and rot,” she snapped, shutting the car door gently.

Paul flinched visibly. That stung.

Without so much as a thank you, Sayen hopped in her car and put it in drive, speeding back toward her home. She glanced in her rear view mirror to check to see if the coyote was doing okay, but found that Paul was following her. She shook her head and pushed her car faster until she pulled onto her street. She eased to a stop in her yard and cut the engine.

By some coincidence, she got out of her car the same time Paul came up beside it. He picked up the coyote and followed Sayen inside. After setting the injured animal on the floor of the dining room, he watched as the tall, slender, woman flitted about the kitchen and over to the coyote. She looked up at Paul with tired eyes. “Sorry for snapping at you. Will you do me a favor and check on Vi for me? She's in the living room.”

Sayen watched as Paul disappeared and turned her eyes back to the animal. So this was what a coyote looked like. She pulled the strip of fabric she'd torn from the curtain above the window, and, as gently as she could, fixed up his leg. He looked up at her with dark eyes that seemed thankful. “I don't want to call you Sugar all the time, so do you mind if I give you a name?” she asked with a yawn.

She could have sworn he shook his head.

She smiled, taking a fistful of the left over chicken from the fridge and holding it in front of the coyote. As he ate, she studied him. “I'm going to call you...Conrí.”

The coyote barked out what could be considered a laugh.

She giggled at the strangeness of it all. “Don't laugh! That's my friend's name. I told him I would name my future son after him, but after having Vivian, I don't think I want any more kids. Not that she's a bad kid or anything, but I'm twenty-four and I have the temper of a five year old.”

The coyote's eyes went behind her and she turned around to find Paul standing there with a curious look on his face. “Vivian's your daughter?