A woman stepped inside while checking her phone.
“Chris? Sorry. Parking was awful.”
Then she looked up.
“Dad?”
Steven smiled.
The woman hurried toward him and hugged him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought I’d surprise you.”
She laughed.
“You certainly did.”
Then she noticed Christopher’s expression.
Her smile faded.
“What happened?”
Christopher immediately stepped toward her.
“Victoria, it’s been a difficult afternoon.”
I knew right then that wasn’t how this story was going to be told.
Victoria looked between them.
“What’s going on?”
Steven glanced toward me.
“You should probably hear it from Carol.”
Victoria followed his gaze and noticed Benny.
Her expression softened.
“Oh, sweetheart.”
She crouched slightly.
I lifted a hand.
“He’s blind. His name is Benny.”
Her hand stopped.
“Can I pet him?”
“Let him smell your fingers first.”
She held out her hand.
Benny sniffed her fingers and then leaned his head against her palm.
