Chapter 5 — Mark Arrives at the Party
Mark Collins arrived forty minutes later.
He walked into the backyard still wearing office clothes.
The moment he saw Jasper, he stopped.
“How did he get here?”
Sophie folded her arms.
“I brought him.”
Mark looked furious.
“You took my father’s dog?”
Richard stepped between them.
“Before you start accusing teenagers, apparently tonight is an excellent evening for checking facts.”
Ethan looked toward Richard.
Richard noticed.
“Yes. I hear the irony.”
Mark stared at Jasper.
“I have been looking for him for four days.”
Sophie frowned.
“I heard you giving him away.”
“What?”
She repeated the phone conversation.
Mark covered his face.
“You heard half of it.”
“You said you didn’t care where he went.”
“For two weeks.”
Sophie went quiet.
Mark had been speaking with a pet-boarding coordinator.
Not a shelter.
Not an adoption service.
His full sentence had been:
“I don’t care where he goes for two weeks as long as it’s handled properly and my dad can visit if he wants.”
Sophie had walked away before hearing the rest.
Richard looked toward her.
“You didn’t ask him?”
“I thought I knew.”
“That phrase is also having a very bad evening.”
Sophie lowered her eyes.
Then Mark’s expression changed.
“Wait.”
“What?” Richard asked.
Mark looked uncomfortable.
“There is another part.”
Arthur knew Jasper needed somewhere temporary.
But Mark had not told his father exactly where he planned to send the dog.
“Why?”
Mark sighed.
Because he had selected a boarding facility almost ninety minutes away.
Arthur would hate that.
He would want Jasper nearby.
He would probably argue that he could return home early instead.
Mark was already overwhelmed coordinating repairs to Arthur’s house.
Insurance appointments.
Contractors.
Temporary housing.
Work.
So Mark told his father only:
“I’ll take care of Jasper.”
Then planned everything himself.
Richard stared at him.
“So Sophie misunderstood.”
Mark nodded.
“Yes.”
Then Richard continued:
“But you also decided your father didn’t need the details.”
Mark stopped.
“I was trying to make things easier.”
“For him?”
Mark hesitated.
That was the problem.
Partly for Arthur.
Partly for Mark.
He didn’t want another argument.
So he avoided one by withholding information.
It sounded very different when stated aloud.