CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN – GOOD NEWS ALL AROUND

The sterile white walls of Clara's hospital room couldn't hold back the warmth of Scarlett's smile. Clara, sporting a cast from her knee down but a bright twinkle in her eyes, sat propped up in bed, a plate of untouched mashed potatoes beside her. "You look like you're getting bored already," Scarlett teased, pulling out her phone. "Ready for some entertainment?" Clara's eyes widened. "What do you have? Gossip? Cat videos? Maybe some embarrassing pictures you dug up from high school?" Scarlett laughed. "Even better! I brought you a front-row seat to the most chaotic gala Happy Paws has ever seen." As the video clip started, the room filled with the joyous sounds of barking dogs, cheers from the crowd, and Scarlett's own voice doing a play-by-play of the "Haute Dog Dash." Clara's eyes gleamed with delight as a particularly muddy pug barreled through the obstacle course. "Oh my gosh, Scarlett!" she shrieked, clutching her stomach with laughter. "Look at that little guy go! He's