(Dianne) Fox Writes

“Mr. Spencer?”

The voice startled Finn and Gerbil both. Finn jerked, but he managed to close his hands over
Gerbil’s body just in time to keep him from skittering off onto the floor. He put Gerbil back in
his carrying case, and then looked up to see the veterinarian.

Decker must have been new at the clinic. Finn didn’t recognize him, though he did appreciate
the man’s bright blue eyes and easy smile. Definitely better looking than the other vets Finn had
met: tall and dark, with his sleek black hair neatly parted to one side.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Dr. Decker came over to the table. He looked down at
Gerbil, who was – yet again – frantically washing his little face. “I’m Dr. Decker. And this must
be…” He checked his clipboard, looked at Gerbil, then raised his eyes to Finn. “Gerbil?”

Finn grinned, reaching out to run a finger down Gerbil’s dark dorsal stripe. “Yep.” He laughed
at Decker’s expression, all cautious confusion. “Yeah, I know he’s not a gerbil. He’s a dwarf
hamster, a Winter White.”

Dr. Decker smiled, obviously relieved that he wasn’t going to have to break the news to a new
pet owner that he had the wrong rodent species entirely. “Oh, good.”

Finn laughed again and picked Gerbil up to let him run over his hands. “I get that all the time.”
“How did Gerbil get his name?” Dr. Decker asked, putting his clipboard aside. He watched the
little hamster run from one of Finn’s big hands to the other.

“I used to date this guy, this little bitty guy. His nickname, something he picked up in high
school, I guess, was Gerbil,” Finn said with forced casualness. He shrugged and offered Decker
a tight smile. “Seemed like a good name for a hamster.”

Dr. Decker just nodded, but there was a hint of pink creeping over his cheeks. “So what brings
Gerbil into the office today?” he asked finally.

Finn slipped Gerbil back into his carrying case so he could pay attention to the conversation.
“I’m thinking about getting another hamster. A friend of mine breeds Winter Whites. She’s got
a male that’s not suitable for breeding, I guess, and I thought Gerbil might like a friend.”

“And you wanted to make sure Gerbil was healthy before you brought a new hamster into the
mix?” Decker picked up the clipboard again to check Gerbil’s medical history.

“No, actually,” Finn said, standing up. The veterinarian was tall, but Finn still towered over him.
“I know he’s just fine. I was hoping you could tell me if it’s okay to get another male hamster?”

Decker put the clipboard down again, on the counter behind him this time. “Why wouldn’t it
be?”

“I read somewhere that putting two males in the same cage system will make them aggressive,
that they’ll fight with each other.” Finn shrugged, reaching down to run his thumb along
Gerbil’s dorsal stripe again. “I don’t want Gerbil to get hurt.”

“It can be a problem.” Decker reached down into the carrying case. “May I?” he asked,
glancing up at Finn, who smiled back at him.

“Sure. He doesn’t bite. Much.” Finn did, but only when asked nicely.