Kate’s head melted into the soft folds of her Mooshy. “I’m sure it was. Take Buttons for company.”

The beagle was asleep on a chair, not even flinching when they’d opened the sliding door.

“He can’t keep up with me.”

“Neither can I, but you keep me around.”

He covered her with a sheet and turned the television on. “That’s because I’m locked in with you. I don’t have time, money, or energy for another wife. But getting another dog is a simple trip to the animal shelter.”

She slapped his hand. “So you’re saying if you had time, money, or energy, you’d be ready for wife number two?”

“I’d need all three, and I don’t see that happening in my lifetime.” He smiled as he kissed her forehead, nose, and lips. “Now, take a nice long nap. I’ll get the fire pit ready for tonight.”

Kate settled in, the fresh air making her drowsy in a good way, not the usual pull of sleep because she was hurt or sick. She looked forward to dinner on the patio and sitting beside the fire. Andrew seemed so excited when he talked about it, like a kid going over plans for his birthday.

She drifted off to the soundtrack of a Western on the television, the brass section blaring away as the cavalry came storming in.

* * *

“Care to stay a while?”

The bear beside her bed smiled, its coal-black eyes crusted yellow.

Kate hurriedly gathered the sheet and blanket to her chest, pushing away from the wild creature in her room.

“You don’t belong here,” she said. “Shoo! Get out of my house.”

“But you invited me in,” the bear said, resting his muzzle on the bed, his dripping nose nudging her side.

“I…I did no such thing.”

The bear yawned, but she knew it was simply to show off its massive teeth. The roof of its mouth was black as cancer, its gums raw and red. It said, “Then why am I here?”

Kate turned to wake up Andrew. His side of the bed was empty.

“He’s out there,” the bear said, craning its massive head toward the front door. “Running. Always running. Running from you.”

“I don’t want you here.”

“Yes, you do.”

“You’re a liar and you’re not wanted. Besides, we’re not allowed to have bears in the cottage.”

When the bear sighed, the gust of hot breath blew the covers off the bed. Kate looked down to see she was naked. But something was wrong. The body below her neck was not her body. It was the rail-thin body of someone in the cold, deathly grip of anorexia. Every bone was visible, her skin stretched so taut, she could hear it creak like leather.

The sight of her heart made her forget the bear.