Everything felt right. Except for Beau.
Beau, our golden retriever, had always been gentle and affectionate—pure heart in dog form. The kind of dog who wagged his tail so hard at strangers it looked like he might fly away. We’d rescued him early in our marriage, and he quickly became part of the family.
But something shifted when Zoey came home.
He became hyper-vigilant. Wouldn’t leave her side. Slept beside the crib. Barked at shadows. We thought maybe he saw Zoey as part of his pack. A pup, maybe. It was intense, but we wrote it off as a loyal dog adjusting to change.
Then came Claire.
Claire was the nanny we hired when sleep deprivation had us running on fumes. She had glowing references, a calm demeanor, and seemed genuinely sweet. The first time she held Zoey, her gentleness almost brought Rose to tears.
