Back at my small apartment, I fixed Granddad some tea while calling the local vet for the puppy. Its paw was cut but treatable, and within an hour, we had it cleaned and rebandaged. Watching Granddad smile faintly as the little thing licked his fingers was almost enough to make me cry.

But underneath, fury simmered.

“Granddad,” I said gently, “tell me exactly what happened today.”

He sighed, setting down his cup. “I was walking past the construction site on Greenfield. I heard crying from a ditch, and when I looked down, this little fella was trapped. I climbed down, pulled him out, and brought him home. Marlene started screaming the minute she saw me. Said I was dirtying her floors with another filthy animal. When I argued, she told me to pack up and get out. Said I was dead weight, and she wouldn’t tolerate freeloaders anymore.”