The Dog's Voice

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Dolores Bishop reacted as if someone had stepped on her tail.

She shot up from the floor and yanked her chubby grandson, Matty Bishop, who had been playing on a phone beside her, behind her back.

"Who the hell are you, coming in here and spewing this garbage?" She jabbed a finger in my face, the gold ring on it nearly striking me in the eye.

I didn't back down. My gaze remained fixed on the three-year-old boy behind her, who was as round as a ball.

Matty was biting his finger, his eyes darting around with a slyness that didn't belong on a child his age.

"Mrs. Bishop, Buddy's seizures aren't caused by a neurological disorder. His skin and mucous membranes have been exposed to a highly concentrated peppermint oil."

I pointed at Buddy, who was still foaming at the mouth on the examination table. "All we have to do is check your grandson's pockets. Then we'll know whether I'm making this up."

The entire studio went silent for a second.

The livestream comments froze, then began flying across the screen ten times faster than before.

[Who is this woman? Is she an intern on the mediation show?]

[Peppermint oil? That's ridiculous. Can it really make a dog react like that?]

[That kid does look like a little terror, though. He was kicking the table earlier.]

Dolores' expression shifted, but she quickly doubled down. She dropped onto the floor, clutched her chest, and began wailing.

"This is outrageous! Picking on a poor grandmother and her helpless grandson!

"My precious boy is only three! He wouldn't even step on an ant, and now this heartless woman is accusing him of something so horrible!"

The moment Matty saw his grandmother sit down, he understood exactly what she wanted. He opened his mouth and began howling without shedding a single tear.

Still crying, he grabbed a plastic water bottle from the table and hurled it at me with all his strength.

I tilted my head aside. The bottle missed me and struck the wall with a dull thud.

"Look what you've done! You've terrified him!" Dolores pulled Matty into her arms and wailed even louder.

Naomi Bishop, the timid daughter-in-law who had been standing quietly off to the side, hurried over. She tugged at my sleeve, her voice pleading.

"Paige, please stop. Matty's just a child. How could he possibly do something like that..."

I stared at her in disbelief.