getting a dog?”
“A puppy! Mum and Dad are giving me a puppy – we’re going to pick one out tomorrow morning.” Evie sighed blissfully. She wasn’t sure she could wait that long.
Gran looked confused. “But … just before the baby arrives?”
Evie nodded happily. Then she leaned over the table, lowering her voice as though she were telling secrets. “They didn’t say, but I think it’s to make me feel better about the baby,” she explained.
Her grandma nodded thoughtfully. “Well, everyone would understand if you found it difficult, Evie, you know that, don’t you?”
“Gran, you know I’m really looking forward to it.” Evie laughed. “And nowI’ll have a puppy as well!” She beamed at Gran, expecting her to be really excited. But Gran was stirring her tea thoughtfully. “What’s the matter?” Evie asked, frowning.
“Nothing, Evie. It’s lovely news. It’s just…” Gran sipped her tea, thinking what to say. “I’m just wondering if this is the right time. With the baby coming. A new puppy will be a lot of work, you know.”
Evie shook her head. “Don’t worry. I know about looking after dogs from helping with Ben and Tigger, and Dad knows loads about them too.” Evie bent down to scratch Tigger behind his ears, so she didn’t see her gran’s worried face. “I’ve wanted a dog for so long! I still can’t believe it’s reallyhappening!” Evie gave Tigger an excited hug. Tomorrow she was going to meet her own puppy for the first time!
Chapter Two
Evie just couldn’t stay in bed the next morning. She usually loved having a lie-in on Saturdays after getting up for school all week, but today she was much too excited. She hardly ate any breakfast either – she just stirred her chocolate cereal in circles till it looked like mud.
“You might as well eat it, you know,Evie,” her mum pointed out, slowly buttering a piece of toast. “We’re not going yet. I told Mrs Wilson we’d be there at ten.”
“But that’s hours away!” Evie wailed.
“MrsWilson has to feed the puppies and tidy their run and get everything ready,” her mum explained. “We can’t go round before then.”
“I suppose so,” Evie agreed reluctantly. She trailed upstairs, wondering what she was going to do to fill a whole hour before they could leave. Then she had a brainwave. She’d go and look up puppies on the Net, to try and find out about looking after a dog. Evie settled down and before long was busy making notes. By the time her mum called her down, Evie’s headwas bursting with information about feeding, walking, vaccinations and training. It was a lot to think about. But she knew she could do it!
“Oh, look! He’s all shy!” Evie giggled, and stretched out her hand to the fluffy white puppy who was peeping out at her round his mother. He took a step back, then curiosity got the better of him. Tail slowly wagging, he began to sneak forwards to where Evie was sitting on the floor.
“He’s a little cutie, that one, probably my favourite,” MrsWilson said fondly. “I’m going to miss him – he’s such a sweet-natured dog.”
Mum shook her head. “I don’t know how you can bear to see them go. They’re all so gorgeous.” She scratched the puppy she was cuddling under the chin, and the little dog snuff led happily at her fingers.
“Well, this is the last time I’ll have to, actually.” MrsWilson sighed. “Lady and I are getting too old for puppies! We’re retiring, aren’t we, my special girl?” She patted the puppies’ mother, a beautiful snow-white dog with melting brown eyes. “We’re going to live by the sea. Lady loves walking along the beach. And getting soaking wet!”
Evie could have sworn that Lady’s eyes sparkled naughtily. That was the amazing thing about her and the puppies – they all seemed so bright and intelligent. Then the fluffy little boy puppy suddenly nuzzled at her hand, and she squeaked in delight. She’d been watching Lady and not
“A puppy! Mum and Dad are giving me a puppy – we’re going to pick one out tomorrow morning.” Evie sighed blissfully. She wasn’t sure she could wait that long.
Gran looked confused. “But … just before the baby arrives?”
Evie nodded happily. Then she leaned over the table, lowering her voice as though she were telling secrets. “They didn’t say, but I think it’s to make me feel better about the baby,” she explained.
Her grandma nodded thoughtfully. “Well, everyone would understand if you found it difficult, Evie, you know that, don’t you?”
“Gran, you know I’m really looking forward to it.” Evie laughed. “And nowI’ll have a puppy as well!” She beamed at Gran, expecting her to be really excited. But Gran was stirring her tea thoughtfully. “What’s the matter?” Evie asked, frowning.
“Nothing, Evie. It’s lovely news. It’s just…” Gran sipped her tea, thinking what to say. “I’m just wondering if this is the right time. With the baby coming. A new puppy will be a lot of work, you know.”
Evie shook her head. “Don’t worry. I know about looking after dogs from helping with Ben and Tigger, and Dad knows loads about them too.” Evie bent down to scratch Tigger behind his ears, so she didn’t see her gran’s worried face. “I’ve wanted a dog for so long! I still can’t believe it’s reallyhappening!” Evie gave Tigger an excited hug. Tomorrow she was going to meet her own puppy for the first time!
Chapter Two
Evie just couldn’t stay in bed the next morning. She usually loved having a lie-in on Saturdays after getting up for school all week, but today she was much too excited. She hardly ate any breakfast either – she just stirred her chocolate cereal in circles till it looked like mud.
“You might as well eat it, you know,Evie,” her mum pointed out, slowly buttering a piece of toast. “We’re not going yet. I told Mrs Wilson we’d be there at ten.”
“But that’s hours away!” Evie wailed.
“MrsWilson has to feed the puppies and tidy their run and get everything ready,” her mum explained. “We can’t go round before then.”
“I suppose so,” Evie agreed reluctantly. She trailed upstairs, wondering what she was going to do to fill a whole hour before they could leave. Then she had a brainwave. She’d go and look up puppies on the Net, to try and find out about looking after a dog. Evie settled down and before long was busy making notes. By the time her mum called her down, Evie’s headwas bursting with information about feeding, walking, vaccinations and training. It was a lot to think about. But she knew she could do it!
“Oh, look! He’s all shy!” Evie giggled, and stretched out her hand to the fluffy white puppy who was peeping out at her round his mother. He took a step back, then curiosity got the better of him. Tail slowly wagging, he began to sneak forwards to where Evie was sitting on the floor.
“He’s a little cutie, that one, probably my favourite,” MrsWilson said fondly. “I’m going to miss him – he’s such a sweet-natured dog.”
Mum shook her head. “I don’t know how you can bear to see them go. They’re all so gorgeous.” She scratched the puppy she was cuddling under the chin, and the little dog snuff led happily at her fingers.
“Well, this is the last time I’ll have to, actually.” MrsWilson sighed. “Lady and I are getting too old for puppies! We’re retiring, aren’t we, my special girl?” She patted the puppies’ mother, a beautiful snow-white dog with melting brown eyes. “We’re going to live by the sea. Lady loves walking along the beach. And getting soaking wet!”
Evie could have sworn that Lady’s eyes sparkled naughtily. That was the amazing thing about her and the puppies – they all seemed so bright and intelligent. Then the fluffy little boy puppy suddenly nuzzled at her hand, and she squeaked in delight. She’d been watching Lady and not
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