Left Behind by Laurie Halse Anderson

wonder.
    â€œNo, I think Sunita has helped her come up with a new plan.” I hear Dr. Gabe mention my name. I look at him. He continues, “Sunita, what did you and Connie Van Hoven come up with for Sylvester?”
    â€œWell, she isn’t going to try and buy him a friend or two,” I say.
    â€œOh, now, that’s a shame,” Dr. Mac says. “Sheep really do need other sheep.”
    â€œMrs. Van Hoven realizes she would just be kicking the can down the road if she did that,” I say. Dr. Mac’s eyebrow goes up, and she smiles a funny little smile at me.
    â€œTell me more,” she says.
    So I tell them about how Mrs. Van Hoven doesn’t plan on becoming a sheep farmer anytime soon. How she doesn’t know how to shear. And how she doesn’t know much about the health issues of sheep.
    And then I say, “She’ll find someone who does and give Sylvester away to a good home.”
    â€œSo that’s her next obstacle, then,” Dr. Gabe says. “Finding a farm with sheep who will take Sylvester.”
    Then Melissa says, “What about a farm sanctuary?”
    â€œWhat’s that?” asks Maggie.
    â€œIt’s a farm where unwanted farm animals can live out their days. Imagine a very big animal shelter. They usually have some very nice sheep there.”
    â€œI’ve heard of these. But I’m not exactly sure where there is one,” Dr. Mac says.
    â€œThere’s one in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, right near where I grew up,” Melissa says. “In fact, I used to volunteer over there. It was kind of like what you three do here as Vet Volunteers. My time volunteering at the farm sanctuary is what made me want to become a vet tech.”
    This is fantastic! I look over at Maggie and Brenna, and they are just as excited as I am. Ithink Maggie sees Melissa with fresh eyes. After all, Melissa was one of us not too long ago—someone who loved working with animals and volunteered to help care for them.

Chapter Fourteen

    J unie, the owner of the huskies, knocks at the clinic door just as we’re finishing. She and Jerry, their daughters, and her mother have all come up with a solution about what to do with the fighting dogs. Junie’s mother will take Ariel, and Junie, Jerry, and their daughters will keep Elsa. The girls go to their grandmother’s house every day after school, so every day they’ll be able to play with both dogs. Junie signs some paperwork for Dr. Mac and takes Elsa home. Ariel will stay with us another day. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the little girls will still have the dogs they named and love. Most important, everyone will be safer with this solution.
    A while later, Maggie, Brenna, and I decide to take down the tent. Dr. Mac and Dr. Gabe can handle things without us. Melissa has even gone home for the day. I’m pretty sure that the next time she comes to work at Dr. Mac’s Place, she’ll get a warm reception from the Vet Volunteers. Well, at least from those of us who have already had a chance to meet her.
    We pile our sleeping bags and other stuff beside the tent. Brenna and I pull the tent poles down, and Maggie pulls the tent taut so we can fold it up.
    â€œYou haven’t told Maggie about your new addition yet, have you?” Brenna says, pulling out the stakes with the claw of a hammer.
    â€œWhat new addition?” Maggie asks.
    â€œA kitten! My parents are finally allowing me to get another cat,” I say.
    â€œThat’s great. Wait, how long has this been a thing?” Maggie asks.
    â€œJust since Thursday. We’ve been talking about it for a year. But then one of my father’s partners told him that his son’s cat had kittens. We went and looked at them, and they are the cutest things. My parents finally agreed.”
    â€œCongratulations!” Maggie says. “Hey, how come Brenna knew and I didn’t?”
    â€œWell, I