Alfie All Alone

Chapter Five

The next morning was Saturday, and the family was having breakfast. It was always a really nice time – the beginning of the weekend, when they all had a chance to relax. They usually had something extra-nice for breakfast too. Today, not even croissants could cheer everyone up.

At least Sam seemed to be in a better mood. He was lying in his bouncy chair in the living room.

“He’s fine,” Dad reported back after a quick check. “Seems to be enjoying himself actually – I think he’s learning to bat at that dangly toy you bought him, Evie.” He gave a long, slow sigh of relief, sat down and poured himself a large cup of coffee.

Alfie jumped up, his paws on Dad’s knee, holding his squeaky bone hopefully in his mouth. Dad was usually good for a game.

“Not now, Alfie,” Dad muttered, pushing him away gently.

Alfie went to paw at Evie’s ankles, hoping for a bit of croissant. She dangled a piece by his nose, and he gulped it down gratefully.

“Evie!” Mum said sharply. “Are you giving Alfie scraps? How many times have I told you not to feed that dog at the table?” Mum didn’t normally mind that much, but today she was tired and snappish.

“Shoo, Alfie!” Evie whispered, nudging him out from under the table with her foot.

Alfie took one look at Mum’s cross face, and trailed sadly into the living room. He sat down next to Sam. The baby was half-smiling at the bouncy animals toy stretched across the front of his chair, and vaguely waving a hand at it every so often. Alfie watched. It was quite fun. He lay down with his nose on his paws and gazed up as the little creatures jumped and danced. Sam smelled nice – milky – and he was relaxing to be with after the tense, grumpy mood in the kitchen. Sam made little squeaky, grunting noises to himself, and Alfie wuffed quietly back, his eyes slowly closing as he drifted off for a snooze.

After a few minutes, the jingling of the toy was joined by an irritating buzz. Alfie opened one eye. Was it Sam making that noise?Was he supposed to do that? No, Sam was asleep. The buzzing was from a large fly that had landed on the baby’s arm. Alfie bristled as he watched it crawl over Sam. He hated flies, and he knew Evie’s mum did too, if ever a fly buzzed near she always shooed it away. That fly should not be crawling over Sam.

Alfie watched, waiting for his moment to pounce. He was so intent on the fly, that he had no idea Evie and her mum had come into the living room to check on Sam. They watched in horror as Alfie pounced, his sharp white teeth snapping on the fly – just millimetres away from Sam’s arm.

“Alfie, no!” Evie screamed, as her mum threw herself forward to grab Sam away.

Alfie had never heard Evie sound like that before – terrified and angry at the same time. He shot under the sofa and lay there cowering.

Sam hadn’t noticed the fly, but he certainly noticed when his mum snatched him out of his nice sleep. He roared angrily, and waved his arms about.

“Mum, is he OK? I can’t believe Alfie tried to bite him!” Tears were rolling down Evie’s cheeks.

Evie’s mum was breathing fast – from where she and Evie had been standing, it really had looked as though Alfie had meant to bite Sam’s arm, and she’d been terrified. She was pushing up the sleeve of his sleepsuit, searching for marks, but he seemed fine – just cross at being woken.

“What happened? Are you all right?” Evie’s dad rushed into the room, dressing gown flapping. “Is something the matter with Sam?” he asked, taking in the scene.

“No. No, we’re all OK,” Evie’s mum said slowly.

“Dad, Alfie nearly bit Sam!” Evie sobbed, throwing her arms around him. She couldn’t believe that her lovely puppy would do such a horrible thing – but then she’d seen it with her own eyes and watched him jump at her baby brother, teeth bared.

“I don’t think he did, Evie.” Mum sounded as though she was trying to work it all out. “Look.”

Lying on the floor next to the bouncy chair was a huge bluebottle, legs in the air, still buzzing faintly.

“You know how Alfie hates flies, he’s always snapping at them. I think he just tried to catch a fly that had landed on Sam’s arm.”

Evie lifted her head from where it was buried in her dad’s dressing gown. “Really?”

Evie’s dad was looking serious. “Are you sure?”

“Well, no, I suppose not. But Alfie’s never done anything like that before, has he?”

Evie shook her head, smiling in relief. “Never! Oh, Mum, thank goodness you saw that fly – we’d never have known otherwise.”

“Where is Alfie?” Dad asked, looking round.

“I shouted at him and he disappeared under the sofa!” Evie went pale. “Oh, he must think we’re so angry! Poor Alfie.” Evie crouched down to look, but Alfie flinched away from her, and retreated right to the back. Evie sat up, looking hurt. “He won’t come,” she said miserably.

“You probably need to give him a bit of time.” Dad put an arm round her, and the other round Mum and Sam. “Come on into the kitchen.”

Alfie huddled under the sofa, trembling. No one had ever shouted at him like that before. Evie had behaved as though he’d done something terrible. But he’d been helping Sam! Evie’s mum was always saying that flies were horrible, dirty things. She waved them away if they got anywhere near the baby. Did Evie and Mum think I was trying to bite Sam? Alfie wondered. I’d never do that! Don’t they know I’d never do that? Alfie lay there, feeling confused. No one seemed to understand him very much here any more. He was always in trouble, and even Evie, who used to love him so much, didn’t seem to have any time for him. Maybe they really did think he was the sort of dog who would bite.

“Alfie! Alfie!” Evie was calling him. She was lying down, peering under the sofa. “Come out, Alfie, please? I didn’t mean it. Please come out, I’m so sorry for shouting at you.” Her eyes met his hopefully, and Alfie couldn’t hold back any longer.

He crept forward, tail slowly starting to wag. As he wriggled out from under the sofa, she hugged him tight, burying her face in his thick white fur. “Oh, Alfie.” Alfie put his paws on her shoulders and licked her face, tasting salt from her tears. Why was she crying? Everything was all right now. He wagged his tail, and licked her again lovingly.

“Uuurgh, Alfie…” Evie giggled and sniffed. “I’m covered in lick. Oh, I do love you.” She sighed. “I’m so sorry. I haven’t been showing it much, have I?”

Alfie wuffed encouragingly. He adored Evie, and he trusted her. Hearing the love in Evie’s voice as he snuggled against her was all he needed to feel better.