Monty the Sad Puppy

Chapter Three

“It’s all right, Monty.” Amelie smoothed his ears gently. “It’s going to be OK. I hope…” she added in a whisper.

She and Monty were sitting in the hallway on the bottom step. The two dogs didn’t seem to be getting on very well. When they’d met before it had mostly been for walks – Amelie, Josh and Grandad had loved going out together with the dogs. Somehow it was different now that they were sharing a house. Monty had gone up and tried to give Daisy a friendly sniff but she’d growled at him, showing her teeth, and he’d backed away, looking frightened. Amelie had decided to take Monty out of the room again and give Daisy some time to settle.

“Perhaps I should have guessed this would be confusing for you, too,” Amelie muttered. “I just thought Daisy would keep you company while me and Josh were at school. Dad says you’re always making sad eyes at him when he’s working.”

Monty leaned against Amelie’s knees, enjoying the fuss she was making of him. His strange, bewildered feeling eased as she rubbed his ears. He let out a long huff of breath, his eyes half-closing.

“Ready to go, Amelie?” said Mum, walking down the stairs.

“Do I have to come?” Amelie asked, staring at Monty’s ears so she didn’t have to look at Mum.

“Don’t you want to see Grandad?” Mum sat down on the stairs behind her. “He’d love to see you. Josh wanted to come but he’s got football practice. Are you worried about going to the hospital, sweetheart? I don’t think it’ll be scary. Grandad’s doing really well.”

Amelie turned to look up at her. “It isn’t that. I mean, maybe a bit but mostly I don’t know what to say about Daisy. Grandad’s going to ask us how she is and I don’t want to tell him.”

Mum put a hand on Amelie’s shoulder. “Grandad’s not going to expect miracles, Amelie. He’ll know she’s going to be upset to begin with. He’s really pleased we’re looking after her, you know. When I went to see him last night he said he knew you’d look after her for him.”

“But I’m not looking after her!” Amelie sniffed hard and then half-laughed as Monty snuggled his damp nose against her chin. “Look – Monty can tell I’m worried. Daisy’s so upset, Mum. She didn’t eat dinner and she’s really grumpy with Monty. I think she hates being here, full stop.”

Mum nodded. “Wouldn’t you, though? If you’d suddenly been taken to a new place, with people you didn’t really know, and you didn’t understand what was happening? And you were missing your best friend? She’s only been here a couple of hours, Amelie. We’ve just got to give her time.”

Grandad looked small, Amelie decided. That was what was so weird. He was a tall man but in the hospital bed he seemed to have shrunk.

“Ignore the pyjamas, Amelie,” he said as she came in, grinning at her and trying to heave himself up against the pillows. “These horrible yellow things are from the hospital. Your mum’s promised to nip back over to my house and get me my own ones.”

Amelie giggled. “They are a funny colour,” she agreed. Grandad looked really pale and washed out – she didn’t think it was just because of the pyjamas but it was easier to pretend. “Are you feeling all right?” she asked, feeling slightly awkward.

“Just tired.” Grandad reached out to pat her hand and Amelie moved closer to him – she could see how hard it was for him to lift his arm. She’d been hoping that he’d be able to come out of the hospital soon but now she could see how serious things were.

“How’s Daisy?” Grandad asked. “How’s Monty coping with her bossing him around? Is she being a little madam?”

Amelie swallowed. “A bit…” She wished Daisy would be bossy. That would be better than her being so quiet and unhappy.

“She’s still getting used to the move, Dad,” Amelie’s mum put in. “I’m sure she’ll be fine soon.”

Grandad nodded but he looked worried.

“It’ll be OK, Grandad,” Amelie found herself saying. “I promise we’ll make her happy.”

“I know you will, love.” Grandad smiled at her. “She’s in good hands.”

Amelie smiled, too, but behind her back she was digging her nails into her palms. How could they make Daisy happy when she was so upset? But now she’d made a promise. And she was going to do everything she could to keep it.

“Josh! Josh, wake up!”

“Amelie…” Josh groaned and pulled the duvet up around his ears. “What’s the matter?”

Amelie perched on the edge of his bed and Monty snuffled his nose under Josh’s duvet.

“Eugh! Cold,” Josh moaned. “Get off, Monty.”

“I need to talk to you. I’ve hardly slept at all, thinking about it.”

“About what?” Josh sat up and looked at Amelie blearily. His hair was sticking up and he still seemed half-asleep.

“I need you to help me make Daisy happy.”

“What?” Josh yawned.

“I promised Grandad,” Amelie explained. “I didn’t mean to, it just came out. I wanted to cheer him up… I told him we’d make Daisy happy. So now we have to.”

“Me?” Josh sighed.

“Both of us! What can we do? I’ve just been down to feed her and Monty, and she’s still not eating. She had a tiny nibble of her biscuits and then went back to her basket. And I think Monty’s scared of her. He kept looking over at her the whole time he was eating.”

Josh ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “I wish the hospital let dogs in. She’s missing Grandad and he’s missing her. If only they could see each other.”

Amelie nodded. “She’s only little – do you think we could smuggle her in? Maybe in my school bag?”

Josh grinned. “I wish we could. But she’d bark her head off if we tried to put her in a bag. We might get banned from the hospital.”

“I suppose so…” Then Amelie sat up, staring at him. “She can’t see Grandad … but what about hearing him? We could phone him at the hospital and he can talk to Daisy!”

Josh nodded. “Yes! That’s perfect, Amelie! Let’s go and do it now.”

Amelie jumped up but then she stopped. “I’m not sure we should, not before school. Grandad looked so tired yesterday – he might still be asleep.” She sighed. “Let’s call him when we get home. A few hours won’t matter…” It just seemed such a long time for Daisy to wait.

Amelie spent the whole day worrying about Monty and Daisy. Dad had said that he’d try to take them both out for a morning walk but Amelie wasn’t sure Daisy would want to go. She’d been out in the garden to wee but she hadn’t seemed to enjoy the fresh air. She’d just trailed back into the house. When Monty wanted walks, he danced around her eagerly, or sometimes he sat in front of his lead, whining and trying to claw it off its hook. Daisy hadn’t done anything like that.

“What’s the matter?” Ella asked her at break time.

“Monty and Daisy aren’t getting on,” Amelie admitted. “I got so excited about having Daisy come to live with us, I didn’t even think about what it would really be like.”

Ella looked sympathetic. “But dogs do get new owners sometimes. I bet she’ll get used to you soon.”

“I hope so. We’ve got a plan, anyway.” Amelie explained about the phone call and Ella nodded.

“That sounds like a great idea,” she said, as the bell went. “Don’t worry, Amelie. I’m sure hearing your grandad’s voice will cheer Daisy up.”

Amelie had promised to wait for Josh so they could phone Grandad together but he seemed to take hours to walk home from school that afternoon. She watched out for him from her bedroom window with Monty curled up on his cushion next to her.

Monty was supposed to sleep in the kitchen – he definitely preferred sleeping in Amelie’s room, though. Mum and Dad had told Amelie he shouldn’t sleep on her bed, because when he was fully grown there’d be no room for her. So he had a big cushion next to the bed instead.

As soon as Amelie saw her brother coming down the road, she leaped from the windowsill and galloped down the stairs. Monty had been half-asleep but he woke up as Amelie dashed past him. Where was she going? He blinked after her, confused, and then got up, shaking himself awake to follow her.

“OK, OK, I’m coming,” Josh said, pulling his mobile out of his pocket as Amelie dragged him into the kitchen. The two baskets were still at opposite ends of the room – Daisy’s little dachshund-sized one and the great big basket that Dad had bought for Monty to grow into.

“Dad said she wouldn’t go for a walk this morning,” Amelie told Josh. “She wouldn’t even get out of her basket.”

“Maybe this’ll help,” Josh said, searching for Grandad’s number. Amelie crouched down next to Daisy, eyeing the little dog anxiously. She really hoped this would work.

Daisy was curled up in a ball, with one paw stretched over her muzzle – almost as if she was trying to cover her eyes. She’d obviously heard Amelie and Josh coming. She opened one dark eye and stared at them suspiciously.

“Josh! Amelie! Your mum told me about your idea!” Amelie could hear Grandad’s voice, small and hollow sounding, from the phone.

“Hi, Grandad. I’m putting you on speaker – Daisy’s right here.”

Before Josh could even touch the screen, Daisy was on her feet, her ears as pricked as a dachshund’s ever could be. Josh laughed. “Grandad, she can definitely hear you! Say hello to her!”

“Daisy! Oh, there’s my lovely girl…”

Amelie blinked back sudden tears. She didn’t really know why she was crying – it was just that Grandad sounded so happy to be talking to Daisy. Daisy looked happier, too. She had her nose pressed up against the phone and her tail was wagging the tiniest bit. It was working!

Amelie beamed at Josh and he grinned back at her.

Monty sat alone in the kitchen doorway, watching them fuss over Daisy, his head hanging low. As Amelie reached up to high-five Josh, he looked up eagerly, his tail starting to wag, hoping that she’d notice him. But Amelie was too busy watching Daisy.