The Abandoned Puppy

Chapter Seven

Cookie scampered down the outdoor yard, chasing after the jingly ball. It was her favourite toy. She loved the noise it made, even though she didn’t quite understand where the noise came from. It was definitely hers – Zoe had given it to her. It was the only toy she bothered to fight over.

Biscuit raced past her and dived on to the ball, rolling over with it with his paws, and growling excitedly.

Cookie let out a sharp, furious bark, and jumped on top of him, scrabbling to get the ball back. Unfortunately, Biscuit was still quite a bit bigger than she was, and he wriggled and growled. Then somehow he was sitting on top of her instead, and he still had the ball, in his teeth now. He shook it backwards and forwards, still growling, so that it jingled madly.

“Stop squabbling, you two!” Zoe ran over. “Biscuit, Biscuit, look! Stretchy bone! Your best bone! Come on! Where’s it going?”

Biscuit sprang up, dropping the ball, and dancing round in circles as Zoe waved the blue rubber bone. Then she flung it down the yard, and he galloped after it like a racehorse.

Cookie seized her ball gratefully, and sat down on Zoe’s feet, panting.

“You really love that, don’t you?” Zoe reached down and picked her up. “Look, there’s a nice sunny patch there. Let’s just sit and watch those two brothers of yours being mad…”

It was a beautiful warm May day, and Zoe had shorts on for the first time that year. She ought to have been feeling happy, but all she could think about was Becca. She’d be here soon. Which puppy would she choose? Zoe ran her hand gently down Cookie’s back, over and over, as Cookie shook the ball gently to-and-fro, listening to the jingly noises.

“What if she chooses you, Cookie?” Zoe whispered. “I’ve been trying not to think about it. It was bad enough just thinking about Becca having a dog, and me not being able to have one. But what if it’s actually you that she wants to take back with her?” She sighed, and leaned over, resting her cheek against Cookie’s wiry fur for a moment. “I suppose at least I’d still get to see you. That’s if Becca ever talks to me again, the way I’ve been this week. I’ve been awful.”

Cookie looked round at her for a moment, her eyes dark and sparkly. She licked Zoe’s hand.

“Thank you!” Zoe grinned. “Was that to tell me you don’t think I’ve been awful? I have, though. I was horrible, actually. I just can’t tell if it would be worse to never see you again, or to see you belong to someone else! I don’t know whether to hope that Becca chooses you or that she doesn’t.” This time Zoe heaved a massive sigh, so that Cookie turned round and stared at her. “Sorry! Did I shake you up and down?”

“Zoe!” Auntie Jo was calling her. “Becca and her mum and dad are here! They’re just getting out of their car. Go and say hello. I’ll bring these three in.”

“Oh! OK.” Zoe gently put Cookie down, and the puppy scampered off after the ball again. She walked slowly through the shelter to the reception area, where Becca and her parents were now talking to Susie, who was on the reception desk.

“You two can chat while we just fill these in,” Becca’s mum told them, smiling.

Becca couldn’t have told her mum how grumpy Zoe had been all week, Zoe realized gratefully. “Hi…” she said to Becca.

“Hi.” Becca stared at her, and then she pulled Zoe over into the corner, as if they were going to look at photos on the wall of the dogs and cats who’d been rehomed recently. “Zoe, is there something going on?” she asked. “Are you mad with me?”

Zoe went red and looked at her feet. “No… I…” She didn’t know what to say.

“You are!” Becca cried out. “You’ve been acting really weird all week! What it it? What have I done?”

Zoe sighed. “Nothing. Nothing at all. I know I’ve been funny, but it isn’t your fault. It’s me. I’ve been jealous … jealous because you were getting a dog, and I couldn’t have one, not ever. We don’t have anyone at home to look after a dog, and Kyra hates them anyway. I’m so sorry I’ve been horrible.”

“Oh, Zoe.” Becca gave her friend a big hug. “Why didn’t you say?” she asked her, stepping back, her eyes round with surprise. “I’d have understood!”

“I suppose I just felt stupid. And mean,” Zoe muttered. “And I didn’t really want to talk to you about it. You were so excited…”

Becca sighed. “I didn’t think about it making you sad,” she admitted. “Did I go on and on?”

Zoe gave a very small giggle. “Yes. All the time.”

A voice behind them interrupted the awkward moment. It was Becca’s dad. “Are you girls ready?” he asked them. “I want to see these wonderful puppies you’ve been telling me about!”

Becca looked anxiously at Zoe, but Zoe nodded, managing to smile and look almost as though she meant it. “Come on!”

They walked down the passage to the puppies’ pen. Zoe spotted Auntie Jo coming back in from the yard, with the puppies in her arms. “There they are,” she told Becca’s dad, pointing. “They’ve been playing outside.”

The puppies saw them too, and started to wriggle excitedly. Auntie Jo laughed and crouched down, letting them run down the passage towards the visitors.

Cookie dashed ahead, streaking towards Zoe on her tiny little legs. Zoe was desperate to pick her up and cuddle her. But she couldn’t. It was Becca’s turn.

But Becca wasn’t looking at Cookie, Zoe realized. She’d crouched down, and was holding out her arms. Biscuit was running straight up to her, and now he was standing up on his hind legs, his front paws on her arms, giving happy, excited little barks. He licked her cheek and jumped, as though she was the best thing he’d ever seen!

“He remembers me!” Becca cried delightedly. “I’ve only met him once, but he really remembers me! Oh, Dad, do you like him? He’s called Biscuit, he’s the most gorgeous of all of them. Please can he be ours?”