by Nan Sweet
Chapter 7
Ivy's phone call was the best possible thing that could happen to Carrie on the worst morning she'd ever had. Yesterday evening she had answered the door to Tom, one of her parent's friends. He had a large envelope and asked if her mother was home. Carrie yelled up the stairs for Mom and in two minutes whatever happiness and contentment she and her mom had found in each other's company was gone.
Her dad had filed divorce papers. Her mom was especially angry that Tom was the one to serve her, which meant he actually brought the divorce papers to her for Dad. Her mom yelled at Tom. She told him to get out of her house and never come back.
Even though Carrie knew her parents sometimes argued to the point where they couldn't even stand to be in the same room together, she thought they would find a way to make up. Isn't that what people did? They fought and became friends again. Not this time. Not her parents.
Her mom was asleep. Carrie had awoken at three and heard noise in the kitchen. She went downstairs to find her mom in the middle of a cupboard cleaning project with cans on the kitchen table and spread across the counters and her mom scrubbing the wood inside the cupboards. Now, four hours later, her mom's door was closed and the house was quiet.
Pulling out a piece of notebook paper, Carrie wrote a quick note. No school for snow. Went to Ivy's at 7:30. Please call when you wake up. I love you. Carrie.
Grabbing her coat, and pulling her hat on over her head, Carrie hurried out the door. A dragon hatching. I wonder what Ivy is talking about.
Carrie ran most of the way. The snow was thick and crunchy and her boots made a thwacking sound as she ran. By the time she got to Ivy's house, she was out of breath. She walked past the last few houses.
She took off her boots in the foyer and ran up the stairs in her socks, waving at Ivy's mom, Trina, on the way.
Ivy heard her coming and opened her bedroom door. “Come check this out.”
Her bean bag chair was shoved up against the wall. Carrie's mouth dropped open. There really was a dragon hatchling, lifting her head up from the chair to stare at Carrie. Carrie said, “That's so cool.”
The hatchling cried out a rather pathetic mewling sound. Ivy knelt by the chair and pet the dragon's head. “Don't cry. I'm here. I think she's hungry. Did you remember the burger?”
Carrie pulled out a hamburger patty stuffed into a sandwich bag. She handed it to Ivy. “Hope she likes it.”
Ivy took a pinch of burger and held it over the dragon's head. She was a little worried that the dragon would snap and hurt her fingers, but the dragon stretched out her neck and held open her mouth, nuzzling her hand while Ivy dropped the burger. “Do you want to try?”
Carrie stared at the dragon and then at Ivy. She couldn't even believe this was real. “I'd like to.”
The girls took turns feeding the dragon until the hamburger was half gone. When she didn't want more, the little dragon turned her head and rolled up into a ball.
Ivy shrugged, “Guess she's done.”
The girls took turns washing up in the bathroom and Ivy snuck the burger down to the refrigerator, coming back with two orange juices. Carrie always got to drink sodas at her own house. They sat watching the dragon sleep.
“What's her name?” Carrie asked.
“I don't know. I haven't thought of one yet.”
Stretching out on the floor with her chin on her hands, Carrie watched the sleeping creature. “Suppose she already has a name?”
“Who would name her?”
“The mama dragon?” Carrie wondered if the egg had been abandoned. It might be a little scary to see a full-sized dragon.
“Maybe we can name her, too.” Ivy put out a finger and scratched the place above the dragon's ear where dogs liked to be scratched. The dragon yawned and opened her eyes once before sighing and putting her head back down.
“Maribel Gingledaisy?” Carrie giggled.
Ivy smirked, “Hortensia Minnie Scale”
“Gertrude Firebreath”
“Smokey Nostrellia”
“Ewwww...” Carrie laughed.
Ivy smiled down at the little dragon. “I wish I could think of something stately and proper, something that a dragon could grow into.”
The dragon yawned, a long row of teeth widening as the little creature sighed. With a little hiccough, a spark shot from the dragon's mouth.
Carrie's mouth dropped open and she stared. “She breathes fire, just like the stories say.”
“We'll call her Sparky. Just for now until we can think of something better.” Ivy nodded firmly, her mind set. The girls spent the morning petting her scales, which felt strangely soft and smooth. Later Carrie pulled out the rest of the hamburger and the dragon finished it.
After a few hours Carrie's mom called for her. The girls ran down the stairs giggling as Carrie reached for the phone.
“Mom, can Carrie stay the night?” Ivy put on her best toothy smile, the one her mom just couldn't resist.
“You've got school tomorrow, so you'll have to go to bed early.” Her mom narrowed her eyes and looked from one girl to the other. Ivy had the feeling that she knew something was afoot. What her mom didn't know was that the foot was attached to wings, a snout, and large lovely eyes.
Ivy grinned. “We will.”
“Okay then.”
Ivy tugged on Carrie's sleeve. “Ask if you can stay the night.”
Carrie asked, but from the “But Mom.” and the disappointed frown, Ivy knew the answer was no.
After hanging up Carrie grumbled, “She was really mad that I left the house this morning. I'm to go straight home before she goes to work. She'll probably yell at me since Dad's not home to yell at.”
“I'm sorry.” Ivy gave her friend a hug, and even though it pained her to ask, she thought it only fair to share. After they were out of earshot Ivy whispered, “Do you want to take Sparky home with you tonight?”
Carrie brightened. “Really, you'd let me take her?”
“Sure. I've got an old coat you can wrap her in so she'll be warm. You can hide her in the purple backpack until you're home.”
“Mrs. Huffity will probably take her back tomorrow. Are you really really really sure?”
Ivy pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose and shrugged, “My mom is home all day today, so I'll have more trouble feeding her, anyway.”
With Ivy's backpack across her shoulder, Carrie pulled on her gloves. The dragon was heavy. She felt like she was carrying a giant stone in her pack. At least Sparky was quiet.
The girls laughed and looked around for adults when a gurgling sound came from the pack. Once Carrie was gone, the house felt really quiet. Ivy went upstairs to remove any evidence of the little dragon, but she discovered that all of the egg shells were gone, eaten by the gollivants and only the normal messes were left.
The idea that every trace of the dragon could be gone so quickly left Ivy feeling a tinge of sadness.