To Rusty Ulman, who has a wonderful, well-trained family
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Copyright
“No fair. You went first yesterday,” Henry McCoy said, rushing toward the bathroom door.
“And I’m going first today,” Abby responded. Abby was two years older and barely two inches taller, but she still managed to glare down at Henry.
“You’ll take forever. You’ll brush your teeth and brush your hair and put on bubble-gum lip gloss.” Henry counted the tasks on his hands, just to annoy his sister. “I’m faster, so I should get to go first.” He tried to push past her.
“You aren’t faster, because I’m already in.” She slid through the open crack and slammed the door behind her. She just missed getting her blond ponytail caught in the doorjamb.
Would’ve served her right, Henry thought. He gave the door an angry shove. “No fair.”
“I’ll tell you what isn’t fair,” their mom said, striding out of her bedroom. “Having to listen to you two fight at this hour.” Henry looked at his mom. She was all puffy around the eyes, and there was a pillow-crease across her face. “I haven’t even had coffee yet.”
“But she’s just in there wasting a lot of time,” Henry complained. “She’s probably practicing blowing kisses at Simon Jay in the mirror!”
“I do not like Simon Jay!” Abby protested through the door.
“Well, that’s a relief,” their dad muttered, shuffling into the hallway. He put an understanding hand on his wife’s shoulder as he headed for the stairs. “I’ll start the coffee,” he promised.
It was a fairly typical morning in the McCoy house. Henry felt bad for his parents. Then he heard the slow swish, swish, swish of mouthwash in the bathroom, and he was angry with Abby all over again. “She takes forever!” he complained.
His mom sighed. “Open the door, Abigail,” she said, knocking. “Let’s talk this through.”
Abby immediately opened the door. She was holding a bright blue brush and some no-frizz hair spray.
“Okay, kids,” their mom began. “What seems to be the problem?”
“She never lets me go first,” Henry explained. “I only ever need, like, two seconds.”
“That’s because you never wash your hands after you go to the bathroom,” Abby insisted. “It’s disgusting.”
Mom’s eyebrows bunched together. “What’s disgusting is that you two can’t get along for more than two seconds. You can’t agree on anything.”
Henry and Abby stared at each other. They had the same pale blond hair and the same bright blue eyes, but that’s where the similarities ended. There was, however, one thing they had in common.
“That’s not exactly true, Mom,” Abby said.
“Yeah,” Henry admitted. “I hate to say it, but she’s right. We can agree on something.” He paused to make sure their mom was listening. “We agree that our family needs a dog.”
“For goodness’ sake!” Their mom’s lips puffed out as she sighed with disbelief. “Wait a second. You’re not going to argue with him, Abby?”
Henry’s sister shook her head.
“Are you sure? You’re not going to disagree, just to bother him?” Their mom seemed annoyed that the kids weren’t arguing.
“Nope. I agree,” Abby insisted. “A dog is just what this family needs.”
Their mom shook her head. “What I need is more sleep. But,” she said with a dramatic pause. She held up two fingers. “If you can make it two days without arguing, we can have a serious talk about getting a dog.”
“Seriously?” Henry asked.
“Duh,” Abby responded. “She said a ‘serious’ talk.”
“Abby, is that how you talk to your brother?” their mom asked. “There will be no dog if you keep acting like that. In fact, I’m adding a day. Now you have to go three days without fighting.”
Henry wanted to laugh at his sister. It only took her three seconds to mess up! There was no way she could be nice to him for three whole days. But she had to, and Henry had to help her. For once, Henry didn’t want to get Abby in trouble. For once, they had to work together. He had wanted a dog for too long, and he wasn’t going to miss this chance.
“I’m really sorry, Henry,” Abby said. “It wasn’t a stupid question.”
Their mom’s eyebrows jumped to the top of her forehead. Henry couldn’t believe it either. An apology from Abby? That was a first.
“Thanks,” Henry replied.
“Now, that’s more like it,” Mrs. McCoy said. “You just have to keep that kind, helpful, understanding attitude up for three days. A dog is a lot of work. You would have to share the dog and share taking care of the dog. You need to prove you can work together before there will be a dog to share.”
“Absolutely,” Henry said.
“We can do it,” Abby agreed.
“If you do, we can go to Power’s Pets this weekend. As a family.”
“Awesome,” Henry said. He knew all about Power’s Pets. He and some of his friends had been volunteering at the pet center. Three of his friends had already adopted puppies from there, and all the puppies were cute, smart, and super sweet. The store owner, Mr. Power, had a special talent for finding puppies for possible owners. He had a magic touch for making the perfect match.
“Well,” their mom said, “you can start now. Abby, please let your brother in the bathroom.”
As they crossed in the bathroom doorway, Abby couldn’t hide her scowl. Henry couldn’t hide his smug smile. It was going to be a long three days, but it would be worth it.
“Congratulations. Getting along for three days is a big accomplishment for you two,” said Mr. McCoy as the family sat down to brunch at their favorite spot. Actually, it was Abby and Mom’s favorite breakfast place. Dad and Henry preferred to get bagels and eat them in the park. But, in the name of compromise, Henry had agreed to go to the restaurant that morning.
“I didn’t think you could do it,” their mom admitted, “but I’m glad you did.”
It had not been easy for Henry. He had had to ignore Abby when she put that I PICK MY NOSE sticker on his back. But he had given Abby a hard time, too. He had put a Post-it on her backpack — a pink Post-it with the name Simon Jay written on it. Around the name, Henry had drawn a big red heart.
Their mother never said they had to be nice to each other. They just couldn’t argue.
If putting up with Abby was all he had to do to get a dog, Henry would have learned to get along with her years ago.
“So,” their mom said, a fork full of scrambled eggs in her hand, “what kind of dog should we get?”
“It depends what puppies Mr. Power has,” Henry explained. “His store works kind of like a shelter. He tries to find homes for puppies who need a family, and he does his best to make a good match — for the people and the dog.” He knew all about how the dog adoptions worked.
“Well,” Abby began, barely waiting for Henry to finish, “I think we should get a little dog, the kind that sits on your lap.”
Henry couldn’t stop himself. “That’s a terrible idea,” he said. “We should get a big dog. They are more laid-back and fun to play with.” He ripped a piece off his bagel and shoved it in his mouth. “I’m hoping Mr. Power has a Saint Bernard.”
“That’s gross,” Abby said. “You don’t get to vote if you talk with your mouth full. You remind me of a Saint Bernard, too slobbery.”
Their mom and dad rolled their eyes. Henry and
Abby could be funny when they argued, at least when they weren’t all-out annoying.
“Well, for what it’s worth,” their dad said, “I don’t like little, yippy dogs. They bark all the time, just to remind you not to step on them.” Henry raised his eyebrows and gave Abby an I-told-you-so look. “But, we also do not have room for a gigantic dog like a Saint Bernard, or its gallons of drool.” Abby gave Henry an I-told-you-so look right back.
Their mom just shook her head. “Listen to yourself,” she said to her husband. “You wonder why they struggle to find common ground.”
“I’m not finished,” Mr. McCoy continued, smiling at his wife. “If you kids want a dog, you will both have to compromise. It will be your one final test.”
Henry’s and Abby’s eyes both grew wide with the size of that task. How would they ever be able to choose a puppy together?
Henry had not really thought about how they would choose the puppy. He had thought that they would go into Power’s Pets, and he would immediately see the puppy he wanted. He thought he’d instantly know which puppy was perfect for him. When he had thought about this special moment, he hadn’t pictured his sister being a part of it.
“I think that’s a great plan,” Mrs. McCoy said. “You two have been getting along so well this week.”
Henry looked at Abby. Of course, they had not told their mom about the pranks they had played on each other that week. They had not exactly “gotten along.” They had just managed to avoid a fight.
“Come on, you two,” their dad said. “Don’t look so glum. We’re about to get a puppy.”
“Let’s change the subject,” Mrs. McCoy said. “Are either of you going to enter the science fair?”
“Probably,” Henry said. “If I think of a good topic.”
“Of course,” Abby said, flashing a boastful smile her brother’s way. “I already have a topic, and it can’t be beat.”
Ugh! Abby had such an attitude! If he could, Henry would share a puppy with anyone other than her.
* * *
The McCoys were all in a good mood as soon as they walked into Power’s Pets. There was something special about the store. Cheeps, squeaks, and squawks filled the air. The small furry animals ran in their jungle-gym-filled cages. Tropical fish swam around sea grass and coral in huge aquariums. Lucky, Mr. Power’s clever black cat, was cuddled up to Chance. Chance was a loveable mutt who acted as the store’s own watch dog.
“This place is awesome,” said Abby. For once, Henry agreed. He had been having a lot of fun volunteering there with his friends Lexi, Sadie, and Max.
“The puppies are over here.” He directed his family to the giant playpen. “Wow, there are a lot today.” Henry didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Would more puppies make it easier to agree with his sister, or nearly impossible?
“They’re too cute!” Abby squealed.
“Yes, they are,” their mom agreed. She knelt down and put her hand up to the pen. Two fluffy white puppies that looked like tried-and-true lapdogs rushed up to lick her fingers.
Henry spotted a larger pup toward the back. He had black-and-caramel-colored fur with a splash of white from his face down to his chest. “Is that a Bernese mountain dog?” his dad asked.
Henry nodded. “They grow pretty huge,” he admitted. The puppy was so fluffy and cuddly, he looked like a stuffed animal. But Dad had said no big dogs.
That’s when he saw the Dalmatian. The puppy was mostly white with small black spots on his ears and his body. He was adorable jogging around the pen, playing with other puppies. He looked over at Henry with a mischievous expression. The puppy looked like he had a good sense of humor. He was a real McCoy!
Henry sighed. The sleek, energetic Dalmatian was nothing like a lapdog. There were a lot of dogs that were closer to Abby’s idea of the perfect puppy.
“Hello!” a voice called from the other side of the pet store. “Henry, is this your family?” Mr. Power came striding over to the McCoys, his hand stretched out to greet the parents. “It’s great to meet you. Henry’s been a real help. I’m excited to match you all with a fabulous puppy. It’s one way I can show my thanks.”
Mr. Power gave Henry his usual kind, knowing smile. “Do you want to meet some of the puppies?”
The McCoys all nodded.
“Maybe you could start by telling me which ones you like,” Mr. Power suggested.
Everyone smiled, but no one said anything.
“Cat got your tongue?” Mr. Power asked, laughing. “Just a little pet-store humor,” he added. Mr. Power reached into one of the many pockets in his vest. He pulled out four perfect squares of paper. Next, he pulled out four black pens. “Why don’t you all write down your three favorite puppies, in order? Then we’ll look at the lists and try to compromise.”
Mr. Power handed each McCoy a slip of paper and a pen. “I’m sure you’ll all be able to come to an agreement, right?” When he smiled at Henry, he had a twinkle in his eye.
Henry had always thought there was something special about Power’s Pets, but it would take some real magic to make all four McCoys agree on anything.
Of course, Henry was going to put the Dalmatian first. How could he not? That puppy looked so clever and fun. He was full of personality with his playful expression, floppy ears, and curled tail.
He had a feeling his mom and sister would choose one of the superfluffy dogs. There were lots of cute ones. His dad, on the other hand, liked sporting dogs like retrievers.
He felt bad for Mr. Power. How would that nice old man deal with his stubborn family?
Henry decided to list the Bernese mountain dog second. He put a black Lab third, in case it was one of his dad’s favorites. Then he handed his slip to Mr. Power. He crossed his fingers and watched as his sister, mom, and dad gave their papers to the store owner as well.
Mr. Power shuffled through the sheets, mumbling to himself. “I can tell the McCoys all have very strong opinions.”
“We try to teach the kids that it’s important to know what you want,” Mrs. McCoy said.
“Yes,” Mr. Power replied. “I believe that’s a good lesson. Right up there with learning how to get along and work well with others.”
Uh-oh. Both Henry and Abby slumped a little. Did Mr. Power know about their history?
“But that seems to come easily for your family,” Mr. Power said. “Without even knowing it, you all compromised wonderfully.”
The McCoys looked around at one another, confused.
“Every one of you put the Dalmatian first on your list,” the store owner declared. “You all seem to like him. Let’s hope he likes you.” Mr. Power reached into the puppy pen and lifted up the spotted pup.
Henry couldn’t believe it. They all wanted the Dalmatian! But the puppy had to want them, too. That was how things worked at Power’s Pets.
As soon as Mr. Power put the puppy on the ground, he began to run circles around the McCoys. The Dalmatian looked up at Mr. McCoy and barked happily. He jumped on Mrs. McCoy’s legs and panted. He ran a figure eight around Abby’s legs and then galloped over to Henry. Henry got on his knees to pet the hyper puppy. Just as Henry reached out, the pup ran behind him. Henry laughed and waited, but the little spotted puppy didn’t race out the other side.
“Where’d he go?” Henry asked. The room was silent. He looked over his shoulder but didn’t see anything.
Just then, the rest of the family burst out laughing. Henry looked down and saw the puppy peeking out from behind him. The puppy quickly pulled his head back, and then looked out again with the most mischievous grin.
“He’s playing peekaboo,” Mrs. McCoy said.
“Boo,” said Henry. The puppy trotted around and put his paws on Henry’s knees. “Boo,” Henry repeated, and the puppy barked. He wagged his tail.
“Boo!” Abby called. The young dog wheeled around and bounded to her. “He thinks it’s his name,” Abby said.
“Maybe Boo is his name,” suggested Mr. Power.
>
Surprisingly, it was that easy. The McCoy family had agreed on something else: Their new puppy’s name was Boo.
“It’s unanimous,” Mr. McCoy said.
“What does that mean?” asked Henry.
“It means absolutely everyone agrees,” his dad explained. “Like a unanimous decision.”
“I’m happy you all like Boo,” Mr. Power said with a clap of his hands. “It’s great to match another one of my volunteers with such a special puppy.”
Henry smiled. It was hard to believe. Lexi, Max, and Sadie had all adopted puppies. Now it was finally his turn. He was going to have an adorable puppy of his very own. Well, not exactly. He would have an adorable puppy that he’d have to share with his annoying sister.
While their parents filled out paperwork, Mr. Power told Abby and Henry about Boo’s special talent.
“It’s a really cool trick,” the store owner said. “But please take care. Whenever you do tricks with young dogs, you should be extremely patient and kind. Dogs respond to their owners’ emotions. They are very smart that way.” He gave Boo a few long pets, but the pup tried to squirm out of his arms. “You know, Boo is pretty excited now, so I won’t ask him to do the trick. But I’ll tell you how to.” Mr. Power went on to explain the trick, step-by-step. It was cool. Boo could catch a ball in midair. Henry couldn’t wait to see that.
Before they left, the McCoys bought a red collar (Henry’s favorite color) and a blue leash (Abby’s favorite color). They had compromised. Somehow, Boo made it easier to get along with Abby. The puppy had enough energy and cuteness for everyone.
* * *
The first weekend with their puppy was super fun. It was hard for Henry and Abby to go to school on Monday. At recess, Henry finally got to talk to his friend Max. Max also volunteered at Power’s Pets. He had an adorable golden retriever named Bear.
“I can’t wait for Bear to meet Boo at the dog park,” Henry said.
“Yeah,” Max agreed. “I remember when Bear was a tiny guy.”
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