by Daphne Maple
“That makes sense,” Sasha said. “Here’s our last flyer so you know how to find us.” She passed the sheet of paper to Marisol, who immediately hung it behind the register.
“Thanks,” Taylor said, grinning. At the very least they were advertising for us and that was something.
“And I need to take some of these home for my family,” Kim said, gesturing to the tray of s’mores bars. “I think I can get Matt to do my chores for a week if I give him a couple of these.”
“Good idea,” I agreed. My mom had a sweet tooth and the candy would help my case tonight.
Marisol helped us each pack up exactly how much we wanted in rainbow polka-dotted cardboard boxes that said “Sugar and Spice” in swirly letters. We paid and then she handed us each a lemon lollipop. “For the road,” she said with a smile.
“Fabulous, thanks,” Taylor said, speaking for all of us.
“We’ll be in touch,” Carmen called as we headed out.
“I hope they say yes,” Taylor said once we were outside. The air had gotten even colder and she hugged her arms around herself.
“Me too,” I agreed. “And you did a great job pitching it.”
“Totally,” Sasha agreed, taking the wrapper off her lolly and popping it in her mouth.
“I’m off to get ready for the wedding,” Kim said, twirling her candy between her hands. “But this was a really good morning.”
“Definitely,” Taylor agreed.
We walked down Main Street, which was now extra colorful with all our flyers. At the corner we stopped to say good-bye.
“Good luck tonight, Bri,” Taylor said, reaching over to squeeze my hand.
Kim and Sasha glanced at me questioningly.
“I’m going to ask my mom if we can take Lily in,” I explained.
“Oh, I have my fingers crossed,” Sasha said. The wind blew a stray curl into her face and she brushed it aside.
“Me too,” Kim said.
“Thanks,” I said, meaning it.
Because I knew I’d need all the luck I could get if I had any hope of convincing my mom to agree to my dream of fostering Lily.
7
My approach for getting my mom to agree to foster Lily was simple, thanks to my friends. They had reminded me that the key to a convincing argument was using something my mom really cared about. For Sasha’s mom that had been responsibility. For my mom it was being prepared. So I’d spent hours creating and printing up my plans for Lily’s care, with a daily schedule and a weekly one. I’d included the things my mom valued, like training and a proper diet. I took Lily’s individual needs into account and focused on things that mattered most to my mom. All in all, it was pretty foolproof.
But just to be safe I had a second layer to my approach, and that was to get my dad on my side. Which probably wouldn’t be too hard. My dad always felt a bit guilty about how much he was away, which was why he got me such great presents. So when I video chatted with him tonight, I planned to let him know the one present I wanted more than anything: Lily.
With my dad on my side and my carefully prepared strategy, not to mention the candy from Sugar and Spice, there was no way my mom could turn me down.
And to add extra security, I did all my chores in record time and offered to clean up after dinner so my mom could relax before my dad called. When I finally sat down in front of the computer in my mom’s home office to chat with my dad, I was ready to go.
“Hey, sweetie,” he said, his voice warm. As always my heart clenched up just a bit. I really missed having him around, and seeing his face on the computer screen, no matter how big his smile, was just not the same. “How are you?”
“Pretty good,” I said.
“What did you do today?” he asked, giving me the perfect opening for the conversation I wanted to have.
“Remember how I told you about the fostering program the Roxbury Park Shelter is starting?” I asked.
My dad nodded—he always remembered everything I told him.
“Today Kim, Sasha, Taylor, and I went all over town putting up flyers to let everyone know about it,” I said.
“It’s nice you had a fun activity with your friends,” my dad said.
It was nice, but my dad was picking up on the wrong part of the story.
“Yeah, it was good,” I said, but then went on quickly. “And there was a lot of interest in the program. People really want to help find homes for dogs, so they won’t have to be killed in shelters.”
My dad nodded. “It’s a great thing you kids and Alice are doing,” he said.
Now that was the right part of the story.
“Yes, and it made me realize that I want to do more too,” I said, then took a deep breath. “Dad, do you think we could foster a dog?”
My dad’s eyebrows scrunched for a moment, but then he nodded. “Yes, I think that’s a great idea. Your mom and I have discussed when we’d get a dog, and we thought we’d wait until you really wanted one. And I like the idea of doing it this way, helping out a dog in need.”
“Awesome,” I said, grinning so wide my cheeks felt tight. This had gone even better than I’d hoped! “And I know just the dog I want.”
My dad pressed his hands together. “Well, your mom is going to want some say in that,” he said. “She has contacts at a lot of places that rescue dogs and she may prefer to get one of those.”
With that my grin was gone. “But I want to help out a dog from the shelter,” I said. Actually I kind of whined, but I couldn’t help it. How could my dad side with my mom at a time like this?
“If it’s okay with your mom, it’s fine with me,” my dad said. “I’ll love any dog we take in.”
It was true, he would. The problem was, would my mom?
We finished up our chat and while my mom had her talk with my dad, I reviewed my argument for taking in Lily. I was determined to convince my mom, even without help from my dad.
“Want some tea?” I asked as soon as she was off the computer. “And some treats from Sugar and Spice?” I already had the hot water and a plate of the s’mores squares ready.
“Sure, that sounds nice,” my mom said. Her eyes were always a bit sad after she said good-bye to my dad. I knew she missed him as much as I did.
I got our tea ready, using her favorite: dried chrysanthemum flowers that my dad brought back from China. We sat down at the table and I stirred sugar into mine while my mom blew gently on hers and then took a sip.
“Thanks, sweetie,” my mom said. “This is relaxing after a long day.”
“Try these too,” I said, pushing the plate toward her. “They’re really good.”
My mom picked one up and took a small bite, then closed her eyes, savoring it. “This is delicious,” she said, popping the rest of it in her mouth. “Thanks for bringing them home.” Her voice was muffled from the candy.
“Anytime,” I said. “And I actually had something I wanted to ask you.”
My mom nodded, almost as though she had been expecting that. Maybe my efforts to butter her up had been a bit too obvious. But there was no worrying about that now.
“Alice has started this really great program to foster dogs,” I said, my words coming out a bit rushed. “Some shelters nearby have contacted her to ask if she has room for any more dogs, dogs that haven’t been adopted and will be put to sleep soon.”
My mom’s mouth pinched up at that.
“The thing is, after all the great publicity the Dog Club has been bringing to the shelter, it’s filled to capacity and has a waiting list,” I went on, turning my cup around in my hands. “Which is why Alice thought of fostering.”
“It’s a smart idea,” my mom said, pausing to take another bite of s’mores square. “It can buy time for an animal who is in danger of being put down. And often families that foster fall in love with the dog and want to adopt it.”
She had just said the perfect thing.
“Yeah, exactly,” I said. “And that’s why I thought we should take in one of the dogs. There
’s a dog at the shelter that I love. Her name is Lily and she’s very obedient. She could also use a bit more training, so I thought we would be the perfect family to take her in.” I pulled out the plan I had typed up and pointed to the first page. “This is a tentative schedule for Lily, when she’d eat and when I’d take her out for walks.”
My mom looked down at the paper, nodding as she read. When she was done I handed her the next sheet.
“This is a training itinerary,” I said. “I was hoping you’d help me with it since you’re the real expert.”
My mom didn’t quite smile at that but the corners of her mouth quirked up just a bit, which I took as a good sign.
“Lily sits and stays when you tell her to,” I continued. “So she’s clearly trainable. I think with the right instruction she’ll learn just as well as the dogs at the Pampered Puppy.”
This time the corners of my mom’s mouth turned down a bit, so I went on, giving her my final argument. “I really love Lily,” I said. “And she loves me. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything as much as I want Lily to come live with us, at least for a little while.” My voice broke the tiniest bit on the last words because it was true: I wanted this more than anything. “Please, Mom, let’s foster Lily.”
“Bun, your heart is in the right place,” my mom said. “And I love the idea of us fostering a dog. It’s worthy and important work.” She stopped to sip some tea.
I nodded and held my breath as I waited for the final part of her response.
“But I just don’t think an older shelter dog is right for us,” she said, setting her mug down.
“But—” I began.
My mom held up a hand. “Let me finish,” she said. “I know you love working with this dog at Dog Club, but here at home it would be different. Training her would take more time and energy than either of us have. And she’s lived in the shelter for some time. It would be a big adjustment for her, and who knows what kind of bad behavior would result from that. And honestly, Bun—” She paused to rest her hand on mine. “If she’s been in the shelter so long, it’s likely that there’s something wrong with her.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Lily,” I burst out. “She’s sweet and loving and listens to commands. She’d adore living at home with us, I’m sure of it.”
“I know that’s how you feel, but I’ve worked with dogs longer than you’ve been alive,” my mom said. “I know there are hidden problems with dogs of this sort.”
“Lily’s not a sort,” I said, trying not to yell. “She’s one dog who is awesome. If you’d just give her a chance I know you’d see that.”
My mom pressed her fingertips together and studied my face for a moment. Then she sighed. “Or maybe you will finally see what I mean about how challenging it is to work with older dogs.”
I winced slightly at the insult, but was my mom maybe, possibly, agreeing to take Lily?
“Okay, Bun, we can foster this dog,” my mom said.
I leaped out of my chair and threw my arms around her.
“It’s just for a few weeks,” my mom said, laughing a bit at my enthusiasm. “And I think you’ll finally understand what I keep trying to tell you about older dogs.”
She said “older dogs” the way someone might say “this infestation of cockroaches,” but I didn’t care. Lily was coming home with me and nothing mattered more than that!
8
“So this is it,” Taylor said as the four of us left school a few days later. The sky was gray and a light rain was falling, but nothing could dampen my mood because today was the day I was bringing Lily home.
“Yeah,” I said, grinning. It was pretty much the same grin I’d had ever since my mom said yes. I just couldn’t stop smiling at the thought of waking up every day with Lily, being greeted by her every afternoon after school, and snuggling with her every night. “My mom signed all the papers for Alice and I have them here in my bag.” I patted my tie-dyed backpack.
“And you have all the supplies?” Sasha asked. She had a bright red umbrella that kept bumping into Kim’s dark blue one as they walked.
I nodded. “Yup. I have the leash and collar all ready. And we got food and dishes and a dog bed over the weekend.” I decided not to mention that we’d gotten organic dog food and a pet bed with all natural fibers because it seemed a bit silly. But once my mom had agreed to let us take Lily, I was happy to go along with all her ideas about the best ways to care for a dog. “And we got a bunch of toys too.”
“You should ask Alice if you can bring one or two of Lily’s favorite balls from the shelter,” Kim suggested, sidestepping a puddle. “That way Lily will have something familiar with her in her new home.”
“Great idea,” I agreed, loving the sound of “new home.” Of course it was just temporary, for now. We had simply agreed to foster Lily. But I had my fingers crossed that we would be one of the many families to fall in love with our foster dog and make her a permanent member of the family.
We separated at the corner to get our club pups and I headed to Coco’s house. Once she was leashed and ready to go we walked two wet blocks to Waffles’s house, where she ran in happy circles as soon as we got in the door.
“We’re happy to see you too,” I told her as I snapped her leash on. I couldn’t help thinking that at the very next club meeting we’d have an extra dog to pick up: Lily!
When I walked into the shelter a few minutes later Lily raced over to greet me. “Today’s a big day,” I told her, rubbing her head for a moment before freeing Coco and Waffles from their leashes. “You’re coming to live with me.”
Lily barked as though she understood and then raced off to chase the red rubber ball Caley was throwing for her, Boxer, Jinx, and Tuesday. Maybe that was one of the toys I should ask Alice about. I pulled the paperwork out of my backpack and then went over to Alice’s office. Her door was open and she waved me in with a smile.
“Are you all ready?” she asked me.
“I really am,” I said, sitting in the slightly sagging chair next to Alice’s desk and handing her the dog foster care agreement. “We have all the supplies we need for Lily.” I twisted the end of my French braid around my fingertips.
Alice nodded as she skimmed the papers. “I’m sure you and your mom got her everything.” She looked up and smiled. “It’s wonderful your family is doing this.”
“Yeah, I’m so excited about it,” I said, nearly bouncing in my seat. “And my dad said he can’t wait to meet Lily when he gets home in a few weeks.”
“Super,” Alice said. She leaned back in her chair and smoothed her T-shirt that said “Keep Calm and Walk the Dog.” “Do you have any questions?”
“Just one,” I said. “Can I take a couple of Lily’s shelter toys home with us so she has something familiar with her?”
“What a lovely idea,” Alice said, nodding. “Absolutely.”
“It was Kim’s suggestion,” I said, wanting to give credit where it was due.
“She was smart to think of it,” Alice said, standing up. “And you were smart to take it.”
We headed back into the big room where Tim and Taylor were tossing tennis balls to Boxer, Coco, Waffles, Jinx, Gracie, and Gus. Caley and Hattie were playing tug-of-war with a blue rubber bone while Kim and Sasha were playing fetch with Mr. S, Popsicle, Lily, Tuesday, and Daisy. Missy and Humphrey were exploring the far corner of the room where a pile of toys was set out. The sounds of laughter, happy barking, and dog nails skidding on the floor made me smile as Lily whizzed past.
“Just another day of Dog Club,” Alice said, chuckling as Boxer nearly ran her over.
“Sorry about that,” Taylor said, trotting over to us.
“Dogs should run, that’s half the reason we have the club,” Alice pointed out cheerfully.
“Good point,” Taylor said.
Jinx pranced up and dropped a tennis ball at Taylor’s feet. Taylor picked it up and lobbed it across the room, a crowd of dogs in hot pursuit.
“I
t’s always a bit crowded on rainy days,” Sasha said, coming over to us. “But I kind of like it when we’re together all cozy like this.”
Alice nodded as we watched Boxer steal the ball out from under Jinx’s paws and sail away triumphantly. “Me too,” she said.
“Definitely,” I agreed. I liked Dog Club no matter how it came, with its warm chaos and homey feel. Though for a second I couldn’t help thinking how horrified my mom would be if she walked in right now. This was definitely way more “helter-skelter” than the Pampered Puppy on its most active day.
The phone rang and Alice went into her office to answer it. A moment later she stuck her head out. “Sasha, it’s for you,” she said. “Carmen Lopez from Sugar and Spice.”
Kim, Taylor, and I exchanged an excited look as a beaming Sasha flew in to take the call. But a few minutes later her smile was gone as she trudged out of the office. “Carmen said they’d love to help, but they just can’t afford to give away a bunch of candy,” she said with a sigh.
“I guess that makes sense,” I said, thinking of my mom and how hard it was for small businesses to make ends meet, even without giving away free things.
“Yeah, but selling candy at our booth was such a good idea,” Taylor moaned. “Everyone in town would have bought some.”
We all nodded at that. It was such a shame they couldn’t help us. And what would we do instead? Handing out flyers was great, but selling fun things like candy would get the word out about the club and the foster program in a whole new way. And that was what we needed.
Caley and Tim had just started up a game of doggy tag. Most of the dogs joined in, but Missy came over and leaned against Kim, who immediately sat so that Missy could get on her lap. We sat too, leaning up against the wall, out of the way of the game. A moment later Humphrey was lying down with a sigh next to Taylor while Jinx, clearly tuckered out, came to cuddle with Sasha. And then Lily came and climbed on my lap like she owned it.
“She is so your dog,” Kim said with a grin. I wrapped my arms around Lily and buried my face in her soft fur. She really was mine, and hopefully my mom would see it.