Spirit

by Ellen Miles

“They slid off the road. Eli might have broken his leg, but he seems fine otherwise. He was being very brave. He was calling for Spirit as they put him on the stretcher,” Lizzie explained.

  “That boy has a one-track mind,” Mrs. Leckner said, shaking her head.

  “Mom!” a voice called from inside the house. “Dad just texted again. He said the tow truck is on its way. He said we should take the keys and meet them at the car.”

  Mrs. Leckner raised her hand to her forehead and stared at the ground. “Nora, you’re going to have to come with me,” she called back. “I don’t want to lose my balance on all this ice.” She sighed and looked up again. “But what about Spirit? I thought my husband was taking him to Crowners’ Apple Orchard. They already took his sister Sassy and they’d agreed to take him, too.” She reached for a coat hanging on a hook by the door. “I thought I’d seen the last of our crazy puppy days. And now this! I just can’t have him here.”

  “Well, we can’t take Spirit because of my dad’s allergies, but Lizzie’s family is kind of famous for fostering puppies,” Mariko said. She put a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder and smiled. “I’ll bet they can take Spirit, at least for now.”

  “Oh, that’s a great idea, Mariko. Lizzie, our whole family would be so grateful.” Mrs. Leckner smiled at Lizzie as she slung her handbag over her shoulder. “Spirit is a super sweet puppy who definitely deserves a good home,” she added. She tried to button her coat around her belly, but only the top two buttons would close. “Nora! We have to go!”

  Lizzie opened her mouth, then closed it. What was there to say? Of course she had to help Spirit, but she knew she wasn’t supposed to take on a new foster puppy without her parents’ permission. Before Lizzie could explain the situation, Mrs. Leckner and Nora had pushed past them. Eli’s sister looked like she was in middle school; she was almost as tall as her mom and strong enough to help her down the porch stairs.

  Spirit started running circles around their legs and yipping excitedly. “It’s good to see you, too, Spirit!” Nora said.

  “I’m sure Lizzie and her family will take good care of you,” Mrs. Leckner said, stooping down with a sigh to pet the puppy’s head. And then she and Nora were off.

  Lizzie picked Spirit up before he could bolt after them. They watched together as the puppy’s first family walked away.

  Lizzie carried Spirit back to Mariko’s house, where Mrs. Miyano met them on the porch with steaming mugs of hot chocolate. “I feel terrible that I can’t invite you and Spirit in,” said Mrs. Miyano.

  “That’s okay,” said Lizzie. “Spirit and I should be on our way, anyway. But could I use your phone to call my mom? I should at least give her a little warning that I’m bringing home a new foster puppy.”

  Soon, Lizzie was ready to set off again. She had found a leash at the bottom of her backpack, and she snapped it onto Spirit’s collar as she said good-bye to her friend. “Good thing Mom was understanding. I guess she’s not surprised anymore when a puppy falls into our laps. Anyway, I’m sorry we can’t make the candy today,” Lizzie said to Mariko.

  “Are you kidding?” Mariko asked between sips from her steaming mug. “You get to foster an awesome puppy. What’s better than that?”

  Lizzie gave Spirit a scratch between the ears. “You ready, boy?” she asked. Spirit trotted off the porch next to Lizzie, but he seemed to lose his lively energy as they crossed the park, following the trail Lizzie had made on the way over. The puppy kept slowing down to glance back the way they’d come, but Lizzie encouraged him to keep going.

  By the time they reached the other side of the park, Spirit was almost dragging. His eagerness was gone, and he seemed like a completely different puppy.

  The whole family was there to greet Lizzie and the new puppy when they finally made it back home. “Aww, he’s lovely,” Mom said, kneeling down to give Spirit a gentle scratch. The Bean approached him carefully, the way he’d been taught with new puppies, then gave Spirit a mighty hug. Spirit didn’t seem to mind one bit. He just turned his head to give the Bean’s hair a good sniff. Charles petted Spirit’s ears while Dad examined his big, chunky feet. Through it all Spirit was calm—almost too calm, Lizzie thought. He didn’t seem all that excited about meeting his new foster family.

  “Is Buddy outside?” Lizzie asked. The family liked to introduce Buddy to new foster dogs in the backyard, where there was more space to run and play and get to know each other. Buddy was such a friendly, easygoing puppy that they rarely had problems. As soon as Lizzie opened the door, Spirit scrambled down the snowy stairs and ran right up to Buddy. Buddy sniffed the fluffy white pup all over and then ran off, inviting Spirit to play.

  Watching Spirit leap after Buddy, Lizzie felt a little better. The new puppy seemed happy and confident again. He ran in circles around Buddy. It was funny how Spirit’s black nose and dangling pink tongue really stood out in the snow.

  While she watched the two puppies romp, Lizzie told her family everything she had learned about Spirit and the Leckners. Mariko had explained that Eli was a year younger than Charles, and Nora was in her first year at the nearby middle school. When Mom found out that Mrs. Leckner was eight months pregnant, she was very understanding. “Having two kids and six puppies is enough work even when you aren’t pregnant!” she said.

  Lizzie had also heard from Mariko and her mom that the Leckners had found homes for all the other puppies even before Mitzy, the mother dog, had the litter. “That must have taken a lot of planning,” Dad said, sounding impressed. Lizzie had to agree. She knew how much work it took to find the right home for just one puppy.

  Mariko knew where every other puppy had ended up, but she had no idea why Spirit had not stayed at the apple orchard with his sister.

  Now, Lizzie looked out the window again. Spirit and Buddy seemed to be getting along well. Spirit bowed down with his front paws stretched out and barked happily. Buddy dashed clear across the snowy yard and tackled Spirit with all his might. Spirit rolled over, his mouth open wide as if he were laughing.

  “They’re just a couple of goofballs,” Mom said, gazing out the kitchen window.

  Now Lizzie understood why Mrs. Leckner had thought the puppies were so wild. Spirit was like a completely different dog when he was at play! Watching Spirit with Buddy, Lizzie thought that Spirit might like a home that had another dog. He was so much happier now than he had been when they were walking across the park.

  “Buddy! Spirit!” Lizzie went to the door to call the dogs in. It was so cold outside, and Spirit had spent most of his day in the snow. That was a lot for such a young puppy, even if he did seem to be having fun. Spirit and Buddy tried to climb the slick steps, side by side. Lizzie giggled. They kept knocking into each other, their tails whipping around in the air. “Come on, guys,” Lizzie said. “Let me get your paws.” The puppies waited patiently as Lizzie wiped the snow and ice chunks from their feet with an old towel. Buddy even licked her face as a thank-you.

  When Lizzie was done, Buddy trotted over to where Charles was reading in the living room. Buddy nosed his way onto the beanbag chair and curled up in Charles’s lap. Charles started to scratch Buddy’s neck, and Buddy laid his head on Charles’s chest.

  Seeing them, Lizzie felt the urge to curl up with a book, too. It was that kind of day. But first, she wanted to get the new puppy settled in his temporary home. “Hey, Spirit,” she said, turning to the sweet white pup. “Are you hungry? Want some food?” Spirit didn’t seem that interested, but Lizzie got out the extra food and water bowls, just to be sure. After she had filled them both, she set them down next to Buddy’s empty dishes. “Here you go, boy. You’ve had a busy day. You must be starving.”

  But Spirit was still sitting in the same spot where she had left him, staring into the living room. He was watching Charles and Buddy.

  Where am I? This isn’t my place. Those aren’t my food bowls. Where are all my brothers and sisters? And my mom?

  Lizzie decided to call the owners of Crowners’ Appl
e Orchard and find out why they hadn’t taken Spirit. She knew the orchard well. In the summer, the owners ran a farm stand by the road. They sold the best apple-cider doughnuts, fresh out of the fryer. They sold good apples, too. If Dad was making an apple pie, he insisted on getting the tart green apples from Crowners’.

  The phone rang a few times before someone picked up. When they did, Lizzie could hear a puppy’s friendly yips on the other end. “Hello?” a woman said. Lizzie could picture Mrs. Crowner’s kind face with her tiny glasses and pale blue eyes.

  “Hello? Mrs. Crowner?” Lizzie began. “My name is Lizzie Peterson. I’m helping the Leckner family with one of their puppies, Spirit.”

  “Oh, yes,” Mrs. Crowner said. “We met Spirit this morning. We adopted his sister Sassy.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Leckner told me that,” Lizzie replied, trying to think of what to say next. She glanced at Spirit, who was lying down in the same spot by the door, his eyes big and his ears pricked as he watched Buddy and Charles cuddle. Lizzie quickly told Mrs. Crowner about all the events of the day. “So now,” she finished, “Spirit is here with us. He’s safe and sound, but he seems to really be missing his littermates.”

  “Oh, Lizzie,” Mrs. Crowner said. “We had planned to take both puppies, but those two were just too rambunctious together. They were cute and loud and happy, and we could see right away that two puppies would be too much for Mr. Crowner and me to keep track of. My sister told me that brother and sister puppies can often be a real handful—they enjoy each other so much that they really don’t pay attention to their people. That’s what made us rethink our decision.”

  “But—” Lizzie began, then stopped. She knew the Crowners would take two puppies if they could. What was the point of persuading them to take on more than they could handle? Lizzie thanked the older woman and hung up the phone.

  She knelt down next to Spirit and stroked his silky ears, which still felt chilly from his time outside. “You’re a sweet guy, Spirit. We’ll find you a good home. I promise.” The puppy looked up at her with glistening eyes, let out a long sigh, and laid his head between his paws.

  At school the next day, Lizzie kept thinking about Spirit. She knew he was safe at home. He had food and water, and Buddy to play with if he was feeling lonely, but Lizzie was still worried. The puppy seemed to be having a hard time settling in. Lizzie needed to figure out what kind of home would be best for him.

  At lunch, Mariko found Lizzie right away. “Hey, how’s Spirit?” she asked, sitting down across from Lizzie and Maria. “Want some edamame?” she asked, holding out a metal dish of green beans that she ate straight from the pod.

  Lizzie took a few beans. She shook her head as she popped them into her mouth. “I’m not sure about Spirit,” she said. “He was so happy playing with Buddy, but then he came inside and just sort of moped around. I couldn’t get him to eat or play with any of Buddy’s toys. He’d sniff them and then look away. It was really sad.”

  “What about that new toy?” Maria asked, tucking her shiny dark hair behind her ear. “The orange one that you can put the treats in, and then throw it across the room?” Maria had been with Lizzie when she had used her dog-walking money to buy that toy for Buddy.

  “Nothing,” Lizzie answered. “I even put two different flavors of treats in there, just in case Spirit had a favorite. But he barely sniffed it.”

  “Maybe he was just tired,” Maria suggested. Maria had a strong instinct for animals. “Sometimes, after a long day of errands and stuff, Simba just needs to sleep.” Simba, a big yellow Lab, was Maria’s mom’s guide dog.

  “That makes sense,” Lizzie said. “Simba would be tired after a full day of work.” She peeled an orange, thinking about what Maria said. “Spirit is still a puppy, and yesterday must have been exhausting for him. Maybe he’ll feel better today.”

  “I’m going to take Eli’s homework to him after school,” Mariko said. “He did break his leg, and he has a big cast on it. He’ll be home for a while. He can’t use crutches or a wheelchair in all this snow and ice. You guys want to come with me?”

  “Sorry, I have a riding lesson,” Maria said. “My show is next week.”

  “I can come,” Lizzie said. “I’ll meet you outside your room after the bell.” She was glad that she had asked the other partners in her dog-walking business to cover their customers until she found a home for Spirit. That meant she was free after school. It would be fun to walk home with Mariko, and it would also give Lizzie one more chance to talk to the Leckners. Even if they didn’t want Spirit, they might know someone who would. Maybe they had a waiting list for their puppies.

  It seemed like a lot had happened since the last time Lizzie had stepped foot on the Leckners’ porch. This time, when Mrs. Leckner answered, she looked much more relaxed. “Thanks so much for bringing Eli’s homework,” she said, taking the cloth bag from Mariko. “I really appreciate it.” She paused for a moment and looked over her shoulder. “Hey, Eli!” she called. “You’ll be happy to know that Mariko brought your homework, so you won’t have to play video games all afternoon!”

  Lizzie thought she heard a groan from deep inside the house.

  Mrs. Leckner turned back to the girls. “I have a big project for work that is due this week. It’s my last one before the baby, and I’m having a hard time getting it done with Eli always asking for a snack or for something off his shelf.” She smiled. “Poor guy. He’s pretty bored. Hopefully this homework will keep him busy.”

  Just then, a beautiful white German shepherd nosed her way out the door and onto the porch with Lizzie and Mariko. Lizzie knew right away that she must be Spirit’s mother. She and Spirit had the same kind, intelligent expression.

  “Mitzy,” Mrs. Leckner said with a laugh, “are you bored, too? Do you need some attention, girl?”

  Before Mrs. Leckner could call the dog back in, Lizzie and Mariko knelt down to give her a proper greeting.

  “Hi there, Mitzy,” Mariko said, stroking the dog’s back.

  Mitzy sniffed Lizzie all over. Her nose made a snuffly sound as it rubbed up against Lizzie’s puffy coat. Then she looked up at Lizzie, tilting her head to one side.

  “You smell Spirit, don’t you?” Lizzie asked. She laughed out loud when Mitzy gave her a warm, wet lick. Dog licks always made Lizzie happy. “Hi, Mitzy,” she said softly. “It’s really nice to meet you, too.”

  “Okay, Mitzy, that’s enough,” Mrs. Leckner said, trying to pull the dog away. “Nora! Could you come get the dog? She’s attacking our guests with slobber.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet.” Nora, Eli’s big sister, had joined her mom at the door. “I’ll bet she can smell Spirit on Lizzie. Mitzy probably really misses her puppies.”

  Mrs. Leckner laughed again. “She misses them more than I do, I think.”

  “But they were adorable,” Nora said. She smiled at Lizzie as she grabbed Mitzy’s collar.

  “True,” Mrs. Leckner admitted. “They were adorable—to a point. They were also wild little tornadoes. It’s nice to have a little quiet in the house.”

  “Before the baby comes,” Nora said, guiding Mitzy back inside.

  “Before the baby comes,” Mrs. Leckner repeated.

  “How’s Spirit doing?” Nora asked Lizzie.

  Lizzie hesitated. “He’s fine,” she said. “But I think he misses all of you.”

  Nora nodded. “We miss him, too.” She petted Mitzy. “Good thing we still have one dog to keep us company.”

  Lizzie asked whether they’d had a waiting list for the puppies.

  Mrs. Leckner shook her head. “We stopped asking around after we thought we’d found them all homes,” she explained.

  Lizzie had a much better feeling about the Leckners after her and Mariko’s visit that day. She could tell how much they loved Mitzy. She could also tell that they had enjoyed Mitzy’s puppies—but she understood why they’d given them away. Too bad they didn’t have any good ideas about another nice family who was ready to adopt a swe
et, energetic puppy of their own.

  “Buddy! Spirit!” Lizzie called for the puppies as soon as she arrived home, but neither of them came to the door to welcome her. Lizzie thought that was strange. Buddy almost always raced into the front hallway, his nails clacking against the wood floor.

  “We’re in here!” Mom called from the kitchen. Now Lizzie could guess why Buddy hadn’t run to see her. If someone was cooking, he always liked to hang out in the kitchen in case any food scraps needed vacuuming up.

  “What are you making?” Lizzie asked as she hung up her coat and started to unload her backpack.

  “Nola!” the Bean told her. That was his word for “granola.”

  Lizzie felt her stomach grumble. It had been a long walk across the park, even though the weather was warmer today and the snow had packed down. She went into the kitchen. Sure enough, she found Buddy staring longingly up at the counter, where all the ingredients for granola were spread out. The Bean was snacking on dried cranberries. Mom’s hands were sticky with a paste of butter, oats, and brown sugar.

  “How was your day?” Mom asked.

  “Fine, I guess,” Lizzie said. “How was Spirit while I was gone?”

  Mom paused. “Fine, I guess.”

  “What does that mean?” Lizzie asked.

  “Well, to be honest he was kind of mopey,” Mom said.

  “Where is he now?” Lizzie leaned over to give Buddy a pat. Buddy wagged his tail and glanced at Lizzie, then went back to staring at the action on the kitchen counter, licking his chops.

  “I think he’s in the living room,” Mom said.

  Lizzie left the kitchen to track down the white puppy. “Hey, Spirit,” she said when she found him sleeping by the beanbag chair. The puppy blinked a few times, but he didn’t raise his head. “Do you want to go out? You can play with Buddy.” Spirit took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, head still on his paws. “Come on.” Lizzie patted her leg. “Time to go out.”

  Spirit stood up and plodded after Lizzie.