Alfie All Alone

by Holly Webb

  Alfie jumped up, his paws on Dad’s knee, holding his squeaky bone hopefully in his mouth. Dad was usually good for a game.

  “Not now, Alfie,” Dad muttered, pushing him away gently.

  Alfie went to paw at Evie’s ankles, hoping for a bit of croissant. She dangled a piece by his nose, and he gulped it down gratefully.

  “Evie!” Mum said sharply. “Are you giving Alfie scraps? How many times have I told you not to feed that dog at the table?” Mum didn’t normally mind that much, but today she was tired and snappish.

  “Shoo, Alfie!” Evie whispered, nudging him out from under the table with her foot.

  Alfie took one look at Mum’s cross face, and trailed sadly into the living room. He sat down next to Sam. The baby was half-smiling at the bouncy animals toy stretched across the front of his chair, and vaguely waving a hand at it every so often. Alfie watched. It was quite fun. He lay down with his nose on his paws and gazed up as the little creatures jumped and danced. Sam smelled nice – milky – and he was relaxing to be with after the tense, grumpy mood in the kitchen. Sam made little squeaky, grunting noises to himself, and Alfie wuffed quietly back, his eyes slowly closing as he drifted off for a snooze.

  After a few minutes, the jingling of the toy was joined by an irritating buzz. Alfie opened one eye. Was it Sam making that noise?Was he supposed to do that? No, Sam was asleep. The buzzing was from a large fly that had landed on the baby’s arm. Alfie bristled as he watched it crawl over Sam. He hated flies, and he knew Evie’s mum did too, if ever a fly buzzed near she always shooed it away. That fly should not be crawling over Sam.

  Alfie watched, waiting for his moment to pounce. He was so intent on the fly, that he had no idea Evie and her mum had come into the living room to check on Sam. They watched in horror as Alfie pounced, his sharp white teeth snapping on the fly – just millimetres away from Sam’s arm.

  “Alfie, no!” Evie screamed, as her mum threw herself forward to grab Sam away.

  Alfie had never heard Evie sound like that before – terrified and angry at the same time. He shot under the sofa and lay there cowering.

  Sam hadn’t noticed the fly, but he certainly noticed when his mum snatched him out of his nice sleep. He roared angrily, and waved his arms about.

  “Mum, is he OK? I can’t believe Alfie tried to bite him!” Tears were rolling down Evie’s cheeks.

  Evie’s mum was breathing fast – from where she and Evie had been standing, it really had looked as though Alfie had meant to bite Sam’s arm, and she’d been terrified. She was pushing up the sleeve of his sleepsuit, searching for marks, but he seemed fine – just cross at being woken.

  “What happened? Are you all right?” Evie’s dad rushed into the room, dressing gown flapping. “Is something the matter with Sam?” he asked, taking in the scene.

  “No. No, we’re all OK,” Evie’s mum said slowly.

  “Dad, Alfie nearly bit Sam!” Evie sobbed, throwing her arms around him. She couldn’t believe that her lovely puppy would do such a horrible thing – but then she’d seen it with her own eyes and watched him jump at her baby brother, teeth bared.

  “I don’t think he did, Evie.” Mum sounded as though she was trying to work it all out. “Look.”

  Lying on the floor next to the bouncy chair was a huge bluebottle, legs in the air, still buzzing faintly.

  “You know how Alfie hates flies, he’s always snapping at them. I think he just tried to catch a fly that had landed on Sam’s arm.”

  Evie lifted her head from where it was buried in her dad’s dressing gown. “Really?”

  Evie’s dad was looking serious. “Are you sure?”

  “Well, no, I suppose not. But Alfie’s never done anything like that before, has he?”

  Evie shook her head, smiling in relief. “Never! Oh, Mum, thank goodness you saw that fly – we’d never have known otherwise.”

  “Where is Alfie?” Dad asked, looking round.

  “I shouted at him and he disappeared under the sofa!” Evie went pale. “Oh, he must think we’re so angry! Poor Alfie.” Evie crouched down to look, but Alfie flinched away from her, and retreated right to the back. Evie sat up, looking hurt. “He won’t come,” she said miserably.

  “You probably need to give him a bit of time.” Dad put an arm round her, and the other round Mum and Sam. “Come on into the kitchen.”

  Alfie huddled under the sofa, trembling. No one had ever shouted at him like that before. Evie had behaved as though he’d done something terrible. But he’d been helping Sam! Evie’s mum was always saying that flies were horrible, dirty things. She waved them away if they got anywhere near the baby. Did Evie and Mum think I was trying to bite Sam? Alfie wondered. I’d never do that! Don’t they know I’d never do that? Alfie lay there, feeling confused. No one seemed to understand him very much here any more. He was always in trouble, and even Evie, who used to love him so much, didn’t seem to have any time for him. Maybe they really did think he was the sort of dog who would bite.

  “Alfie! Alfie!” Evie was calling him. She was lying down, peering under the sofa. “Come out, Alfie, please? I didn’t mean it. Please come out, I’m so sorry for shouting at you.” Her eyes met his hopefully, and Alfie couldn’t hold back any longer.

  He crept forward, tail slowly starting to wag. As he wriggled out from under the sofa, she hugged him tight, burying her face in his thick white fur. “Oh, Alfie.” Alfie put his paws on her shoulders and licked her face, tasting salt from her tears. Why was she crying? Everything was all right now. He wagged his tail, and licked her again lovingly.

  “Uuurgh, Alfie…” Evie giggled and sniffed. “I’m covered in lick. Oh, I do love you.” She sighed. “I’m so sorry. I haven’t been showing it much, have I?”

  Alfie wuffed encouragingly. He adored Evie, and he trusted her. Hearing the love in Evie’s voice as he snuggled against her was all he needed to feel better.

  Chapter Six

  The rest of the day was almost perfect for Alfie. Evie seemed to be back to her old self. She cuddled him loads, and she kept saying she was sorry for thinking he’d hurt Sam, and telling him what a clever dog he was for catching the fly. Just every so often, Alfie would remember how upset and angry everyone had been, and shudder, and then Evie would hug him all over again.

  Only one thing spoilt it. Alfie kept catching worried looks between Evie’s mum and dad – worried looks directed at him. Maybe they thought he might still be frightened, he wondered. He tried to be extra bouncy and friendly, with lots of jumping up to lick them, but it didn’t seem to work. If anything, they looked more worried, although they always patted him and smiled.

  Evie gave him a huge tea and Alfie was so full afterwards that he went to sleep on her lap while she was trying to finish off her homework at the kitchen table. He didn’t notice Evie’s parents come to sit with her, or see the anxious looks on their faces.

  “Evie.” Mum sounded strangely nervous. “Evie, we have to talk to you, sweetheart.”

  Evie looked up. “I’m doing it! Look, I’m doing it now. It’s only Saturday, Mum, I’ll get it done, easily!”

  “Not about your homework.” Dad’s voice was really flat, and Evie looked at him, suddenly scared. This was far more serious than just them complaining that she was rushing through her homework at the last minute.

  “It’s about Alfie,” Dad went on.

  Her heart suddenly thumping, Evie put her hand down to stroke Alfie, curled on her lap. He gave a little whine of pleasure, and stretched out luxuriously in his sleep before curling himself up again even tighter. “What’s the matter?” Evie asked quietly.

  Her mum and dad exchanged a look, then her dad sighed. “We’re not sure we can keep him, Evie.”

  Evie gulped, her hand tightening on Alfie’s neck so that he wriggled uncomfortably. “Why?” she whispered. Then her voice strengthened. “He wasn’t biting, Dad, really,” she assured him. “He wouldn’t do that.” She smiled desperately at her dad, knowing she ha
d to convince him.

  “Evie, you thought he would,” Dad said gently. “And so did your mum. You were so upset this morning.”

  “But he didn’t! It was all a mistake.” Evie’s eyes were filling with tears. Her dad sounded so decided. She turned to her mum for help, and saw that she was crying too.

  “It’s not Alfie’s fault at all. It’s just that we haven’t been able to look after Alfie properly, Evie,” her mum said shakily. “We all love him, but he needs proper walks, and lots of attention. He hasn’t been getting that. Dogs can get very grumpy if they’re cooped up in the house all day.”

  “I’ll walk him more!” Evie cried out. “Every day! Twice a day. I’ve just been taken up with having Sam around, that’s all.”

  “We all have,” her dad agreed. “But that’s not fair on Alfie – he needs a home where he doesn’t get forgotten about.”

  “I didn’t mean to!” Evie wailed, so loudly that Alfie woke up, his little white head suddenly popping up at the table, making them all giggle hopelessly. He gave them a happy, doggy smile, showing lots of long pink tongue. What was the joke? Then he looked again, turning to sniff at Evie. Maybe there wasn’t a joke at all. Something felt wrong. Had he done something bad again? He hunched down on to Evie’s lap, looking scared.

  “Evie, look at him. He’s upset. It’s not fair to put him through that,” Evie’s mum said gently.

  Evie sniffed. “If – if we’re not going to keep him, what are we going to do? Are you going to give him back to Mrs Wilson?” She gulped, imagining Alfie sitting sadly in the puppy room all on his own, his brother and sisters already gone to new homes.

  “No.” Dad looked thoughtful. “It would have been the best option, but she’s stopped breeding dogs now. She’s retired to the seaside, remember?”

  “I suppose she might take just Alfie back…” Mum said. “Oh, but we don’t have her new address.”

  “I think the sensible thing would be to take him to Riverside,” Dad said firmly, as though he was trying to convince himself.

  “Riverside?” Evie’s eyes filled with tears again. “Where Gran got Ben and Tigger? But that’s for dogs that people don’t want! We do want Alfie!”

  “Dogs that people can’t keep, Evie.” Mum’s voice sounded so sorry that Evie knew there was no point arguing. Hugging Alfie to her, she jumped up and raced up the stairs to her room.

  Evie didn’t come down for dinner. Alfie had already had his huge tea, and he was delighted to stay upstairs with Evie all evening. She was paying him loads of attention, teasing and tickling him, and playing all his favourite games. At bedtime he was allowed to snuggle up on her bed again. Alfie heaved a deep, happy sigh. This was where he was meant to be, not down in the kitchen on his own. Everything was the way it should be. He fell asleep at once, worn out from all the playing – so he didn’t notice that Evie lay awake half the night, tears rolling silently down her cheeks.

  “Evie, you don’t have to come.”

  Alfie looked interestedly back and forth between Evie and Dad. They were going somewhere! Excellent! He pattered off to fetch his lead, and jumped up with his paws on Evie’s knees to give it to her.

  Evie gulped, and tears started to seep from the corners of her eyes again. He was such a lovely dog! How could they be doing this? Hurriedly she wiped the tears away – she didn’t want Alfie to know what was going on. “I’m coming,” she said firmly, her voice hardly shaking at all. “I’m not having Alfie think I didn’t say goodbye.”

  Dad sighed. “OK. Hey, Alfie, come on, boy. You’re going on a car ride,” he said, trying to sound cheerful.

  But Alfie laid his ears back. Something odd was going on. He jumped into the car and saw that Evie’s hands were trembling as she did up his harness. Usually Evie would beg her dad to have the radio on and they’d sing along, but today they hardly spoke at all.

  When the car stopped, Alfie thought Evie would put his lead on and let him walk, but for some reason she was carrying him up in front of her so she could nuzzle into his fur. Alfie licked her face gratefully. He liked being carried, so he could see what was going on. Evie was walking very slowly though – Dad kept stopping and looking back for her as they headed towards the building. Alfie wasn’t surprised. It didn’t smell good, too clean, a bit like the vet’s that he’d been taken to a few weeks before.

  What was this place?

  Evie stood by the reception desk, while Dad explained quietly to a girl in a green uniform. She was nodding sympathetically, and she gave Alfie a considering look.

  “I’m sure he’ll be rehomed very quickly. He’s a lovely little dog.” She came round the reception desk and held out her arms. “Come on, sweetie,” she crooned to Alfie.

  Alfie felt suddenly scared. Who was this girl? Why were they here? All at once he knew that the lovely, cuddly time he’d been having with Evie over the last day hadn’t been real. In fact, nothing had been right since he’d snapped at that fly on Sam’s arm. But he still didn’t understand!What should he have done? He scrabbled helplessly as the girl in green lifted him from Evie’s arms. He was squealing with fright, desperately trying to get away.

  “Come on, Evie.” Her dad quickly marched Evie away, before she grabbed Alfie back again. Alfie’s last sight of Evie was as her dad hustled her out of the door, hugging her tightly against him, so that she couldn’t turn and see her little dog howling for her to come back.

  Chapter Seven

  As Evie trailed up the front path, she heard someone calling her, and excited woofs. She spun round immediately, thinking that somehow it was Alfie.

  “Hello, Evie! Ben and Tigger and I are just out for our walk. We thought we’d see if you and Alfie wanted to come with us. I know you haven’t had a lot of time to walk him recently.”

  Gran was beaming at Evie, but then she noticed Evie’s dad, who was shaking his head and holding his finger to lips.

  “Jack, are you all right?” Gran asked worriedly, as Tigger and Ben towed her through the gate.

  Evie’s dad sighed. “Not really.”

  Evie crouched down to pat Ben and Tigger. “We just took Alfie to Riverside,” she told them quietly. Somehow it was easier to tell the dogs than Gran. Suddenly she remembered. “You were right, Gran, you said we wouldn’t be able to manage.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, I’m really sorry.” Gran’s face crumpled. “I hadn’t realized it was that bad. Why didn’t you say?” she asked Evie’s dad.

  He shrugged. “It was one of those difficult decisions…” he said sadly. “I’m sure someone really nice will take Alfie home. You know that, Evie, don’t you?”

  Evie was fighting back tears. She didn’t want anybody else taking Alfie anywhere, even if they fed him out of a solid gold bowl! He was her dog – only he wasn’t. Not any more. In fact, she suddenly realized, she was never going to see him again. She gasped, and then she scrambled up and dashed into the house, tears stinging her eyes.

  “That little Westie’s still not eating.”

  “Really? He’s only been here three days. He’ll change his mind soon.”

  The two girls in the green Riverside uniform leaned against the wall, sipping their tea, and staring thoughtfully into Alfie’s run. He was curled up at the back, a miserable little ball, not even looking at his overflowing food bowl.

  “He’s really taking it hard, poor little thing.”

  “Yeah, I was here when they brought him in – the little girl he belonged to was really upset too.”

  Alfie snuggled his paws further round his ears to shut out their voices. If he kept his eyes shut tight, he could almost pretend that he was back home.

  “Alfie! Alfie!”

  Alfie twitched, but it wasn’t Evie. It was another of the Riverside staff, with some people looking for a dog. Quite a few people had been to see Alfie already, and everyone said how cute he was. They seemed surprised, as though such a sweet puppy shouldn’t really be at a dogs’ home. But when they tried to talk to Alfie, and he refused to b
udge from the back of his run, they gave up, moving on to friendlier dogs.

  “Mum, look at this great dog!” A boy about Evie’s age was peering through the fence. “Can we meet him? Please?”

  “Sure.” The Riverside girl got out her keys. “This is Alfie. He’s a gorgeous Westie puppy who is being rehomed because his owners had a new baby and couldn’t keep him. He’s a lovely boy, but he’s not too happy right now. Hey, Alfie…” She cooed gently to him. “Come and meet Ethan, he’s looking for a nice dog just like you.”

  Alfie hunched himself up tighter. The staff at Riverside were right. He hadn’t accepted what was going on. How could he? He didn’t understand. He couldn’t let anyone take him home, because Evie was coming back for him. He was sure of it. But he was becoming just a little less sure every time he woke up and he was still in a grey concrete run, waiting for her.

  The girl picked him up, and Alfie lay limply and sadly in her arms as she carried him out. The little boy stroked him gently. “He’s great.”

  Ethan’s eyes were shining, just like Evie’s used to. Alfie let Ethan scratch him behind the ears. That was nice.

  “Can we take him home?” Ethan begged.

  Home! Alfie suddenly twisted in the Riverside girl’s arms, and growled angrily. What was he thinking? His home was with Evie.

  Ethan’s parents pulled him away quickly to look at another dog, and the girl with the keys sighed. “Oh, Alfie. That would have been a wonderful home. When are you going to give up and let someone else love you?”

  Alfie slunk back into his run, and curled up facing the wall. He only wanted Evie to love him.