Shrinking Violet Definitely Needs A Dog

by Lou Kuenzler

  “I’d better keep him with me,” she said.

  “If only it hadn’t been for that squirrel! You were doing I said, reaching to scratch Chip between the ears. A lump rose in my throat. “Goodbye…”

  Everything was ruined. Mum definitely wouldn’t let me get a dog now. Especially not Chip. She thought he was trouble on four short legs. And she thought I could never be trusted to have a dog of my own.

  All week I begged Mum to let me go to after school. But we were always busy getting ready for the wedding on Saturday. Bunny called every evening with something else we needed to do.

  On Monday I had to have ANOTHER fitting for the dress. They even measured my wrists!

  On Tuesday I had to have a haircut.

  On Wednesday I had to have ANOTHER haircut because Bunny said the first one looked scruffy. (Mum didn’t even poke me in the ribs when I complained.)

  On Thursday I had to have my nails painted. Bunny took us to a really posh nail bar in town. I wanted each fingernail a different colour – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black, white and gold. But Bunny said they all had to be … pale blue, of course.

  At last, on Friday, I was free. Nish had a piano lesson but Dad dropped me off at after school.

  “Hello,” said Yana, as I ran into the kennels. She was brushing Tiny, who didn’t even bark at me any more. “I was hoping you would come sooner.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ve been really busy. You see, I’m going to be a bridesmaid tomorrow.” I my painted fingernails at her. “And… Oh, never mind. Can I just go and visit Chip?”

  “Well,” said Yana. “You see—”

  “Please,” I begged. “I’ll come back and help with any chores you want me to do. Even cleaning Tiny’s teeth!” I joked.

  “The thing is—” said Yana.

  “I won’t be a minute,” I promised, charging away down the corridor before Yana could say anything else. I didn’t want anyone to stop me from seeing Chip. Not after all this time. I wanted to tell him that no matter what had happened at the Agility Trial, he was still a true to me.

  “Violetta! Wait,” called Yana. But I was already standing in front of Chip’s cage.

  Except it wasn’t Chip’s cage … not any more. A little Yorkshire terrier was staring up at me.

  “Where’s Chip?” I cried.

  “I was trying to tell you,” said Yana, coming in behind me. “Chip has gone away.”

  “Gone away?” I breathed.

  “A nice, handsome young man came on Monday. He liked Chip very much,” smiled Yana. “We checked it is a good home and he adopted Chip. They left just an hour ago.”

  “” I felt my legs go wobbly.

  “All week I was hoping you would come,” said Yana. “But you didn’t.”

  “All because of the stupid, stupid wedding!” I wailed.

  Yana put her arm around my shoulders.

  “Ohh!” I felt as if my heart would break.

  Violet Potts does not cry … not normally.

  But now tears were streaming down my face.

  Chip was gone. I would never see him again. I hadn’t even got to say goodbye … or to tickle his tummy one last time.

  When I got up the next morning, Mum had to pat some of her face powder on my cheeks.

  “Oh, Vi,” she said, hugging me. “You’re all blotchy because you’ve been crying so much. You really did love that funny little dog, didn’t you?”

  “Yes,” I sniffed.

  Mum rocked me in her arms without saying anything for a long time. At last, she dried my eyes and said, “Come on now. It’s time to get dressed for the wedding. Bunny won’t like it if your eyes are red and puffy.”

  “No, she won’t,” I said, and I blew my nose loudly.

  Sure enough, Bunny was in terrible state by the time we arrived at the hotel where we were getting ready. One of the one hundred and fifty on her enormous meringue wedding dress had fallen off, and the dressmaker had actually crawled right under Bunny’s huge skirt to sew it back on.

  Fifi-Belle was throwing a tantrum because the bouquet of plastic flowers I had to carry was bigger than hers.

  “I’ll swap if you like,” I said. But she was screeching so loud she didn’t hear me.

  “Just put your frock on, Violet,” snapped Bunny, as if it was my fault that Fifi-Belle was screaming.

  I wanted to scream, too. I wanted to yell and shout that someone had taken Chip from me. But it wouldn’t do any good. He was gone now. And this was Uncle Max’s He wanted to marry Bunny, even if I couldn’t understand why. I would try and make the best of it for him.

  “You’ll see your shepherdess crook over there by the wall,” said Bunny. “It’s the one with…”

  “…pale blue ribbons?” I guessed.

  “Yes,” Bunny smiled. Perhaps she felt bad for snapping at me, because she laid her hand on my arm and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you for being our bridesmaid,” she said. “I know it means a lot to my darling Tarquin.”

  “Tarquin?” I said. “What’s Tarquin got to do with it?”

  “Maxi! I mean my darling Maxi!” Bunny blushed as red as her bouquet of plastic roses. “I just got muddled for a moment. You see, I was going to marry Tarquin for so long and then… Anyway, what I wanted to say is that we’ve got you a little present to say thank you for being our bridesmaid. It’s waiting for you at

  “Brilliant,” I said. It was probably a box of pale blue hankies if Bunny had chosen it … but it was kind of her anyway.

  “It’s only something tiny,” she said. “But I know you’ll think it’s adorable.”

  “Thank you,” I said, turning towards the mirror.

  “” I didn’t mean to but I gasped out loud – there I was looking exactly like the Little Bo bridesmaid picture.

  Tiffany popped her head around the door and collapsed in fits of laughter.

  “Look at you,” she snorted.

  I had never tried on the finished dress until now – it hadn’t had all the and sewn on at the final fitting. And I’d never worn the bonnet before either.

  Now all that was showing was my round, freckled face. The rest of me – from head to foot – had disappeared as if I were drowning in a deep, frothy sea of pale blue lace.

  “You look like a toilet roll holder,” squealed Tiffany, holding the door frame so she didn’t fall over from laughing. “You know, those ones where you put the loo paper under the skirt.”

  “Shhh,” hissed Mum. “That’s not kind.”

  But a moment later it was my turn to laugh.

  “Ah, Tiffany! Thank goodness,” exclaimed Bunny, seeing her in the doorway. “I’ve got the perfect job for you. My best friend was supposed to do it, but she woke up this morning covered in spots. She’s refusing to leave the house. So I need you to be my best friend now, Tiff. I need you to be my .”

  “Happy Greeter?” said Tiffany.

  “I want you to stand by the door dressed as a sunflower and make sure that everybody feels happy,” smiled Bunny.

  “A sunflower?” choked Tiffany.

  “ lent me the costume.” Bunny sighed as if Tiff was being very stupid. “It’s all part of my Dingley Dell country meadow theme. And with your lovely hair, it’ll be perfect.”

  “My hair is frizzy!” screamed Tiffany. I thought she was going to stamp her feet like Fifi-Belle.

  Bunny ignored her and clicked her fingers for the hairdresser. “Anton, do you have a minute to do that sunflower look we talked about? I want it really high and fluffy and big.”

  “And EXTRA I giggled as the hairdresser led poor Tiffany away.

  At eleven o’clock, everyone except the bride and bridesmaids went on ahead to the wedding in their own cars. I caught a glimpse of Tiffany as she ducked out of the door wearing a dress the colour of custard.

  Bunny, Fifi-Belle and I followed a few minutes later in a pale blue bridal minibus, which was covered in pale blue ribbons and a pale blue bumper sticker which said:
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br />   “Go in and have a peek, Violet,” said Bunny when we drew up outside It was a large modern building which looked exactly like the big supermarket on the other side of the roundabout. Except instead of having posters saying “baked beans: buy one get one free”, had a big pink love heart which flashed on and off like an electric valentine.

  “Just pop your head round the door, Violet,” said Bunny. “See if Tarquin is there yet.”

  “You mean see if Uncle Max is there?” I corrected.

  “Him too, of course,” said Bunny. “But Tarquin is a sort of guest of honour, you see. He promised he’d come. You can’t miss him. He should be sitting right in the front row with his mother – she’ll be wearing a lovely big hat with feathers. And his father will be there, too. Did I tell you, his father is a lord? They’re ever so rich, you know.”

  “All right. I’ll go and look,” I said, climbing out of the minibus – which wasn’t easy in my dress.

  As I pulled my plastic crook out from under the seat, I nearly asked Bunny why she didn’t marry Tarquin, seeing as she was always talking about him? But it seemed a bit rude … after all, in a few minutes’ time she was due to marry Uncle Max.

  “Don’t look so worried, Violet,” said Bunny. “It’s going to be a wonderful day. The perfect wedding! Don’t forget, you’re getting your little present, so no peeking in any boxes when you go inside. Just have a quick look at who is there and come back and tell me.”

  “I want a present too,” whined Fifi-Belle.

  “You’ll get one,” I heard Bunny say as I hitched up my skirt and hurried across the car park.

  I could see Tiffany waiting by the door, dressed as the … but she did look jolly. The custard yellow dress was as tight as a sock and her hair was huge. It had been up to look like giant petals.

  “Don’t say a word, Little Miss Toilet Roll,” she warned, pointing at my Bo Freak dress. “At least I don’t look like I’ve lost my sheep.”

  “OK, sis. We’re in this together,” I said. But I couldn’t resist one tiny snigger. I remembered what Tiffany had said about getting new hair straighteners if I got a dog.

  “You could really do with those straighteners now,” I grinned.

  Tiffany said something . It was a good job Mum didn’t hear or it would have cost at least a pound for the family swear box.

  Just inside was a small waiting room. It was painted bright pink and big fat baby angels hung from the ceiling playing golden trumpets.

  In the far corner of the room was a basket – like a big picnic hamper. It was all tied up with pale a big pale

  Gosh! Perhaps that’s my present, I thought. But I hurried on. I’d be good. I wouldn’t look. Not now.

  The door to the main hall was ajar and I could just make out some of the Dingley Dell decorations – a corner of green plastic grass and the edge of a tinfoil pond with rubber water lilies. Above the chatter of the waiting guests, I could hear the sound of the recorded played through the speakers. I was about to peek inside and see if I could work out which of the guests was Tarquin when I heard a small, soft whimpering sound.

  At first, I thought it was more birdsong, or perhaps a pretend ribbit from a plastic frog, but the noise was coming from somewhere behind me.

  I turned round and listened. There it was again. It was a whimpering sound and it was coming from inside the hamper.

  “Hello?” I whispered, moving closer. The noise was getting louder.

  It didn’t sound like a frog any more.

  It sounded like … a dog.

  “Who’s there?” I said softly, my heart thumping.

  But, as I crouched down beside the basket and peered through the holes, I heard a sound I would recognize anywhere.

  “ ”

  “Chip!” I cried, scrabbling to untie the ribbons. I knew I shouldn’t be opening the basket but I couldn’t help myself. “Chip, is that you?”

  “ ”

  I threw back the lid.

  It was him! My Chip! He was staring up at me with his little puggy nose and his deep black eyes. And …

  The minute I saw him I shrank with sheer joy.

  “Oh, Chip!” I exclaimed, toppling over backwards like a domino. (Thank goodness for the soft, fluffy pink carpet to fall on.)

  Now I was in trouble – the wedding was due to start any minute. I couldn’t follow Bunny up the aisle if I was the size of a wedding cake decoration.

  Even so, I just couldn’t help smiling.

  “What are you doing here, Chip?” I cried as he leapt out of the basket and snuffled me with his nose.

  “” he sneezed as the frills on my (now tiny) Little Bo dress tickled his whiskers.

  “Are you here for me?” I couldn’t stop the WONDERFUL, idea that was growing inside me. “You’re not my gift from Bunny, are you? She did say my present would be in the waiting room.”

  But as soon as I’d thought it, I knew it was silly. No one would buy someone a dog just for being their bridesmaid. But then, it wasn’t just for being a bridesmaid, was it? Uncle Max had promised he would get me a dog one day. And Mum had seen how much I loved Chip. Perhaps she had finally given in. Perhaps it was all agreed and Chip was really going to be mine!

  “WOW!” If I hadn’t shrunk from excitement already, I would have done now.

  “Of course you’re for me,” I said, flinging my arms around Chip’s stubby front leg as he towered above me. From down here, he looked like one of those Scottish cows you see on biscuit tins. I buried my head in his fur. “You must be my present or it wouldn’t make ANY sense. Why else would you be here? My Chip…”

  I hitched up my puffy skirt and was about to do a tiny cartwheel across the floor when I heard Bunny’s voice outside the door.

  “Tiffany, have you seen Violet?” she hissed. “She was supposed to go in and have a peek. But she’s been ages…”

  I saw the door push slowly open.

  “Quick, Chip! Basket!” I hissed.

  Luckily Bunny couldn’t see him yet. It took her a moment to come in. Her big meringue dress was so and so she had turn round and through the door sideways.

  “Basket!” I whispered again, standing on tiptoe so my voice would reach Chip’s ear. I couldn’t believe it. Chip actually obeyed me – talking in a nice small voice really does work.

  As he jumped inside the hamper, I pulled on the end of a ribbon to slam the lid shut.

  “Stay, boy,” I whispered, still hanging on to the end of the ribbon as it dangled outside the basket.

  I had to hide before Bunny saw that I was tiny.

  “Geronimo!” I mouthed silently to myself as I leapt off the end of the ribbon like it was a rope swing. I spun sideways, flying through the air. I was trying to land behind the ruffled gold curtains, but I went too far and slipped down inside a pale blue paper bag that I hadn’t noticed before.

  “Where is Violet?” said Bunny’s voice above me. I could see her peeping through the crack in the door to the main hall. The guests in the Dingley Dell were getting restless.

  “We need to go in,” said Bunny, starting to sound panicked.

  Oh dear! Now Fifi-Belle will have to be a bridesmaid on her own, I thought.

  I knew everyone would be furious. Bunny’s would be ruined if it didn’t go exactly to plan. Uncle Max would be so disappointed. And Mum would say I was irresponsible … AGAIN!

  Perhaps I wouldn’t be allowed to keep Chip after all.

  I helplessly inside the bag. Something hard and sharp fell against my shoulder.

  “Ouch!” As I turned, I found myself staring into a pair of pale blue glass eyes. They belonged to a small china shepherdess. She was exactly the same height as me and wearing her own Little Bo dress!

  I pushed the china shepherdess upright again.

  “Sorry,” I whispered. She had a little bonnet just like mine, too.

  I think she was supposed to look sweet and pretty but she gave me the creeps with her pale, staring eyes.

  I didn’t have lon
g to look at her, though. A moment later, we both fell out of the bag, as Bunny swooped past and knocked us over with her dress.

  “Ow!” I banged my knee on the edge of the door frame and there was a nasty sound like chipping china. I saw that the poor shepherdess’s crook had snapped in half.

  “I can’t wait for Violet any longer,” said Bunny. She had no idea, of course, that she had almost on me.

  “You’ll have to hold my train by yourself, Fifi-Belle. Don’t forget your special slow bridesmaid walk as you follow me up the aisle.”

  “But I don’t want to be on my own,” said Fifi-Belle. “I want Violet to—”

  “There’s no time to argue,” said Bunny. “The music is starting.”

  Sure enough, the sound of birdsong stopped and the wedding music blared out of the speakers.

  In his basket, Chip gave a tiny bark.

  “Is that you coughing, Fifi-Belle?” said Bunny. “Stop it. You’ll ruin the ceremony.”

  Bunny spun round. I was knocked to the floor again and carried forward as the long train on her wedding dress scooped me up. I struggled to escape but it was no good. I was caught like a leaf in a river of frills.

  Bunny took a last glance around the waiting room.

  “All set,” she said. But as she stepped towards the big door to the main hall, she stopped quite still for a moment and said the strangest thing.

  “Oh Tarquin, why isn’t it you?” she sighed, wringing her hands.

  I , staring up at her from amongst the lace.

  “What do you mean, Auntie Bunny?” gasped Fifi-Belle.

  “Oh, nothing. I just hope I’ve done enough,” Bunny said, pushing her shoulders back. Her voice sounded choked. “I hope when Tarquin sees this perfect Dingley Dell wedding – the one we always planned – he realizes what he is missing out on…”

  The music swelled as Bunny pushed open the door and swished down the aisle.

  “STOP!” I cried. My mouth was so full of frills it sounded like SWOP! Nobody could hear me anyway as my tiny voice was swallowed up by the sound of the music.

  This wasn’t right! I knew now what the whole Dingley Dell wedding was about.

  Bunny didn’t want to marry Uncle Max. Not really. She didn’t love him. She just wanted Tarquin to take her back. That was why the wedding was exactly like the one they had planned together!