Chapter 54
Harvey
When Harvey opens his eyes, nothing is familiar. He doesn’t like the smell of this place, wherever he is. Through bars, he can see the room is empty and his heart pounds. Where is his Maggie? Why does his body ache? The grogginess subsides and he raises his head to howl. If his Maggie is nearby, she’ll answer.
He lies back down on his front paws and listens. There are voices and then the door opens. He catches a whiff of a familiar scent.
His Maggie.
She puts her face close to his, but the bars separate them. “Can I take him out?” she asks.
The answer is no, so she puts a finger through the bars. He licks it, and the taste of her is comforting. He gets a whiff of her tears, the worry and fear making them sharp. He doesn’t care that he doesn’t know this place. All that matters is that she is here.
“His recovery will take some time. He can’t jump or run until the stitches dissolve. And, most importantly, no more battles with raccoons,” Dr. Parker the vet says.
Maggie gives a half-hearted smile. “Hear that, Harvs? No more fights.”
Harvey lies down again. He’s so tired. As he closes his eyes, it’s Maggie’s face and the comfort of her scent that sends him to sleep.
Chapter 55
Maggie
The windows are open even though the October air has a chill to it. Mrs. Fradette holds the steering wheel of her Bel Air firmly. Without realizing it, she smiles as she pulls into traffic. A slow and careful driver, she hums to herself.
Maggie sits back on the red leather bench seat. Compared to her parents’ cars, the front seat of the Bel Air feels like a couch. Nothing is automatic in this car. She had to manually crank the window open and she sees the effort Mrs. Fradette uses to turn the wheel. She stretches her legs in front of her and lets the breeze from the open window blow her hair across her cheeks. Mrs. Fradette’s hair, of course, doesn’t move.
It is a short drive to Tubby’s and when Maggie gets out of the car, she notices a few people turn their heads. Mrs. Fradette pats the trunk as she walks to the curb, the way someone might pat the shoulder of an old friend. The chrome shines in the sunlight. “Glad you decided to keep it?” Maggie asks, although she knows the answer.
Maggie holds the door open for Mrs. Fradette. She stands in the doorway of the restaurant for a minute, taking it in. “It’s just how I remember it!” she exclaims. Maggie believes it, with the fake wood paneling and red vinyl chairs. Black-and-white photos on the walls show old cars waiting for drive-in service from girls on roller skates. Others show young people sitting at booths with old-fashioned milkshake glasses; a few are even in St. Ambrose uniforms.
It has been a week since Harvey’s tussle with the raccoon and he is healing well. Maggie puts him in a kennel when she leaves for school to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself. He also isn’t allowed to visit Brayside for a while, but Maggie gives the residents almost daily updates on his progress. She knows she came terrifyingly close to losing her little Westie.
Lexi and Brianne were concerned too when they heard. The last week has been fraught with weird friend tension; it isn’t just the St. Ambrose kilt and knee socks that irritate Maggie these days. She keeps Lexi and Brianne at a cautious distance, still unsure where she stands with them. Without their constant presence, Maggie is discovering other girls who might be a better fit. For now, she is done with the prickly points of a triangle. Three was never an easy number anyway.
They find a booth by a window. Sitting across from Mrs. Fradette, Maggie feels shy all of a sudden. She invited Mrs. Fradette to Tubby’s to say thank you for coming to the vet clinic. She and Austin showed up just when Maggie needed them the most.
“They haven’t changed a thing,” Mrs. Fradette says, staring around the restaurant in wonder. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad!”
Good, Maggie decides. Like the Bel Air.
“I was wondering about something,” Maggie says. “Did Pépère rebuild the garage after the fire?”
“Oh yes. Insurance covered the loss. He built a bigger garage with three bays for repairs and a proper lift. I’d go up every summer to work with him.” Mrs. Fradette smiles. Her purse is on her lap and she unsnaps the clasp and pulls out a photograph. It’s worn and softened by time. In it, Mrs. Fradette’s hair is piled high on her head. She is holding up a paper and beside her is an old man, his dark hair shot through with gray. His hand is on her shoulder and he is beaming with pride. “The day I became a mechanic, Pépère was there.”
“So you did it. Even after the garage burned down,” Maggie says.
“Because the garage burned down. But it wasn’t easy. It was the 1950s. Men weren’t used to having a woman in the garage with them. Every day, I had to prove I belonged there.”
“You took the rough road.” Maggie grins at Mrs. Fradette. Mrs. Fradette smiles back. “I sure did. And it made for a very interesting ride.”
Maggie swells with pride for Mrs. Fradette. The other customers probably see an old lady with a black helmet of hair in a garish outfit, holding a too-big purse.
But Maggie wishes they could see what she is and has done. A trailblazer and a storyteller. A woman who was a wife and a mother. Someone who was young once, with dreams and challenges just like Maggie. And who was stubborn enough not to let them go.
Chapter 56
Maggie
Harvey’s different since the fight with the raccoon. It’s been three weeks, but Maggie can tell the wound still bothers him. He can’t jump up on furniture, or go up the stairs. Instead, he sits at the bottom and whines, a reminder that he can’t get up there without her help. They go for slower walks and even when a squirrel races in front of them, Harvey doesn’t try to tear after it.
Will he ever be back to normal? she wonders.
In some ways, the new Harvey fits the new Maggie. She doesn’t mind that he’s more cautious. She knows how close she came to losing him. But today is a day for celebration. Dr. Parker has cleared Harvey for a visit to Brayside. It will be the first time since Austin’s grandpa’s work-iversary and the old people are anxious to see him.
Lexi and Brianne, so concerned after Maggie told them about the raccoon attack, have cooled toward Maggie now that Harvey’s getting back to normal. Lexi’s attitude is ramping up and Maggie sees her hungry glances at the table of popular girls while they eat in the cafeteria. She wishes Lexi would just go already and stop pretending she’s where she wants to be.
Maggie knows who her real friends are anyway.
She never expected to find them at Brayside when she signed up for volunteer hours, but that’s what happened. She’s not sure she could have made it through Harvey’s surgery and recovery without Austin. Of everyone in her life, he understood how much Harvey meant to her, because, she suspects, he means as much to Austin. Which is why she is so excited about what she is about to do.
Austin’s grandpa is waiting on the sidewalk when Maggie, her mom, and Harvey pull up to the curb in front of the animal shelter. Austin’s grandpa and Maggie’s mom shake hands warmly. “Call me Phillip,” he says.
All of them peer through the front window into the plexi-glass cage inside. They are looking at a puppy with floppy brown ears too big for her head. There is a spot of brown on her back and another around each eye. She snoozes beside another dog in a bed of shredded newspaper, oblivious to the three people staring at her from the sidewalk.
“She’s so much bigger!” Maggie says, remembering the newborn who fit in Austin’s hand. “She looks like a real dog.”
“What changed your daughter’s mind?” Maggie’s mom asks. “Maggie said she didn’t want a dog.”
Phillip smiles. His eyes are twinkly when he looks at Maggie. “It was Maggie.”
Maggie’s mom is taken aback. Lately, Maggie’s maturity has been surprising her. There are glimpses of
the person her child is becoming. “You didn’t tell me that,” she says, turning to Maggie. “What did you do?”
Maggie is happy to answer. “I made an attack plan. I thought of all her arguments and found a way around each of them.” Just like Mrs. Fradette would have done, Maggie thinks.
Beside her, Phillip chuckles. “Austin’s mom didn’t stand a chance.”
“First, there was what to do when Austin was at school. That was easy because Phillip’s new building is closer to the apartment. He agreed to go over at lunch to let her out. Second was the dog’s size. Big dogs aren’t allowed at Austin’s apartment, but the shelter thinks she’s part Jack Russell and will be about Harvey’s size. But the best part”—Maggie pauses here to let the last part of her plan stand out—“the best part is that everyone at Brayside contributed to the cost of the adoption and vet bills. We even had enough left over for a gift card to a pet store, for food.”
Maggie’s pride fills her with a warm glow. It feels like things have come full circle from last year when she found Harvey. Only this time instead of taking a dog from Austin, she is bringing him one.
Chapter 57
Harvey
When Harvey jumps out of Maggie’s mom’s SUV, he feels a twinge of pain. The fight with the racoon is a fuzzy memory now, as are the surgery and the weeks of recovery, but still there is that reminder that he isn’t exactly as he used to be.
On the sidewalk, Harvey is drawn to a corner of the building. It is covered with so many smells that Harvey could sniff all day and not catch all of them. Maggie pauses so Harvey can add his scent. Beside her, Phillip chuckles. “Good job, Harvey.”
Harvey doesn’t know where they are or why, but listening to Maggie’s quick-talking enthusiasm tells him it must be a good place. “Come on, Harvey,” Maggie says, and goes through the door Phillip opens for them.
Harvey is almost all the way in when he takes a cautious sniff. Barks echo off walls; some are warnings and some are greetings, but Harvey is not concerned. He’s with his Maggie.
“Harvey, look!” Maggie squeals, distracting him. The pitch of her voice is enough to get Harvey excited. But then he catches a whiff of a familiar odor. He digs deep into his catalog. Maggie is handed a wriggling thing and crouches down so it is nose to nose with Harvey.
She has grown, but Harvey would know the puppy anywhere. One ear flops and her legs squirm, eager to be free. This pup wants to run and jump and play. Harvey gives it a sniff and then a nuzzle. “Do you like her, Harvey?” Maggie asks.
Harvey is curious. He sniffs again. The barking dogs around him are forgotten. Harvey is still young himself, only four years old, but being around this tiny pup shows him that she has a lot to learn. It is instinct that tells him he is the one who will teach her.
The shelter is close enough to Brayside that they could walk, but instead Maggie, Phillip, and Harvey pile into Maggie’s mom’s SUV. Phillip sits in the front and on his lap is the kennel. It is a hand-me-down from Harvey, too small for him now. Inside the kennel, on a fleece blanket, the puppy whimpers.
Harvey knows she is scared. He would like to lie beside her, or perhaps lick her face. Either way, he would reassure her that she is safe. She will be cared for and she will be loved.
Chapter 58
Austin
Maggie warned me that she’d be late today. First, she had to take Harvey to the vet, but if he checked out okay, he’d come with her for a visit. I see her mom’s SUV pull up in front of Brayside. Maggie gets out and opens the back-seat door for Harvey. He jumps down with more care than he used to, and trots toward the sliding doors. He doesn’t need to wait for her. He always knows his way into Brayside.
I bend down and he runs right into my arms, raising his head to lick my chin. “How are you doing, Harvey?” I say. He still has a little bald patch where the stitches were, but in every other way, he looks normal.
Mary Rose comes around the front desk. “Are you happy to be back? Are you, Harvey?” she says in a singsong voice, which makes Harvey’s tail wag faster.
“Yep! The vet gave him a thumbs-up,” Maggie says. “Just no more fights with raccoons.”
Harvey’s sitting between us with his ears pricked like he knows we’re talking about him. His white beard is especially scruffy today, sticking out all over the place like he’s a dog version of Albert Einstein. “I never would have thought Harvey would be the fighting kind,” Mary Rose says.
Maggie laughs. “Me neither!”
Lately, Maggie laughs a lot and I wonder if it’s because of Mrs. Fradette. It’s funny how old people rub off on you. She’s becoming like one of Mrs. Fradette’s outfits, brighter and bolder. I’m not worried about Maggie using up her twenty volunteer hours anymore. She’s here for the long haul. “You’re just in time for the sing-along,” Mary Rose says to Maggie with a wink.
“Another sing-along,” I grumble. I thought we were done with those now that Grandpa’s job is safe.
“Oh, come on! All the old people want to see Harvey anyway.” This was true. They’d been waiting all day to see if he’d show up. Funny how a little dog can bring such excitement to a place.
The games room is packed. All the usuals are there, but I’m surprised that Artie came on his day off. Louise is there too, pushing Mrs. Gustafson in a wheelchair. It’s the first time I’ve seen Mrs. Gustafson out of her room in weeks. Maggie’s face splits into a grin when she sees the room full of people. Harvey trots beside her and no one makes as big a deal about him as I thought they would. I mean, aren’t they all here for him?
Maggie nods at Mrs. O’Brien and she comes up to me. Her eyes are shining. “Austin,” she says, and looks behind me.
I turn to the door and see my mom. What the heck? “Mom? What are you—”
Grandpa is there too, but it’s Mom I’m looking at because she’s holding something in her arms. It’s a puppy.
I stare at both of them for a minute because I don’t believe it. “Austin,” Mom says, and holds the dog out to me. For a second, I don’t move. I’ve dreamed of this moment for so long. Grandpa and Mom are both waiting for me to do something. So are all the old people, and Maggie and Louise and Mary Rose and Artie.
“Go on,” Grandpa says. “She’s yours.”
My hands tremble when I reach out and take her. It’s the puppy Harvey found in the alley. The one I brought to the shelter and thought I’d never see again.
“Is she really mine?” I ask, because I still can’t believe it. I’m sort of crying and laughing at the same time. Her fur is silky soft, and when I hug her to my chest she sticks out her pink tongue and covers my neck with kisses, even though she doesn’t know me. Or maybe…maybe she does.
“But you said no dogs,” I say to Mom.
Mom laughs. She’s tearing up too. “I know, but Maggie is very convincing.”
Maggie. She’s standing with Mrs. O’Brien and Harvey is at her feet. “It wasn’t just me,” she says. “Everyone helped. They all put money in.”
“If anyone ever deserved to have a dog, it’s you,” Miss Lin says. Mr. Santos, the Kowalskis, Mrs. Gelman, and Mr. Singh all nod.
“What are you going to call her?” Maggie asks.
The only name I could call her. It’s been on my mind since the day I found her. It’s a name that belongs to a strong spirit, a fighter. And I know Mr. Pickering would approve.
“Bertie,” I say.
Chapter 59
Maggie
The cafeteria is almost full when Maggie arrives. She pauses at the entrance and sees Brianne and Lexi at their usual table. They have been joined by two other girls who are also in Student Leadership. There is an empty chair, which might have been saved for Maggie, or maybe it’s just coincidence. The four girls are leaning in, whispering. Suddenly, they burst into laughter and get curious looks from students at nearby tables. Maggie’s stomach twist
s. If three was a bad number, five will be worse.
Maggie scans the cafeteria looking for options. Across the room, she sees Sooyeon, a girl from her homeroom. Sooyeon is shy in class, but quick to smile. She was the only other student to enter the essay contest, which makes Maggie think they might have a few things in common.
Sitting with Sooyeon instead of Lexi and Brianne would be out of character for Maggie and would raise some eyebrows. Considering how precarious their friendship has been lately, Maggie’s not sure she wants to risk it. But she’s also not sure she can sit through another lunch hour pretending to be someone she’s not.
Brianne spots her hesitating at the entrance. Maggie has to make a choice. She can’t stand there all lunch hour. She glances once more at the empty seat beside Sooyeon, then back at Lexi and Brianne. With sudden clarity, she knows where she wants to sit and starts walking past Lexi and Brianne’s table.
“Is it okay if I sit here?” Maggie asks. Sooyeon looks up from her sketchbook and smiles.
As Maggie pulls the chair away from the table, she looks up. Brianne and Lexi are watching her. She holds their gaze for a moment, then waves. It’s a small, friendly gesture, meant to ensure there won’t be hard feelings, or a flurry of text messages. After years of knowing the girls, she doesn’t want to break the friendship, just stretch it a little.
Lexi raises her eyebrows and turns to Brianne. To Maggie’s surprise, Brianne ignores Lexi and grins back at her instead. It’s not a tug-of-war, but Maggie feels like she might have gained a bit of ground just by being herself.
Harvey Holds His Own Page 14