“I’m getting a puppy!” Evie gasped, jumping up and down in excitement. “I can’t believe it! I have to go round and tell Gran!”
Evie’s gran lived a couple of streets away, with her own two dogs, Ben the spaniel, and Tigger, who was a greyhound cross with crazy stripes. Evie heard them barking madly as she rang the doorbell. She grinned to herself. She couldn’t wait to introduce Ben and Tigger to her new puppy!
“Guess what, guess what!” she gabbled as Gran opened the door. “I’m getting a dog!” She didn’t manage to say much after that as Tigger was jumping up and trying to lick her face.
“Down, Tigger! Stop it, silly boy, it’s only Evie, you see her every day!” Gran shooed the dogs away and went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. “Darling, did you say you were getting a dog?”
“A puppy! Mum and Dad are giving me a puppy – we’re going to pick one out tomorrow morning.” Evie sighed blissfully. She wasn’t sure she could wait that long.
Gran looked confused. “But … just before the baby arrives?”
Evie nodded happily. Then she leaned over the table, lowering her voice as though she were telling secrets. “They didn’t say, but I think it’s to make me feel better about the baby,” she explained.
Her grandma nodded thoughtfully. “Well, everyone would understand if you found it difficult, Evie, you know that, don’t you?”
“Gran, you know I’m really looking forward to it.” Evie laughed. “And now I’ll have a puppy as well!” She beamed at Gran, expecting her to be really excited. But Gran was stirring her tea thoughtfully. “What’s the matter?” Evie asked, frowning.
“Nothing, Evie. It’s lovely news. It’s just…” Gran sipped her tea, thinking what to say. “I’m just wondering if this is the right time. With the baby coming. A new puppy will be a lot of work, you know.”
Evie shook her head. “Don’t worry. I know about looking after dogs from helping with Ben and Tigger, and Dad knows loads about them too.” Evie bent down to scratch Tigger behind his ears, so she didn’t see her gran’s worried face. “I’ve wanted a dog for so long! I still can’t believe it’s really happening!” Evie gave Tigger an excited hug. Tomorrow she was going to meet her own puppy for the first time!
Chapter Two
Evie just couldn’t stay in bed the next morning. She usually loved having a lie-in on Saturdays after getting up for school all week, but today she was much too excited. She hardly ate any breakfast either – she just stirred her chocolate cereal in circles till it looked like mud.
“You might as well eat it, you know, Evie,” her mum pointed out, slowly buttering a piece of toast. “We’re not going yet. I told Mrs Wilson we’d be there at ten.”
“But that’s hours away!” Evie wailed.
“MrsWilson has to feed the puppies and tidy their run and get everything ready,” her mum explained. “We can’t go round before then.”
“I suppose so,” Evie agreed reluctantly. She trailed upstairs, wondering what she was going to do to fill a whole hour before they could leave. Then she had a brainwave. She’d go and look up puppies on the Net, to try and find out about looking after a dog. Evie settled down and before long was busy making notes. By the time her mum called her down, Evie’s head was bursting with information about feeding, walking, vaccinations and training. It was a lot to think about. But she knew she could do it!
“Oh, look! He’s all shy!” Evie giggled, and stretched out her hand to the fluffy white puppy who was peeping out at her round his mother. He took a step back, then curiosity got the better of him. Tail slowly wagging, he began to sneak forwards to where Evie was sitting on the floor.
“He’s a little cutie, that one, probably my favourite,” MrsWilson said fondly. “I’m going to miss him – he’s such a sweet-natured dog.”
Mum shook her head. “I don’t know how you can bear to see them go. They’re all so gorgeous.” She scratched the puppy she was cuddling under the chin, and the little dog snuff led happily at her fingers.
“Well, this is the last time I’ll have to, actually.” MrsWilson sighed. “Lady and I are getting too old for puppies! We’re retiring, aren’t we, my special girl?” She patted the puppies’ mother, a beautiful snow-white dog with melting brown eyes. “We’re going to live by the sea. Lady loves walking along the beach. And getting soaking wet!”
Evie could have sworn that Lady’s eyes sparkled naughtily. That was the amazing thing about her and the puppies – they all seemed so bright and intelligent. Then the fluffy little boy puppy suddenly nuzzled at her hand, and she squeaked in delight. She’d been watching Lady and not noticed him creeping up on her.
“He seems to have taken a shine to you, Evie.” Dad laughed, watching the puppy chasing Evie’s fingers as she danced her hand up and down.
Evie nodded, and then looked seriously at both Mum and Dad. “Is it really up to me to choose?” she asked worriedly. “I mean, all four of them are wonderful.”
“It’s a hard job,” Dad agreed. “But we can’t take them all.”
Evie giggled as the little boy puppy mountaineered up her jeans, trying to climb into her lap. She helped him out with a boost under his scrabbly little back paws, and he heaved himself up. Then he turned round four times, gave a great sigh of satisfaction and went to sleep curled up tight in a little white ball.
Evie looked up, her eyes glowing. “This one,” she said firmly.
“Mmm, I don’t think you had much choice,” Dad agreed, smiling. “He’s definitely chosen you! Now you just have to think of a name for him.”
Evie smiled. “I know what I’m going to call him. His name is Alfie.”
Mum and Dad gazed at the little puppy. “That’s a lovely name,” said Mum. “He looks just like an Alfie.”
It was a wrench to leave Alfie behind, but Evie knew she’d see him again the next day. He’d be coming home with them! Now they just had to get everything they needed to look after him. MrsWilson had given them a list, and Evie studied it in the car on the way to the pet shop.
“Basket. Food bowl. Water bowl. Collar. Lead. Harness. Chew toys,” she muttered.
Dad sighed. “Nearly as bad as the baby,” he moaned. “You sure little Alfie doesn’t need a cot as well, Evie?”
It was so exciting later that afternoon to see the basket with its smart red cushion waiting in a warm spot in the kitchen, and the collar and lead hanging from one of the coat-hooks in the hallway. Everything was ready for Alfie to come home.
“Oh look, he’s found his new basket!”
Evie and her parents were watching Alfie explore his new home. He was trotting around on unsteady paws, sniffing at everything.
“A-choo!” Alfie sneezed and stepped back, shaking his head.
“Ooops!” said Dad. “I didn’t know my wellies smelled that bad. Let’s leave him to settle in.”
That night, Evie sneaked back down to the kitchen after her bedtime to check Alfie was OK. He’d eaten all his dinner and seemed to have made himself at home, but she was worried that he would be lonely, as he was used to sleeping with his mum and his brother and sisters. Alfie had been lying awake. He’d been trying to make sense of all the strange things that had been happening that day. His first car journey; the new house; a new basket to sleep in. And new people. They seemed very nice – the girl smelled friendly, which was important.