Read Online Birdie For Now by Jean Little - Free Book Online

went to the cage, it was empty.
    He felt as though a giant hand wassqueezing the life out of him. For several seconds, he stood frozen, staring at the cage. Then he ran to the desk. Leslie was there. She beamed at him although her eyes were not smiling.
    â€œWhere’s Birdie?” he croaked.
    â€œA couple is looking for a pet,” she said. “They’re walking with two dogs. They have Birdie now and then they’ll take Pickles.”
    She saw the horror in his eyes.
    â€œI was afraid of this, Dickon. Birdie can’t spend her life in a cage, even with you visiting her each day. She deserves a home and family. If your mother would take her, that would be perfect, but you say she won’t.”
    At that moment, the people came back with Birdie. She was overjoyed to see Dickon. He knelt down and picked her up, hiding his face in her silky coat.
    â€œThis is the boy I was telling you about. He’s done a great job with Birdie. But let’s put a leash on Pickles. He’s a little more … Well, a happier dog. He’s younger too. About ten months old, the vet thinks.”
    â€œYes,” the lady said, smiling a sugary smile. “Birdie is darling, of course, but she’s a bit skittish.”
    â€œShe’s too small to be a real dog,” the man muttered.
    Pickles wagged her tail so hard it was comical. She was twice Birdie’s size.
    â€œWe really wanted a larger dog. Pickles is just right,” the lady said, taking the leash.
    Dickon held Birdie close and turned his back on the couple so they would not be tempted. Why would anyone choose that brainless Pickles over Birdie?
    He and Leslie glanced at each other. They watched the couple going down the sidewalk with Pickles bouncing along next to them. She pulled ahead and stopped to sniff bushes.
    â€œI should have given you Pickles to work on in the Obedience Class,” Leslie said. “She’s young yet, but she’s going to be a handful.”
    â€œI don’t like her,” Dickon said, cuddling Birdie close.
    â€œSure you do. Nobody could dislikePickles. Anyway, you’re not going to lose that little dog today. But prepare yourself! Birdie is lovable and attractive. She’s almost ready to be adopted, Dickon. Someone is sure to want her.”
    â€œI’d take her myself,” Sally said. “But my husband says four dogs are enough.”
    â€œEspecially when two of them are beagles,” Leslie said.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with beagles?” Dickon asked unsteadily.
    â€œWell, Sally’s two have dreams of running away and making their for tunes,” Leslie said.
    Dickon’s thoughts were not on Sally’s beagles. “Someone is sure to want her,” Leslie had said. Well, someone already does, he thought fiercely.
    â€œPickles is the one for us,” the lady said, beaming. “She’s darling.”
    â€œReminds me of a dog I had as a boy,” her husband said.
    Neither glanced at Birdie peering over Dickon’s shoulder. She stretched out her paw as though to shake hands, but they did not notice. Dickon pulled the paw down fast.
    They left.
    Dickon began grooming Birdie with special care. Nobody else would come. Surely he could at least finish up the Dog Training classes before anyone would take her. Birdie was doing so well, but she was not perfect yet.
    â€œLeslie, can’t you just not let people look at Birdie until the classes are done?” he asked, keeping his head bent.
    â€œThere’s only a week left,” she said. “I’ll try. But the week will pass, Dickon. And it will be just as hard then.”
    He said nothing. She sighed.
    â€œTomorrow’s the day we test the dogs in obedience class,” Leslie reminded him a week later. “I hope Birdie does you proud.”
    Dickon hoped so too. Tomorrow. He had not realized that the class was almost over. Well, maybe he had, but he had forced his thoughts to keep