our little white poodle, Robespierre, to the vet. He’s only six years old, and he’s got a champion pedigreeand he’s a wonderful dog. The vet thinks it’s serious—he had to stay in the animal hospital last night.” Veronica teared up again. “I’m just so afraid he’s going to die!”
“Oh, Veronica, it’s probably not that bad.” Stevie figured the dog had probably just gotten into the diAngelos’ caviar when they weren’t looking and Veronica was milking it for all it was worth.
“And just a few minutes ago, Dr. Takamura called and said that Robespierre was in a lot of pain, and we need to think about putting him to sleep!” Veronica began to weep again.
“Oh, no,” Stevie said softly. Now she knew Veronica wasn’t kidding. If Doc Tock called and said that, little Robespierre must really be in bad shape. “I’m so sorry, Veronica. Why don’t you go sit on that bale of hay? I’ll get the harness off the horses.”
“Okay.” Veronica said, sniffling.
Stevie unhooked Belle and Danny from their driving tack and tied them to the fence near Veronica. They seemed to have forgotten their fight—both were content to munch on some hay in the paddock, side by side.
Stevie walked over and sat down next to Veronica. She’d stopped crying, but her nose was red and her eyes puffy.
“Are you feeling a little better?” Stevie asked sympathetically.
Veronica nodded. “It always helps to talk to someone. Especially someone who knows about animals. Sometimes I don’t think my parents understand.”
“I know what you mean.” Stevie smiled. “I know my brothers think I’m crazy for loving Belle like I do.”
“Sometimes I think when I’m grown up and have my own money, I’ll buy a lot of horses. You know, mistreated ones, and just let them run around my big farm and have a good time.”
“That would be a great thing to do,” Stevie agreed.
“My father would think I was crazy,” Veronica said. “He thinks I’m crazy to be so upset about Robespierre.”
“It’s always sad when a pet is sick,” Stevie replied. “But Doc Tock is the best vet around. She won’t let Robespierre suffer. And who knows, maybe Robespierre will recover. You never know about these things. It’s important not to lose hope.”
“I know.” Veronica leaned over and gave Stevie a sweet smile. “You’re absolutely right.”
A soft beep echoed through the air. Veronica dug in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.
“Hello?” she said. Stevie couldn’t help overhearing the call. It was obviously Veronica’s mother, and the subject was Robespierre.
“Great,” said Veronica. “I’ll be out front in ten minutes.” She switched off the phone and smiled again at Stevie. “That was my mother. Dr. Takamura saysRobespierre’s condition has stabilized and he can have visitors. Mom’s going to pick me up and we’re going over there to see him.” Her eyes clouded up again. “I only hope it won’t be for the—the last time.”
Stevie reached over and squeezed Veronica’s shoulder. “Don’t think like that. Just keep your thoughts positive.”
“I’ll try.” Veronica stood up. “That’s just what I need to do. Well, I guess I’d better hurry.”
She gave Stevie a brief smile, then ran back to the stable, leaving Stevie sitting alone on the hay bale with the two munching horses. For a while Stevie just stayed there, thinking that Veronica was really very nice on the inside and she and Carole and Lisa had never known it.
Maybe we should have tried to really talk to her years ago
, Stevie thought.
Maybe we could have all been good friends
. Suddenly Stevie’s stomach growled. It was way past lunchtime, and also past time to put Danny and Belle back in their stalls.
She stood up. Veronica was long gone, and nobody else was in sight. She was going to have to take care of Danny and Belle all by herself. “Oh well,” she said as she untied the horses from the fence. “So what if I have to do a
“Oh, Veronica, it’s probably not that bad.” Stevie figured the dog had probably just gotten into the diAngelos’ caviar when they weren’t looking and Veronica was milking it for all it was worth.
“And just a few minutes ago, Dr. Takamura called and said that Robespierre was in a lot of pain, and we need to think about putting him to sleep!” Veronica began to weep again.
“Oh, no,” Stevie said softly. Now she knew Veronica wasn’t kidding. If Doc Tock called and said that, little Robespierre must really be in bad shape. “I’m so sorry, Veronica. Why don’t you go sit on that bale of hay? I’ll get the harness off the horses.”
“Okay.” Veronica said, sniffling.
Stevie unhooked Belle and Danny from their driving tack and tied them to the fence near Veronica. They seemed to have forgotten their fight—both were content to munch on some hay in the paddock, side by side.
Stevie walked over and sat down next to Veronica. She’d stopped crying, but her nose was red and her eyes puffy.
“Are you feeling a little better?” Stevie asked sympathetically.
Veronica nodded. “It always helps to talk to someone. Especially someone who knows about animals. Sometimes I don’t think my parents understand.”
“I know what you mean.” Stevie smiled. “I know my brothers think I’m crazy for loving Belle like I do.”
“Sometimes I think when I’m grown up and have my own money, I’ll buy a lot of horses. You know, mistreated ones, and just let them run around my big farm and have a good time.”
“That would be a great thing to do,” Stevie agreed.
“My father would think I was crazy,” Veronica said. “He thinks I’m crazy to be so upset about Robespierre.”
“It’s always sad when a pet is sick,” Stevie replied. “But Doc Tock is the best vet around. She won’t let Robespierre suffer. And who knows, maybe Robespierre will recover. You never know about these things. It’s important not to lose hope.”
“I know.” Veronica leaned over and gave Stevie a sweet smile. “You’re absolutely right.”
A soft beep echoed through the air. Veronica dug in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.
“Hello?” she said. Stevie couldn’t help overhearing the call. It was obviously Veronica’s mother, and the subject was Robespierre.
“Great,” said Veronica. “I’ll be out front in ten minutes.” She switched off the phone and smiled again at Stevie. “That was my mother. Dr. Takamura saysRobespierre’s condition has stabilized and he can have visitors. Mom’s going to pick me up and we’re going over there to see him.” Her eyes clouded up again. “I only hope it won’t be for the—the last time.”
Stevie reached over and squeezed Veronica’s shoulder. “Don’t think like that. Just keep your thoughts positive.”
“I’ll try.” Veronica stood up. “That’s just what I need to do. Well, I guess I’d better hurry.”
She gave Stevie a brief smile, then ran back to the stable, leaving Stevie sitting alone on the hay bale with the two munching horses. For a while Stevie just stayed there, thinking that Veronica was really very nice on the inside and she and Carole and Lisa had never known it.
Maybe we should have tried to really talk to her years ago
, Stevie thought.
Maybe we could have all been good friends
. Suddenly Stevie’s stomach growled. It was way past lunchtime, and also past time to put Danny and Belle back in their stalls.
She stood up. Veronica was long gone, and nobody else was in sight. She was going to have to take care of Danny and Belle all by herself. “Oh well,” she said as she untied the horses from the fence. “So what if I have to do a
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