Read Online How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor - Free Book Online
Authors: Barbara O'Connor
Ads: Link
didnât believe me âcause I wasnât sure I believed myself. That old tapping feeling was getting
bigger, and in my head I was thinking maybe I was messing up. And I was starting to think how I wished I could go back in time to the hour before or the day before or the week before. But I knew I couldnât do that. I was there behind that awful old house with that cute little dog looking at me, and I knew it was up to me to make everything turn out good like I had planned.
I took the string leash from Toby and led Willy up the creaky steps to the porch.
âThis isnât so bad,â I called out to Toby.
The top half of the porch had been screened in once, but now what was left of the rusty old screen hung in tatters. Leaves and pine needles had blown in and covered the floor, settling in the corners in damp, moldy piles.
I pushed some of the wet leaves aside, trying to make a clean spot. Then I knelt down and took Willyâs head in both my hands.
âDonât be scared, okay?â I said. âWeâll be back real soon and everything will be fine.â Then I rubbed my nose back and forth against his. An Eskimo kiss.
Willy rested his chin in my hands and gazed up at me like he believed every word I said.
âWhat if he gets hungry?â Toby called from the bottom of the steps.
Hungry? I hadnât even thought about that! I couldnât believe Toby was thinking up something else I had left out of my How to Steal a Dog notes.
âI said , what if he gets hungry?â Toby called out.
âIâve got that all worked out,â I lied. My mind raced, trying to think of how I was going to feed Willy. And what if I couldnât get back here every day? How long could a dog go without food?
âAnd water,â Toby said. âDogs need water, you know. He might die if he donât have water.â
âShut up, Toby.â Thatâs all I could think of to say, and it did the trick. He shut up. But it didnât help me feel any better.
I tied the string to the doorknob and said goodbye to Willy. Then I led the way back through the weeds and briar bushes toward the road.
I was glad Toby was quiet as we walked, âcause I had a lot of thinking to do. About food and water for Willy. About what Iâd done. About what to do next. But it was hard to get my thoughts all straightened out with my insides kicking up like they were. That tapping feeling was turning into full-out banging.
11
â H ey, yâall,â Mama called as she made her way across the parking lot toward the car.âLook what I got.â
She stuck a Styrofoam box through the window. âCheck this out,â she said.
I opened the box. Scrambled eggs and pancakes. They sure did smell good.
âAnd thatâs not all,â she said, tossing a paper bag onto the backseat.
Toby snatched the bag up and peered inside, then let out a whoop. âDoughnuts!â he hollered. He grabbed a powdery white doughnut and started eating it so fast he choked, coughing out a spray of powder and crumbs.
âEeeyew,â I said, wiping off my jeans.
Mama slid behind the steering wheel and examined herself in the mirror. âThis job is gonna be great,â she said, licking a finger and smoothing an eyebrow. âThe tips are really good and I get to bring home all kinds of food.â
Food? Talk about good luck! Now we wouldnât have to worry about feeding Willy. I poked Toby and gave
him a thumbs-up. His eyebrows shot up and he mouthed âWhat?â at me.
I flapped my hand at him to signal never mind , but he wouldnât be quiet. He kept whispering, âWhat?â
I shook my head and pulled an invisible zipper across my lips, which meant âHush up, I canât tell you in front of Mama,â but he was too dumb to figure that out.
âWhat?â he said a little louder.
âWhatâd you say?â Mama said.
I pressed my foot on top of
bigger, and in my head I was thinking maybe I was messing up. And I was starting to think how I wished I could go back in time to the hour before or the day before or the week before. But I knew I couldnât do that. I was there behind that awful old house with that cute little dog looking at me, and I knew it was up to me to make everything turn out good like I had planned.
I took the string leash from Toby and led Willy up the creaky steps to the porch.
âThis isnât so bad,â I called out to Toby.
The top half of the porch had been screened in once, but now what was left of the rusty old screen hung in tatters. Leaves and pine needles had blown in and covered the floor, settling in the corners in damp, moldy piles.
I pushed some of the wet leaves aside, trying to make a clean spot. Then I knelt down and took Willyâs head in both my hands.
âDonât be scared, okay?â I said. âWeâll be back real soon and everything will be fine.â Then I rubbed my nose back and forth against his. An Eskimo kiss.
Willy rested his chin in my hands and gazed up at me like he believed every word I said.
âWhat if he gets hungry?â Toby called from the bottom of the steps.
Hungry? I hadnât even thought about that! I couldnât believe Toby was thinking up something else I had left out of my How to Steal a Dog notes.
âI said , what if he gets hungry?â Toby called out.
âIâve got that all worked out,â I lied. My mind raced, trying to think of how I was going to feed Willy. And what if I couldnât get back here every day? How long could a dog go without food?
âAnd water,â Toby said. âDogs need water, you know. He might die if he donât have water.â
âShut up, Toby.â Thatâs all I could think of to say, and it did the trick. He shut up. But it didnât help me feel any better.
I tied the string to the doorknob and said goodbye to Willy. Then I led the way back through the weeds and briar bushes toward the road.
I was glad Toby was quiet as we walked, âcause I had a lot of thinking to do. About food and water for Willy. About what Iâd done. About what to do next. But it was hard to get my thoughts all straightened out with my insides kicking up like they were. That tapping feeling was turning into full-out banging.
11
â H ey, yâall,â Mama called as she made her way across the parking lot toward the car.âLook what I got.â
She stuck a Styrofoam box through the window. âCheck this out,â she said.
I opened the box. Scrambled eggs and pancakes. They sure did smell good.
âAnd thatâs not all,â she said, tossing a paper bag onto the backseat.
Toby snatched the bag up and peered inside, then let out a whoop. âDoughnuts!â he hollered. He grabbed a powdery white doughnut and started eating it so fast he choked, coughing out a spray of powder and crumbs.
âEeeyew,â I said, wiping off my jeans.
Mama slid behind the steering wheel and examined herself in the mirror. âThis job is gonna be great,â she said, licking a finger and smoothing an eyebrow. âThe tips are really good and I get to bring home all kinds of food.â
Food? Talk about good luck! Now we wouldnât have to worry about feeding Willy. I poked Toby and gave
him a thumbs-up. His eyebrows shot up and he mouthed âWhat?â at me.
I flapped my hand at him to signal never mind , but he wouldnât be quiet. He kept whispering, âWhat?â
I shook my head and pulled an invisible zipper across my lips, which meant âHush up, I canât tell you in front of Mama,â but he was too dumb to figure that out.
âWhat?â he said a little louder.
âWhatâd you say?â Mama said.
I pressed my foot on top of