Read Online Two Under Par by Kevin Henkes - Free Book Online

out with King Simpson, the owner of Camelot. A golf pro for a potential stepfather was one thing, but a miniature golf course owner for one was entirely another, Wedge remembered thinking.
    â€œDid Androop ever get a hole in one?” Wedge asked, hoping King would say no.
    â€œA couple of times,” King answered. “But he’s played so much more than you have. And I think luck must have been on his side. You know how it is with little kids sometimes.”
    â€œYeah.”
    Luck or not, getting a hole in one had suddenly lost its appeal for Wedge. Sally had gotten one. So had Andrew. It wasn’t special any longer. I want something all my own, Wedge thought. Something that’s just mine.
    It was as if King had read Wedge’s mind, because two days later Wedge did get something that was all his own. Something that was just his. The something was a Chesapeake Bay retriever puppy. It was the most surprised Wedge could remember being, except when Sally told him that she was going to marry King. And this was a pleasant surprise.
    â€œWell, what do you think?” King asked Wedge, petting the puppy’s wavy, brown fur. They were in the kitchen alone. Andrew was watching “Sesame Street” and Sally was back to work at the library.
    â€œIs it a he or a she?” Wedge asked, thinking back to when he was small and was convinced that all dogs were male and all cats were female.
    â€œA he,” King said. “But what do you think?”
    â€œI think he looks like a chocolate teddy bear.”
    â€œAnd . . .”
    â€œAnd I think I love him already.”
    King handed the puppy to Wedge and showed him the proper way to hold him. “He’s going to be a lot of work, but he’ll be worth it. Oh, I should warn you, Sal wasn’t too keen on the idea at first, so we have to make sure that we keep things under control—you know, toilet training and all.”
    Wedge’s heart was skipping, he was so happy. He had never even held a puppy before, much less owned one; pets weren’t allowed at his old apartment building, and no one he knew well had a dog. The puppy licked Wedge’s hand, then his face. “This is great!” Wedge kept saying. “This is great!” He squeezed the puppy a bit too tightly and the puppy yelped.
    â€œGentle,” King whispered to Wedge, smiling.
    â€œGentle,” Wedge repeated.
    â€œWhat do you think you’ll name him?” King asked.
    A name instantly popped into Wedge’s mind. “Prince,” he said. “I’m going to call him Prince.”
    â€œI can’t argue with that,” King said, sounding pleased.
    Wedge had been worried that King and Sally would name the baby something weird—like Prince. It was a great name for a dog, but not for a human. Now they couldn’t. Wedge only hoped that Sally didn’t have a girl. He didn’t look forward to having a baby sister named Princess.
    â€œWhy did you do this?” Wedge asked slowly, looking at Prince instead of King.
    â€œI don’t know. I just wanted to.”
    â€œDid you get something for Androop, too?”
    â€œNope. One puppy’s enough,” King said, laughing. “Andrew doesn’t even know about him yet. Come on, let’s go show him.”
    â€œKing?” Wedge said, following King out of the kitchen. “You know the other day when I was sick up in my bed, well, I really wasn’t. I was faking so Sally’d come home.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œYou do? You did? ”
    King nodded.
    â€œDoes Sally know?”
    King shook his head no.
    Prince yawned.
    â€œDon’t worry about it,” King said. “I’d probably have done the same.”
    The stars were bright and numerous. King, Sally, Andrew, and Wedge and Prince were sitting on the porch. They were like stacked dominoes, resting against one another. Sally against King. Wedge against Sally. And Andrew