Read Online Welcome to Dog Beach by Lisa Greenwald - Free Book Online Page B

really hard to lose a dog. I’ve been through it a few times, and it never gets easier.”
    â€œYeah, that’s what people say,” I mumble. I want to finalize the arrangements for watching Oscar and then I want to go home. It suddenly feels awkward being in this kitchen, andeven though there’s still a spoonful of ice cream left, I don’t really feel like eating it.
    â€œWell, why don’t you take a day to think it over? And if you’re interested in dog-sitting for Oscar, come by tomorrow. I usually take the babies out for a morning walk, but we’re never too far.” She smiles. “That’s the beauty of Seagate, right?”
    â€œYup!” I stand up and put my bowl in the sink, and Bennett follows me. “I’m a mother’s helper right now for Amber Seasons on Monday and Wednesday mornings, but I’m free the other days.”
    â€œOkay. Well, we’d work around your schedule, of course. Thank you guys so much again,” Dawn says as she’s walking us to the door. “If I wasn’t so tired, I’d sound more excited, but please know how absolutely, completely grateful I am.”
    We leave Dawn’s house, and the triplets are now sleeping peacefully in their gigantic stroller. I wonder how long they sleep outside, or if they ever move into their cribs. They can’t possibly sleep out here all night; it gets chilly.
    Bennett’s house is closer to Dawn’s than to mine, but he walks me home anyway. He says his dad always tells him that it’s safer for boys to walk alone than it is for girls. On Seagate, though, it’s safe for anyone to walk alone. But I don’t argue, because I like his company. Even right now, when we’re not really talking, it’s just nice to walk together. And the nicest thing about being best friends is that you can walk in complete silence and not feel weird about it.Sometimes you just don’t have anything to say, and that’s okay.
    It’s quiet for so long that I’m startled when Bennett asks, “Wasn’t it weird that she thought we were brother and sister?”
    I’m surprised he’s thinking about it too, but in a way I’m glad I’m not the only one who still is.
    â€œYeah,” I say. “Are they new here? I don’t think I’ve seen them before. Or maybe I just don’t recognize her now that she has the babies.”
    â€œHuh?”
    â€œI mean, maybe Dawn and her husband were the kind of couple who were always going out to eat late at night and staying in their cabana by the beach and weren’t really out and about. And they’re completely different people now with the triplets.”
    â€œOh. Yeah. That could be.”
    After I say it, I realize that every change in life—big or small—can change you as a person. The way having babies changed Dawn and Amber. I wonder how I’ve changed since Danish died. I know I’ve changed, but I wonder how exactly, and if everyone can tell.
    All this change can be frustrating if things are good and all you want is for them to stay the same. That’s part of the beauty of hanging out with dogs: They’re pretty predictable. They like to eat and go out for walks and have belly rubs. And they’ll always be there to greet you and welcome you home.
    When we get to my house, Bennett tells me he’ll see me in the morning. He’ll come by and then we’ll walk to Micayla’s, and we’ll all bring Asher over to day camp. We used to go to Seagate day camp, and it was fun, but now we’re old enough to entertain ourselves. And that’s even better.
    At home, it’s probably annoying for Bennett to help out with Asher so much. But here he doesn’t seem to mind it. Everyone wants to be walking around on Seagate anyway, because there are so many people out and about, and you don’t have to worry about cars, and no one is in a hurry. Plus,