Read Online Yours, Mine & Ours by Jennifer Greene - Free Book Online Page B

sotto voce, “So…did you have the chance to call your vet?”
    She answered carefully. “Yes. At least, I reached her office. She’s not in for the next few days. The receptionist said there’s a type of morning-after pill. I’m not sure if it applies. We’ll see.”
    â€œI told you I’d pay.”
    â€œNot necessary,” Amanda started to say, but hearing the words we’ll see triggered a knee-jerk response in her daughter.
    â€œYeah. You know what we’ll see means. It means we’ll talk about it later. That’s what Mom said about what your dog was doing to our dog.”
    â€œNow, Molly, I didn’t—”
    Molly had hunched forward, was looking both male Conroys in the eye with her drama-queen face on. “I don’t get it. Why your dog would hurt my Darling. My dog is sweet and wonderful. I can’t believe you’d let your dog be so mean.”
    â€œHoney,” Amanda said again, but she was drowned out by Teddy’s voice.
    â€œ My dog isn’t mean. My dog is the best dog in the whole world. Your dog must have done something,” Teddy informed her.
    â€œ My dog didn’t do anything . That’s why I named her Darling. Because she’s a darling. And your dog was hurting her.”
    â€œHe was not!”
    â€œKids,” Amanda said, “Neither dog was hurting the other. Molly, we talked about this.”
    â€œNo, we didn’t. You just said the dogs were playing. They weren’t playing. I don’t know why you’re not telling me the truth, but I know what the truth is this time,” Molly said, and turned again to Teddy. “I saw it. I saw your dog on top of my dog. I think your dog should say he’s sorry!”
    â€œHold it, both of you,” Mike said firmly. “Neither dog was being mean. Neither dog was hurting the other. What was going on was…”
    He glanced at Amanda, as if asking permission. But as much as she wanted to make the situation better, right then, she was busy wiping up lasagna spots from the table.
    So Mike said, “Listen up. That’s just what a boy and girl dog do when they really, really like each other.”
    â€œWhy?” Teddy asked.
    â€œYeah, why?” Molly echoed.
    Again Mike looked at Amanda, this time more desperately. She reached for a spoonful of fruit salad. “Okay,” he said, “but you owe me for this.” And to the kids, he continued, “Because that’s how dogs express when they love each other and want to have puppies.”
    â€œBut I love puppies,” Molly said.
    â€œEverybody loves puppies.”
    â€œBut you and Mommy were all upset. Why were you all upset if we were going to get puppies!”
    â€œBecause,” he said, and almost for sure Amanda felt a big bare hairy foot tapping her ankle, “your dog is very young. And we adults felt that maybe she was too young to have puppies quite yet. That it wouldn’t be good for her until she was a little older.”
    â€œI know what you’re talking about now,” Teddy piped in. “It’s sex. I know all about it,” he informed Molly. “I’ve got a book and everything. I can’t read yet, but it’s got pictures of frog babies and duck babies and stuff. I’m probably going to learn to read next year.”
    â€œI don’t care about sex and reading! I care about puppies!” Molly said.
    â€œThat’s just because you’re a girl and you’re stupid.”
    â€œStop right there!” Both parents said simultaneously. The potential for war simmered in the air, the kids glaring at each other nonstop…but then Teddy said he had to go to the bathroom.
    â€œYou’re not going to pee in the yard again, are you?” Molly asked with horror.
    Teddy looked at his dad. “You told me I had to be nice. I been nice. I been totally nice. But I can’t be nice all the