Home Sweet Forever Home Read online

  “Every weekend from now until I’m one hundred!” I promised.

  “Perfect! I’ll mark the next hundred years’ worth of Saturdays down on my calendar,” he said, and I loved the sound of that.

  3 OLDER DOGS HAVE IT RUFF

  It didn’t take long for Rhett to become my dog BFF. I mean, how could anyone resist him? He was cute and cuddly and exactly the dog I’d get if I could have a dog. But alas, I wasn’t able to, so I spent my weeks looking forward to the time I’d spend with Rhett. And from the way his tail wagged back and forth really fast whenever I showed up, I was pretty sure I was his bestie too.

  Ruby, Myka, and Emelyn also had favorite dogs, but more often than not, they’d show up the next time and their dog would be gone, adopted by families. The younger dogs didn’t stay long. Everyone wanted one. Rhett, on the other hand, was there waiting for me every Saturday, like a trusty friend you could depend on.

  Week after week we’d complete whatever task Mr. Turner had for us—folding towels, untangling leashes, organizing the food and donations in the back room, or washing the endless stacks of dog bowls. And then, as soon as we were done, I’d rush straight to Rhett’s cage to spend time with him.

  On one warm and sunny day, Mr. Turner had us rinse and clean the kiddie pools that the staff used to wash the dogs.

  “Maybe next week you can help give the dogs a bath. Just make sure you’re not near Sampson when he shakes off,” Mr. Turner said.

  “We’d have to run for cover!” Myka said, and no one could argue with that. Sampson was a Great Dane and a true giant of a dog. We’d get a bath of our own if we were in his way when he shook.

  “Speaking of towels…” Emelyn gestured toward her soaked cutoff overalls. When you have four best friends with a hose, sponges, and buckets of sudsy water, there’s bound to be a water fight or two. “Can we grab a few in the storeroom before we read?”

  “Of course, and then head on in to see the dogs. I’m sure by now you can find your way around this place by yourselves.”

  The four of us dried off the best we could and then rushed toward the kennel. However, when we got there, something was wrong.

  Very wrong.

  Horribly, terribly wrong.

  I stopped so fast that Myka ran into me.

  “Foul! Time-out!” she yelled, and rubbed her elbow, which had collided with my back.

  “Where’s Rhett?” I gestured to his empty cage as a bad feeling settled over me.

  “Maybe he got adopted,” Ruby said, as if your best dog friend in the world being adopted was no big deal. “I can see the headline now, ‘Old Dog Finds New Home!’ ”

  I should have celebrated with her, but instead it was as if a heavy rock had landed in my stomach. I chewed on my bottom lip. This is great, I told myself. A home for Rhett is great.

  So why was I so sad?

  “Wait? Did I hear Ruby right? Is Rhett in his forever home? Woo-hoo!” Myka cheered and pumped her fist in the air. I tried to hide my disappointment so that I didn’t seem like an awful, selfish person. But I was a selfish, awful person, because instead of being happy, my heart broke.

  “I didn’t even get to say goodbye,” I whispered. I was about to excuse myself to go to the bathroom, when I saw a familiar flash of reddish-brown fur enter the kennel area.

  “Rhett!” I shouted. I ran to him and threw my arms around him. His tail wagged in that familiar thump, thump, thump, and he nuzzled his head into my hand, his way of telling me he wanted his head scratched.

  “Looks like Rhett knows a friend when he sees one,” said Zoe, the staff member who had brought him in.

  “He’s my favorite,” I told her in a quiet voice, so I wouldn’t upset the other dogs.

  “I totally get that,” Zoe said, also in a whisper. “He’s yours now. And with freshly clipped toenails. Why don’t you take him back to his cage?”

  She gave me the leash, but before I could go anywhere, Mr. Turner spoke up, “Wait a minute there. I have a better idea. Would you like to take him for a walk outside?”

  “For real?” I asked, surprised.

  “You already have the leash in your hand, and it’s not like good old Rhett moves very fast,” Mr. Turner said, and chuckled. “Usually we wait until you’re a bit older to let you handle the dogs outside their cages, but you’ve proven that you’ve got what it takes. So what do you say? Are you interested?”

  “Interested?!” I said. “There’s nothing I would rather do right now!”

  “Great! We have leashes in our utility room. How about each of you pick out one of the older dogs to walk?”

  He didn’t have to tell us twice.

  I raced outside with Rhett, and the two of us began to explore around the shelter. I let him take his time to sniff anything and everything, and waited patiently when he found a particularly good scent in the grass. He loved it out there. And who wouldn’t? The sun warmed my cheeks, and it was the perfect temperature, not too hot but not too cold.

  “Looks like our buddy is having a great time,” Mr. Turner said as he came up to me.

  “We both are,” I told him.

  “This is where he belongs. We try to get Rhett out of his cage as often as possible, especially since he’s been inside it for so long. It breaks my heart when I see how much he loves it outside.”

  “Mine too,” I agreed.

  My heart ached for Rhett in his tiny little home behind bars.

  That did it. No more being relieved that Rhett was still at the shelter. He needed to get adopted. He deserved to be with someone who loved him and took him for walks every day, not just once in a while.

  “Nope, not anymore,” I said to Rhett. “I’m going to find you a forever home!”

  “Talking to yourself?” Ruby asked as she came up beside me with a tiny little dog.

  “Something like that,” I told her. “Just thinking about Rhett. I got upset when I thought he had been adopted, which I realize is stupid. He’s been here way too long. It isn’t fair; he’s an amazing dog. I don’t get why everyone wants a puppy.”

  “That's nonsense,” she agreed. “The older dogs deserve a forever home as much as puppies.”

  “I wish we could help them in some way,” I said.

  “Maybe we could,” Ruby said, and she called Myka and Emelyn over. She filled them in on what we had talked about.

  “Wouldn’t the shelter have figured out a way by now? Getting dogs adopted is their specialty,” Emelyn said.

  “Is that a challenge?” Myka asked, because Myka never backed down from a competition.

  “A challenge I’m happy to be a part of,” Ruby said. “Maybe we’ll figure out the secret formula to getting these dogs adopted.”

  “Count me in too,” I said.

  “Who else is with Lauren and me?” Ruby asked.

  “It’s worth a shot!” Myka said as she pretended to dribble a basketball and then shoot.

  “Emelyn, what about you?” I asked.

  “Sure,” she said, and shrugged. “Let’s see what happens.”

  “That’s more like it!” I said. If we could find homes for the older dogs, they would be able to enjoy the life they were meant to live. And that would be awesome.

  However, there was just one problem.

  How in the world would we find the older dogs homes?

  4 YOU’RE BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

  My stepbrother, Carter, walked laps around the dinner table that night. He had probably already gone at least a mile, and he showed no signs of stopping.

  He called himself a professional walker. He said it was his full-time job, even though Mom and Scott reminded him that sixth grade was his job. Carter wore one of those fitness bracelets that counted your steps, and he checked it about a million times a day. He was in a weekly competition with his friends and took it very seriously.

  When he bumped into the side of the table on a turn, Mom finally got fed up.

  “Carter, we sit and eat together at the table,” she said.

  Carter gestured toward his empty plate. “I already ate, and technically I’m still at the table.” Still, he plopped himself into his chair, but crossed his arms over his chest. He might have been doing what Mom said, but he wasn’t happy about it.

  I figured now was a good time to change the subject, before things went from bad to worse. I picked up my milk glass and tapped the side of it with my fork, the way people do at weddings when they want to make a toast. I then stood up on my chair to make my announcement.

  Mom threw her arms up in the air. “Were my kids raised in a barn? Why can no one sit for dinner?”

  Carter mooed like a cow, and I put my hand over my mouth to stop from howling with laughter. Driving our parents nuts by acting silly was one of our favorite pastimes.

  “You’re going to hurt yourself, Lulu,” Scott said, using his nickname for me. Scott claimed he was Switzerland, which meant he was neutral and didn’t pick sides when Mom got upset with us.

  I stepped off the chair onto the floor but didn’t sit. Instead I stood as tall as I could. I might be one of the shortest kids in my class, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I wanted to look professional. Like I meant business.

  “I have wonderful, life-changing news. News that will make you gasp and applaud,” I said as I tried to add suspense. My teacher, Miss Taylor, had said that the best way to hook a reader is to use suspense. I figured that was the same with a live audience too.

  “Oh boy. I can’t wait to hear this,” Carter said, and rubbed his hands together. “I hope you’re going to announce that you’re taking a vow of silence.”

  “Carter—” Mom started, but I cut her off.

  “It’s okay. He can tease me all he wants. Nothing can put me in a bad mood right now.” I
looked directly at Carter. “Not even my extremely annoying older brother.”

  “Don’t keep us hanging. What’s the news?” Scott asked.

  “The big news is…” I banged my palms on the table like a drum to draw out the drama. “Ruby, Myka, Emelyn, and I are going to save the older dogs at the shelter!”

  I kind of expected everyone to burst into applause. My friends and I were doing an incredible thing. But my family didn’t say anything. Well, until Carter spoke up.

  “Um, what do they need saving from?” he asked.

  “A sad, lonely life in a cage,” I explained. “No one wants to adopt an older dog, so some of them spend months and months in cages. The one I read to has been there for an entire year. My friends and I plan to change that.”

  “That’s great, honey,” Mom said. “It’s wonderful that you want to make a difference.”

  “A ginormous difference,” I said.

  “You’ve got such a kind heart, Lulu. I love that you care about the dogs,” Scott said. I got warm and fuzzy inside from his compliment.

  “Um, you’re in third grade,” Carter said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “How can a third grader change the world? That’s like me declaring that I’m going to play in the NBA next week. Nope. Not going to happen.”

  “Maybe not for you, because you stink at basketball, but this is different.”

  “Yeah, right,” he said. “You still sleep with a night-light and have Mom cut the crusts off your sandwiches. Do you really believe you can save the dogs?”

  My stepbrother’s words stung, especially since they were true. But I wasn’t about to let him see that. I put my hands on my hips and tried to show him I was mighty, someone he couldn’t mess with. “Just you wait. You’ll be sorry you doubted me.”

  “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he said.

  Ugh! Why did he have to be so annoying? Carter acted like he was so much smarter than me because he was three years older. Which, news flash… he wasn’t any smarter.

  I couldn’t wait to show him that he was 100 percent wrong.

  I would help those dogs.

  I would find them homes.

  5 DOG-GONE IT

  “It’s time to figure out how to get these dogs adopted!” Ruby said at school on Monday. She had a notebook open and a pencil, ready to jot down ideas. We were inside our classroom for recess because it was raining, so we had the chance to plot and plan.

  Yep, that’s right. I said our classroom! We were in the same class!

  The four of us ending up together was like finding gold at the end of the rainbow or spotting a unicorn in the wild. In other words, we’d gotten lucky times a million.

  Our teacher, Miss Taylor, was the best ever. And not because she gave us snacks during silent reading, sang silly songs, and put emoji stickers on our papers. I loved all of that, but she was my favorite teacher because she didn’t treat us like we were little kids.

  “I might have an idea,” I told my friends.

  I pulled out a notebook of my own. I had been brainstorming and thought that I might have come up with the perfect solution. I pushed the notebook to the middle of the table, opened to a page where I had drawn stick figures and dogs. I had added arrows and crossed things out to help show my plan.

  “Um, are we figuring out how to help the dogs, or doing math?” Myka asked.

  I ignored her and pointed at my drawing. “So the shelter waits for people to come and find their perfect dog. And according to Mr. Turner, most people believe the perfect dog for them is a puppy. And who can blame them? Those cuddly little balls of fur catch everyone’s attention with their extreme cuteness. The older dogs don’t stand a chance. What we need to do is bring the older dogs to people. Match them up with their lifelong best friend. And only the older dogs.”

  Emelyn nodded. “That could work. It’s not like we’ll keep people from the puppies. It’s just that we’ll give the older ones a better shot to get noticed.”

  “Hmm… bringing the older dogs,” Ruby said, and I waited to see what she thought. “I like it. It might work.”

  I smiled to myself. I didn’t know if it was because of her reporting, but Ruby always seemed to consider the good, the bad, and the ugly of things better than the rest of us. If there was a problem, Ruby would find it. If she thought my plan was good, then it must have been.

  I gestured for everyone to lean in closer. “I already have someone in mind,” I whispered, and nodded toward Miss Taylor. “She totally needs a dog.”

  “Oh my gosh, you’re so right!” Myka said.

  “I can see it now,” Emelyn said, and she got that far-off look in her eyes that she always had when she went into her imaginary world. “Miss Taylor and her dog sharing a big comfy chair by a fire. She’ll grade papers, and he’ll be snuggled up against her. There will be classical music on the radio and rain outside, but they won’t care because they have each other to hang with.”

  She was right. I could totally picture it.

  “Let’s make it happen!” I jumped up and gestured for my friends to follow me to Miss Taylor’s desk, where she was grading papers with a purple pen.

  “Can we ask you a question?” I asked her.

  She put her pen down and directed all of her attention toward us. “Of course. What’s up?”

  “We wondered if you live alone,” Ruby asked, which Mom would have said was a personal question, but Ruby always asked personal questions. She said that was part of being a journalist.

  “I sure do,” Miss Taylor said. That was another reason why we loved her. Even when we got nosy, she didn’t seem to mind.

  “Does it get lonely?” Ruby asked, another question that would no doubt qualify as personal.

  “Not usually. I have my friends and family when I want company, and my awesome students to keep me busy during the day.”

  “But it might be nice to have someone around all the time,” Myka piped up.

  “Maybe,” Miss Taylor responded. “But like I said, I’m content on my own.”

  Ruby wouldn’t accept that answer. She continued her questioning with a different approach. “Well, say you did have a roommate. Would you want someone who has a lot of energy and always wants to be on the go? Or someone who would rather lie around on the couch and live a life of leisure?”

  “A life of leisure?” Myka asked.

  “Someone who likes to take it easy,” Ruby told her. “You know, maxing and relaxing.”

  “Taking it easy is my speed,” Miss Taylor said. “I like to watch movies or read.”

  “So someone to snuggle and cuddle with,” I said.

  Miss Taylor gave us a funny look.

  “How do you feel about reddish-brown hair? With a hint of gray? And brown eyes?” Ruby asked.

  “And someone older and more mature?” I added, to make sure she understood what kind of dogs we meant. I didn’t want her to think this was a good idea and then want a puppy. That was a mistake that I wouldn’t let happen.

  She studied us. “Girls, what exactly is going on here?”

  We exchanged glances. Now was the time to seal the deal. To match our first dog with his forever home.

  “We have someone we’d like you to meet,” I said. “He is amazing!”

  Miss Taylor gave us a surprised look. “What do you mean?”

  “We need to find shelter dogs homes, and we have the perfect one for you,” I explained.

  Miss Taylor laughed. Hard. So much that tears formed in her eyes. She placed her hand over her heart and shook her head. “Oh my goodness. That’s hilarious. I thought you were trying to find me a boyfriend.”

  Myka swatted the air with her hand as if a boyfriend were a silly thought. “This is a million times better than a boyfriend,” she said. “His name is Rhett, and he’s perfect for you.”

  “Yep, you two could snuggle on the couch together as you graded.…” Emelyn shared her vision with Miss Taylor. I had to admit, it sounded even better the second time around. Miss Taylor would be crazy not to want a dog.

  “You four are too sweet,” Miss Taylor said when Emelyn was done. “I’d love a dog, but unfortunately, my apartment complex doesn’t allow pets.”