by J. J. Howard
I felt awful. And now I had to go give Meatball back, so the day wasn’t getting any better. I carried Meatball into the elevator. All of a sudden, I felt like crying. Even though it seemed like the crisis with my “borrowing” the Worthingtons’ stroller had been sort of sidestepped, I still felt terrible. And I hadn’t just put my own trustworthiness on the line; I represented all of Four Paws when I walked our customers’ dogs.
I rang the doorbell at the Thompsons’ and Sarah answered. “Oh, hi, Kat. Is everything okay?” she asked as she took off Meatball’s harness.
I nodded. Thankfully, I’d managed not to actually cry. “When I came to get him before, Meatball was really itchy, and his stomach was all pink from scratching. So I went and got this cream. Would it be okay if we put some on him?”
“Oh, Kat, of course! Thank you for going to all that trouble,” Sarah said gratefully. “I’ll put it on him right now, promise. What do I owe you for the cream?”
I shook my head. “Really, it’s nothing. I was just happy to help Meatball.” I knew it wasn’t the right business decision, but I still felt guilty about taking the stroller, and in a weird way this felt like I was trying to make up for it.
Sarah gave me a strange look, but then just nodded her head. “Okay, if you’re sure. Thank you again, Kat. We’ll see you after school tomorrow?”
I nodded. “Sure thing. Bye, Meatball. Oh, and bye, Sarah,” I added with a wave.
Sarah waved back and closed the door.
Meatball’s frowny face looked almost forlorn as the door closed. Maybe he was just picking up on my feelings. Because forlorn was exactly how I felt just then.
Friday was supposed to be Declan’s first day on the job for Four Paws. The plan was that he and I would walk a bunch of dogs together after school, so I could show him the “ropes” as I’d done with Lucy. Since Declan already had a dog, I knew he’d be more experienced than Lucy right away, but I was happy to introduce him to the Burgundy pups.
I couldn’t wait for him to get started. We had so many dogs lined up, and both Taz and Lucy were busy with rehearsals. But then Declan texted me after school to say that Mr. Cornell needed him for a rehearsal that day, too.
I checked the app with a sigh as I walked home with Micki. A bunch of our clients’ dogs had to be taken out pretty much now. There was only one thing I could do: take out all the dogs at the same time myself!
I made sure Micki was set with her snack and starting her homework and then set out to pick up the dogs. I picked up Charlie the Chihuahua, Mary-Kate and Ashley the Yorkies, Meatball, and Rufus the labradoodle.
Joseph, who was on doorman shift that afternoon, gave me a slightly worried look as he opened the door for me and my five dogs. I understood his concern, but I felt confident that I could get them all outside and doing their business without any problems.
With leashes wrapped in both hands, and Rufus pulling ahead of the little dogs, I managed to cross the street over to the grass by Riverside Drive. Even with Charlie scooting in between the other dogs’ legs, my little troop started to sniff around like they were supposed to. But then Charlie started sniffing Mary-Kate’s backside, which made Ashley bark at him. Rufus loomed over them—he seemed only to want to make friends, but instead he tangled the leashes so much I wasn’t sure how I’d get them untangled. Meatball sat at my feet and gazed up with a look like, Really??
I reached into my pocket for my treat bag. When Rufus realized what I was doing, he started jumping toward me, so I held the treat bag over my head. Of course, that made the leash tangle even worse.
My heart started pounding fast. I needed help. I looked at the people walking by, thinking maybe someone nice with five minutes to spare might stop and help me. But how could I trust a stranger enough to hand them the leash of someone else’s dog? What if they just took off with one of my little charges? It was unlikely for sure, but I couldn’t rule it out. Meanwhile, Charlie kept running figure eights around the other pups in nervous excitement, and they were all starting to bark, and it was getting harder to hold them by the minute. My good boy Meatball stood calmly as Ashley put her paws up on his back. Now I was really starting to sweat.
Just then Brooke from school started crossing the street. I wanted to wave a hand, but I didn’t have one to spare. So I called loudly, “Brooke!”
She came over to me. “Kat. What in the world?”
“You know how I’m doing this dog-walking business?”
Brooke let out a little laugh. “Yeah. With Taz and Lucy, right? But I guess I thought you walked them, like, one or two at a time.”
I let out a small wail. “I usually do! But Taz and Lucy and Declan are all at rehearsal. I guess I got … overconfident.”
Brooke laughed again. “It’s good I was walking by,” she said. “I can help you.”
“Are you sure, Brooke? Don’t you have rehearsal?”
“Nope,” she said. “I didn’t need to be there today, so I was just coming to sit in the park for a little bit. I love the fall weather.” She smiled down at my tangle of barking pups. “Here, which one should I try to get free?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, do you mind picking up Charlie? He’s the little Chihuahua. He’s the one tangling them in circles.”
Brooke picked Charlie up gingerly and managed to fish his leash out of the big knot. Then she took Rufus’s leash, and with them separate, I could free well-behaved Meatball and the two Yorkie siblings.
“Phew!” I sighed. Brooke cuddled Charlie against her chest. “Thank you, Brooke!” I said. “Hey, I don’t suppose you’d consider …”
“Of course I’ll help you get them back,” Brooke said as she placed Charlie on the ground. Now that the fun seemed over, and we could spread them out, the dogs finally got down to their business.
“Hey, you’re not interested in an after-school job, are you?” I asked. Maybe we needed a fifth Paw!
Brooke smiled. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m only in this neighborhood one week out of the month. I’m usually with my mom Ari. We live on the East Side, and I take the crosstown bus to get to school. My other mom, Kelly, lives over here.” She nodded down the block.
“Oh, I didn’t know. Well, I’m so glad you were here with Kelly today. You saved my life!”
“Glad I could help,” Brooke said. She watched over the dogs while I scooped the poop of the dogs who’d gone number two.
“Is it hard?” I asked Brooke as together we gathered up the leashes and turned to head back to the Burgundy. “To only see Kelly every three weeks? Or do you see her sometimes even when you’re with Ari?”
“Not too often,” Brooke said. “Kelly travels a lot for her work.”
I was realizing that Brooke and I had more in common than I’d ever known. “My dad travels a lot, too,” I said. “He was just home for less than two days, but before that he was gone for a month.”
Brooke frowned. “That must be tough.”
“Sometimes it really is.” I looked down at the dogs trotting along peacefully between us. “Hey, Brooke, maybe when you’re over here again we could go get some ice cream or something,” I said.
Brooke perked up. “I’d like that.”
“How come you look surprised?” I asked.
“I just always figured you, Lucy, and Taz didn’t really need anybody else.”
“I don’t see how you could ever have too many friends,” I told her as we crossed the street back to the Burgundy. “But … as it turns out … you can definitely have too many dogs out on a walk at one time!”
Brooke laughed along with me.
“Needed a friend to get back, huh?” Joseph asked as we walked in.
“I definitely did,” I said, giving Brooke a smile.
Luce, come over for clothing emergency! Pls ☺
I sent the text and peered anxiously into my closet. Normally, I would text Taz about fashion, but she was busy preparing for her family’s party. Every year at the end of September, the Topolskys t
hrew a big party because Taz’s parents both have their birthdays around then.
They reserved the rooftop of our building and everyone brought tons of food. It was always really fun. But I couldn’t decide what to wear.
“What’s up, Kat?” Lucy said when she arrived in my room. “What do you mean, emergency?”
I looked down at the yellow dress I’d put on. “Is this too fancy? I know it’s not that kind of party, but I sort of wanted to look nice …”
“You’ll look great no matter what,” Lucy said. She wore leggings and a cute striped T-shirt. “It isn’t like you to worry about clothes!”
“I know.” I shrugged, looking into my closet again. I thought I knew where my extra nerves were coming from—a certain newcomer to the annual party—but I couldn’t bring myself to say it aloud to Lucy. “How about this?” I asked, holding up a purple shirt. “With jeans?”
“Stay in the dress,” Lucy said. “Let’s go! Party’s already started.”
I came out of my room to find Micki waiting eagerly in the living room. But Mom was still wearing her fluffy blue robe—the one that only made an appearance when she was either sick or feeling blue herself.
“You’re not going,” I said. It wasn’t a question. I could tell what the answer would be.
“Hi, Lucy,” Mom said before turning to me with an apologetic smile. “Just not feeling up to a party today. But you girls go on ahead. Have fun for me.”
“We could stay with you,” I suggested.
“Yeah,” Lucy said. “We could all watch a movie or something.”
“You three aren’t staying inside on this beautiful day. Besides, I know you look forward to this party every year.”
I wondered if Mom would go to the party if Dad were here. It seemed like they both used to have a lot of fun when we all went together.
Micki ran over and gave Mom a hug. I opened the door to the fridge and pulled out the big containers of cut-up watermelon that I’d promised to bring upstairs. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” I asked Mom. “We could wait while you get ready …”
Mom shook her head. “Nope. I’d actually love a couple hours to myself to watch HGTV.” Micki groaned and Mom smiled. No doubt Mom knew the reaction she’d get from mentioning her favorite channel that the rest of us didn’t really like.
“Okay, we’ll be back later. Text me if you need anything, okay?”
Mom gave me an almost stern look. “Katherine Ann Cabot. I’m the one who will receive a text if anything is needed. Got it?”
I gave her a salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
Mom smiled as she tightened the belt around her fuzzy robe. “Go have fun, you.”
Lucy, Micki, and I headed into the elevator and rode up to the roof. As always, the Topolskys had decorated the rooftop to look gorgeous—there were fairy lights strung up and tables with platters of food. People mingled, eating and drinking and admiring the amazing view of the Hudson River.
Taz appeared, wearing a black top and a long flowy skirt—the kind of thing that looks cool on her, but that I could never in a million years pull off.
“You made it!” Taz said, grinning at me, Micki, and Lucy. “Here, let me take those from you, Kat. You’re starting to drip.”
I looked down and realized that I’d been holding the watermelon containers sideways. “Oops. Sorry.”
Taz shrugged. “It’ll still taste good.”
“Ooh, brownies!” Micki cried, noticing the snack table.
“Mmm, brownies,” Lucy echoed. “Okay if Micki and I go over there now?” she asked me.
“Sure,” I said, and the two of them hurried off to check out the brownie situation.
“Hey, Kat!” someone called. My heart jumped at the familiar voice, and I glanced over to see Declan coming toward me and Taz. He looked especially cute tonight in a polo shirt and jeans. And in his arms … was Sparky!
“Awww, you brought your puppy!” I cried. I leaned forward to give Spark Pug a kiss on the top of her furry, soft head. But I realized that doing that brought my head super close to Declan, and I felt very self-conscious. I also felt my face start to turn pink. I was 1,000 percent sure that Taz was giving me one of her looks, but I didn’t dare glance her way. I straightened up and tried to act casual.
“Is this a dog-friendly shindig?” Declan asked Taz.
I giggled at the word shindig.
“Of course,” Taz told him. She gestured around the roof to show that many of the guests—residents of the building plus friends of Taz’s parents and sisters—had brought along their dogs. I smiled seeing so many of our clients up here. Sadly, Meatball wasn’t around because the Thompsons were visiting Sarah’s parents upstate that day. But I was actually supposed to walk Meatball the next day.
“I’m really sorry I had to flake on dog walking yesterday,” Declan said to me.
“Oof,” I said, remembering my giant dog tangle. “It worked out, but you kind of owe me. Since you weren’t there, I walked so many dogs at once that I got wrapped in a knot and had to be rescued by Brooke!”
“I do owe you one,” Declan said. “Next time you have to take a dog out, let me know, and I’ll be there to help and learn. Promise.”
I nodded. “I’m walking Meatball tomorrow. Can you meet then?”
“Yep,” Declan said, holding Sparky in place as she tried to climb onto his shoulder. “It’s a date.”
Don’t blush! I told myself. It’s just an expression! “Sounds good,” I replied, trying to sound professional. “And Taz can even add your name to the app. Taz, you can do that, right?” I asked my friend.
But I saw that Taz’s attention had been stolen away by a strange rumble that had started through the party. Jules MacNamara from school came up and whispered something to Taz, and as I looked around I saw that they weren’t the only ones whispering.
“What’s going on?” I asked, glancing at Declan. To my surprise, he was staring off into the distance, frowning.
Declan let out a huge sigh. “That would be Aidan,” he said.
“Who’s Aidan?” I asked.
“My older brother,” Declan said, his voice resigned. “This kind of thing tends to happen when he shows up.”
“I didn’t know you had a brother.”
“Yeah. Aidan’s a lot older than me. He lives in LA still, but he’s out here for an audition. He’s trying to follow in Mom’s footsteps.”
I stood on tiptoe, but I didn’t see what I was looking for—a taller, older version of Declan. Then a crowd of girls parted a little and I spotted him.
Now, living in New York City, you do sometimes spot celebrities. Most of them, to me at least, look pretty much like regular people. But I have spotted one or two who seem to have some kind of aura or force field around them—like they walk around in a bubble of special air, and there’s no way for them to go unnoticed. Aidan Ward was like that.
“Is he famous or something?” I asked Declan.
Declan rolled his eyes. “Or something.” Sparky wriggled in Declan’s arms and started nosing at Declan’s side. I stroked her head and her tail wagged.
“Would I have seen him in anything? Like on TV?”
“Probably not—he’s mostly done commercials and small parts on television. But he was in two videos for this band, they’re called the Experience? One of the videos went viral a couple months ago, and ever since, whenever Aiden goes out in public, this is what happens.” Declan gestured to the cluster of people still hovering in awe around Aidan.
“I’ve never heard of the Experience. What kind of music do they play?”
“Terrible music, if you ask me.” I smiled at Declan’s grumbly tone. He scratched Sparky under her chin and she let out a happy huff.
I looked back over at Aidan. Declan’s brother was cute, but I was surprised that he didn’t look too much like Declan. He was shorter than I had expected, since Declan was so tall for our age. Aidan’s brown hair shone gold where it caught the sun, and it skimmed artfully o
ver his eyes. He was wearing bright-red jeans and a white T-shirt, but somehow they fit just right, and he looked much too cool to be standing there on the roof of the Burgundy with us.
Taz turned away from her whispering with Jules and asked, “Can you believe Aidan Ward is at my party?”
“Gosh, I really can’t,” I said in my best fake-excited voice. But Taz seemed to be following Aidan with her eyes and didn’t notice.
“Man, part of my brain melted when Jules said Aidan Ward was actually here! I love the Experience—and that video! Wait”—Taz turned to Declan—“Aidan Ward … is he your brother?”
“Guilty,” Declan said.
“Wow, you have to introduce me.”
Declan gave a small sigh but then nodded. “Sure thing.” He turned to me. “Want to meet the man, the myth, the legend?”
“Okay,” I said. “But only because he’s your brother.”
Declan gave me a huge grin.
Aidan was standing by the roof’s edge with a plastic cup in his hand, talking with a group of older girls. Taz’s sister Sariya and her friends were among them, all entranced by whatever Aidan was saying.
Declan waved to his brother, who excused himself from the group and walked over. “Aidan, this is Taz, and this is Kat. Taz and Kat, my brother, Aidan.”
“Hi there, ladies. Good of you to let me tag along with baby bro here,” Aidan drawled.
“Sure thing!” Taz said.
“I heard there were some secret samosas,” he said. “Would either of you know anything about that?”
“I’ve got you,” Taz said, leading Aidan away to one of the snack tables. I spotted Micki and Lucy still taste-testing different brownies; they hadn’t noticed the Aidan Ward commotion yet.
Declan and I sat on one of the cushioned benches, and Declan held Sparky on his lap.
“I really did think you were an only child,” I said.
“Well, I sort of am, now that Aidan’s all moved out. We’re really far apart in age, obviously.” He scratched Sparky behind the ears and I reached over to pat her, too, careful not to get awkwardly close to Declan. “I know it seems like he really bugs me, and he does, sometimes. But it was hard when he got his own place and moved out. I think that’s actually one of the main reasons Dad got me Sparky. Speak of the little devil,” Declan said as she wriggled on his lap and almost jumped out of his grasp.
