by Holly Webb
“She’s choosing a Christmas present for Misty. I’ll get her. And I’ve nearly decided which toys.”
Katie managed to limit herself to three dog toys, and five minutes later they were walking home, laden down with bags.
“There’s one thing missing, girls. We still need to think what we’re going to call the puppy. Ow, this food is heavy!” Mum shifted the bag to her other hand.
“I’ve been thinking about it!” Katie hitched up the big purple cushion they’d chosen for the puppy to sleep on. The man in the shop had said some puppies liked to chew baskets, so cushions were better. “I think he really looks like a Timmy. Sort of cheeky but cute.” She looked anxiously at Mum and Jess.
“Timmy… Yes, I like it,” Mum said.
Jess just shrugged. Even though she’d enjoyed cuddling the puppies at Mrs Jones’s house, she still wasn’t sure that they should actually get one. “It’s OK,” she muttered.
Back at home, Katie wandered round the kitchen, trying out the cushion and bowls in different positions.
“Katie, I’m not cooking with a dog cushion in front of the oven,” Mum pointed out. “Try by the radiator, that’ll be nice and warm.”
Katie pushed Misty’s blanket out of the way, and stood back and looked at the cushion. “That’s perfect!” she declared happily.
Misty prowled in from the hallway and stopped. Someone had put a big purple cushion exactly in her favourite sleeping spot. She stalked over and stared up at Katie accusingly.
“Hi, Misty!” Katie bent down to stroke her. “Look, this is where your new friend’s going to sleep. He’s a puppy, and he’s called Timmy. He’s so sweet, and I bet you’ll love him!”
Misty climbed on to her fleecy pink blanket and sat down, squishing herself in beside the vast cushion. She glared at it disapprovingly. What was going on?
Katie didn’t notice. She was looking at the calendar on the wall and wishing it wasn’t so long until they brought Timmy home. “Another three whole days till Saturday!” she sighed. “That’s ages!”
The brown and white puppy gazed thoughtfully up at the window. It was only very slightly open, but the most delicious smells kept floating through it. Fresh air and frosty ground and general outsideness. It smelled wonderful. The puppies weren’t allowed outside yet, as they were too young, but the brown and white puppy was desperate to explore. Where were all those delicious smells coming from?
He looked round. His brothers and sisters were snoozing in their basket, and their mother was half asleep, too. If he went for a little wander now, probably nobody would notice…
Mrs Jones had left the window open to air the room, but she’d carefully made sure it was only open a crack. Not that the puppies were big or strong enough to get up on to the windowsill, of course! They were far too small for that.
The puppy looked up. Beneath the window was a chair. It was still too high for him to reach, but next to that was the old cardboard box Mrs Jones had given them to play with. If he climbed on to that first, maybe he could jump on to the chair, and then to the window?
He scrambled on to the box, tiny claws scrabbling. Then he made the next hop on to the chair. Hmmm. It was still a long way to the windowsill. But…
“Oh, you naught y little thing!” Mrs Jones was half-laughing, half-cross, as she rescued the brown and white puppy, who was standing on the chair seat, his paws on the back, staring up at the open window hopefully. “You could have really hurt yourself. And I suppose you were making for the window. I’d better shut that.” She smiled. “I think your new family ought to call you Rascal. You’re going to be a real little handful!”
On Saturday morning, Katie woke up early, with a wonderful feeling of excitement inside. She was still sleepy, and it took her a couple of minutes to work out why she was feeling so happy. It was the first day of the Christmas holidays, but there was something more… Then she remembered. They were getting Timmy today! She bounced out of bed, and flung on her clothes.
She clattered downstairs, wondering where everyone else was. Misty stared at her reproachfully as she banged the kitchen door open, then turned round on her blanket and settled herself down with her back to Katie.
Katie was aching with impatience by the time the rest of the family got up. She couldn’t understand how Dad could sit there with the paper, and drink a cup of coffee so slowly.
“When are we going to go?” she wailed, standing in the kitchen door with her coat on.
“It only takes twenty minutes to get there in the car,” Mum pointed out.
Katie frowned. “But it takes at least five minutes to get in the car! It’s rude to be late, Mum, you’re always saying so.”
“Well, that still leaves us half an hour.” Dad folded up the paper. “Anyone else want more toast?”
“OH!” Katie groaned, and stomped out of the room.
At Mrs Jones’s house, the puppies we r e playing a fabulous game with the big cardboard tube. It was only just wide enough for them to get inside now, and they were scrabbling through it, nipping at each other’s tails.
Suddenly, there was a scratching, scuffling noise from inside the tube as the brown and white puppy shot out of one end. He shook his ears to unsquish them, then trotted hopefully over to Mrs Jones. “What is it, boy? Oh, there’s the doorbell.” She smiled down at the puppy. “Did you hear the car? Someone special’s coming for you!”
When Mrs Jones answered the door, Katie had to stop herself dashing into the house and hugging the puppy – she was already thinking of him as Timmy. But she knew she mustn’t. He was only little, and he probably wouldn’t remember who she was. She would have to be really calm and gentle. But it was so hard when she was this excited!
Katie walked into the living room, digging her nails into the palms of her hands. Would Timmy even remember her?
The puppies were all standing by the conservatory door, watching to see who was coming. Suddenly, there was a piercing squeak of a bark, and a small brown and white ball of fur hurled itself at the board across the door, scrabbling madly. Two little white paws clawed their way over the top, and Timmy flung himself over the board, making for Katie as fast as he could. He knew that girl! She was the one who’d cuddled him!
“Oh my goodness!” Mrs Jones exclaimed. “None of them has ever done that before.” She hurried forward. “Is he all right?”
Timmy was shaking himself dazedly – it had been a long way down for such a small dog – but then he barked again and ran to Katie.
Katie knelt down and hugged him to her lovingly. “Oh, Timmy. You remembered me!”
Chapter Five
Mrs Jones had given them a special box for carrying Timmy home. Katie was a bit disappointed, as she’d been looking forward to cuddling him in the car, but Mum said it might be dangerous if he wriggled out of her arms. He’d feel safer in the box.
Katie wasn’t so sure. She hated hearing the snuffling, whimpering noises that Timmy was making behind her seat. He didn’t sound happy at all.
“So when we get home, we’re going to let Timmy out into the kitchen, girls, that’s the plan,” Mum reminded them. “He needs to get used to the house slowly. Remember he’s only been used to staying in the puppy room. The whole house would be a bit daunting for him. And then we need to introduce him to Misty very carefully.”
“Can I show him my bedroom?” Katie asked hopefully.
“I wouldn’t just yet,” Dad told her, as they turned into their road. “For a start the mess would probably give him a heart attack…”
Katie grinned. That was true. Timmy could quite easily get lost in there. As soon as the car stopped, she struggled out of her seat belt, her fingers clumsy with excitement, and gently lifted Timmy’s box out of the back. She could feel him skidding about inside, even though she was walking so slowly and carefully. “We’ll get you out in just a minute,” she whispered. “You can see your new home!”
Katie carried Timmy into the house, and put the box down on the kitchen
floor, kneeling beside it. Then she undid the flaps that held it together. Timmy stared up at her, puzzled by his strange, dark journey. But then he recognized Katie, and gave a pleased little whine, scrabbling at the cardboard with his claws to show her he wanted to get out.
“Come on, Timmy!” Katie lifted him out, and cuddled him lovingly. He was staring at her, his big, dark eyes bright and interested. Then all at once he reached up and licked Katie’s chin, making her splutter and giggle.
“Well, I don’t mind if you do that, but I wouldn’t do it to Mum,” she whispered to him.
Timmy gazed at her lovingly. He was a bit confused about what was going on – his brothers and sisters weren’t here, and nor was his mum, but if he was going to get cuddled and played with, maybe it would be all right.
He wondered if there were any other dogs here. He couldn’t smell them, but there was another smell, a different smell that he didn’t recognize…
“How’s he doing, Katie?” Dad had come in from the car. He and Mum and Jess had been chatting to the lady next door, and telling her about their new arrival.
“I’m just about to show him his cushion and his food bowl,” Katie explained. She walked round the kitchen with Timmy, holding him up to see out of the back door. Then she put him gently down next to his cushion. “This is where you’re going to sleep, look.”
Mum came in holding Timmy’s collar and lead. “Don’t forget these, Katie. Remember what the website said – we need to keep him on the lead in case we have to stop him chasing Misty.”
“Oh, yes!” Katie bent down and fastened the bright-red collar around Timmy’s neck. “Very smart!” she said. She clipped on the lead and Timmy looked at it in surprise. What was this? Oh, a lead, like his mum had.
He sniffed at the big, purple cushion, and sneezed.
Dad laughed. “It probably smells a bit clean. Don’t worry, Timmy, it’ll be nice and doggy in a couple of days.”
Just then, Jess came in, carrying Misty. She’d gone to fetch her from upstairs. Misty spent most of her time snoozing on Jess’s bed.
Timmy was delighted. He peered up at Misty, his whiskers twitching. So that was what the interesting smell he’d noticed was! A friend! He danced clumsily over to her on his too-big puppy paws, and barked cheerfully to say hello. Katie followed, holding his lead and watching them cautiously.
The fur on Misty’s back stood up on end, and her tail fluffed up to twice its normal size. She hissed warningly. Stay away!
“Timmy…” Katie said anxiously, but Timmy wasn’t listening. He had no experience of cats, so he didn’t recognize Misty’s warning for what it was. He just wanted to say hello to this big, fluffy animal.
Misty hissed again, then yowled and spat, her ears laid right back against her head.
Timmy stared at her, feeling very confused. Then he backed up a little. He didn’t understand what was going on, but he could tell now that something was wrong. He looked up at Katie and whimpered, asking for help.
“I told you she’d hate it!” Jess said accusingly to Mum. “Oh, Misty no!” Misty had jumped out of her arms, and was prowling across the kitchen towards Timmy.
Katie was just stooping to pick him up, when Misty pounced, and swiped her paw across Timmy’s nose – not very hard, just enough to make it clear she really wanted him gone.
Timmy howled in surprise and dismay. His nose did hurt, but it was more the shock of it that upset him so much. He’d played rough and tumble games with his brothers and sisters, but no one had ever scratched him before. He buried his nose in Katie’s jumper, as she picked him up, and snuffled miserably.
Misty hissed at him triumphantly, her fur still bristling.
“That was so mean of Misty!” Katie cried angrily. “All he did was try to say hello, and she clawed him! His nose is bleeding!” She snuggled Timmy close and glared at Jess and Misty.
“Maybe we should put Timmy’s cushion in the utility room to start off with,” Dad said worriedly, looking at Timmy’s nose. “I think it’s a bit much for Misty to get used to all at once.”
Jess folded her arms, and stared at the ceiling. “I told you this was a bad idea,” she said. “Misty hates dogs, and this is her home. It’s never going to work.”
“Well, now it’s Timmy’s home, too!” Katie snapped back. “Misty’s just going to have to get used to it.”
Katie sat up on her bed in the dark, her duvet wrapped round her shoulders, listening anxiously as Timmy let out another mournful howl. Everyone had agreed that he would stay in the kitchen and the utility room at first, so he could get used to the house gradually. It was what all the dog books and websites had suggested, especially as Timmy was still learning to ask to go outside if he needed to. Mum really didn’t want him messing up all the carpets.
Mum and Dad had been careful to keep Misty away from Timmy for the rest of the day, after their fight. For tonight they’d put a litter tray in the hall, and Misty was sleeping on Jess’s bed, as she always did. Katie had begged her parents to let Timmy sleep in her room, too, just for his first night, but Mum had said definitely not.
Timmy just didn’t understand why he couldn’t explore the rest of the house. Katie had stayed in the kitchen almost all that day, playing with him, and cuddling him, but Timmy had still been curious about what was going on everywhere else.
That cat was allowed to go wherever she liked, but he had to stay in, except when he was taken into the garden to do a wee. It didn’t seem fair. And when she wanted to be in the kitchen to eat her food, he had to go into the utility room! Why couldn’t he eat with her? She might even have leftovers.
But the worst thing was that now they’d all gone to bed. He had to sleep in the kitchen, and he was all on his own! It was so lonely! Where was everyone?
He howled so much that Katie just couldn’t get to sleep. She sat there listening to the sorrowful wails from downstairs, and eventually she couldn’t bear it any longer. She crept out of bed, wrapping her duvet round her like a cloak and trailing it along behind her. Mum might have said Katie absolutely must not have Timmy in her room, but she hadn’t said anything about not sleeping in the kitchen with Timmy, had she?
Timmy was sitting on his cushion, staring anxiously into the darkness. Like all dogs, he could see well in the dark, but he wasn’t used to being all alone – he never had been before. What if Katie never came back? He didn’t want to be on his own for ever! Timmy whimpered again, and then stopped. He could hear footsteps, and an odd swishing noise. What was that?
He looked worriedly at the door, hoping it wasn’t something horrible. Maybe the cat was coming to be mean to him again. In his mind, she was about twice her real size, and her tail was enormous. Maybe that was what the strange noise was… Timmy whined nervously.
Katie hitched up her trailing duvet and gently pushed the door open. She called softly to him. “Timmy? Hey, sweetie!”
Timmy heaved a massive sigh of relief and trotted over to her.
“Ooops!” Katie giggled. “I just walked into a chair! It’s so dark.” Timmy woofed in agreement. Dark, and lonely. He gazed hopefully up at her.
“Look, I’ve brought my duvet. I’ve come to keep you company for a bit. You’re used to having your mum to sleep with, aren’t you?” Katie curled up next to Timmy’s cushion, and he snuggled gratefully on to her lap. This was much better.
Katie smiled down at him, as he dozed off into a deep puppy sleep. He was hers, at last! The kitchen floor was chilly, and she had pins and needles in her toes, but she didn’t care. It was worth it.
Chapter Six
Katie’s mum came downstairs on Sunday morning, and found them both curled up together, Katie with her head on Timmy’s cushion, and him snuggled under the duvet with her.
“Katie! I thought you were still in bed! Actually, I was surprised you weren’t up and playing with Timmy already.” Mum sighed, as she poured Katie some juice and filled Timmy’s food bowl. “I should have known.”
Katie grinn
ed. “Sorry, Mum. He was so lonely. I listened to him whining and crying for ages, and then I just couldn’t bear it any longer.”
“The thing is, now he’ll expect you to do it again tonight.” Mum watched as Timmy wolfed down his breakfast. “You can’t sleep on the kitchen floor every night, Katie!”
Katie wriggled her shoulders. “I know, this floor’s really hard. Honestly, Mum, I won’t do it again. I think he was just miserable the first night, that’s all.”
Katie was right. Timmy had never been left alone before, and he hadn’t been sure that anyone would ever come back for him. Now he knew that Katie and the rest of the family weren’t far away, and he’d see them in the morning, he didn’t mind being alone so much.
In fact, on Sunday night, he was so worn out from playing in the garden with Katie for most of the day, that he curled up on his cushion and fell asleep almost as soon as she went to bed. He didn’t bother with even one little howl.
A couple of days later, Katie’s parents decided that Timmy had settled in so well that they could let him explore a bit further.
“Just downstairs, mind,” Dad said. “There’s so much stuff he could accidentally damage upstairs. Imagine if he started chewing your mum’s shoe collection. She’d never forgive him!”
Katie nodded, though she wished she could have Timmy in her room. Still, she was really looking forward to curling up with him to watch TV in the living room.
“Come on, Timmy,” she called, standing by the kitchen door and patting her knees. “Come on, boy!”
