Party Dreams

by Sue Bentley

  “Wroo-oof ! Wroo-oof!” he said loudly, looking up at her with pleading midnight blue eyes and shaking his head.

  Paige looked at Storm, confused, before realizing that the tiny puppy didn’t want her to tell Debs about him. She patted him reassuringly, letting him know that she understood.

  “What’s wrong with him? Why’s he making that noise?” Debs asked, puzzled.

  “Um . . . I think Storm just woke up with a bit of a jolt. He was probably in the middle of a dream or something . . .” Paige improvised hastily. She began wracking her brains for something more convincing to tell Debs that would protect Storm’s secret. “Sorry, I got a bit carried away. What I meant to say was that I’m . . . er, taking care of Storm for a . . . friend. But I haven’t told Mom or Keith about it. I was going to hide him in my bedroom at the apartment, but then Mom was taken to the hospital and I had to come here. Storm was in my . . . um . . . shoulder bag when Keith drove me here last night and I smuggled him upstairs. I just really want him to stay! I was going to buy dog food with my allowance,” she lied.

  “Hmm,” Debs said doubtfully. “Why can’t your friend take care of her own puppy?”

  “Oh, she can . . . when . . . when she gets back from her vacation,” Paige rushed on, thinking that this was getting very complicated. “But pets aren’t allowed in their hotel and all the boarding kennels were full. That’s why I said I’d take care of him.”

  Debs stood for a moment in silence before reaching out to stroke Storm. Storm looked up at her with big, dewy eyes and gave a little whine. He wagged his tail and licked her hand.

  Paige had to smile at his “please-like-me-and-let-me-stay” act.

  It worked. Debs’s face softened. “He’s certainly a cute, little puppy and he seems friendly, but I hadn’t counted on having a puppy around. I’m very proud of my garden. I really don’t want him digging up holes in my flowerbeds and burying bones.”

  “Oh, he wouldn’t do that!” Paige promised. “I’ll make sure Storm behaves himself. Please say that he can stay with me. And . . . and you won’t tell Keith about this, will you?” she asked in her best pleading voice. “I’ll be grounded for at least a year!”

  Debs looked at her sternly and then a big grin stole over her face. “You’re a troublemaker! But I admire people who show initiative. All right, Storm can stay. And he’ll be our secret.”

  “Really? That’s fantastic! Thanks so much,” Paige cried. “I’ll take care of him really well. You’ll hardly notice he’s here.”

  Debs nodded. “See that you do,” she said firmly, her eyes twinkling.

  Downstairs, Debs cooked them all a breakfast of sausages, eggs, and toast. She even let Paige give Storm two sausages, cut into tiny pieces. “But only until we get some real dog food. I don’t want him being sick on my antique carpets,” she commented.

  Paige thought that you’d hardly notice, they were so covered in swirls and patterns, but she wisely kept silent. After they finished eating, she took Storm into the garden to have a little run around.

  “I’m actually starting to like Debs,” she said, wandering after him in case any of Debs’s flowers got trampled by his little paws. “She seems strict, but she’s kind, too.”

  “I like her as well,” Storm woofed in agreement and then his little face turned serious. “Thank you for not telling her my secret. You can never tell anyone. Promise me, Paige.”

  Paige felt disappointed. She thought Storm might say this but had secretly been hoping she could tell Amy and Tori all about her magical new friend. They would think this was so cool! Paige was prepared to do whatever it took to keep Storm safe, though. “Okay. I promise. No one’s going to hear about you from me—ever!”

  Storm wrinkled his little, pink muzzle and black nose, rolled his lips back, and showed his teeth. Paige blinked, worried that Storm was snarling. But he wasn’t making growling noises. Why was he doing that?

  Storm looked surprised at himself. He did it again. “Oh, this is how I show that I am pleased. It is a smile. It is something special that Dalmatian dogs do,” he yapped.

  Paige felt a laugh bubbling up inside her, but she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Storm looked as cute as could be, sitting there practicing his Dalmatian grin.

  A moment later, he shot across the lawn to chase some leaves that were whirling around in the breeze.

  Paige watched him affectionately. She loved having Storm all to herself and not having to share him with anyone.

  Chapter FOUR

  Keith came over to pick Paige up that afternoon before he went to the factory. “I thought you’d like to visit your mom,” he said. “It might cheer her up. She’s already bored with having to rest in bed.”

  Paige smiled. She knew that she would be.

  “How are you and Debs getting along?” Keith asked anxiously as they stood in the hall.

  “Fine,” Paige said, shrugging. “I don’t even mind staying with her, as long as it’s not for too long.”

  Keith looked pleased. “I’m glad, Paige. That’ll be a big relief for your mom, and I really think Debs is enjoying your company.”

  He ruffled her short, brown hair and went to have a quick chat with Debs, while Paige went upstairs to get ready.

  Paige found Storm dozing on her bed. With the autumn sunlight pouring through the window onto him, his dark spots really showed up against his smooth white fur. He opened one bright blue eye and wagged his tail as Paige bent over him.

  “Will you be okay here all by yourself until I get back from town?” she asked.

  Storm’s other eye snapped open and he sprang up onto his paws. “I will come with you!” he woofed eagerly.

  Paige smiled and stroked the top of his silky head. “I’d love you to. But what if Keith sees you? Besides, I don’t think puppies are allowed in hospitals.”

  “I will use my magic so that no one but you will be able to see and hear me,” Storm told her.

  “You can make yourself invisible? Cool! There’s no problem then. Maybe you should still get into my shoulder bag? You’ll be safer in there until we get to the hospital.”

  Paige unzipped her bag and Storm jumped in and settled down on top of her woolly gloves. After brushing her hair and pulling on a fleece body warmer, Paige picked up her bag and went downstairs to where Keith was waiting.

  They said good-bye to Debs and then headed for the hospital. Paige suggested they stop on the way to buy some magazines. “Mom likes the celebrity gossip ones,” she told him.

  “Good idea. I’ll get her some flowers, too,” Keith said.

  At the hospital, he showed Paige down the maze of corridors to the maternity ward. Paige spotted her mom right away. She was sitting up on the second bed from the entrance.

  Mrs. Riley’s eyes lit up when she saw Keith and Paige. She looked flushed and pretty in a new blue nightgown and matching robe.

  Paige rushed over to give her mom a hug and a kiss, delighted to see her looking well.

  “Ooh, flowers and magazines. Lovely. You two are spoiling me!” her mom exclaimed.

  Paige sat down on the visitor’s chair beside the bed. “You deserve to be spoiled, Mom. Are you okay?”

  “I’m a bit tired, but that’s all. I feel like a bit of a fraud staying in here actually,” her mom replied. She patted her round tummy. “I’ll be glad when this little man makes his appearance!”

  Paige chose not to say anything. She slipped her bag off her shoulder to put it on the floor and saw Storm jump out and go rambling off down the ward. He had his head down, and his tail was wagging as he sniffed up the interesting smells. Even though Paige knew that the tiny, spotty puppy was invisible to everyone else, she still expected a nurse or someone to notice him. But when nothing happened, she began to relax. Storm was much less trouble than a baby brother was going to be!

  “I’ll go and see if I can find a vase to put these flowers in. You girls can hang out,” Keith said.

  “He’s being nice,” Mrs. Riley comme
nted. “I hope it’s not too awful in that loopy, old house with Debs. She used to be an actress, you know. And she still dresses like one! Is she bossing you around or anything? Just let me know and I’ll have a word with her.”

  Paige grinned at the determined look on her mom’s face. “Debs has actually been really nice to me and St—” She stopped herself quickly, realizing that she would have to be a lot more careful about keeping Storm’s secret. “But I don’t love all her antique stuff. You should see the monster bed I’m sleeping in! It’s as big as the entire kitchen in our apartment!”

  “Well, don’t get used to having all that space to yourself,” her mom said, laughing. “You’ll have to go back to your ordinary, tiny, old bedroom.”

  “I like my bedroom being small. It’s cozy,” Paige said. “But I can put up with staying away from home for a little bit longer, I guess.”

  “Well, I’m glad you’re making the best of things. Don’t say anything to Keith, but I was worried that you’d feel a little lonely and cut off over in Brookton, especially since Debs doesn’t have a car.”

  “Oh, I’ll manage,” Paige said. I’m not lonely, now that I’ve got Storm for my friend, she thought. She could see him sniffing around under the bed opposite them. Her lips twitched as she imagined the look on her mom’s face if she knew there was an invisible puppy a few feet away!

  Mrs. Riley reached out and took Paige’s hand. “I’m sorry that your birthday’s going to be a bit of a nonevent with me in here. Keith obviously can’t manage a party with the hours he’s working. You don’t mind too much, do you, pet?”

  Paige minded very much. She swallowed. “No problem, Mom. There’s always next year,” she said, trying hard to hide her disappointment.

  “That’s my sensible, good girl. I knew you’d understand,” her mom said, fondly squeezing her hand. “Once I get home, we’ll have some serious girl time all to ourselves, all right?”

  Paige nodded, but she couldn’t make herself believe it. The lady in the apartment next door had a baby. It hardly seemed to sleep at all and when it was awake it was crying to be fed or changed.

  A lump rose in her throat as she wished that she could have her mom all to herself again, like before she met Keith and before a baby half brother was on its way. Paige felt a pang as she realized that she wasn’t ready to get into the big sister thing.

  “Did you guys have a good chat?” Keith asked, putting the vase of flowers on top of the bedside cabinet.

  Paige nodded and managed a wobbly smile. While her mom and Keith were talking, she leafed through one of her mom’s magazines. Storm padded over, lay down, and rested his front paws on one of her sneakers.

  “Is something wrong?” he woofed.

  Paige checked that no one was listening before she replied. “I’m just feeling a little fed up, that’s all,” she whispered.

  “Can I do anything to help?” Storm offered.

  Paige shook her head. “No one can.” But as she looked into his bright midnight blue eyes, she felt herself cheering up a bit. At least Storm was here just for her.

  Keith dropped Paige and Storm at Debs’s house and then left for work right away. There was a note from Debs in the kitchen, saying that she was at her book club at a friend’s house down the road and wouldn’t be long. She’d scribbled a phone number, too, if Paige needed it.

  Paige got herself a drink and forked some dog food into a bowl for Storm. Storm chomped it up and then sat back, licking his chops. He trotted over to the table where Paige was sitting, staring glumly into her orange juice.

  “You are very quiet, Paige,” he woofed, his blue eyes clouding with concern.

  Paige sighed heavily. “I was thinking about not having a birthday party this year. It’s not fair. And I don’t even know what to do about Amy and Tori. I know they’d understand about Mom being in the hospital. But I’d feel really weird about going to their parties, if they can’t come to mine. Maybe I should just call and say that I’m not coming.”

  “Then your friends would be upset, too,” Storm woofed.

  Paige realized that he was right. “I wouldn’t want that. Okay, maybe I’ll still go. Amy’s is on Friday. That’s only the day after tomorrow and I haven’t gotten her a present yet. I should have gotten her one while I was with Keith. Now it’s too late. The buses into town from here only run about once every ten years!”

  Storm’s midnight blue eyes lit up with purpose. “I will help. Put me down, please.”

  Paige did so. She frowned as she felt a strange, warm tingling sensation flowing down her spine as bright gold sparks began igniting in Storm’s smooth, spotty fur.

  Something very unusual was about to happen.

  Chapter FIVE

  Paige watched in complete amazement as the sparks in Storm’s fur grew brighter and brighter and his ears crackled and popped with electricity. A glowing, gold light spread around them both. It began forming into a long, glittery tube that suddenly whooshed through the kitchen window.

  Paige stared at the shining, rainbow-shaped tube as it seemed to come to rest somewhere in the region of the town. In the middle of Debs’s kitchen, there was now an entrance to a hollow tunnel. Its walls were made of millions of swirly sparks, linked together like chain mail.

  “Follow me, Paige,” Storm barked, leaping into the tunnel-tube.

  “Wait for me!” Paige called a second later, dashing after him.

  The magic tunnel was springy underfoot and the walls rippled, bouncing Paige along, so that in no time at all she suddenly shot out with a loud pop! Storm sat on the pavement, waiting for her.

  “Oh! That was fantastic!” Paige gasped, swaying slightly. Her legs felt quite wobbly—just like she’d been on a bouncy castle!

  She looked around and saw that she and Storm were now in a quiet alleyway behind some wheelie bins. Paige realized where they were. There was a big shopping center just around the corner.

  “Now you can buy Amy a present,” Storm woofed, looking pleased with himself.

  Paige quickly bent down to stroke him. “Thanks, Storm.”

  She didn’t waste any time, as they had to get back before Debs returned and noticed they were both gone. Paige hurried into a big store and went straight to the toy department. Amy was crazy about fairies and had tons of fairy books. She even had a string of fairy lights around her wall mirror.

  Paige chose a fairy doll with a lavender dress and crown and matching glittery wings. “Perfect! Isn’t she pretty?” she whispered to Storm. “Do I have time to get a card?”

  “Yes, but you will have to hurry. This sort of magic does not last long,” Storm barked softly.

  Paige set off again, but upon reaching the card department she stared in dismay. “There’re about a hundred million cards here. I don’t know which one to choose.”

  Storm waved one tiny front paw and a shower of golden glitter shot out. From out of the corner of her eye, Paige noticed a fairy-shaped card glowing as brightly as a star on one of the racks. As she picked it up and opened it, tinkling fairy music played “Happy Birthday.”

  “Yay! Amy will love this!” Paige went and paid and then hurried outside into the alleyway after the little puppy.

  The golden tube began to fade as Paige got close. There was no time to waste. She and Storm plunged in and, once again, Paige felt the tunnel’s springy walls and floor helping them along.

  Suddenly, the tube began to ripple much faster than before and Paige and Storm went shooting forward.

  “Oof!” she cried as, with a loud burping noise, the tunnel spat them both out and they landed on their bottoms on the kitchen floor. The tunnel began to dissolve into fizzing sparks before disappearing with a final loud pop!

  Paige gingerly picked herself up and grinned. “That was so much fun and I’ve got an amazing present for Amy. Thank you, Storm!”

  The tiny puppy’s little muzzle wrinkled in his cute Dalmatian grin. “I am glad I was able to help.”

  Paige had barely caug
ht her breath when the kitchen door swung open and Debs came in.

  “Hello, darling. Discussing all those books has made me hungry. I think it’s time for dinner. Have you and Storm been having a good time?” she asked.

  “Er . . . yeah!” Paige said, winking at the tiny puppy. You’d never believe me, even if I told you, she thought.

  On Friday, Debs insisted on booking a taxi, so Paige and Storm arrived in style at Amy’s house. Storm was invisible to save Paige having to offer awkward explanations.

  “Happy Birthday!” Paige gave Amy her card and present.

  Tori stood by as Amy unwrapped it. “Oh, I absolutely love her!” Amy said delightedly, clutching her lavender fairy doll. “How did you know?”

  “Know what?” Paige asked, puzzled.

  Amy and Tori exchanged knowing glances. “Come and see!” They practically hauled Paige into the kitchen.

  Paige’s eyes widened as she saw the pink tablecloth strewn with sequins, the plates of dainty food, and the big birthday cake in the shape of a fairy castle. There were sparkly pink and violet streamers trailing down the walls.

  “It’s a total fairy party! Don’t you just love it?” Amy said.

  “Wow! It looks . . . magical!” Paige said delightedly.

  They played Pin the Wing on the Fairy. Everyone fell down laughing when Amy’s dad pinned the wing on the fairy’s nose. There was Pass the Magic Parcel and then a dressing-up game with cardboard, tinsel, and colored tissue and a prize for the best fairy costume. Tori won it easily.

  “Wait until you see what we’re doing at my party,” Tori said to Paige. “It’s going to be very grown-up. Fairies are okay, but they’re a little babyish, aren’t they?” she said, flicking back her long hair.