On the third ring, Quinn heard a familiar voice. “Hello, this is Turn the Page! How can I help you?”
It was Juniper!
“Hi, is this Juniper?” Quinn asked in a rush. “This is Quinn Cooper from the Marion Animal Shelter.”
“Oh, hi, Quinn!” Juniper said brightly. “Are you calling about my new best friend, Roofy-poofy? He’s doing great!”
“That’s awesome!” Quinn exclaimed. “How does he like the bookstore?”
“He loves it,” Juniper replied. “He likes to perch on top of the bookshelves and watch people coming and going. And every afternoon, he curls up in the sunny window and purrs and purrs. You should follow our page online; we post pictures of him every day!”
“That’s so cool,” Quinn said. “I’ll definitely follow your page.”
“We’re going to start a new thing, ‘Reviews by Rufus,’” Juniper continued. “Of course, James and I will be the ones writing the book reviews, but we’ll make it sound like Rufus is writing them. Isn’t that funny?”
“Yeah, that’s hilarious,” Quinn replied—but she was still thinking about the sunny front window Juniper had mentioned. “So, I’m really glad to hear that Rufus is doing so well… but I was calling for another reason.”
“Oh—okay,” Juniper said. “Go on.”
“I actually need to ask a favor,” Quinn said. “Do you remember those kittens we have for adoption?”
“Of course,” Juniper said. “They’re so precious.”
“Well, we’re desperately trying to find a home for them,” Quinn began. Then she told Juniper the whole story.
Quinn had barely finished speaking when Juniper rushed to answer. “Of course the kittens can hang out in our front window this weekend!” she exclaimed. “We’re happy to help find them a home! I’m with you—we’ve got to keep those sweet babies together.”
“Thank you so much!” Quinn exclaimed gratefully.
“As soon as we hang up, I’m going to talk to James,” Juniper said. “He handles all the displays and decorations. I’m sure he will come up with something fantastic for the front window.”
“Really?” Quinn said.
“You know what? I bet we could live-stream it on our website!” Juniper exclaimed. “Everyone will tune in to see the kittens in the bookstore display! This could totally go viral!”
“I hope so! Then we’ll definitely find a home for Paisley, Polka, and Dot!” Quinn replied.
“We’ll do everything we can,” Juniper promised. “Can you bring the kittens over on Saturday morning? Maybe around nine-thirty?”
“We’ll be there,” Quinn said. “Thank you so much, Juniper! This is going to be great!”
Quinn slipped her phone into her pocket and hurried back down the hall. There were photos to take… posters to draw… signs to hang… and not a moment to lose!
On Saturday morning, Quinn and her dad picked up the kittens bright and early. Mrs. Alvarez had already placed them in a carrier with Paisley. The kittens didn’t quite know what to make of the strange box with small holes cut into the sides.
“Don’t be scared, kitties,” Quinn whispered to them as she stuck her index finger through one of the slits. “Today is going to be an adventure!”
One of the kittens nudged her finger—then licked it with a scratchy tongue. Quinn knew that kitten kisses were a good sign.
“Thank you for setting this up, Quinn,” Mrs. Alvarez said. “I’m very optimistic.”
“So am I,” Quinn replied. “Don’t forget to check the bookstore website. Juniper said they would live-stream the kittens all day!”
“Wouldn’t miss it!” Mrs. Alvarez said.
As Quinn was leaving, a couple came in with their young daughter. “Hi. We were wondering if we could meet some of your puppies,” the man said.
“Oh! We have a great dog who’s ready to be adopted!” Quinn spoke up. “His name is Buddy. And I’ll tell you a little secret: He’s one of the best dogs ever. Like in the history of the whole world.”
Quinn smiled brightly and waited for the family to respond. While it would be heartbreaking for Charlie and Buddy to be separated, it would be even more heartbreaking for Buddy to spend the next two years at the shelter—without a family and home of his very own.
“What do you think, sweet pea?” the mom asked her daughter. “Want to meet a dog named Buddy?”
But the little girl stuck out her lower lip and shook her head back and forth. “Puppy,” she said firmly. “Want a baby puppy.”
The parents smiled apologetically at Quinn. “Sorry. She’s just had her heart set on a puppy,” the dad said as they walked toward the front desk.
Quinn understood—kind of. People wanted what they wanted, and you couldn’t force them to choose an animal they didn’t want. Besides, it wouldn’t be good for Buddy if the family had their hearts set on a puppy instead.
All the same, she wished that one of these families, one of these days, would just give Buddy a chance.
Didn’t every pet deserve a chance?
Maybe next time, Buddy, Quinn thought.
The bookstore was just a few blocks away, but Quinn and her dad drove there anyway so that the young kittens wouldn’t catch a chill.
“I’m going to drop you off right out front,” Dad said. “I’ll be back as soon as I find a parking space.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Quinn said gratefully. “Mrs. Alvarez said I didn’t have to stay all day, but I kind of want to.”
“We can stay as long as you want,” Dad replied.
“Come on, kitties,” Quinn said to the cats in the carrier. “Let’s go find your family!”
After double-checking to make sure the carrier door was securely fastened, Quinn climbed out of the car, holding the carrier tightly in her arms. The bookstore was just a few doors down, but Quinn could already see a flurry of activity in the front window. James was putting the finishing touches on the display—and it was more incredible than Quinn had ever dreamed it could be!
An enormous, Victorian-style dollhouse filled the front window. It had four stories with real lights that glowed with soft warmth. As she looked closer, Quinn realized that each room was stocked with a different type of cat toy: There were catnip mice and feather toys and bouncy balls and a toy with a brass bell. Some of the rooms had soft velvet cushions—the perfect place for a sleepy kitten to take a nap!
Miniature icicles, glittering in the light, hung from the eaves of the dollhouse; a toy sleigh pulled by eight reindeer was perched on top of the roof. Above that was a banner that read ’TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS; garlands of tiny twinkle lights made the scene even more festive.
And the dollhouse wasn’t all. Outside of it was a large, pretend park with all kinds of kitten-sized equipment—swings, a slide, and a merry-go-round!
Best of all, though, was the beautiful sign hanging behind the display. It read:
This holiday season,
open your home.
Open your heart.
Paisley, Polka, and Dot need a family.
Could it be you?
Quinn, beaming, knocked on the window to get James’s attention. He turned around and waved.
“This is amazing!” Quinn yelled through the glass. “Incredible!”
“Come on in,” James said, beckoning to her. “I’m almost done!”
Quinn hurried inside the door, where Juniper was placing trays of fresh-baked cookies on the counter. “Morning, Quinn!” she said brightly. “Want a cookie? Technically, they’re for Santa, but I don’t think he’ll mind sharing.”
“Thanks!” Quinn replied. “Juniper—the display—it’s perfect! I don’t even know what to say.”
“Glad you like it!” Juniper replied. “James and I were brainstorming, and we wanted, you know, a literary theme—so of course ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’ came to mind right away. Can you get more adorable than kittens in a dollhouse?”
“I doubt it,” Quinn replied.
&nb
sp; Juniper’s eyes twinkled. “So what do you think… are they ready to move in?”
“Let’s do it!” Quinn said.
Juniper led Quinn across the store to the front window. “There’s a little door here,” she said, showing Quinn the small door that led to the display. “Want to go in?”
“Into the display?” Quinn asked in surprise.
“Sure! It’s fun,” Juniper replied. “Cramped but fun.”
Quinn pushed the cat carrier through the small door, then climbed through herself.
“Hey, Quinn,” James said. “What do you think? Any suggestions?”
Quinn shook her head. “It’s perfect,” she said. “And the kittens are going to love it!”
“I can’t wait to see what they do,” James said. “All right… now for the moment of truth… release the kittens!”
Quinn knelt down to open up the cat carrier. Paisley, Polka, and Dot were huddled together at the back. For a long moment, they just stared at her.
“Come on, kittties,” Quinn said in her calmest, most soothing voice. “You can come out now!”
But they still didn’t budge.
For the first time that day, Quinn started to worry. What if they’re too nervous to come out? she wondered. What if they’re too scared to play like they do back at the shelter?
“I have an idea,” James said. He plucked one of the feather toys from the dollhouse and dangled it in front of the carrier door.
Dot cocked her head. She took a tentative step forward… then another one.…
James moved the feather a little farther away.…
Dot followed it.…
Quinn, holding her breath, didn’t move a muscle. Just a few more steps and Dot would be out of the carrier. The tiny kitten hesitated. Her body was perfectly still. Only her eyes moved, ever so slightly, as she watched the feather toy twitch and tremble. Then—
Whoosh!
In a blur of fur, Dot bounded out of the carrier, with Polka chasing her tail. Quinn giggled as she scooped up the kittens and placed them in the dollhouse. Soon they were running up and down the stairs, chasing each other through the rooms and pausing only to play with the toys they discovered along the way.
When Paisley came out of the carrier, Quinn knew it was time to get out of the display so that the cats could be the stars of the show. James made a few adjustments to the webcam; then he and Quinn crawled through the little door again.
“How does it look?” James asked Juniper, who was staring at her phone.
Juniper glanced up with a grin. She held out her phone so James and Quinn could see the screen. “And we’re streaming!” she announced.
“The kittens are live?” Quinn squealed.
Juniper nodded. “Hang on… gotta post the link….”
Quinn reached for her phone, too. She wanted to text it to everyone she knew—from Mrs. Alvarez and Ms. Ferrino to Annabelle and Eliza.
Just then, Dad walked into the bookstore. “You’re attracting quite a crowd out there,” he told Quinn. “The kittens are going to have a pretty big fan club when all’s said and done. So what happens now?”
“Now… we wait,” Quinn replied.
The bookstore was bustling with activity all day: A volunteer wearing a Santa suit posed for pictures with kids, while James and Juniper helped customers find the perfect book and managed to keep warm cookies, fresh from the little oven, on the counter all day. Quinn helped however she could—while keeping an eye on the kittens, too. She couldn’t believe how many people were watching the video of them play on the bookstore website! Quinn had to believe that at least a few of them would be moved to adopt Paisley and her kittens.
After all, how could they resist?
On Monday nights, the shelter was open late, which was good for Quinn since her dad often had a big deadline that kept him stuck in his office way past dinner. Mrs. Alvarez never minded if Quinn stayed until closing. She usually ordered a couple of pizzas for the staff, who were always happy to share with Quinn.
Quinn was sitting by the electric fireplace as she started painting an ornament with Paisley’s face on it. She glanced at her list. After Paisley came ornaments for Polka and Dot, and then she wanted to make one of Snowdrop for Eliza’s family, and of course one for Annabelle of her dog, Bumblebee. Quinn smiled as she remembered painting a brown version of Bumblebee on her very first ornament. So much had happened since then!
And then… after the last ornament for Annabelle… would Quinn be done? Orders continued trickling in, but the truth was that there were only four more days until Christmas. She had a feeling that demand for ornaments would dry up pretty suddenly once Christmas was over. And even though Quinn knew a part of her would miss the constant ornament painting, she was excited to start working on her sculpture make-up project over Christmas break.
Best of all, Quinn had almost enough money for her ticket to California! It had become a habit to check the flight costs on her phone every night before she went to bed. As soon as Annabelle knew about Quinn’s big surprise, they could pick a date. Dad would book her ticket, and then it was only a matter of time before she and Annabelle would be together again! Quinn had never been to California before, but she could imagine it: sunshine and palm trees and swimming pools and flowers blooming everywhere, all year round. But she didn’t need to use her imagination to know how incredible it would be to hang out with Annabelle once more!
“It’s so quiet here tonight,” Quinn said as she added some glittering yellow stars around Paisley’s profile.
“Maybe because the weekend was so busy,” Tommy said as he reached for another slice of pizza.
“Not only did we get seven applications for the kittens and their mama, we got applications for the puppies, too—all five of them!” added Mrs. Alvarez. “I really think the Twelve Pets of Christmas program has been a huge success—even if all twelve pets don’t find homes before Christmas, our overall adoption rate has been through the roof.”
“But it’s not over yet,” Quinn said. “There are still three more pets that need to find homes.” She counted them off on her fingers. “Tops and Tippy and Buddy.”
“Yes, that’s right,” Mrs. Alvarez said. “There’s still four days. Anything’s possible. But we should be realistic. For those dogs to be in new homes before Christmas, we’d need applications by tomorrow at the latest—and even then, it would be a stretch. We always knew that Tops and Tippy would be a challenging placement. It’s hard to find a home for two dogs at once, and even harder when one of them is as big as Tops.”
“But it’s Christmas!” Quinn insisted. “It’s the season of miracles. Anything can happen.”
“And maybe it will,” Mrs. Alvarez said, staring out at the parking lot as a car pulled in. Its headlights arced through the icy darkness. “Tommy—is that the couple who came in over the weekend?”
“I think so,” her son replied as he peered out the window, too. “They were here for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon. They were interested in a dog, right?”
Buddy! Quinn thought hopefully as her heart started pounding. Could this be his chance at last?
She put down her paintbrush as a man and a woman walked through the door.
“Hi there,” Tommy said. “Good to see you again.”
“Are you closing?” the woman asked. “We tried to get here right after work.”
“It’s fine,” Mrs. Alvarez assured them. “How can we help you?”
The woman and man exchanged a gleeful smile.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” he said, “but I think we’d like to adopt two dogs.”
“The big one and the little one,” his wife added. “We just couldn’t stop thinking about them all weekend! I love that they’re so inseparable.”
“Kind of like us,” her husband replied, reaching for her hand.
“We want to make sure they stay together—forever,” the woman added. “Plus, they’re so funny! Great big Tops and tiny Tippy.”
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br /> “This is fantastic news!” said Mrs. Alvarez. “If you can just fill out these forms for me, I’ll call your references first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Can I spend some time with the dogs while Ted fills out the forms?” the woman asked.
“Sure,” Quinn said. “I’ll take you back to see them.”
“I still can’t believe we’re doing this,” the woman confided in Quinn. “We’ve never had two dogs before—just one at a time. And after our last dog, Sandy, died, we were so heartbroken that we thought we might never have another pet.”
Quinn smiled sympathetically. “It’s so hard,” she said. “We have a lot of clients who feel that way after they lose a pet. Mrs. Alvarez says that time heals, though.”
“I agree with that,” the woman said, nodding. “Even two months ago, we definitely weren’t ready. But now—we really are.”
Quinn opened the door to Tops and Tippy’s pen. “It’s more comfortable in the visiting room,” Quinn told the woman. “I’ll send your husband back when he finishes the application.”
“Thank you!” the woman said.
Quinn didn’t go straight back to the front desk, though. Instead, she stopped by Buddy’s pen. “Hey, Buddy,” she said.
Buddy was curled up in the corner again, staring at the wall, but his tail went thump-thump-thump when he heard Quinn’s voice. Charlie had visited that afternoon, but he’d been gone for a few hours. The change in Buddy was so dramatic, if Quinn hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she never would’ve believed it. When Charlie was there, Buddy was happy, joyful, filled with energy.
And when Charlie wasn’t there? Buddy was quiet. Lonely. Sad. Quinn tried not to dwell on what Christmas would be like for Buddy if he wasn’t adopted in the next couple of days. She knew that on Christmas Day, one of the workers would stop by to feed the animals and check on them—but otherwise, it would be a long and lonely day for Buddy. He wouldn’t understand it was a holiday. He’d probably wait all day long for Charlie to come visit. Maybe he would even wonder where Quinn was. The thought made tears spring to her eyes—and made her even more determined to find a family for Buddy.
Celebrate the Season--The Twelve Pets of Christmas Page 7
