Natasha got out of bed and walked into the kitchen. Momma was making scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. "Momma?" Natasha asked her. "Yes, baby?" Momma's voice was MUCH softer than yesterday. "I am so sorry for how I acted yesterday, Momma." Momma turned to look at Natasha. "You know what? I am too. Come here." Natasha obeyed, and was rewarded with a warm embrace from her mother. "Momma? Can we please go to the vet after breakfast?" Momma sighed. "I suppose so," she said, and sighed again. After breakfast, as according to plan, Momma took Natasha to the vet to see Woofles. "How is he?" Natasha asked the vet. "He's doing well. You should be able to take him home tomorrow," he answered. Natasha thought,
I hope he can come live with us! But she smiled at him politely and said, "Thank you very much, sir." As soon as she and Momma were outside, however, she just HAD to ask. "Momma, do you think we could keep Woofles?" She looked up at her mother with pleading eyes. Something inside Momma softened. She had known that this question would come up, so she had been thinking about it. She looked into Natasha's eyes and thought,
How can I tell her no? She would be heartbroken. "We'll see," she said. Natasha sighed. That was better than a flat-out no, but she still felt a twinge of disappointment. When she went to bed that night, Natasha fell asleep and dreamed about Woofles. In the meantime, Momma was talking to Poppa. "Clarence, she looked up at me today when she asked, and I just couldn't tell her no, so I said, 'We'll see.' But I don't know what you think about havin' a dog." Poppa stroked his beard thoughtfully and said, "It's fine with me, but what if we move again? Where will the dog go?" Momma answered, "Perhaps we should cross that bridge when we come to it, honey." "All right, tomorrow I'll take Natasha myself to the vet so she can pick up the dog, and I'll break the news to her then," Poppa decided. "All right, Momma agreed with a yawn. "Good night." "Good night, darling." And so, it was decided that Natasha should keep the dog named Woofles.
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Natasha leaped out of bed.
Maybe Momma and Poppa will let me keep the dog! She prayed that this might be the case. She followed her nose to the smell of coffee. "Odd," she muttered to herself, "Momma never makes coffee." When she reached the kitchen, she was astounded to find Poppa there. "Good morning, Natasha," he said cheerfully. "This morning after breakfast, I'm taking you to see the dog one last time." Natasha's eyes shadowed. Poppa added silently to himself,
Before he's yours, that is. But he made no further comment. When they got in the car, Natasha let the tears spill over. When they got to the vet, Poppa asked for the dog. He paid the bill, and Woofles jumped into the car with Natasha. Poppa said, "Natasha, you get to keep the dog." She couldn't believe her ears. Keep the dog? She must be dreaming! Her tears of pain turned to tears of joy, and she laughed. She wiped away her tears, and she turned to Woofles and said, "Come on, boy, let's go home."
Home sweet home!
