Mystery Mutt (4 page)

She agreed. Once again, Jason was thinking of others.

When a pretty lady came to the door, Stacy asked the question. “We're looking for this darling puppy's owner.” She pointed to the box. “Do you know anything about him?” she asked.

The lady peeked into the box. She said, “AAAGGGHHH!” then slammed the door.

Stacy's teeth were beginning to chatter. “How m-many m-more h-houses?” she asked.

“If you're cold, you should go home,” Jason replied. “Muffie's not your problem.”

They walked in silence to the next house.

“Do you feel responsible for this dog?” Stacy asked, at last.

Jason shrugged. “I'm not out here freezing my ears off for nothing.”

“I know,” she said. “I think you're
doing a wonderful thing.”

“Well . . . let's not get carried away,” Jason shot back.

He rang the doorbell
and
did the talking this time.

The teenager at the door didn't say a word. Just shook his head and closed the door.

“Is this how Mary and Joseph felt on Christmas Eve?” Jason said softly.

Stacy's ears prickled. “What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Jason said quickly.

But she was pretty sure she'd heard.

Hallelujah!

One after another, they knocked on doors or rang doorbells. Nobody but nobody seemed to know anything about Muffie.

“Well, I guess he's ours,” Stacy said.

“Ours?” Jason asked. He turned and looked at her. With a weird look. “What's
that
supposed to mean?”

“Just what I said,” she replied.

Then she had another idea. It was the perfect idea! “Maybe Muffie could be our club pet,” she suggested. “What do you think of that?”

“I think it stinks,” Jason said. “I'm gonna ask my parents if I can keep this mystery mutt.”

Mystery mutt?
she thought. What a horrible name!

Yet she felt the giggles building up inside her. Stacy held them in. Jason would freak if she let them spill out. He hated giggling worse than almost anything.

“Better give Muffie a bath first,” she said. “Your mom won't give him a chance, smelling like this.”

Jason nodded. “For once, you're right, Stacy Henry.”

“Whatever you say,” she answered.

“Can I use your bathtub?” he asked.

“May
you, don't you mean?” Stacy was picky about speech.

Jason blinked his eyes. “Please, not an English lesson now.”

“Hey, do that again,” she said.

“Do what again?”

“Blink your eyes like Croaker, your frog,” she said.

Then the giggles came.

Jason started running. “Oh, no! I can't stand this,” he hollered.

Stacy walked prim and proper to their street, Blossom Hill Lane. All the way, she wondered about Jason. How long before he'd pick a fruit?

She couldn't wait for him to pick, bite,
and
eat the fruit of kindness. Or maybe it would be gentleness!

Whatever it ended up to be, time was running out. The New Year was almost here.

Two days left!

NINE

Stacy and Jason chattered while they scrubbed the mystery mutt.

“Thanks for letting Muffie use your tub,” Jason said.

She'd have to clean the bathroom when they were finished. When Muffie was all done with his doggie bath, that is. And . . . before Mom arrived home.

She enjoyed helping Jason. And he seemed to accept her love and kindness.

“Did you hear? We're having another Cul-de-sac Kids club meeting,” she said.

“When?” Jason asked. Soapsuds were
all over his glasses and shirt.

“New Year's Eve,” Stacy said. She tried not to look at sudsy Jason. But she couldn't help it. He looked so silly.

“What're we gonna do at the meeting?” Jason asked.

She felt the giggles coming. It was impossible to hold them in. “Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha . . .”

“Oh, Stacy, what's so funny?” he said.

“You're all soapy.” She pointed to his hair and face.

“I am?” He stood up and looked in the mirror. “Hey, you're right. I
do
look funny. Not only funny, I look like a fruit.”

Stacy stopped laughing. “What . . . what did you say?”

“I'm a prune!” He held up his hands. “Look at me.”

Jason was right. He
did
look like a fruit.

She stared down at her hands. “Wow, I'm wrinkled, too. Just like a girl prune.”

Jason went back to washing Muffie.

Stacy helped him dry the dog.

“I guess what's in the heart shows up on the outside,” said Jason. “Sooner or later.”

Stacy was thrilled. But she didn't dare say a word.

“Count me in—on the fruity loop,” said Jason. He was laughing hard. Not giggling, but close.

“What's a fruity loop?” she asked.

“You know what a loop is, right?” said Jason.

“I . . . I guess so.” Stacy wasn't really sure.

“A cul-de-sac is sorta like a loop, isn't it?”

Stacy laughed. “Oh, I get it.” She said “fruity loop” over and over. “You're one crazy kid,” Stacy said.

“Thanks to the mystery mutt, I'm fruity, too!” replied Jason.

“Now we have to convince your parents
about Muffie,” said Stacy.

“Won't be easy,” Jason said. “Even with Muffie smelling nice and fresh, my mom's not much for dogs.”

“Maybe
my
mom'll let me keep him,” she said.

Just then she heard someone's keys jangle. Stacy looked up. Her mother was standing in the bathroom doorway!

“Oh, hi, Mom,” she said. “We needed to give a dog a bath. Hope you don't mind.”

“What's going on?” Mom asked, frowning.

“It's a long story,” Stacy spoke up quickly.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” Mom said. She came into the room and helped dry Muffie.

“Don't worry, I'll clean things up,” Stacy promised.

Mom knelt down and petted the puppy. “Whose dog?”

Stacy looked at Jason.

And Jason looked at Stacy.

They both shrugged at the same time.

“We really don't know,” Stacy said, at last.

“What do you mean?” Mom asked.

Jason explained everything. “He's a stray.”

“How very sad,” Mom said about the homeless dog. “But please don't get any ideas, Stacy.”

“I didn't think you'd want
two
dogs,” Stacy replied.

Jason pushed up his glasses. “Then it's up to me.”

Stacy thought he looked awfully happy. Jason
really
wanted Muffie. She was positively sure!

Stacy helped finish drying the dog—with a hair dryer. When he was completely dry, Muffie seemed to smile.

“Look!” Jason said. “Muffie's trying to say ‘thank you.' ”

“Hey, I think you're right,” Stacy said.
She stroked Muffie's white and brown coat.

Sunday Funnies was beginning to whine. He sounded like he was feeling left out.

“Oh, baby,” Stacy said, reaching down for her cockapoo. “There's nothing to worry about.”

Jason was the one laughing now. “That's right. You're still top dog around here,” he teased.

Stacy followed Jason to the front door. “I'll cross my fingers for you,” she said.

“Thanks. And say a prayer, too,” Jason added.

“I will. I promise,” she said.

Stacy could hardly wait to tell Abby!

TEN

“Countdown to midnight!” Stacy shouted.

The Cul-de-sac Kids were trying very hard to have a meeting at Dunkum's. It was turning into a New Year's Eve party.

“Let's see who can stay awake the longest,” Dee Dee said.

“That's easy,” Carly said. “I'm a night owl.”

“So is Jimmy,” Jimmy said, pointing to himself.

“Who else wants to stay up to see the New Year?” Abby asked.

“Stacy does,” Jason piped up. “Right?”

Stacy wasn't so sure. “Nothing's gonna change, really. There's only one minute difference between today and tomorrow.”

Abby jumped out of the beanbag chair. “I think it's time for another change,” she said.

“Like what?” said Eric.

“It's time to vote on a new president,” Abby said.

“Of the United States?” asked Shawn.

“No, of the Cul-de-sac Kids,” Abby replied. “I've been the president all this year.”

“That's OK,” Stacy said.

“Yeah, we like it this way,” Dunkum said. “We voted you in, and you're stuck.”

“Till we vote you out,” Dee Dee added with a sly grin.

Everyone laughed at that.

Jason stood up, too. “We'll let you know when we're tired of you, Abby Hunter,” he joked.

“Thanks a lot,” Abby said. Then she sat down again.

“Are you giving up so soon?” Carly teased.

Abby smiled a happy smile. “Just wanted to check and make sure,” she said.