Peony Street (39 page)

“Noooooooooo!” Sammy wailed. “I no want Daddy; I want Claire Bear to takes me to Megamart and buys me a monster truck and a mountain moonshine slurshee!”

Mackie Pea came running up the steps, foam dripping from her muzzle.

“Oh, my Lord,” Claire said. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s just rolled in deer poop or something,” Hannah said. “They foam like that when something’s particularly smelly and gross.”

Claire picked up the little dog and the stench almost knocked her back.

“Her’s stinky,” Sammy said, and held his nose.

Claire pealed the knitted coat off her back and considered what was left of it.

“Skip’s mom is not going to be happy about this,” she said.

“Let me ask you something, Claire,” Hannah said. “Aren’t you worried about what might happen to Mackie, running away like that? Wouldn’t she be better off in a doggie daycare where she can play with other dogs? Why, I wonder, can’t you control this small dog?”

“I get it,” Claire said. “I really do, and I’m sorry I was so judgy when I first got here. There’s really only so much you can do, isn’t there? You can’t control everything all the time.”

“You’re coming along quite nicely; I’ll have you fully grown up in no time,” Hannah said. “Hey, where’s my kid?”

Sammy was gone, and so were Jax and Wally.

Hannah speed-dialed her husband.

“I don’t know what I did with all my time before I had that child,” Hannah said, “but I wish I’d taken more naps.”

Claire carried Mackie Pea into the house and down the hall to the bathroom to give her a bath, only to find a naked Sammy sitting on the toilet.

“I pooping,” he said.

“Hannah!” Claire called down the hall. “Found him!”

“You’s living in Delia’s house now?” Sammy asked her. “With you’s daddy and you’s little girl dog?”

“I am,” Claire said.

“You’s staying a long time?”

“I am,” Claire said to Sammy. “I’m staying a long, long time.”

Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to my father, John R. Grandstaff, who taught me what being a grownup really means. I also want to honor my brave, strong, generous mother, Betsy Grandstaff, for everything she does and is.

I’m grateful to my sister Terry Hutchison and her family, and my niece Ella McComas and her family, for their loyalty, faithful support and practical assistance.

Many thanks to my wonderful friends Martha, Sharon, Mitzi, Harriette, Karen, and Christy for their good advice, big hearts, and shared laughter.

Thanks so much to Ella McComas for her expert editing, and to Joan Turner and Mitzi Cyrus for their expert proofreading.

Finally, I want to thank Henry for being such a good dog; I miss him so much.

Books by Pamela Grandstaff

Rose Hill Mysteries:

Rose Hill

Morning Glory Circle

Iris Avenue

Peony Street

Daisy Lane

Lilac Avenue

For Children:

June Bug Days and Firefly Nights

Ella’s New Hat and Her Terrible Cat