Free Chewy and Chica by Ellen Miles

TEN
    “It’s all your fault.” Lizzie scowled at Charles as he helped her gather up a bunch of soggy brochures. The demonstration had never quite recovered after everybody had gotten soaked. Most of the people had drifted away, including Maria and Sammy, who had both suddenly remembered things they had to do. Mom was still roaming the parking lot, interviewing the last stragglers for a follow-up story on the demonstration, and Dad had taken the Bean and Buddy back home. Lizzie jabbed a finger at Charles’s petition, which drooped halfway off the wet table. Now the heading said
E THE USIGED
. Inky blotches showed where people’s signatures had melted away. “You had to go telling everybodyabout the demonstration,” she went on. “If there weren’t so many people here, it wouldn’t have turned into such a mess.”
    “If there weren’t so many people here, we wouldn’t have a hundred ninety-eight signatures on our petition,” Charles shot back. “And you wouldn’t have raised all that money from the dog wash.” He pointed to the jar on the table, which was stuffed with bills. “And did you hear that Ms. Dobbins found homes today for four of the puppy mill puppies?”
    Lizzie knew he was right. In a lot of ways, the demonstration had been a success. But she was still mad. “I thought I’d found a home for Chica. Senator Bisbee was all set to take her — until his wife saw what a troublemaker she can be. You should have seen Mrs. Bisbee’s face. There’s no way they’re adopting Chica now.” Mrs. Bisbee had been one of the first people to disappear when the demonstration had gotten out of control.
    “Well,” said Charles, “I didn’t tell you before, but I thought I had found a home for Chewy, too.” He told Lizzie about the lady who owned Foxie. He hadn’t even had the chance to talk to her before things got crazy. But he’d seen her and Foxie scrambling to avoid the wildly spraying hose. “She didn’t even bother to come over and say anything. And I bet she won’t call, either. She grabbed Foxie and left before I could stop her.”
    Lizzie plopped down on a chair, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “What a disaster,” she said. “That’s the last demonstration
I
ever plan.”
    Chica scampered up onto Lizzie’s lap and licked her chin.
    Cheer up, cheer up! Soon it’ll be dinnertime!
    Lizzie gave Chica a scratch between the ears. “I know. Who wants to go live with that sillyold senator, anyway? But we do have to find you a home.”
    “Silly old senator? Are you referring to me?” Lizzie looked up to see Senator Bisbee standing there, with Mom beside him.
    Lizzie coughed. She felt her face grow warm and knew she was blushing. But the senator just smiled. “I came back to give you some
good
news,” he said. His chest puffed out and he looked into the distance as if he were making a speech to thousands of people, even though his only audience was Mom, Lizzie, and Charles. “I want you to know that I intend to do every thing I can to ban these puppy mill operations in this state. I saw today that a lot of people care, really care, about this issue. They signed the petition; they turned up to let their voices be heard. I want them to know that I hear them loud and clear. That’s what I do. I listen to the people. Then I try to change things.”
    Then he relaxed and smiled down at Lizzie and Charles. “I was going to wait to say so until my next official press conference, but your mother here convinced me to tell you right away.”
    Mom, who stood just behind the senator, gave Lizzie and Charles a big smile and a thumbs-up.
    “Wow!” Lizzie turned to Charles, then back to Senator Bisbee. “That’s great news.”
    Charles just beamed.
    Then the senator had to ruin it all. He nodded wisely. “It just shows what one determined little girl and boy can do.”
    Ugh. “Little” again
. But Lizzie didn’t even care. She felt terrific.
    “Senator, I have one more question for