Free White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan Page A

the sidewalk. The boy kept staring at us until he went up the porch steps and into the house.
    â€œNot a prince,” said Alice. “A prisoner.”

chapter 2
    My father came home just before dinner. He still wore his white vet medical jacket. He carried a large covered cage.
    Kodi and May ran up to him, sniffing.
    â€œSo, what is this?” asked Mama.
    â€œI saved the life of an African grey parrot today,” said Daddy.
    â€œAnd did the parrot thank you?” asked Mama.
    Daddy took the cover off the parrot cage.
    â€œDid you thank me?” said Daddy to the parrot.
    â€œYou cahn’t know!” said the parrot loudly in a British accent.
    My mother laughed.
    â€œShe belongs to a woman going into a nursing home. She can’t keep him,” said my father.
    â€œFeisty woman, I’d say,” said Mama.
    â€œWhat’s your name?” asked Alice.
    â€œYou cahn’t know!” said the parrot.
    â€œLena,” said Daddy. “Lena is her name.”
    â€œLena,” repeated Lena.
    Kodi and May sidled up closer to the parrot.
    â€œEasy, May,” said Mama. “Sometimes these dogs don’t like birds.”
    â€œEasy, May,” said Lena.
    Kodi sat and stared.
    â€œMost birds don’t talk, do they, Kodi?” said Daddy, scratching Kodi’s ears.
    â€œI have a question,” said Mama. “What is Lena doing here?”
    Daddy grinned. “This question from you,” he said. “The dog woman. The rescue angel.”
    â€œYou got me into it, John,” said Mama. “Remember? ‘The dogs need saving, Claire.’”
    â€œLena needs saving too,” said Daddy. “Someone has to keep Lena until we find her a home.”
    â€œWhat do you eat?” I asked Lena.
    â€œYou cahn’t know!” we all said at the same time. Even Lena. This made Lena laugh. It was a high-pitched, wild sound that made us all laugh. The more we laughed, the more Lena did, and the more we did.
    And on and on.

    The next day, early, there was morning mist, with sun shining through. I let Kodi and May out into the large fenced-in yard. They ran to the side fence, and I could see the boy from next door standing there. Behind him, the man got into his black car and drove off without a wave.
    The boy put out his hand and Kodi nosed it through the fence. The boy smiled, then he looked up and saw me, and his smile went away.
    â€œThat’s all right,” I called, walking down through the wet grass in my bare feet. “That’s Kodi. His real name is Kodiak. And May, who’s licking your hand. I’m Zoe. What’s your name?”
    The boy was silent but still stood staring at the dogs. Kodi’s tail wagged and the boy smiled again.
    â€œPhillip! Phillip, come away from those beasts!”
    The woman with the piled-up hair stood on her porch.
    â€œIt’s all right,” I said to her. “They’re good dogs.”
    â€œThey could bite!” she said loudly, coming down the steps.
    She walked across the grass, carefully stepping over the small brook that ran between our houses.
    â€œNo, they’d never bite,” I said.
    â€œNever,” said Mama, suddenly standing behind me. “Not when someone is kind to them. Phillip? Is that your name?” she asked.
    He nodded.
    â€œHe doesn’t speak,” said the woman impatiently. “At least not to us. My husband’s niece left him with us, and we’re keeping him while . . .” She hesitated. “While his parents solve a problem.”
    â€œWell, Phillip, you can visit the dogs anytime,” said Mama. “You don’t have to talk.”
    Phillip looked at my mother for a long time.
    â€œAnd you are welcome to visit too,” Mama said to the woman. “I’m Claire Cassidy.”
    Mama put out her hand across the fence. The woman took her hand, then dropped it.
    â€œI’m Phyllis Croft,” she said.