Free Natalie Wants a Puppy by Dandi Daley Mackall Page B

the phone. “Want to talk to her?”
    I reach for the phone.
    Before she hands it over, Mom whispers to the phone, “Okay, Mom. But don’t tell you-know-who about you-know-what. Bill wants to be in on it.”
    I know that you-know-who is me. And you-know-what is my puppy. That’s what!
    I take the phone and shout at it, “Hi, Gran!” California is very much farther away from here than kindergarten is, or even Florida.
    “It’s okay, Nat,” Different Granny says. “I canhear you loud and clear, honey.”
    I want to spill out this whole secret that I know. Only my mom is staring at me. And my dad, who goes by the name of Bill, wants to be in on it.
    “How’s the weather there?” Different Granny asks.
    “Okay,” I say. I can’t say more because that mystery secret might come out with more talking.
    “I see.” Different Granny isn’t saying more either. “Well, you have a good final week in kindergarten, Natalie.”
    “Okay. Bye!” I shout. I hang up the phone ‘cause I have to ask my mom about my puppy.
    “Natalie, don’t hang up!” Mom cries. She grabs the phone. Only it’s too late. “I wasn’t finished talking to your grandmother.” She’s already punching in those California numbers.
    “But I want to talk to you !” I say.
    “We will, Nat. I just need to ask Mom something.” She frowns at the phone. “Busy?” She punches the numbers again.
    “Mommy?” I try.
    “Natalie, please go play in your room until your dad gets home.” She gives a mean look at the phone again. “Still busy?” She sets the phone on the counter and goes to the fridge.
    I watch from the hall, like a detective. Momopens the fridge and stares in. Only she doesn’t get anything. Then she laughs, even though our fridge isn’t so funny. She holds her head and does a little spin. My mom is dancing in our kitchen.
    “Yes!” she whisper-shouts. She looks up at our roof. “Thank you, God!”

    I really want to ask my mom about my puppy. Only she is acting pretty funny.
    Mom whizzes out of the kitchen so fast that she bumps into me. “Oops! Natalie, what are you doing here?”
    “I’m—,” I begin, thinking I could tell her I’m Detective Nat and know about my puppy.
    But she talks too fast. “Listen, Nat. Daddy and I want to have a talk with you tonight.”
    “You do?” My heart is thumpy again. “Can we do it now?”
    “Not until Daddy gets home.”
    I don’t think I can wait that long. “But—”
    “Nat, please,” Mommy begs. “I have a million things to do. Go play until your dad gets home, okay?”
    This is not okay. I can’t play. I have to talk about my puppy. “Can I call Laurie?” Laurie is my bestest friend who is a girl.
    “Sure. Go ahead. Great idea. Call Laurie. But let me know as soon as you hear Daddy, okay?” She rushes off to her bedroom.
    I sit on the kitchen stool and call Laurie.
    The phone rings two times before someone answers, “Sarah’s Tattoo and Bar-B-Q.”
    I know this is Laurie’s house. And this is Brianna, one of Laurie’s sisters, the not-too-nice one. Sarah is the nice sister. She wears lipstick, but not tattoos. “Is Laurie home?” I ask.
    “Oh, it’s you,” Brianna says. She always sounds like she wants it to be anybody but me. “Laurie!” she screams. The phone clunks.
    Then Laurie comes on. “Hi!”
    “Laurie, I solved a mystery!”
    “Cool!” Laurie says.
    “Plus, it’s a secret. Only not. ‘Cause I know this secret.”
    “What, Nat?” Laurie sounds all smiley-faced.
    “I’m getting a puppy! That’s what!” Those words spurt out of my mouth and into the phone.
    “A puppy!” Laurie squeals. “Wow, Nat! That’s so cool!”
    “I know!” I love that my bestest friend can be excited with me.
    “How come now, Nat?” Laurie asks. “It’s not even your birthday.”
    “Or Christmas,” I add.
    “ I know!” Laurie says. “I’ll bet they’re giving you a getting-out-of-kindergarten present!”
    I hadn’t even thought about that.