Free Honey by Ellen Miles Page A

them a home.
    Once in a while, Mary called the Petersons to suggest a get-together. It was always fun to see the three puppies playing together, while Skipper stood nearby looking proud of her growing babies. Mary had called that morning, and everybody had agreed right away that it was time for avisit. Since Lizzie was busy volunteering at the animal shelter, Charles got to take Buddy downtown.
    Was it possible that Buddy really
did
understand about seeing his family? Sometimes, when Charles or Lizzie asked, “Do you want to see Cinnamon and Cocoa?” Buddy’s ears would perk up and he would tilt his head from side to side as if he were considering the question. But of course Buddy also did that when you asked, “Do you want a treat?” or “Are you a good boy?” or even, “Who’s a big silly-head?”
    The truth was, Buddy was a happy pup who was always eager to go wherever anybody wanted to take him. Sometimes he went down to the fire-house with Charles’s dad, who was a firefighter. Sometimes he went to the newspaper office with Charles’s mom, who was a reporter. Once Buddy had even come to school, so Lizzie could demonstrate while she gave an oral report on dog training. Mom had brought him, and she saidBuddy walked right up the front steps as if he’d gone to school every day of his life! He had even poked his nose into room 2B, Charles’s classroom.
    “Well, here we are!” said Charles as the boys arrived at the bookstore. “Your favorite store, Buddy!” All dogs were welcome at Lucky Dog Books. In fact, Jerry Small even had a bulletin board full of pictures of his “regulars,” dogs who visited frequently. And he always kept a jar of especially good dog biscuits behind the counter. Like all the other dogs, Buddy knew just where those treats were. He pulled hard on his leash, dragging Charles right through the door and over to the counter.
    “Hello there, Buddy!” said Jerry, who was standing behind the cash register. He dipped his hand into a big glass jar and pulled out a few biscuits. Skipper must have heard the jar opening, because she came trotting right over from her spot near the store’s coffee bar.
    Buddy and Skipper crunched their biscuits, then started to sniff each other, tails wagging. Buddy put his paws up on Skipper’s shoulders and started to nibble on her chin.
    “Where are Cinnamon and Cocoa?” Charles asked Jerry.
    “I bet that’s them right now,” the store owner answered as the bell over the front door jingled.
    Sure enough, in walked Mary Thompson. She held two green leashes in her right hand. Cinnamon was at the end of one, and Cocoa was on the other. And in her left hand, Mary held a red leash. A tall, lanky puppy with shiny golden-yellow fur dashed around her feet, tangling the red leash with the green ones and nearly tripping Mary.
    “Who is
this
?” Charles asked, kneeling down to gather all the puppies into a big hug. The yellow puppy climbed right up into Charles’s lap — eventhough she was way too big to be a lapdog! — and began to lick his face all over with her rough, pink tongue.
    “This is Honey,” said Mary Thompson. “She’s almost a year old. She’s smart and sweet and wonderful — and she needs a home!”

CHAPTER TWO
    “You’re kidding!” Charles looked up at Mary. “This puppy needs a home? But she’s so cute! Who would ever give her up?”
    Now the puppy was chewing on Charles’s earlobe. It tickled so much that Charles laughed out loud.
    Mmmm, delicious! I like the way this person tastes! And he’s laughing, so that means it makes him happy when I do this. I guess I’ll do it some more!
    Buddy, who was probably a little jealous of all the other puppies, tried to climb over Honey so he could chew on Charles’s other earlobe. Marylet Cinnamon and Cocoa off their leashes so they could join in. Charles fell over onto the store’s carpeted floor. Giggling, he opened his arms and the puppies climbed all over him, chewing and licking and