Maddy met them halfway to school as usual. She knew all about Chloe’s problems with Jess, but she adored dogs too.
“She’s so lovely,” Maddy told Chloe, as Jess trotted alongside them. “I do know what you mean about her being boisterous, but she’s so cute!”
Chloe sighed. Even though Maddy was her best friend, and she was trying really hard to understand how Chloe felt about Jess, she just couldn’t. Maddy loved dogs almost as much as Will!
On Tuesday after school, Mum picked Chloe up in the car to take her to visit Will. She’d seen him for five minutes the day before, but he’d still been sleepy after the operation, and she wasn’t sure he’d really known she was there. Chloe was desperate to see him, but a bit nervous at the same time. She knew he was bound to ask about Jess, and she didn’t know what to say.
Chloe was starting to worry about the puppy. She spent most of her time moping in her basket, or perched on the window seat in the living room, where she usually sat to watch for Will walking home from school. Obviously she was waiting for him to come, and whenever she heard Mum or Dad pulling up in the car she would rush to the door barking excitedly, her plumy tail wagging. Then as soon as she realized Will wasn’t with them, she would slink sadly back to her basket.
Will had a big cast on his leg, but otherwise he was his old self. Except that he hated having to keep still.
Chloe perched on the edge of Will’s bed, while Mum went over to speak to one of the nurses.
“I can’t believe I’m going to be stuck in bed for ages!” he groaned.
“Does it hurt?” Chloe asked, biting her lip.
“No, it’s all right, I’ve got medicine to stop it hurting. It’s itchy though.” Will frowned. “Chloe, how’s Jess? Is she missing me? Mum says she’s fine, but I think she’s just saying anything to make me feel better.”
Chloe glanced over at Mum, who was still talking to the nurse. She knew what he meant. But she didn’t want to upset Will either. Worrying about Jess would only make him feel worse.
“She’s OK,” Chloe said carefully. “She does miss you, but Grandad’s taking her for walks, and she comes with us to school and back.”
“But Grandad can’t run, Chloe. He’s too old! Jess needs loads of exercise. And I was supposed to take her to dog-training in the holidays.” He looked worried. “Couldn’t you go for walks with Grandad?” Will pleaded. “I know you’re nervous with Jess, but if Grandad was there too…”
Chloe looked at her fingers. “We all walk to school together,” she repeated. But she knew that wasn’t really what Will meant.
“Come on, Chloe. Will needs to have a rest now. You can come back and see him soon.” Mum had finished talking, and was looking at Will’s pale face with concern.
Chloe hardly spoke on the way home, until they were just turning into their road. “How long is Will going to be there for?” she asked suddenly.
“I’m really not sure, Chloe,” Mum answered. “He ought to have been able to come home soon after the operation, but the nurse said they’re a bit worried that the bone pieces haven’t fitted back together properly yet. It could be a while – a few weeks, even.”
“Weeks?” Chloe whispered in horror. She hadn’t thought it could possibly be that long. She would miss his stupid jokes. And Jess would be heartbroken.
The puppy was waiting hopefully by the door when they got in, and her drooping ears made Chloe feel so guilty. She’d said to Will that Jess was OK, but now she looked so miserable. Chloe sighed. If she’d told Will that, it would have made him miserable too. There was nothing he could do about it, stuck in hospital.
But I could help, Chloe told herself. I could try and cheer Jess up.
She followed Jess into the kitchen, and watched as she slumped down into her basket. Chloe felt so sorry for her, sitting there with her head hanging.
“Hey, Jess,” she said gently, crouching down by the basket.
Jess ignored her. She wanted Will, and he still hadn’t come back to her. She didn’t like it when he went to school every day, but at least he always came home. Where was he now? And why hadn’t he taken her with him?
Chloe nervously darted out a hand to pat Jess, but she patted her too hard, when Jess wasn’t expecting it.
Jess was feeling so upset that when Chloe touched her, she jumped round and barked sharply, showing her teeth. What was going on? She stared angrily at Chloe, who was scrambling away, crying. Silly girl!
Why couldn’t Chloe just leave her alone?
Chapter Three
Chloe kept away from Jess after that. Her behaviour had brought back all those bad memories of the dog in the park. Chloe visited Will, and spoke to him on the phone a couple of times, but whenever he asked her about Jess, she just said that Grandad was taking her for lots of walks and wriggled out of saying any more.
Grandad really loved dogs, and Jess liked him, but it wasn’t the same as racing all over the park with Will. The puppy was bursting with energy, and a couple of short walks a day just weren’t enough. Jess was used to a quick walk before school, and then another really long one with Will and Dad later on. But Dad was working late so he could fit in visiting Will in hospital. He didn’t have much time for dog-walking. Collies needed so much exercise and Jess really hated being stuck in the house. She was bored.
It was the first morning of the holidays, so Jess hadn’t even had her walk to school. She wandered round the house with her lead, looking hopeful, but Mum was busy sorting out some books to take to Will, and Jess knew Chloe wouldn’t take her. Mum had encouraged Jess to go out into the garden, but that was no fun without someone to play with. She looked around the kitchen, trying to find something interesting to do. She pushed her squeaky bone across the floor for a while, but what she really needed was Will to throw it for her to chase.
Her bone was up against the kitchen cupboards now, so Jess scrabbled with one paw to get it back into the middle of the floor. But her claws caught on the cupboard door instead. It opened a little way, and then bounced shut.
Jess stared at it, fascinated. Then she carefully hooked her claws round the edge of the door again. Again, the door bounced and banged.
The next time, she pulled it a little too hard, and it didn’t bang back. Jess went to nudge the door again with her nose, but then she caught a delicious and interesting whiff from the cupboard.
There was food in there. Jess used her nose to push the door further open and found the cereal packets.
“Oh no! Mu-um!” Chloe was standing in the kitchen doorway, staring at Jess, who looked back rather guiltily. She was surrounded by chewed-up cardboard and an awful lot of cornflakes.
“What’s the matter? Oh, Jess!” Mum had come downstairs and was gazing at the mess in horror. “You bad dog,” she said crossly. “What a waste. I hope you’re not going to be sick now.”