Say Good-bye by Laurie Halse Anderson

people.”
    “Tell me, J.J.,” Jane asks. “What are the alternatives?”
    Gran takes a deep breath. “With no treatment, Yum-Yum doesn’t have much time left. It’s difficult to be exact. But at most, I’d say… one, maybe two months.”
    Jane gasps. “That’s all?”
    Gran nods. “It happens pretty fast, I’m afraid. I could give him medicine to make him more comfortable.” She pauses a moment, and what she says next chills me to the bone. “And, of course, putting him to sleep is another alternative.”
    “No,” Jane whispers.
    “It’s not easy, but it can be a very kind thing to do for a pet who’s seriously ill,” Gran says.
    Jane vigorously shakes her head. “But I couldn’t, J.J. I just couldn’t put him down.”
    “It’s not an easy thing to do,” Gran says again.
    Jane sits up then and blows her nose. A determined look comes over her face. “Thanks for being straight with me, J.J. I know you have Yum-Yum’s best interest at heart. But I’ve made up my mind. I love Yum-Yum too much. I can’t just sit around and do nothing while he…” She can’t finish the sentence. “You understand, don’t you, J.J.? I… I have to try.”
    “Sure,” Gran says with a reassuring smile. “A lot of people feel the same way you do.”
    “So, what do we do now?” Jane asks. I can see a little of her old spunkiness returning. “Can you do whatever we have to do here, at the clinic?”
    Gran shakes her head. “I want to send you and Yum-Yum to the university—to the veterinary hospital there. I know it’s a bit of a drive, but they have cancer specialists there. He’ll get the most up-to-date treatment available.” Gran gets up. “Here. I’ve got some information for you to read…”
    I slip out of the office and scoot down the hall to where Yum-Yum has been sleeping in a cage.
    He wags his tail when he sees me. “Hello, Yum-Yum,” I say cheerfully, and he barks back. Poor darling! He has no idea what’s going on or what lies ahead. I can’t believe this is happening to him! He’s one of the best dogs in the whole world. And he doesn’t just make Jane’s life happier. He makes those kids at the hospital laugh and forget their troubles. He really makes a difference in their world. And now this has to happen to him. What crummy luck! It’s so unfair!
    And suddenly I understand the look I saw in Emma Morgan’s eyes.

Chapter Seven
    •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •
    S herlock, sit!” Maggie commands.
    The basset hound’s rear end hits the ground.
    Maggie turns toward me, a smug smile on her freckled face, a challenge in her gray eyes.
    Something inside of me ignites. It’s Saturday morning, and we’re out in the yard. Maggie’s been told by Gran to give me some extra help with my dog training.
    But she’d better watch out, because I’m mad at the world. Mad that a wonderful dog like Yum-Yum has to get sick.
    I’m determined now to train Sneakers. And I know I need help. But I think my red-hairedcousin is using this opportunity to show off instead.
    Okay, so she grew up with animals and I didn’t. So she’s been able to watch Gran work in the clinic all these years. So she’s ahead of me when it comes to understanding animals.
    But there’s one thing Maggie doesn’t realize about me that she’s about to learn: I’m very competitive. At the private school I went to in Manhattan, I got straight A’s and was known as “the girl to beat.” Mom raised me to shine, and I worked hard never to disappoint her.
    So if Maggie wants to play that game with me, all I can say to her is,
Hope you’re not a sore loser.
    “Okay. We can do that.” I turn to Sneakers. “Okay, sweetie pie,” I coax. “Let’s show ‘em. Sit, now. Come on. Do it!”
    Sneakers just stands there, wagging his tail, looking up at me like he’s totally confused.
    I can feel Maggie staring at me, and my face grows hot. Frustrated, I speak to Sneakers more sternly. “Sit!