think it’s that bad, Sapphy.
She’s only just become ill . We’ll let it wait a day or so and see how she gets on.”
“You’re only saying that because the vet is expensive!” I burst out. “I’ll pay for it. I’ve still got most of my birthday money. That’ll be enough.”
“Sapphy, do you really think I’m the sort of mother who’d make you spend your birthday money on taking the dog to the vet? Do you?”
Mum sounds really upset.
“I don’t care. There’s nothing else I want to spend it on.” I know I’m being unfair. Mum doesn’t see the danger, because she doesn’t know what Sadie experienced last night.
“Listen,” says Mum soothingly, “stop worrying, Sapphy. If Sadie needs a vet, then she’ll go to a vet. But we’ll wait and see until tomorrow.”
“But she’s ill , Mum. Look at her. She looks as if all her life’s gone out of her.”
“It’s not as bad as that,” says Mum briskly. “You do exaggerate, Sapphire. There’s Conor coming down now.
Maybe he’ll be able to convince you.”
But Conor is in no mood for long discussions about Sadie’s welfare. He is giving an IT presentation at school today, and mental y he is already there, standing in front of the class. He barely glances at Sadie. “Calm down, Saph.
Sadie’s tired, that’s all .”
“Tired!”
“Got to go, Mum. Later, Saph.”
“Is that the time?” Mum exclaims. “Oh, no! Why do I keep getting these breakfast shifts?”
Conor grabs his bag, guitar, IT folder, bottle of water; and he’s out of the door.
“The bus, Sapphire! You’re going to miss the school bus!”
“It’s okay, Mum, you go to work. I’ve still got to pack my lunch. The bus doesn’t leave for ten minutes.” The door slams, and Mum’s gone.
Ten minutes. I open the fridge door and look inside. Milk, eggs, yogurt…I stare at them. What did I open the fridge for?
Wake up, Sapphire, you’re supposed to be making your lunch. Just then Sadie whines, very quietly and pitiful y. I slam the fridge door and hurry to her side. In a second the decision is made. I’m not going to school. I am taking Sadie to the vet. I know where his office is—on Geevor Hil . My birthday money is in the chest under my bed. Forty pounds.
If the vet sees that Sadie’s sick, surely he can do something for forty pounds?
“Come on, Sadie. Come on, now, good girl. We’re going to see someone who’l make you feel better.” I clip on Sadie’s col ar and tug gently. She clambers awkwardly to her feet and pads slowly across the floor to the front door.
I look up and down the street. No one’s about. “Come on, Sadie.” We make our way very slowly along the beach road and then up to the corner by the graveyard, where Geevor Hil begins. The vet’s office is halfway up. Sadie pants like a dog ten times her age. Her head droops to her chest.
“Why ent you at school, my girl?”
Oh, no, it’s Mrs. Eagle. She’ll tell Mum.
“Inset day,” I say quickly.
“Never had they in my day,” says Mrs. Eagle critical y.
“You belong to be at school on a working day.” I smile brightly and slip past her. “Just taking Sadie for a walk, Mrs. Eagle.”
“Don’t look to me like she wants to walk up Geevor; looks to me like she wants to go back downlong,” grumbles Mrs.
Eagle. I escape as fast as I can, almost dragging Sadie.
The vet’s office is the one with the blue door. But on the blue door there is a laminated notice:
VETERINARY HOURS, ST. PIRANS:
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS ONLY. 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
It is Monday. They’re closed. Sadie looks up at me in mournful exhaustion. I know in every fiber of my body that Mum and Conor are wrong. Sadie’s condition is serious.
There isn’t time to wait for tomorrow’s office hours. Sadie needs help now, and there’s only one person who might be able to give it. Granny Carne.
She’s only just become ill . We’ll let it wait a day or so and see how she gets on.”
“You’re only saying that because the vet is expensive!” I burst out. “I’ll pay for it. I’ve still got most of my birthday money. That’ll be enough.”
“Sapphy, do you really think I’m the sort of mother who’d make you spend your birthday money on taking the dog to the vet? Do you?”
Mum sounds really upset.
“I don’t care. There’s nothing else I want to spend it on.” I know I’m being unfair. Mum doesn’t see the danger, because she doesn’t know what Sadie experienced last night.
“Listen,” says Mum soothingly, “stop worrying, Sapphy. If Sadie needs a vet, then she’ll go to a vet. But we’ll wait and see until tomorrow.”
“But she’s ill , Mum. Look at her. She looks as if all her life’s gone out of her.”
“It’s not as bad as that,” says Mum briskly. “You do exaggerate, Sapphire. There’s Conor coming down now.
Maybe he’ll be able to convince you.”
But Conor is in no mood for long discussions about Sadie’s welfare. He is giving an IT presentation at school today, and mental y he is already there, standing in front of the class. He barely glances at Sadie. “Calm down, Saph.
Sadie’s tired, that’s all .”
“Tired!”
“Got to go, Mum. Later, Saph.”
“Is that the time?” Mum exclaims. “Oh, no! Why do I keep getting these breakfast shifts?”
Conor grabs his bag, guitar, IT folder, bottle of water; and he’s out of the door.
“The bus, Sapphire! You’re going to miss the school bus!”
“It’s okay, Mum, you go to work. I’ve still got to pack my lunch. The bus doesn’t leave for ten minutes.” The door slams, and Mum’s gone.
Ten minutes. I open the fridge door and look inside. Milk, eggs, yogurt…I stare at them. What did I open the fridge for?
Wake up, Sapphire, you’re supposed to be making your lunch. Just then Sadie whines, very quietly and pitiful y. I slam the fridge door and hurry to her side. In a second the decision is made. I’m not going to school. I am taking Sadie to the vet. I know where his office is—on Geevor Hil . My birthday money is in the chest under my bed. Forty pounds.
If the vet sees that Sadie’s sick, surely he can do something for forty pounds?
“Come on, Sadie. Come on, now, good girl. We’re going to see someone who’l make you feel better.” I clip on Sadie’s col ar and tug gently. She clambers awkwardly to her feet and pads slowly across the floor to the front door.
I look up and down the street. No one’s about. “Come on, Sadie.” We make our way very slowly along the beach road and then up to the corner by the graveyard, where Geevor Hil begins. The vet’s office is halfway up. Sadie pants like a dog ten times her age. Her head droops to her chest.
“Why ent you at school, my girl?”
Oh, no, it’s Mrs. Eagle. She’ll tell Mum.
“Inset day,” I say quickly.
“Never had they in my day,” says Mrs. Eagle critical y.
“You belong to be at school on a working day.” I smile brightly and slip past her. “Just taking Sadie for a walk, Mrs. Eagle.”
“Don’t look to me like she wants to walk up Geevor; looks to me like she wants to go back downlong,” grumbles Mrs.
Eagle. I escape as fast as I can, almost dragging Sadie.
The vet’s office is the one with the blue door. But on the blue door there is a laminated notice:
VETERINARY HOURS, ST. PIRANS:
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS ONLY. 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
It is Monday. They’re closed. Sadie looks up at me in mournful exhaustion. I know in every fiber of my body that Mum and Conor are wrong. Sadie’s condition is serious.
There isn’t time to wait for tomorrow’s office hours. Sadie needs help now, and there’s only one person who might be able to give it. Granny Carne.
Similar Books
