Jingle Bell Bark by Laurien Berenson Read Free Book Online Page B

gratefully into my hand. “It might need some cleaning up over there, if you know what I mean.”
    I could well imagine. Beside me, Alice snorted indelicately. I guessed that meant we both could.
    â€œI can’t believe you’re doing this,” she said as we left Betty’s house and went trooping back to Henry’s house.
    â€œI have to do this,” I said. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t.”
    â€œWhat on earth are you going to do with two huge Golden Retrievers? You can’t be thinking of taking them home. You’ve never even met these dogs. What if they’re vicious?”
    â€œMost Goldens have wonderful temperaments.” We stepped up onto the stoop and I fit the key into the lock. “Besides, why would Henry have vicious dogs?”
    Pepper and Remington were barking again. Seeing us from inside, they’d followed us though the house as we’d gone around. Now both dogs were in the kitchen, yelping and throwing themselves enthusiastically against the back door. I hoped I was going to be able to get it open and slip inside without one or the other making an escape.
    â€œWhere will they stay while you’re at school?” Alice asked, peering unhappily over my shoulder at the boisterous pair.
    â€œGood question,” I admitted.
    â€œNot to mention the fact that it’s almost Christmas. You can’t tell me you don’t have a million other things to do.”
    She was right again.
    â€œThis is utter madness,” said Alice. Since my responses thus far had been less than satisfactory, she poked me hard in the ribs. “Who would take on the care of two big, strange dogs on the spur of the moment at this time of year, just because they needed a home?”
    I paused and straightened. My expression brightened. Put like that, I suddenly knew the answer.
    â€œAunt Peg,” I said.
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    As Betty Bowen had warned us, Remington and Pepper had indeed made a mess. While I found two strong leather leashes and snapped them to the Goldens’ collars so I could take the dogs outside for a much needed walk, Alice set about cleaning up.
    I told her to wait until I came back in; I insisted I’d do the job myself. But Alice waved away my objections and stooped down to open the cabinet beneath the sink, checking for cleaning supplies.
    â€œI’m a mother,” she grumbled. “It’s not like I haven’t seen worse.”
    Remington and Pepper were so excited by the prospect of a walk that they dragged me out the door and down the steps. Under normal circumstances, the pair was probably leash trained. Now they were barely controllable.
    Not that I could blame them. Semi-free for the first time in days, they had plenty of excess energy. They raced and played, barking with glee. Tethered to them by the length of two six-foot leashes, I just did my best to keep up.
    It was at least fifteen minutes before the dogs’ high spirits showed the slightest sign of flagging. By that time I was thoroughly whipped. Nothing like a couple quick laps around the block to hammer home the point that my life was a little light on aerobic exercise. Like eating more fiber and learning to appreciate opera, it was one of those things I was planning to get to when my schedule cleared.
    Steering the pair back inside, I immediately noticed a difference. The house smelled a whole lot better than it had when we’d left. Alice, wearing bright yellow rubber gloves that covered her arms all the way up to the elbows, was looking quite pleased with herself.
    â€œLysol, and lots of it,” she said. “As soon as I drag these bags outside to the garbage, you’ll never even know there was a problem in here.”
    While she did that, I looked in the cupboard where I found a big bag of lams kibble. Two dog bowls were sitting empty on the floor; I rinsed them out and added them to the pile. Alice helped me carry everything