Natalie Wants a Puppy by Dandi Daley Mackall Read Free Book Online

right?”
    Puppy is sitting on my feet. I have to look around until I see that fluffy Percy curled up on the rug by the sink. “Yeah.”
    Granny acts like she’s opening Christmas presents. “All right! That makes how many in the kitchen?”
    “Four.” I look at my math problem: 4 - 1 = ? I know that one already. Only Granny is having too much fun teaching me.
    “We’ll take away one.” Granny runs out of the kitchen. “How many are left, Nat?” she shouts from the hallway.
    “Three, Granny!” I shout back. I write the answer on my sheet.
    That just leaves the bonus problem. I never do those. Sasha is the only one who does those when her parents help. And Anna can do some of them by herself. Not me. I fold my worksheet.
    Granny comes back and sits next to me at the table. “Wait! We still have one problem left.”
    “That’s okay. It’s just an extra.”
    Granny unfolds my paper. “Nat, you can get this one!”
    This one is: 3 - 2 + 3 = ?
    “It’s too hard.” My voice has whining in it.
    “Nonsense.” Granny points to the 3. “How many people have you always had in your family, Nat?”
    “Mommy, Daddy, and me.” Saying this makes my neck a little chokey. I wish they were here now. “Three.”
    Granny points to the 2. “Take away, or subtract, two of them as they fly to China, and that leaves…?”
    “One,” I answer. ‘Cause I know that’s what Granny wants me to say. Only I am answering louder on the inside. That leaves ME! That’s what! And my neck is getting chokier.
    “Good!” Granny says. “So now we have one. And here come three more! Your mom and your dad and your new little brother. Now how many do you have in your family, Nat?”
    I don’t answer.
    “Come on, Nat. You know this one,” Granny says.
    I do know this one.
    “What’s the answer, Nat?” Granny asks.
    I don’t want to answer. But my granny won’t stop until I do. “Four,” I say soft, writing down that answer.
    “Right answer, Nat!” Granny shouts.
    Only it doesn’t feel like a right answer. And as soon as Granny walks away, I get out my worksheet,erase that 4, and write 3. On account of I don’t like adding anymore.

Chapter 15
Last Days
    Granny and I put Puppy to bed in her kennel. Only this time she doesn’t want me to leave her. Somehow, this makes me sadder about Mommy and Daddy being gone.
    I can hear Puppy whining when Granny and I go to my bedroom. Percy is already curled up on my bed. I curl up with him.
    “Granny, I want them to be home.” Tears leak out of me. “Why did they have to go get a baby? I liked it with just us. I don’t need a little brother.”
    Granny sits on my bed and hugs me. Her cheek is against my cheek. She whispers in my ear, “Maybe God knew that your little brother needs you, Nat. He’s so young. But he’s already had a hard time in China.”

    “How come?” I ask, still staying hugged.
    “He was born with his lips and mouth not quite right,” Granny says. “That’s why he got put in the orphanage.”
    I don’t want to know this part. “Does his mouth hurt?”
    “He’s already had an operation on it. He might need more.” Granny stops talking. I can feel that she loves her grandson already.
    After more hugging, but no more talking, Granny says her prayers. I say mine. Then she tucks me in. When we’re quiet, I can still hear my puppy doing whining in the kitchen. “Puppy’s too lonely, Granny.”
    “I’ll check on her, sweetheart.” She pets Percy’s fluffy back until he purrs.
    “I wish Percy would like Puppy,” I say. “Puppy just wants to be friends.”
    “You’re right about that, Nat. Seems like that’s how it should work, doesn’t it? Percy’s had a whole lot of loving his whole life. Puppy hasn’t had much of it. She could sure use some of that love.”
    I get it. I know my granny is talking about more than cats and dogs.
    In the morning, I run to the kitchen to see my puppy. She is already eating her breakfast.
    “Natalie