Another story on Ramona, following the same storyline of my other ones here.
Sorry if the end was rush, i had run out of inspirations.
Thanks For reading
DSCWin, thanks for the help, hope you like it
THE PUPPY
It was a normal hot afternoon, when Ramona was walking home from school noticed a small shape moved near a large dumpster searching for something. Ramona wasn't frightened by the shape but rather curious as to what it was. As she moved closer the shape turned around and Ramona gasped at the sight of a small puppy with hair clotted with trash and caked with mud. Ramona stopped when the puppy retreated its small yelp of a bark didn't slow Ramona down as she gently set her backpack on the ground and pulled out the other half of her sandwich she didn't eat at school.
"Hi there." Ramona coaxed holding a good size pitch of her sandwich. "Are you hungry?" The small dog tilted its head the clear sign it was sniffing out the new smell. "Here it's good. And it's all for you." Feeling a little hungry herself Ramona raised the remaining piece of her sandwich and began to eat it.
Something dry and rough touched her hand making her jump causing the small puppy to once again retreat behind the dumpster.
"No you're okay. I'm sorry." Ramona said soft once again. "I didn't mean to scare you. Here... Have something to eat. It's good. My daddy made it." The puppy slowly moved closer keeping its body ready to jump and hide when it needed it. But Ramona remained still, and the puppy reached its small dirty head towards the food and quickly gobbled it up. It began to search for more sniffing the area surrounding the piece before walking towards Ramona.
As it reached Ramona's hands she started to giggle softly as it began to lick her fingers tasting the small amounts of peanut butter and jelly that had gotten on her hands.
"Sorry puppy, I have no more." Ramona stood up and tossed her backpack onto her back. The puppy tilted its head to one side confused what the young girl had said. Ramona felt sad for the puppy as she hung her head and began to walk around it. How she wanted to pick it up, take it home, clean it and keep it with her for the rest of her life. She however didn't notice the small puppy walking just a few feet behind her it's tail up and wagging excitedly.
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She arrived home a few minutes later still not seeing or noticing the puppy. However, when she neared her front door her best friend and neighbor, Howie, came rushing towards her a large smile on his face. "Hey Ramona!" He said as he started to laugh. "When did you get a puppy?"
Ramona looked behind her and nearly squealed with excitement at the sight of the animal behind her. "It followed me!" She said a large smile spreading across her face.
"What do you mean it followed you?" Howie asked.
"Well, I saw it next to the dumpster back there. It was hungry, and I gave it some of my Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich from earlier."
"That's so cool!" Howie exclaimed slowly kneeling and allowing the puppy to sniff and lick his fingers. "Do you think you're going to keep it?"
"I'm not sure." Ramona said kneeling down next to Howie. "I would have to see what Daddy says when he gets home from work."
"I hope he says yes." Howie said and Ramona nodded with agreement. "What are you going to do before then?"
"I don't know." Ramona admitted. "I don't want it getting away and getting lost or taken."
"How about I help you hide it until your dad comes home. We can give it a bath and feed it more sandwiches."
"That would be so nice, Howie. Let's keep it in the garage. It would stay safe in there."
"Yep!" Howie agreed.
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It was three hours passed the time Ramona should have been home, when she walked through the door. She glanced back at the garage as that was where she had her secret puppy and felt bad she couldn't bring the dog I side her house.
"Mona!" Ramona's three-year-old sister, Roberta, came waddling towards her, her arms out ready for a hug she had waited for. Ramona was happy to oblige and hugged her sister closely.
"Hey Berta." Ramona said kissing her sister on top of her head. "What have you been up to today?"
"I...I had tea parties!" Her sister squealed and pulling out a picture she had drawn. It was mostly random colored lines scribbled everywhere. But seeing her sister so proud of it. "For you, Mona!" Ramona took her sisters picture and smiled sweetly at it.
"Thanks, Berta." She hugged her sister once again and looked down at her sister's drawing. "You know, Mommy was an artist, just like you."
"Yep! Beezee told me." Roberta squealed as their older sister Beatrice walked in looking very upset and happy at the same time.
"Oh thank heavens you're home." Beatrice said running over to hug her younger sister. "Where have you been? I was worried when you didn't come home."
"Sorry, Beezus," Ramona said feeling ashamed she made her older sister worry. "I saw Howie and we started playing. I did finish my homework." Ramona added hoping her sister wouldn't be too upset with her and wouldn't tell on her to their father.
"Okay." Beatrice said giving her sister an unconvinced look. "Well, since you finished with your homework would you please set the table? Dad should be home any minute for dinner."
"Okay." Ramona said wishing their younger sister was old enough to help. "Even though I helped with breakfast this morning." She muttered but Beatrice scolded her sister's complaining.
"I know you did, but since I helped get dinner cooked and heated through we need you to help as well." Ramona nodded and reluctantly began to place the plates on the table along with the utensils and glasses. As Beatrice started placing food on the table, Ramona grabbed one of their napkins and began to place little pieces of food to give to the dog that wasn't very happy to be alone in the garage. But she knew she'd be able to sneak out of the house for only a few minutes when her sister Beatrice got Roberta ready for bed.
The clock chimed six-thirty when they heard their father's car stopping on the driveway. Right on time, Ramona thought trying to keep her smiling face contained.
Robert Quimby walked through the front doors to the running hugs from his youngest daughter before his other two came and joined her. He always enjoyed their hugs as it made his horrible day at work seem meaningless.
"Something smells good," he said setting Roberta into her booster seat at the table.
"Of course it does," Beatrice said carefully carrying a water pitcher of juice to the table. "You prepared it. I just cooked it."
"And you're an excellent cooker." Robert smiled sitting down at the table followed by Beatrice and Ramona who sat next to her father.
Each of the older members bowed their head and said grace while Roberta, still oblivious of the concept of grace, reached desperately for a roll that was just out of her reach.
"Here you go sweetie." Robert said handing the roll to his baby girl. "So how was school you two?" Robert asked loading up his plate with the meal.
"It was great." Beatrice said standing up and handing her father a piece of paper. "I just have a permission slip for a movie the teacher wants to show us in History."
"What's the movie?" Robert asked sliding his reading glasses over his eyes and looking over the layout of the permission slip.
"It's a documentary on the Donner Party." Beatrice said carefully loading up Ramona's and Roberta's cups with the juice.
"Alright, remind me before you go to sleep and I'll sign it." Beatrice nodded and they continued to eat for a few more minutes. "How about you, Pickle? How was school?"
This was it, Ramona thought thinking of the best way to ask her dad. "School was great." Ramona said with a shrug. "Daddy, I've been so good in my school work, can I have a puppy?"
Robert looked down at his daughter who's large eyes were full of pleading. "Honestly, Pickle..." Robert sighed already fearing hurting his daughter. "But I don't think you can handle a puppy. They're a lot of responsibility."
"But daddy," Ramona whined. "I'm nine-years old. I kept my pet rock alive for years. Can I please have a puppy?"
"A pet rock is a lot different then a puppy." Robert laughed. Enjoying the sincerity in his daughter's voice. "Alright, give me one day to think about it okay?"
"Daddy! Puppy! Pwease?!" Roberta said grabbing Robert's shirt sleeve. "I help."
"Easy Princess," Robert said making sure his daughter didn't fall off her booster. "I know you'll help. But I'll think about it. I promise I will let you know dinnertime tomorrow."
"Okay, Daddy." Both of younger girls said sadness and fear that they wouldn't get the puppy that Ramona had brought home already.
/
It was getting close to bedtime and while Robert was in the shower getting ready for bed, and Beatrice was getting Roberta ready for bed, Ramona quietly left the house and headed for the garage with the napkin full of food. She wanted to see the small puppy, which she named Toto as it reminded her of Wizard of Oz. The puppy had indeed a mess as the puppy chewed up an old rocking chair and there were stains and smells that made her nearly sick to her stomach. But she knew it was normal.
"Toto," she called not daring to move further into the garage for fear of stepping into a stinky mess. "Toto, I got some food." A little black form raced back to her and jumped on her leg sniffing excitedly for the food which Ramona held in the napkin as well as a large bowl of water. She set the bowl down and Toto began to lap it up noisily giving her the chance to place the food on the ground next to it. Toto smelled the food and began to eat it. Ramona gently rubbed behind Toto's ears and looked dreamily at him. "Don't worry Toto," she said as he continued to eat. "I'm sure daddy will let me keep you. Tomorrow I'll prove that I can take care of you by picking up your mess." Toto's head snapped up and began to lick her fingers making Ramona giggle. "Good boy, Toto." She scratched his ears one more time before standing up. "I got have to go to bed now. I'll see you bright and early. Goodnight Toto." She blew a kiss at him and left the puppy once again. Who as soon as the door was closed began to whine and bark wanting her back.
Next day was Saturday, which means no class and a lot of play. Sure, it means as well that the three girls had to help their dad around the house, still, it didn´t prevent Ramona to grab some food from the freezer and run toward the garage, to play with Toto.
''what your sister is planning to do?'' Robert asked Beezus, while they helped each other in the kitchen.
''no idea Daddy'' she shrugged ''you know how Ramona is, always imagining things'' she laughed
''yep, I just hope she don´t get herself in trouble'' he laughs as they continue with proceeding making dinner.
Meanwhile, Ramona, making sure no one was seen her, rushed to the garage in order to take care of Toto and make a plan of how to convince her dad to let the puppy stay
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Later that day, grandma Ginny had come for a visit, she had spent the whole month traveling around the country and came in with a bag full of gifts to everyone. No need to say that the three girls were more than excited with the gifts and for a brief moment, Ramona completely forgot Toto, just remembering again, when Mrs. Ginny announced she would put her bag in the garage.
''oh, Granny, wait'' Ramona rush to her grandmother, preventing her to go anywhere ''i…I need to tell you something, but you can't go to the garage now'' she said
''what?'' the old woman asked confused and in a rush, Ramona told her grandmother all about the puppy she had found yesterday.
''I just do not know how to tell Daddy I found the puppy and ask him to let us keep it'' she said.
''its alright, sweetheart'' Mrs. Ginny smiled ''go back to the living room and let everything with me, I see what I can do'' she said and walk toward the garage.
Ten minutes later, the old woman came back with Toto in her arms ''look what I just found in the garage'' she said and in response, Robert and the three girls approach the grandmother.
''hey, how this little fellow got in here?'' Robert asked confuse.
''no idea, son, I just found I'm at the garage'' the mother smiled
''a puppy!'' Ramona pretended to be surprised ''can we keep it, Daddy?''
''I do not know, pickle…'' the father was a bit unsecure; he did not want to upset his daughter
''he's probably lost'' Beezus smiled
''well, if he's lost, probably someone is looking after him and we need to give him back'' Robert said
''oh, Robert, he isn't lost'' Mrs. Quimby said ''this puppy doesn't even have a license, he's a stray one and I think these girls need a bit of responsibility, like having their own dog''
''in this case, we can keep it, Daddy?'' Ramona asked
''please, Daddy!'' Roberta clapped her hands excited
''okay'' Robert raised his hands defeated ''if you insisted, but you two have to take care of him, ok, promise?''
''we promise Daddy!'' said Ramona happy that her dad let her and her sisters, have the small dog.
END