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ES POV
I was awakened quickly the next morning by Mrs. Cope. She was sitting on the edge of my bed.
"Elizabeth Swan! What do you have to say for yourself?" she asked pointing over to the bed beside me. I looked and there was Spunky. He was tugging the cover up over him with his teeth.
"Ohhh my goodness!" I exclaimed.
I knew I was in trouble again. After I was dressed, I was sent to wait outside Mrs. Volturi's office. I was watching as the other girls made their way into the dining room, when Mrs. Volturi came out of her office.
I gulped when I saw the angry look on her face.
"Elizabeth Swan, come into my office. At once," she snapped at me.
I slid out of the chair and followed her into the room with my head bowed. I really didn't see what all the fuss was about. It was raining so hard last night and I didn't want Spunky to get sick, so I brought him inside. What was so wrong about that?
Once we were closed up in her office, she stood leaning against her desk with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Elizabeth, this is the second time in a month that you have been called into my office," she said.
"Yes ma'am," I said quietly.
"The last time you were here, your sister Isabella was also brought before me. You both admitted at that time that you had been singing and dancing without permission," she said.
"Yes ma'am, I replied with my lips trembling.
I was trying hard to be brave and not cry. Bella didn't like it when I cried because it made her sad too. I didn't like it when Bella was sad.
"Do you know why you are here this time?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am," I replied.
"Then tell me why," she told me.
I thought for a minute then I spoke.
"Don't you know?" I asked her and wondered why grown ups always asked you why you did something.
She cleared her throat.
"Quiet. Now, Elizabeth, tell me why you are here," she said.
I paused for a minute before answering.
"Because I took a pony to bed with me," I told her.
"Child, you are absolutely uncontrollable!" she said flapping her hands.
I watched as she walked behind her desk with big wide eyes.
"Yes ma'am," I said.
"Elizabeth, I am well aware that your late father and mother were in the theatrical profession and that you therefore came to this home with no concept of discipline. Under the circumstances I have made every allowance for you, but when you bring animals into the dormitory I must act," she snapped.
"That's what my daddy and mommy used to do!" I said excitedly.
"What?" she asked as if not believing what I said.
"Act," I told her with a wide grin.
"Don't be impudent. Now, your pony and your duck will be sold immediately," she told me.
I felt tears come to my eyes when she said that.
"Please, Mrs. Volturi, please! I'll be good, but don't take Spunky away from me and my poor little duck," I begged.
"And why not?" she asked.
"Because my pony and my duck are not just ordinary animals. My mommy and my daddy teached them to do tricks on the stage," I told her.
I was trying so hard to get her not to sell my animals. They were gifts from my mommy and daddy and they were special to me. Except for Bella, they were the only family I had left.
"And just what is your duck trained to do?" she asked.
"Oh my duck does a wonderful trick; my duck can lay an egg," I replied.
"And just what is wonderful about that?" she asked.
"Well, can you lay an egg?" I asked with my eyes wide.
Mrs. Volturi got all choked up again and had to clear her throat again. She sure seemed to have to do that a lot.
"Oh excuse me," I said realizing I had probably said the wrong thing.
"Elizabeth, I have decided to get rid of your pony and your duck; they will be sent away this morning," she said.
"Yes ma'am," I said while struggling to hold back my tears.
"No sniveling, now," she told me as I slid off the chair.
"Yes ma'am," I said, as I opened the door.
"What?" she said.
"No ma'am," I said, as I walked out the door.
I ran to find Bella; she was in the kitchen. I crawled up in her lap and buried my face in her neck and cried.
"There there now, baby, don't cry," she pleaded with me.
"Bella, don't let them; please don't let them send Spunky and my duck away," I pleaded.
"Oh, darling. Now, listen to me, dear, listen very carefully to what I'm going to tell you," Bella told me, as she continued to rock me.
"Alright, Bella," I said, as I looked up into her face.
"Spunky would be very unhappy, if he saw you crying wouldn't he?" she asked.
"I spose so," I answered back.
"You don't want to make him unhappy do you?" she asked.
"Oh no," I answered quickly.
That thought made me sad too.
"Alright then, when it comes time to say goodbye to Spunky, you'll have to be just as brave as brave can be;so you can make him brave too. See?" she explained.
"Spunky and I are such awfully good friends," I told her and laid my head down her shoulder again.
"I know, dear," she said, as she rocked me some more.
"Alright, Bella, I'll try to be brave about Spunky and my duck," I told her.
It wasn't going to be easy though. I would miss them terribly and I knew they would miss me too.
"Good for you," she said with a smile then asked me if I wanted to help her get lunch.
I loved that idea because I liked to make good things to eat and I especially liked to eat them.