Chapter Three

Matthew called Helen into the study.

"Lying; sneaking around! After we specifically told you four 'no pets'… Yet you go behind our backs and get a pet!"

The children had never seen their mother look so angry before. She was pacing. They could only sit there uncomfortably.

"Your mother's right." Matthew looked almost as upset as his wife. "What you children did was inexcusable."

"But, Dad, it's not what it looks like," Peter cut in hastily "I mean it is, but we had a good reason for disobeying you and Mum!" He looked at his younger siblings, who nodded in agreement.

"Tell us, then," Matthew said, as he and his wife waited.

Peter told them everything. "So you see we had to do something for the puppy or else it would have starved," he concluded.

Helen sighed. "That's not the point. Why didn't you just ask?"

"Because we knew you'd say 'no'," said Edmund. "You and Dad always say 'no'."

Lucy was on the verge of tears as she held Tumnus tightly. "Please, Mummy and Daddy? Please can we keep him? We… we love him!" The other children nodded in agreement.

Helen and Matthew moved to the other side of the parlor to confer in hushed tones. After what seemed a very long, tense silence, they returned.

"All right," Helen sighed. "This is what you're going to do: one, you children are grounded for two months, one month for disobeying and one month for lying. And before you say one word, Edmund, let me remind you all that by not telling Daddy and me about the dog right away, you basically lied. Two, tomorrow, I am going to run an advertisement in the paper to see if anyone lost a dog. If no one claims it within two weeks, then you can keep it. Is this understood?"

The four children looked up in surprise.

"Really?!" Lucy cried eagerly.

"Am I clear?"

They nodded (what choice did they have?).

"Good," said Helen, her tone gentler. She looked at the clock. "Edmund and Lucy, get ready for bed. Susan, you and Peter finish your homework."

"Yes, Mum," said four voices in unison. The four of them trudged upstairs.

"I have never seen Mum look so angry," Susan said softly, as the four of them brushed their teeth.

Lucy scooped up Tumnus. "He's sleeping with me tonight," she said, eyeing her older siblings as if daring them to challenge her.

"I'd wait a bit until Mum and Dad aren't so angry at us," Peter said wisely. He looked toward the bathroom door.

Lucy pouted, but set Tumnus down as Peter snapped off the light.