A Brush with Death

“What are you doing, trying to kill her?” JoLee stood over Lucy, lips raised. Lucy wagged her long skinny tail, pathetically.

“I didn’t mean to, really! How is it my fault, anyway?”

“Well, Mom has told you not to leave your toys around, hasn’t she?”

“Yes. Yes, she has. But I thought she was just saying that. You don’t pi---“

“Never mind what I do or don’t do. This is about you. First, Mom stepped on that red rubber thingie that you left at the bottom of the stairs into the Observation Deck. She almost bought the farm with that one. And THEN you left a cow hoof out in the middle of the floor, and Mom stepped on it, BAREFOOT, in the dark hours of the morning while she was trying to get ready to go to the gym!”

“I’m s s s sorry…”

Elbie came trotting up. “Oh, give her a break, you big bully. You know it could have been any one of us who left those there – just because she’s a pup doesn’t mean it was her fault.”

Jo gave Elbie a murderous look. “Hush. I’m trying to make an impression here.”

Lucy’s tail started wagging, in a much more relaxed way. “You mean it might not have been my fault, Elbie?” She rolled onto her back and started wiggling. “It might have been Jo who left those toys out?” She hopped back up onto her feet and dropped into a play bow.

JoLee growled at Elbie. “Now you’ve done it. Thanks a lot.”

And he stalked down the stairs, with Lucy nipping at the backs of his legs the whole way.