Helping Hands (11 page)

“We’re all so happy that you’re back. We missed you!” Sunita says, her dark eyes wide and smiling. Sunita Patel means everything she says, so I feel extra welcomed. I just wish I could be happy to be back, too. But right when I start to feel sad again, a bell jingles and the door bursts open. Maggie and Josh rush in.

“Okay, the dogs are all exercised and in their kennels. Let’s get to David’s!” Maggie says, flipping her ponytail behind her back. “His mom has lunch for all of us.”

“Yum, let’s go,” Brenna says.

“Thanks for your help, Josh and Jules, Maggie and Zoe. And I’ll see Brenna and Sunita sometime this week,” Gran calls from her paperwork. Poor Gran. The pile does not seem any smaller.

“Hang on, guys,” I say. “Let me get changed. I’ll be right back.”

I rush upstairs and throw on one of my new pairs of jeans with a lime green sweater and matching ballet flats. I give myself a quick glance in the mirror and add a necklace of multicolored glass beads. It’s nothing too special, but I’m short on time. I run a comb through my hair, grab a lip gloss and rejoin the rest of the group.

We head across the street to David’s house. I’m glad my first day back is one with all the Vet Volunteers. Everyone seems excited to see me. But I sure do wish I knew whether Maggie was happy to have me back or not.

I take a hard look at my cousin to see if I can find the answer in her face, but she is busy twirling the cat toothbrush Gran sent along for David’s cat at Sunita. Josh, Jules, and Brenna are talking about some Stream Cleanup Day they did. And I just trail behind, wondering how I’ll fit back in—
if
I’ll fit back in—with this tight group of friends: the Vet Volunteers.