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‘Really?’ Jack asked ‘I wonder why that is’

I risked opening one eye in ti ‘I think it’s in case there’s any dispute later – like the McCawleys could accuse us of trying to steal their dog’

‘But they left hione all day, and there’s no sign of the back yet Poor Claude has been stuck out in the cold the whole time’

‘I know,’ Holly said, syain as she looked down atin until I knehat they’d decided ‘But we still have to call’

Jack sighed ‘Okay But then what? I can’t take him home with me – my landlord doesn’t allow pets’

I gave a lol in my supposed sleep What kind of an idiot doesn’t allow pets?

‘And he can’t stay here Perdita’s asleep upstairs She’ll lose it if she coenuinely sorry about the situation, but that didn’t change the fact that I was still homeless ‘Wasn’t there anybody in the street that had their ?’

‘Nobody,’ Jack replied, sounding glum He obviously remembered all the hurtful ear comments, too ‘This estate isn’t nearly as friendly as it looks from the outside’

‘I suppose not,’ Holly said ‘When I ht it would be a proper co by with cake and stuff’

Jack smiled ‘Me too That’s why I picked it But as it is … I can’t see ain, wanting to see Holly’s reaction

‘Really?’ Holly went very still, but I don’t think Jack noticed Silly man

‘Yeah I’ve already applied for a transfer, actually’

‘Right’ She sounded disappointed ‘Well That’s a shame What if the next postave a little sht Jack leaving was as bad an idea as I did

‘I’m sure he’ll cope,’ Jack said, but he looked a little sad at the idea, too

‘And Claude will miss you,’ Holly added, andto do with him?’

‘Call the council, I suppose,’ Jack said, with a sigh ‘See what they say If the McCawleys don’t ht … there’s probably a shelter they’ll take him to until his owners can collect him’

Holly’s nose scrunched up at that ‘The pound?’

Wait What? I gave up the pretence of being asleep and sat up, looking between theht? No ould Holly and Jack send me to the pound No way Not when I’d spentto find Jack a ho lonely They wouldn’t do that to me

‘Do you have the number at the council?’ Jack asked ‘We’d better call before it gets any later Who knows if they’ll be open to Christmas Eve’

‘I wrote it down Hang on’ Holly disappeared into the hall, and Jack stared after her They were really doing this

Even if I found a place for Jack in Maple Drive, it looked like there wasn’t one foranywhere at all

What on earth was I going to do? My little heart beat double ti here when Daisy and Oliver came back

Of not being wanted at all

I had a few moments while Holly found the phone number, I realised Just a few moments to decide what happened next in my life

Did I wait here, as if I were still tethered by that sparkly pink lead, and wait for them to send s went to die?

Or did I take my life in my own hands, and find my own future – and maybe even my family?

Put like that, it was no competition

With one last , and hter squeeze than it had been getting in that erbread – but Imy name, but it was too late