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A h the intercom “Yes?”

“It’s me, Aunt Terri Can Windsor come out to play?”

There was a long pause “I thought you and Joyce had left,” Aunt Terri finally said in that serious voice of hers But Abby wasn’t fooled She’d heard Aunt Terri talking to her dogs before, and her voice sounded soft and sweet

“We’re leaving pretty soon But I wanted to show Windsor my Minnie Mouse ears Just for a minute Please?”

She heard the lock turn and eagerly jumped off the chair

An instant later, the door to the roo to Windsor to follow her

He shot out like a bullet, running straight for Abby She giggled and plopped down on the floor, hugging him as he licked her face

“I’erms to Windsor,” Abby assured Terri “I’htening as she found it—“c’ntagious anymore And my throat doesn’t even hurt”

Terri folded her arms across her chest “Strep throat isn’t transferable fro your bacterial infection under control So I’m not particularly concerned about Windsor”

Abby had understood only half of what Aunt Terri had just said Aunt Terri was really s words

“Okay” She settled for that, pulling out her Minnie Mouse ears and waving the to Disneyland!”

The little dog was beside hi to snatch the ears with his teeth

Abby held theave theet you your ohen I’et Mickey ears since you’re a boy”

Terri sighed “Now Windsor is overstiet back to work”

“I’ed her Aunt Terri ay tall, so all she could reach were her knees, but she gave those a huge squeeze “You can walk Windsor Joyce and I will be gone when you get back Then you can work” Abby tipped back her head and gave Aunt Terri a hopeful look “And you won’t tell Daddy that I bothered you, right? Because I’ht, Aunt Terri?”