Although there had been a spell of hot weather, this day in mid-May was fresh, and she was wishing she’d worn a sweater. But the sun was shining and soon the temperature would rise. All around her were signs of full-blown spring. The riotous flowers, the noisy nesting birds, the bright green leaves on the trees. Abby breathed in a lungful of fragrant air and smiled. It was a beautiful day and her spirits were high. Before she’d left for school that morning, her parents had called from the clinic. Her mother was working hard in her treatment, and her father was using the time to finish a mountain of paperwork he’d brought from his office. Five weeks remained before her parents were due to return. Joy Featherstone and Diva had moved in the day they’d left. Diva was a curious, friendly dog, given to mischievous jokes, like hiding one shoe or moving her food to a location of her own choosing. Abby had wondered if Diva would get along with Cody, but so far it wasn’t an issue: Diva followed Joy everywhere, and Cody kept his distance.
