IcouldneverreplaceMeg， ， perhaps， fillavoidinDad’slife.
I’dneverbeentoananimalhomebeforeandwasn’， butcats， acoupleofponies， threepygmygoatsandseveralrabbitswantednewhomes.
， Ifoundmyselfpouringoutmylifestorytothem.
Bahs， oneofthetwonurses， ， intheveryend， ’—asad， ， shestoppedandcameovertome， .
WhenIpokedmyfingersthroughthebars， ， ， shecameforwardandlickedmyfingers.
“She’sverygentle，” Iremarked， wonderinghowshewouldtaketomynoisychildren.I’dalreadylostmyhearttoherinawayIneverimaginedpossible！
“Herownersmovedaway，” Babssaid.“Theyputherinboardingkennels， sayingthey’’tgivehertrusteasily， butifshe’sgivenenoughlove—well， whoknows？”
“Howcruel！” Igasped.“Howcouldthey？”
“Oh， itcouldhavebeenalotworse，” Babscontinued.“Shewasneverphysicallyhurt， ’tbeartobealone.”
“She’dneverbealone，” IsaidandSadiewaggedhertailasifsheunderstood.“Andinourhouse， believeme， there’snoshortageoflove！”
WhenIgothome， ， asalways， ’tevenbothertoreadanymore， butseemedtospendhiswholelifejustwatchingtimeslipaway.
“Dad...”
Heturnedandlookedupatme， takingamomentortwotoregisterthatIwasn’’， ...hestretchedouthishandandcalledtoher.
“Comeon， lass，” hesaidsoftly.“Iwon’thurtyou.”
Atlast， sheventureduptohimandsniffedathisblanket.
“What’shername？” Dadaskedme.
“Sadie.”
“Hello， Sadie.”
Shesatbesidehim， ’dnevertiredofdoingthat， justashe’dnevertiredofpettingMeg.
“Sheneedsalotoflove，” Isaidandexplainedwhy.
， toanimals， childrenorevenoveradults.
“Well，” hesaidsoftly.“We’？”
“Well， I...”
