Dog for Sale

Craigslist

Tess lay in bed playing Nintendogs until the sun set. She winced as she heard Mom's voice downstairs.

"What did you do? You bad dog!" Mom shrieked. "You are supposed to do that outside! I paid good money for that dog door, mister!"

Tess heard the office door close and returned her attention to Nintendogs.

"Good boy, Gerald," she said to the twelve pixels that made up a golden retriever. "Have a banana nut muffin."

Tess fell asleep.

Mom opened the door to Tess' room and opened the curtains, letting in the morning light. Brönsweir ran in after her and jumped on the bed.

"Say goodbye to your dog," Mom said. "His new owner is here to pick him up."

"Already?" Tess groaned.

"I'm a master at online sales, honey. What can I say?"

"Did you say he was named after somebody famous?" Tess inquired skeptically.

Mom turned around and left. Brönsweir jumped down from the bed and ran out after her. Tess heard a familiar voice downstairs.

"WATCHA DOIN' THERE, PUP? OH NO I WAS TALKING TO YOU MA'AM. BUT HARRY STYLES IS CUTE TOO."

"Chadlam?" Tess mumbled as she slumped out of bed and shuffled toward the commotion.

She found Mom, Brönsweir/Harry Styles, and Chadlam in the kitchen. Chadlam handed Mom a check and opened the front door. Brönsweir ran outside, but Chadlam didn't seem too concerned.

"I JUST CAN'T WAIT FOR HIM TO MEET POOKY. THOSE PUPS ARE GONNA BE LIKE TWO PEAS IN A POD."

Chadlam stepped outside just in time to see Brönsweir jump into the open window of his jeep. Pooky jumped out the window, and Brönsweir followed her. Chadlam ran out onto the driveway as the dogs ran away down the sidewalk and through the neighbor's flower bed. 

"POOKY! YOU MAY NOT RUN AWAY"

Pooky didn't listen. Mom and Tess watched as Chadlam climbed into the window of his jeep and drove after the dogs. 

"I feel kind of bad for him," Mom lied.

Tess pulled her DS out of her pocket and opened up Nintendogs.

"Maybe it was just meant to be," she said.

A minivan pulled into their driveway, and Tess looked at Mom for an explanation.

"I put up two ads last night," Mom said, grinning.

"But Brönsweir's already gone," Tess said nervously.

"This guy is here for something else."

Tess was frightened by the look on Mom's face, and she pointed questioningly at herself.

"You didn't sell me, did you?"

Mom laughed and laughed... and laughed. Then she sighed, smiled, and took the DS from Tess. She tossed it in the air and caught it in the opposite hand as she approached the car. She turned back as she handed the game to the minivan guy.

"I told you, Tess. I am a master at online sales."