At twelve thirty, the phone rings. One of Floyd’s rules is that you always answer the telephone. I pick it up like it’s a rabid ferret.

Marigold says, “Do you both like corn on the cob? We thought we’d do a corn boil this evening. Barbecue some hot dogs. It’s too hot to cook indoors.”

“We can’t come today.”

There’s a pause. “Are you all right?”

I make an effort to talk normal. “I’m fine. But we can’t come.”

Cassie gloms herself to my leg. “Today’s the day we go see Caramel.”

How does she know it’s Thursday? “We can’t, Cassie ... sorry, Marigold, but not today.”

“I want to see Caramel!” Cassie grabs for the phone.

“We’re not going!”

She starts wailing. “Bye, Marigold,” I say, and slam the phone into its cradle. “I’m not going to Docker’s dojo anymore, Cassie. So we’re staying home.”

“No more play-store?” She wails louder, stomping her feet and slapping at my thigh.

Her slaps hurt. Why wouldn’t they? She’s seen me slapped and she’s been slapped. Over the racket, I say, “We’ll go to MacTaggart’s and you can buy some candy, okay?”

“Caramel’s not allowed in MacTaggart’s.”

“Gummi bears.”

The wail subsides to a snuffle. “I love Caramel,” she says.

“I know you do. You’ll see him another day.”

I dress her in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt so no one at the store will see the bruises. After I take some money from the jar in the pantry, we’re out the door. At the end of our driveway, I stop the ATV to check for trucks.

Cassie screams, “Caramel!”

Tully and Caramel are walking toward us, Caramel on a red leash. I switch to the foot brake and wrap one arm around Cassie as she squirms on the seat.

“Down, Brick—I want down!”

Caramel yaps, wagging his tail. Tully’s staring at me, her mouth set, her eyes as green and hard as sea-glass. I tighten my grip on Cassie. “Quit wriggling.”

“No harm in her patting Caramel,” Tully says. “Don’t you let her do anything that’s any fun?”

I let go. Cassie slides down onto the side of the road, then embraces Caramel. If she had a tail, it’d be wagging. I say, “We can’t stop long.”

“I’m gonna stay with Caramel,” Cassie says.

“No, you’re not!”

“I thought you were leaving her with us today,” Tully says.

“No.”

Cassie screeches, “I am so staying with Caramel!”

“She can stay the rest of the day,” Tully says. “Mom likes having her, and Cassie likes being at our place. It gives her a break.”