“IT WON’T BE THE SAME”

Gramps came to take Posey to school the next morning.

“Remember, no long faces,” her mom said. She handed Posey her lunch bag. “Gramps deserves to be happy. You can see Hero whenever you want.”

“It won’t be the same,” said Posey.

She went outside and got into Gramps’s truck.

“Morning,” he said. He backed down the driveway. “Your mom said she’s going to buy you a new dress for the wedding.”

“I know,” Posey said.

“Mrs. Romero wants to buy you a pair of shoes to go with it,” said Gramps.

“I don’t want new shoes.”

Gramps raised his eyebrows. “Even if they match your dress?”

Posey shook her head.

“How about you two picking out your flowers this afternoon?”

“I don’t care what kind they are,” said Posey.

“You don’t?” Gramps looked at her for a long minute. “If that’s how you feel, I will pass that information along.”

Posey went straight to her table when she got to Miss Lee’s room. She didn’t want to tell her friends about Hero yet. She knew it would make her cry.

Henry was already there.

“Did you see your new house yet?” Posey asked.

“No. My dad said it has a doghouse in the backyard, so we’re getting a dog,” Henry said.

“Doesn’t he know you’re afraid of dogs?” said Posey.

“He said I won’t be afraid when I get used to it. My sister said she wouldn’t move unless she could have one. We’re getting a small one.”

“A small dog will be good,” said Posey. “You can hold it in your lap.”

“That will make it easier for it to bite me,” said Henry.

At recess, Posey cried when she told Ava and Nikki and Grace about Mrs. Romero and Hero moving.

Nikki held her hand. Grace patted her face.

“Mrs. Romero is mean,” Ava said.

“She’s selfish,” said Grace. “That’s what my mom calls my brother when he takes all the cookies.”

“Maybe your mom will buy you a dog,” Nikki said.

They made her feel a little better. But Posey didn’t want a different dog.

She only wanted Hero.