BlueyCapsules | VOLUME TWO

A Bump in the Road / Fruity Maze!

 Elizabeth had been spending more time at Susie's, lately, than at home. She had noticed recently that, even when she didn't come home for standing hour, father didn't notice. Father never noticed anything, anymore...not when it came to her or Michael. He'd been acting funny, recently, ever since the house got broken into. He wouldn't even tell them what had happened.

Elizabeth wasn't sure she wanted him to notice her anymore, anyway.

"Girls, I need to talk to you real quick." Liz looked up as Susie's mom pushed the door open, just slightly. She put down the plastic dinosaur she'd been playing with. "It took a bit longer than we wanted, but your mama is behind the door, and she has a very special surprise! I'll open it on the count of three. Are you girls ready?"

"Yeah!!" Susie cried, clearly excited; Elizabeth wanted to be excited, but instead, her tummy hurt. Father never had good surprises, no matter what he said. She swallowed hard, and suddenly Susie's hand was on her shoulder. "Elizabeth, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Liz blinked. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine! Let's see it!"

"Okay," Susie's mom hummed. "A one, and a two, and -" She swung the door open. "A-three!" Susie's mama was standing there, holding up the sweetest puppy that Liz had ever seen. He was perfect; Fluffy and yellow and small, with a silly tuft of fur poking straight up on his head. Liz felt her reservations fade, excitement filling her chest as she got to her feet.

"Oh, he's so cute!"

"I love him!" Susie picked the puppy up, bouncing him in her arms excitedly. "Puppy, puppy, puppy!"

"What are you going to name him?" Susie's mama asked. Susie thought for a moment, and then grinned.

"Oh! I have a great idea!"

"Me too!" Elizabeth said. "Let's say our ideas at the same time!"

"Thumbtack!"

Miraculously, it was the same idea.

"What a great name!" Susie's mama fastened a spiked collar around Thumbtack's neck, while Susie held him. "We'll get thumbtack a proper tag later."

"Badass," Liz said softly.

"Elizabeth!" Susie's mom scolded, causing her to jump. "Don't say bad words."

"Oh, sorry..." Elizabeth swallowed. Bad words? Michael said badass all the time...or, at least, he used to. "Must've picked it up from my older brother." Susie's mothers left them to play with the new puppy, which was very excited to see them. "What a cute little doggy...we're going to start teaching him lots of tricks!"

"Oh, yes," Susie agreed, patting the dog on the head. "He'll learn lots of things! Like how to sit, roll over, fetch, play dead..."

"Avoid cars," Elizabeth added firmly, having a terrible thought of what

thump roll you killed my puppy you

could happen if they weren't careful. "Never go out to the front yard."

"Oh, that too!" Susie agreed, but Liz could tell she wasn't taking it seriously as she picked Thumbtack up again. "I can already tell, we're going to be a great family!"

Susie had been careful. She swore, she had been.

They were just playing when it happened, rolling a ball around the house while mommy cooked - and Susie had only taken her eyes off him for a second. If Liz were there, she thought, maybe she'd've caught him. The front door swung open and there stood her mama, carrying big paper bags of groceries.

"Mama, you're home!" Susie ran up to her, wrapping her arms tight around her middle.

"Oh! Hello princess!" Mama said with a smile. "Let me set this down before we hug, okay?"