Mrs. Baron, Wally and I have grown very fond of Samson. He may have been your dog at one time, but giving him up now would be like losing another family member.â
Jesseâs grandmotherâs face hardened. âI understand how you feel, Mrs. Morúa. But the fact is, the dog still belongs to Jesse. You have no idea what weâve gone through trying to find him.â She pulled her checkbook and a pen out of her purse. âWe had been offering a fifty-dollar reward to anyone who found Jesseâs dog, and the offer still stands. Plus, Iâm willing to give you another fifty dollars for having taken care of the dog.â
Wallyâs mother dropped her hands and curled her lips in disgust. âMrs. Baron, Samson is not for sale!â
âWe didnât come here to buy the dog, Mrs. Morúa,â Jesseâs grandmother said sternly. âWe came to collect him. He belongs to us.â
Again, the parrot began whistling the national anthem.
âDo you have any proof that heâs yours?â Wally asked, jumping into the argument.
âDo you have any proof that heâs yours?â Jesse joined in.
Wally spun around and glared at him. âHe lives here with us. Iâd say thatâs pretty good proof.â
The parrot was now screeching its song.
âStop it, Orpheus!â Wally shouted, but the parrot ignored her and continued belting out the patriotic tune.
Jesse hadnât anticipated any of this. He thought they would come over, get Duck and leave. His grandmother had told him she was going to offer the family a hundred dollars. Who would turn down a hundred bucks for returning a dog that didnât belong to them in the first place?
âIâll give you a hundred and fifty,â Jesseâs grandmother said loudly, trying to make herself heard over the parrotâs noise. âI think thatâs more than generous, considering that heâs Jesseâs dog.â
âExcuse me.â Wallyâs mother got up and draped a bath towel over the bird cage, which settled the parrot down, and it stopped whistling.
Jesse gazed at the family photograph on the mantle. Then he looked down at Wally, who was squatted on the floor with her arms wrapped around Duckâs neck. As much as he would have liked to have gotten him back, he began to realize that Duck was no longer his dog. Besides, his grandparents already had Pollo and Gremlin. They didnât need a third pet. And how would Pollo feel having another dog in the back yard with him? Thatâs where Duck would end up. Jesseâs grandparents didnât believe in having a dog inside the house.
âPlease be reasonable, Mrs. Morúa,â Jesseâs grandmother said when Wallyâs mother returned. âWeâre grateful that you found Jesseâs dog, but . . . â
âNo, Güela,â Jesse interrupted. âDuckâs not my dog anymore. He belongs to them now. I think heâll be much happier living here.â
Wally looked up and exclaimed, âHoly cats! Are you serious?â
âYeah, you can have him.â Jesse hunched down and patted the dog on the head.
â Mijo , are you sure?â Jesseâs grandmother asked.
âYeah, Iâm sure.â Jesse took the dog by its snout. âYouâre lucky to have a family who loves you so much, boy.â
Mrs. Morúa sighed with relief. âThank you, Jesse. You canât imagine how much Samson means to Wally and me.â
Jesseâs grandmother slipped her pen and checkbook back in her purse and rose from the couch.
âYouâre more than welcome to come by anytime you want to see Samson,â Wally offered.
âMaybe,â Jesse said, but as far as he was concerned, the deal was done. He didnât plan to return to this house again.
CHAPTER SIX
T hat evening, Jesse called his mother to tell her about Duck. He had tried to talk to his father about having found the dog, but he