Read Purple Nails and Puppy Tails for Free Online Page B

that pedicure was for the soccer players, Aly figured it would be even more magical if it was all over Sparky’s body.
    Miss Nina rang up all the puppy outfits. “Six hundred and twenty-five dollars.”
    The girls were shocked—the clothing was so tiny; how could it cost so much?
    â€œWe have more than that,” Brooke told her.
    Aly unzipped the pouch and counted out the money, handing Miss Nina the exact amount.
    â€œHow much do we have left?” Brooke asked.
    â€œThirty-one dollars,” Aly answered, and then she saw Brooke’s eyes move around the store and zero in on a sign: FOR SALE: PUPPY PERFUME! $30!
    Brooke made a beeline for the display. “This!” she said. “We need this so that they all smell good!”
    She brought the bottle to Aly. Aly spritzed it in the air and sniffed. It smelled like fresh grass and clean laundry. Not bad. And they did have some money left.
    â€œOkay,” she said, handing Miss Nina another thirty dollars. “We can put this last dollar in the donation jar back at the Sparkle Spa,” she told Brooke. “For whatever charity we decide to donate to next.”
    â€œIt was so nice of you to raise the money for these dogs. There are so many dogs that need to be adopted and not enough people who get involved,” Miss Nina said.
    Aly watched Miss Nina’s fingers as she started bagging all their merchandise and noticed the cool polish job. She felt kind of proud that it was her mom who did Miss Nina’s manicure and applied the rhinestones to her pinkies.
    â€œDid you two ever think about adopting a dog?” she asked.
    â€œI looooove Melvin,” Brooke said, pulling on her braid with one hand and holding one of the clothing bags with the other.
    Aly picked up the second bag. “I like Sparky,” Aly said. “But we’re not allowed to have a dog. Our parents said.”
    Miss Nina nodded sympathetically. “Well, maybe you can get them to reconsider.”
    â€œI doubt it,” Aly said. “They seem pretty serious about it.”
    As Brooke and Aly walked back to the salon, Aly thought it would be hard enough convincing her parents to adopt one dog. But two? No way. Especially if one of them was Melvin.

eight
Grass Green
    A ll week long Aly had been thinking about Doggie Makeover Day. She hoped the old-timers would like their outfits and wouldn’t squirm or chew or cry once they were dressed. She hoped all the groomers would show up. She hoped the pet-icures would go well.
    She also hoped, deep down in the bottom of her heart, that somehow, magically, Mom and Dad would fall in love with Sparky and let her adopt him. And that bottom-of-her-heart hope was whatAly was thinking about when she and Brooke were in the backseat of their dad’s car on the way to the shelter on Saturday morning, with their bags of outfits and paw-lish and puppy perfume for the makeover event.
    â€œYou know, I had a dog when I was growing up,” Dad told them from the front seat. “His name was Mouse, because he was huge. A sheepdog.”
    â€œThat doesn’t make sense, Daddy,” Brooke said. “If he was so big, you should’ve named him Elephant or something.”
    â€œIt was a joke, Brookie,” Dad said. “Anyway, he was a great dog. If I were home more to help take care of it, I’d get you girls a dog, but it doesn’t seem fair to leave all that work to your mother.”
    Aly thought about this for a moment. Was this good news in terms of possibly getting Sparky, or bad news? She wasn’t quite sure.
    â€œWhat was the best part about having a dog?” Brooke asked.
    â€œOh, I don’t know if I could pick one thing,” Dad said. “Dogs are good company, and they’re fun to play with in the yard, and once Mouse even scared away a burglar.”
    â€œA burglar?” Brooke gasped. “Really, Daddy?”
    â€œYes. He was a special dog,” Dad