Absolutely Lucy Read Online Free Page A

father and Candy’s mother found them.
    “Good job, Lucy.” Mr. Quinn gave Lucy a pat. “Ready to go, Bobby?”
    “I asked Bobby to go get ice cream with us. Is that okay, Mom?”
    “I don’t see why not,” Candy’s mother said. “Bobby doesn’t live too far from us. We can take him home.”
    “That sounds like a good idea,” Mr. Quinn said. “I’ll take Lucy with me.”
    No one had asked Bobby if he wanted to go. He didn’t want to go. He felt shy just thinking about it.
    “I’m going to have Rocky Road ice cream,” Candy said. “What kind do you like, Bobby?”
    Before Bobby could answer, Candy said, “I bet you like chocolate. Maybe we can get banana splits. What about it, Mom?”
    Mr. Quinn and Lucy left. Bobby found himself walking out of the park with Candy, her mother, and Butch.
    They went to the ice cream shop. Candy had a banana split. Bobby had a double dip cone. Chocolate.
    Bobby and Candy sat outside the shop eating their ice cream.
    Candy said, “I’m going to work with Butch all week until he comes when I call him. He’s very smart. He’s just not trying.” Candy giggled. “That’s what my teacher says about me sometimes. Maybe you should come over to my house with Lucy. We can practice together. Saturday would be a good day. You can come over in the afternoon.”
    The worst thing about being shy was never knowing what to say next. Bobby could see this wasn’t going to be a problem with Candy. She talked enough for both of them.
    “Will you come?” Candy asked.
    Bobby licked his ice cream cone. It tasted great.
    “Yes, I’ll come. Absolutely.”

N ow Bobby had two friends. And what a surprise! His friends were an elderly man and a girl. Even so, Mr. Davis and Candy made very good friends. It was easy to be around them. He had fun with them. They made him laugh. Sometimes, he even made them laugh.
    Lucy and Butch had been going to obedience school for three weeks. Lucy came when she was called. She would sit. She would fetch a ball. Butch would not fetch a ball. He would not sit. He still answered to his name only when he felt like it.
    One day in August, Bobby and Candy were sitting on Bobby’s porch. Butch and Lucy were sleeping at their feet.
    “My mom’s getting kind of mad at Butch,” Candy said. “She doesn’t think he’s trying very hard.”
    Bobby thought maybe Candy’s mother was right.
    “I told her Butch is trying. Maybe he’s just dumb.”
    Butch must have heard this. He opened his eyes and growled.
    “Sorry, Butch,” Candy said. Butch closed his eyes and fell back asleep. “We’re going to miss two classes while we are away. Mom says I can use the time to practice stuff Butch hasn’t learned yet.”
    “You’re going away?” Bobby asked. This was the first he had heard about Candy going somewhere.
    “Oh, yes. We’re going to the lake for two weeks,” Candy told Bobby. “We’re going to stay in a cottage.”
    Bobby had a funny feeling in his stomach. He wasn’t sure what the feeling was. Then it hit him. He was feeling funny because he was going to miss Candy. He had never missed a friend before.
    The day Candy left, Bobby was lonely. He decided to take Lucy for a walk and visit Mr. Davis. But when they got to the yellow house, Mr. Davis was locking his door. He was carrying a small suitcase.
    “Are you going somewhere?” Bobby asked.
    “Yes, Bobby,” Mr. Davis said. “I’m going to stay with my daughter for a while.”
    “Are you feeling all right?”
    “Don’t worry. I’m fine,” Mr. Davis answered. “But my house is so hot. I have just the one small air conditioner in the bedroom. My daughter’s whole house is air conditioned. I’m going to stay there until it gets cooler.”
    “Oh.” Bobby had that funny feeling in his stomach again.
    Mr. Davis looked at Bobby. “I won’t be gone very long. As soon as we get a good, cool breeze, you look for me.”
    “Have a good time,” Bobby said in a small voice.
    Lucy yipped. It