The Cat That Went to Homecoming Read Online Free PDF Page B

Partners, a human
services organization that registers and insures human-animal
teams. To do this, I would need to take their on-line therapy
animal handlers course. Once I completed the test at the end of the
course, I would send in my application for registration. This
entire process would cost almost $200.00! I was suddenly
disappointed, and it must have shown on my face because Jane once
again covered my hand with hers.
    “Is something wrong Ellen?” she asked.
    “Well for starters, we don’t have a
computer.” I said with tears welling in my eyes. “Is it possible to
take this online class at the library?”
    “My husband and I have an extra laptop we
aren’t using. It’s an older model, but it works.”
    “But I can’t pay you for it,” I
stammered.
    “I’m not worried about that. It was just
going to be donated to a church or school, but now I have someone
just as deserving to donate it to.”
    I was again moved to tears. How could there
be someone this kind in the world?
    “Thank you so much, Jane. I really appreciate
it, but I have another problem.”
    I didn’t have any money to pay for the class
and the registration fee. I couldn’t ask my mom to come up with
that much money for me, and even if I did ask, she couldn’t afford
to give it to me. We could barely even buy groceries each week!
    Jane must have sensed this. She did not let
me finish, instead she said, “I have a large property that needs a
lot of maintenance. It’s difficult for me to find the time to weed
all my gardens and the weeds are starting to take over. Do you
think I could hire you to do some work around here for the
summer?”
    My mouth dropped open in surprise, and Mom
let out a gasp.
    “I would like someone to come over for three
or four hours a day, twice a week to help me around the yard. I
would pay $50.00 a week. AND, you could bring Hershey with you.
”
    I started to cry. I was embarrassed, but
could not stop crying. Hershey, who had been contently curled up in
my lap, became alarmed and stood to nuzzle into my face and lick
away my tears. He always did this when I cried; he hated to see me
cry.
    Jane still had her hand on mine, and her soft
eyes watched Hershey console me. “I really want the two of you on
my team,” she said. “So think about what I asked, and call me when
you decide.”
    All I could do was nod “yes”.
    “We’ll make arrangements for my husband and I
to drop the laptop off at your house and get it all set up for you
once you call me.”
     

 
    Chapter
Seven
     
    I was laying on my bed staring at the
ceiling, trying to digest everything Jane had said to me. Hershey
was curled up on my stomach snoozing. I looked down my body to
watch him rise and fall with each breath I took.
    Jane did not know just how much she’d
affected me. Her generosity captivated me. Not only did she offer
me a computer and a summer job, she offered me the chance to be
someone special. Things like this never happened to me.
    I reached across my body to stroke Hershey.
He didn’t open his eyes, but he rolled over onto his back so I
could rub his tummy; he didn’t need to see me to know my touch.
    “What do you think, Hershey? What should Mama
do?” I quietly asked him.
    My mom gently rapped on my door and opened it
a crack, causing Hershey to wake up and roll back onto his stomach.
“May I come in?”
    “Yes,” I replied.
    She walked over and sat on the edge of my bed
and gave Hershey a gentle rub on the chin. He lifted his head high
to give her better access.
    “I just spoke with Mrs. Spenser,” she said.
Mrs. Spenser lived next door to us. She was a nice older lady who
worked at Wal-Mart with my mom. She actually helped my mom get the
job.
    “She is willing to give you access to her
WIFI so you can use the internet.” Apparently I took too long to
respond because she went on, “Oh come on, Ellen! Don’t tell me
you’re going to insult Jane by not accepting her charity! Sometimes
people help other