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Ch. 3 Stacy's Interview

"What...is...this?" Frank was the first to respond.

"This is Stacy, Dad - I found her when I was riding my bike, hungry and all alone," Brian said, half-lying; he wasn't going to tell his folks that he spent fifty dollars of his paycheck for a crazy old man's chicken that she stole from. "I've felt sorry for her; so I asked her if she would like to stay with us for a little while; and if she liked it here, she'd be our pet. Now, before you say anything, hear me out: I always wanted a pet, and so does Ian. We asked you guys again and again for one, and you never told me I could get a pet, but you never said I couldn't get a pet, either. And furthermore, I think I'm more than capable of taking care of a pet such as Stacy."

"You couldn't call us first?" Joan finally spoke.

"W-What?" Brian asked.

"You couldn't call us from your cell phone to let us know that you're bringing home a dirty, flea-infested animal into my house?" Joan asked, her voice rising in anger.

There was a simple explanation why Brian didn't call his folks: He never thought of it. Brian was mentally kicking himself for not thinking of it sooner. Stacy couldn't think of anything to say or do about this situation so she just kept her mouth shut.

Joan was shaking her head and sighing in and out, trying to control her temper. Whenever she was infuriated by something stupid her children or husband did, this was her response to it. It was her trademark in the family.

While Joan was trying to keep calm and debate on what to do, her youngest son, Ian, walked in.

"Hey, guys," Ian said, not noticing that Stacy was in the kitchen. "What's going on in here?"

"Your brother's brought home a dog," Joan answered angrily.

"Really?" Ian asked surprisingly, eyeing his older brother. "Where is it?"

Brian took a step back to reveal the still-silent black and white canine.

"Hey there," Ian greeted the dog.

"...H-Hello," Stacy spoke, waving at him a little.

"I'm Ian. What's your name?"

"...Stacy."

"Oh, you're a girl, then?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Sweet! I always wanted a -"

"Alright enough, Ian," Frank said, rubbing his temples as though he had gotten a terrible headache. "Could you give us a minute with your brother? Your mother and I need discuss what we're gonna do with this dog he brought home."

Ian didn't need to be told twice. Whenever Frank spoke in such a livid tone, everyone knew talking back to him would be suicide. So, needless to say, Ian had got the hint. He gave Brian a quick "good-luck-bro" look before he left and walked back up the stairs. Brian then gazed back at his parents, who were staring hardly at him. He was starting to think it was a big mistake of bringing Stacy home.

"So - let me get this straight," Frank spoke first. "You went for a bike ride, you just so happen to find that dog -"

"Her name's Stacy," Brian said, trying to show whatever courage he had in him.

"Listen to what I'm saying," Frank spoke with his voice rising a little more. "I don't care about the dog's name, right now. As I was saying, you found 'Stacy' wondering the streets; you pitied her, and then you asked - without even thinking of calling to ask your mother and me permission - if she'd like to stay at our house. Is that right, son?"

"...Y-Yes," Brian replied.

"And you thought you could just simply waltz in here and ask us if she could stay for a couple of days, as if our house had just become a shelter for animals? Is that it?"

"No, I didn't -"

"Then what is it, son?" Frank said irritated. "Because that's what it sounds like to me."

Brian shook his head out of frustration. He just couldn't believe how much his folks are overreacting to this. So all he did was brought home a stray dog. Big deal. It was not like he was hiding a wanted fugitive the FBI, CIA, and Secret Service were looking for. All his parents had to say was, "No, Brian, you cannot keep the dog" and leave it at that. It was now really obvious that Frank and Joan were not animal lovers at all. Not by a long shot.

Stacy was feeling very sorry for Brian. She didn't want her human friend to get in trouble just for her. And the way things were going in the Edwards house, she doesn't think she'd enjoy it here, either...

Finally, after mastering all the courage he had in him, Brian spoke.

"Mom, Dad - I found Stacy all alone with no food to eat and no home to go to; I talked to her for a little bit, and then I felt I couldn't just let her stay out in the streets. So I asked her if she'd like to come live with me as a pet; and after a few days if she doesn't like living here (which no doubt is what she feels right about now), she's more than welcome to leave. And as for not calling you guys, I simply didn't think about that. That was an honest mistake and I'm sorry.

"And as much as I hate sounding like a broken record here, Ian and I've wanted a pet for a long time now, especially since we moved to Babylon Gardens. The cats and dogs here are awesome and we'd always envy their owners. We waited patiently for you guys to give us the thumbs-up to go get a pet, but it looked like it'd never happen.

"So today, just by pure chance, I happen to run in to a nice dog who I thought needed to a home, and so...I brought her home."

Frank and Joan looked at eachother; Frank shrugged a "what-should-we-do" to his wife. Joan just shook her head yet again and rubbed her temples.

"Fine," she finally informed. "If you want the dog that bad, Brian - then go ahead; keep her."

"Really?" Brian asked, thrilled.

"Yes," Joan replied. "But there will be certain rules both you and the dog will need to follow. But first, give your dog a bath. I'll have dinner set up for the two of you when you're done."

"Could Stacy take a bath in my shower?" Brian pleaded. "It's getting late to wash her outside."

"I don't care," Joan replied. "Just wash her before she continues to dirty my kitchen."

Stacy resented that remark, but said nothing.

"Alright then," Brian said. "This way, Stacy."

Stacy followed Brian to the hallway and then up the stairs.

"Sorry about what happened down there," Brian said when they were on the second floor. "I knew my parents weren't fond of animals, but I honestly didn't think they'd be this berserk when they saw you."

"It's okay," Stacy said. "I've actually dealt with worse, to be honest with you."

Brian raised an eyebrow. Stacy had put up with worse than his parents' irrational behavior?

"Hey...if you're not comfortable staying here...I won't blame you if you want to leave," He said. "Heck, I'd want to get out of this mad house the second I get the chance to."

"No...if your parents really allow me to stay, then I'll stay," Stacy replied, smiling a little.

"You would?" Brian asked, dumbfounded with her decision.

"Yeah," Stacy replied with a wide grin. "I liked the way you stood up for me. I can't remember a human ever doing that before; it felt so...wonderful."

Brian couldn't help but smile back. Stacy was actually proud of his bravery, and somehow that made him feel a whole lot better.

They heard the bedroom door on their right open and then they saw Ian sticking his face out.

"What did they say?" Ian asked Brian. "Are we gonna keep her?"

"I think so," Brian replied.

"Seriously?" Ian asked, amazed.

Brian shrugged.

"Yeah, Mom said we could keep her," He said. "But we're not in the clear yet. Mom also said that there'll be rules we need to follow."

"What rules?"

"I don't know yet. But right now, I need to give Stacy a bath."

"All right," Ian said before closing the door.

Brian and Stacy then took four more steps till they reached the bathroom door.

"Uh...not to sound ignorant or anything, Stacy, but can you wash yourself...or do you need my help?" Brian asked.

"It's okay, Brian," Stacy said, chuckling. "I've taken baths before - and yes, in showers too."

"Oh, good," Brian said.

He then opened the door, walked right up to the shower, turned on the faucet, and grabbed some fresh towels and put them on the rack.

"All right," Brian told Stacy. "Everything you need's already in there: soap, shampoo, all that good stuff. The showerhead has a flexible hose, so you could use it to wash any part of your body you'd like. The faucet's -"

"Brian," Stacy interrupted. "I know how to take a shower. I used to be a house pet, remember?"

"Oh right, yeah," Brian said, feeling like an idiot. "Well...I guess I'll...leave you alone then."

"Yeah, please," Stacy giggled.

"Call me if you need anything."

"Will do. Thank you."

With a quick nod, Brian walked out of the bathroom and closed the door behind him as Stacy stepped into the nice warm shower. The water felt so calm and refreshing to the stray's dirty fur. For a moment she felt like she was at peace. It had been ages since she had taken a bath. The thought of it made her think back to when she was just a little pup, back to when everything was fun and carefree.

Stacy was having her usual bubble bath her owner had just made for her. Most other dogs absolutely hated baths and would do anything to avoid getting one, but not Stacy. She positively loved baths, especially bubble baths. They were her favorite. Sometimes she'd even get dirty on purpose just get a bath.

Stacy started grabbing the white foam of bubbles and blew them right to her owner's face. Her owner would laugh and blow bubbles right back at her. Then Stacy would start splashing water at her owner. And then here came the splashes from both owner and pup, and then it concluded with the owner grabbing Stacy out of the bathtub, hugging and kissing the happy and laughing pup...

Stacy had awoken back to reality by a knock on the door. She immediately turned the shower knob off.

"Hey, Stacy," came Brian's voice. "I hate to bother you, but are you almost done?"

"Oh...uh...yeah," Stacy replied; she realized that she had tears in her eyes and then was wiping them off. "Could you give me a few more minutes, please?"

"Sure," Brian replied. "My mom's says dinner's almost ready."

"Okay, thank you, Brian," Stacy said.

Once she heard Brian's footsteps fading away, Stacy turned the shower back on, and went back to washing herself.

"No more crying, no more crying," She kept telling herself as she grabbed a bar of soap and started cleaning her fur. "That was a long time ago. A long time ago. That was then, this is now. I promised myself that I'll not shed a tear. I am not gonna cry anymore!"

Fifteen minutes later Stacy was freshly clean for the first time in a long time. She turned off the faucet, shook herself dry (being a dog and all), opened the shower door, stepped out, grabbed a towel from the rack, and got the remaining water out of her fur.

"Ah, now that's what I needed," She said happily.

She opened the bathroom door and saw Brian sitting on the hallway floor on the opposite side. Her human friend got up when he saw her coming out.

"Sorry," Brian said. "My folks wanted me to keep an eye on you. I think they and my brother are already eating."

Stacy smiled and nodded in understanding. After that, the two of them went downstairs and went back into the kitchen.

Frank, Joan, and Ian were indeed in the middle of digging into their food when Brian and Stacy walked in. Brian saw his plate was already set for him. He also saw that there were some newspapers laid flat on the kitchen floor about a foot away from the kitchen table and close to the chair Brian was going to sit in. Two old bowls were on top of the newspaper, one filled with (coincidently) chicken and rice, and the other filled with water.

Brian eyed his parents, whom gave him a firm look for they knew what was on his mind.

"We know you want your new dog to eat in the kitchen, but she's not sitting at the table," Frank informed in a firm manner. "So she's gonna have to sit on the newspaper like a good dog or she's gonna go outside."

Brian opened his mouth, but ended up closing it. He knew there was no point in arguing; his folks felt they were being more "generous" to Stacy than they should, and if Brian were to disagree with them, they'd think he was being ungrateful and they'd throw Stacy out the door.

Without saying a word, Brian and Stacy just sat where they were supposed to and started eating. Everyone was quiet the entire time. Ian would just glance at Stacy and Brian every now and then; Brian was waiting for Frank and Joan to make clear of the rules in order to keep Stacy; and Stacy was trying her best not to think of anything bad and just simply enjoy her food.

Ten minutes into dinner was when Frank and Joan finally finished with their dinner, and now felt they were ready to discuss everything they needed to know about their unexpected guest.

"So," Joan began. "Stacy - tell us a little bit about yourself."

"Oh, okay," Stacy said, thinking of where to begin. "I'm a dog - of course. I...am a mix; my father's a Siberian husky and my mother's a Border collie."

"Now that you mentioned it," Frank spoke out. "I do see the traits of both breeds: You have your father's smooth black and white fur, but you have your mother's floppy ears."

"Yeah, that's right," Stacy said, playing with her ears a little.

"Jeez, Dad, I didn't think you'd know anything about dog breeds," Brian spoke out, amazed.

"I don't, smartass," Frank said. "I just remember seeing those two breeds in People - don't give me that look, Joan. I was only reading People because I was growing bored while waiting at the dentist for my checkup, the other day."

_Well that explains it,_Brian and Ian thought. When it came to reading magazines, everybody at the table (except Stacy, of course) knew Frank would only pick up the ones with hot girls leaning next to or sitting on some fancy and expensive cars.

"Anyway, I was flipping the pages when I saw the celebrities' pets section; they had their cats and dogs wearing the most girly, flashy, money-wasting set of clothes and make-up I've ever seen. Anyway, there was a Siberian husky and a Border collie showing their ridiculous outfits as they were posing like they're the stars. That's how I knew about your two breeds."

"Oh...okay..." Stacy said, not sure how to say anything about that.

"Anyhow," Joan began again. "Stacy, have you always been a stray? Or did you used to be a house pet?"

"I...I used to be a house pet, ma'am," Stacy replied, awkwardly.

"And how long ago was that?"

"Two....maybe three years ago,"

"And why are you not with your former owner anymore?"

"Mom," Brian cut in, seeing Stacy's sad reaction to that question. "I think that's getting a little personal for Stacy's comfort."

"Oh right," Joan said. "In that case, I'll just ask the serious questions before we decided to let her stay here. Do you go potty outside?"

"Actually, I know how to use the toilet, ma'am," Stacy replied proudly.

"Good," Frank said. "Do you have a bad habit of chewing things that are not chew toys?"

"No, of course not," Stacy said. "I haven't chewed on anything besides tennis balls since I was a pup."

"Very good," Joan said. "Do you like to dig?"

"...Yeah...kinda..." Stacy admitted, but quickly added. "But I never dig where there's grass or flowers. I only dig where there's dirt."

"Well, you're gonna have to get over your desire to dig because I don't want holes in my yard," Frank informed in a strong and firm tone.

"Y-Yes, sir," Stacy said.

"Have you ever been vaccinated?" Joan asked.

"Yes, I have."

"When was that?"

"...When I was a little pup."

"You don't have any diseases that are life threatening or harmful to others, do you?"

"No, I don't think so. I haven't been sick in ages, and I'm sure anyone who's been with me hasn't gotten ill."

"All right; one last question for now: do you bite people?"

"No. Never. I guess I'm one of those dogs who aren't qualified to be guard dogs - but don't think I won't do anything if a burglar comes in. I have a powerful scream loud enough to wake the entire neighborhood."

Brian and Ian chuckled - and surprisingly enough, so did Frank and Joan. Brian then felt some relief flowing in him. Getting his parents to laugh meant Stacy was on their good side.

"Well, I guess that's all the questions we have for right now," Joan said. "And I gotta say, I like what I heard. So, Brian, I guess you can keep her."

Brian, Ian, and Stacy got up with from their seats with excitement.

"Thank you, Mom, Dad," Brian said. "I promise to take care of her."

"And I'll help too!" Ian added.

"And I promise I won't be a burden!" Stacy concluded.

"Alright, now, the rules are simple," Frank said. "Brian, until she decides to leave, you're Stacy's responsibility. That means you need to make sure she's well cared for, fed, and kept out of trouble. Go online and find out what's the proper food for her, how much it'll be for vet visits, and whatever else you could find."

"Gotcha, Dad," Brian said.

"I'm not done yet. There are still some more rules to hear. So all three of you better listen good," Frank informed. "One, Stacy will not be digging in any part of the lawn. You see her do it, hit her. I don't care how you feel about it. You need to show her obedience when you need to."

"Mr. Edwards, I promise won't dig in your yard," Stacy said.

"We'll see about that," Frank said. "I don't mean to be an ass or anything; I just want you all aware of that rule, that's all."

"Frank, I think they have that in check, dear," Joan said.

"All right," Frank said, raising his hands in defeat. "And one other thing, Stacy, if you have the desire to dig, have Brian take you to the park. I remember seeing a spot where they let dogs dig till they're fully satisfied."

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you," Stacy said.

"Now, rule number two," Joan picked up where her husband left off. "Stacy, since you're potty-trained, you can use Brian, Ian and my daughter, Janet's bathroom. Just use common sense: always flush and wash your hands - or paws - after you're finished."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Edwards," Stacy said. "I never leave the bathroom without doing those two important things."

"That's a good girl," Joan smiled. "Rule number three, you're always to come into my house nice and clean. No loose fur, no tracking in dirt or mud, and most important, no bringing in dead rodents or birds inside the house. No exceptions. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Mrs. Edwards," Stacy said. "I don't like killing anything, anyway."

"Well, I think that's about it," Joan said. "Got anything else, Frank?"

"Just one more," Frank replied, then turning his attention toward Stacy. "DO NOT chew on anything that isn't meant for chewing. If I find so much as a scratch on any of my stuff, your furry butt is out the door."

"I swear I won't chew on anything," Stacy said, raising her right paw. "Scout's honor."

"All right that's it," Frank said. "We'll see where things go from here."

"Brian, you could have Stacy sleep in your room," Joan informed. "And in the morning, you should introduce her to the Sandwiches' pets. I'm sure she'll get along with them just fine."

"Sandwiches?" Stacy asked. "I never thought sandwiches could have pets."

"No, no," Brian said, chuckling. "My mom means our neighbors from across the street. Their last name is Sandwich, and they're a very nice couple."

"Oh, okay," Stacy understood, slightly chuckling. "For a minute there, I thought edible objects have minds of their own now."

Everybody at the table laughed while Stacy blushed. The poor she-dog can be such a clown without even meaning to.

"Anyway, they have two pets, a dog and a cat named Peanut and Grape," Brian explained, wiping away his tears of laughter. "Peanut is a real cool, fun loving dog; loves to play games, and can read books at the speed of light."

"Wow. He sounds cool."

"Now as for Grape - by the way, do you get along with cats?"

"Yes, I do. I have few cat friends."

"Great. Grape's more of a...level-headed she-cat: she does have her fun side, but she doesn't really show it as much as Peanut does. Anyway, I think you'll like them. They're fun to hang out with, and I'm sure they'll show you around the neighborhood and introduce you to the other house pets."

"But aren't you gonna show me around, Brian?" Stacy asked.

"Yeah, of course," Brian replied. "But I thought you'd want a fellow animal to be with you."

"I do, but not without you," Stacy said. "I've never been in this neighborhood before, and I don't I feel comfortable with anyone whom I haven't even got the chance to talk to."

"I understand," Brian said.

"Alright, this is getting a little odd for my taste," Frank spoke out, getting up from this chair. "I'm gonna go watch my Pawn Stars; see what kind of rare and historic things people are trying to sell to Rick, Corey, and the Old Man, and see what stupid shenanigans Chumlee is doing. Wanna come, Ian?"

"Nah," Ian replied. "I think I'm gonna stay with Brian and Stacy."

"Whatever," Frank said, then pointed his forefinger at Stacy. "Be good." Then pointed his finger at Brian, "And you - the next time you bring home a girl, she better be human. Got it?"

"Yes, Dad," Brian said with a slight irritation in his tone.

"Good." Frank said before leaving the kitchen at last.

"Okay, I think I'm gonna get ready for bed now," Joan said. "When Janet gets home, tell her there's still some leftover chicken and rice for her."

"Will do, Mom," Brian said.

"Well, goodnight," Joan said as she left the kitchen.

"Goodnight," Brian, Ian, and Stacy said in unison.

As soon as they heard Joan ascending up the stairs and Frank closing the den's door behind him, Brian and Ian cheered at last.

"Yes, finally, we got ourselves a dog," Ian said. "This is gonna be so cool."

"Tell me about it!" Brian agreed.

Stacy giggled as she scratched the back of her head.

"So, Stacy, can you play fetch?" Ian said. "I got an old tennis ball that my dad doesn't use anymore. You wanna play with that?"

"Well...uh -"

Before Stacy could finish, the front door opened and Brian and Ian's older sister Janet walked in. She then stepped into the kitchen and started spinning around while singing a song as though she was a Disney princess. Brian and Ian rolled their eyes. They had a very good idea of Janet's positive attitude.

"Hello, brothers," She greeted happily.

"Hello, sister," Brian and Ian replied in unison.

"Ah, isn't the world just wonderful?" She asked dreamily.

"Yes," Brian and Ian replied, rolling their eyes.

Stacy was dumbfounded by the whole ordeal. What a strange family, she thought.

"So I take it that you had a fun time with Travis again?" Ian asked.

"Why, yes," Janet said; she stopped spinning. "Someday soon, you guys are gonna have a brother-in-law."

"Not too soon, I hope," Brian said.

"Yeah," Ian agreed. "We don't wanna go to a wedding and a funeral at the same time. Either one of them is bad enough."

"You're funny," Janet said, annoyed.

"Just being a little brother, that's all," Ian smirked.

Brian and Stacy chuckled. Janet snorted.

"Yeah, well -"

She stopped when she finally noticed Stacy for the first time.

"Oh," Janet said, puzzled by the canine. "Hello. Didn't know we had company."

"Hi, I'm Stacy," Stacy greeted. "You must be Janet, Brian and Ian's sister."

"....Uh...yeah, that's me," Janet said, awkwardly. "I don't mean to be rude, but what you doing here?" She then looked at Brian and Ian before Stacy could answer, "Has Mom invited someone over? Where is she, anyway?"

"Mom's in her room," Brian explained. "And no she didn't anyone over."

"Then what is a dog doing here?" Janet asked, getting annoyed.

"She's our new pet," Ian replied with a big grin on his face. "Brian brought her home, and Mom and Dad said we could keep her."

_"What!?"_Janet exclaimed. "Tell me you're joking!"

"Nope," Ian replied; his grin got even wider. "We just finished talking about it five minutes before you walked in."

Janet was left speechless.

"You know what, I'm gonna ask her myself," She finally spoke. "If I know Mom and Dad like I think I do, there's no way they'd let a flea-infested mutt live in this house!"

She then stormed up the stairs with each step louder than the last. Brian and Ian shook their heads at how stupid their older sister was reacting to the news.

"God, she just doesn't like animals, does she?" Ian asked Brian.

"Obviously not," Brian replied.

Stacy pushed her bowl of food away. She just lost her appetite.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Brian told Stacy. "Janet's just like my parents; she isn't fond of animals either - but I think she's worse."

"Yeah," Ian added in. "When it comes to animals, our sister puts the 'itch' in -"

Brian gave his brother a hard glare.

"...W-Witch," Ian said quickly. "Janet puts the 'itch' in 'witch'."

Brian rolled his eyes. What Ian just said wasn't going to make Stacy feel any better.

"You actually let Brian keep that baboon!?" Janet argued at her mother. "What on earth made you do that!?"

Joan took her eyes off the book she was reading and gave a firm look at her daughter.

"It's simple," She replied. "Brian and Ian have wanted a dog for a long time; I think the both of them are responsible enough to take of one; you father and I explained the rules to them, and they both agreed to follow them. And another thing, Janet dear, Stacy's not a baboon."

"Who the hell's Sta - oh, you referring to that black and white mutt downstairs?" Janet said, rolling her eyes. "I know she isn't, but to me, the cats and dogs here are just as wild and crazy and stupid as baboons. Seriously, it's like this entire town is run by them!"

"That's because this town's mostly for people who are animal lovers, and the animals get to do almost everything people do," Joan replied, irritated. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Janet rolled her eyes.

"Whose idea was it to allow that rule again?" She asked rhetorically.

Joan just rolled her eyes and sighed annoyingly.

"Okay, how did Brian find the dog?" Janet asked.

"He said he found her while he was riding his bike out in the bike trial," Joan replied. "From what I could understand, she was begging for food, and Brian pitied her and then asked her if she wanted to be his pet."

"And you let him keep her?"

"I already answered that question, Janet," Joan said.

"But you don't know if the dog would follow your rules," Janet complained. "It could be just as stupid as those other baboons."

"Like?"

"Like...like...it could keep me up all night while it sings and cries out - just like those stupid cats. Just last week I heard them singing with their stupid instruments again. I had to throw one of my old shoes at them to shut them up."

"Sweetheart, I called the pest control, and they said they took care of it."

"Mom, they sent out a freakin' dog to take care of the problem."

"Well, there you go. The dog must've scared those cats away. Cats don't like dogs, right?"

"Actually, the dog gave the two cats 'a long talk' and they have worked out a compromise. I just got his letter in the mail a few days ago."

"Then what are you complaining about? They haven't bothered again, have they?"

"Mom, that's not the point."

"Then what is?"

Janet had let out a long sigh of irritation.

"...That I should see people walking the streets, not wild animals," She said as she started pacing around the bedroom. "I want all my clients at the salon to be all humans, and not their pets. And I don't want a filthy baboon living this house to remind of this godforsaken town!"

Joan took off her reading glasses and gave her daughter a strong, firm look.

"Alright. Go tell your father that you don't want the damn dog here," She informed in a clear anger and sarcasm. "Then after that, call the mayor that you don't want 'baboons' roaming the town anymore, and then call your boss and demand him to take down the policy of grooming animals, and lastly, tell your brothers that you're the queen of the big-headed bitches and that you want their dog gone! And once all that's done, you may go back to ruling Babylon Gardens."

Janet was lost for words. Her mother always knew where to hit her where it hurt the most. "Big-headed bitches" stun her worse than flock of killer bees.

Without saying another word, Janet stormed out the bedroom. Joan sighed and went back to reading her book.

"Where I went wrong with that girl, I'll never know."

Janet walked into Frank's den. There she saw him sitting on his comfy recliner, watching TV with a can of Coke in his right hand. Janet figured she could draw some sense into her father. Whenever she'd lose a fight to her mom, Janet would always go to her dad to back her up. She was Daddy's-Little-Girl, after all.

"Hi, Dad," She greeted.

"Hi, Sweetheart," Frank greeted. "Here, check this out." He pointed to the TV; it was a new episode of Pawn Stars. "A guy just brought in a classic slot machine to -"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Janet cut in, not even bothering to look at the screen. "Listen, Dad - I saw the dog Brian had brought home."

"Oh, yeah, your brother has a pet dog now," Frank simply stated, paying more attention to the TV.

"Yeah, that's what I came in here for," Janet explained. "Anyway, why did you and Mom let Brian keep that thing? I thought we all don't like dirty baboons - I mean animals - in the house."

"I don't, but your mother let Brian keep the dog," Frank replied, taking a sip of his soda. "We explained the rules to your brothers about keeping the dog, and if any of them were broken, the dog's out the door. So don't worry about the dog. For now, let's just see what happens. Now keep it down; Rick and the Old Man are cussing at Chumlee's bone-headed mistakes again."

Janet rolled her eyes and left the den angrily.

"This was a perfect day, until Brian brought that stupid dog home," She mumbled.

"Wow!" Stacy said, eyeing the Brian's bedroom.

After they finished dinner, Brian led Stacy into his room. Ian told them that he had call his friends to tell them about his new pet and that he'd be with them once he was finished.

When they walked in, Stacy was a little amazed on what her new friend had: a TV, DVD player, and a Nintendo Wii; a bookcase cramped with books; two rows of DVD cases nearly full of DVDs; a laptop and stacks of old paper were sitting on top of an old computer table with an old office chair; a bunk bed; and various movie posters covered the white-painted walls.

"Yeah, not bad, huh?" Brian asked.

"You could tell it's a boy's room," Stacy giggled.

"Well, I didn't think I had to impress any girls, did I?"

Stacy laughed.

"Seriously, it's a nice room," She said.

"Thanks," Brian said.

Then they went quiet for a moment.

"So...uh...which one do you wanna sleep on?" Brian asked.

"Excuse me?" Stacy asked.

"The bunk bed," Brian said. "Where do you wanna sleep on, top or bottom?"

"Oh yeah," Stacy said. "I was kinda wondering why you have a bunk bed."

"Well, before my family and I moved to Babylon Gardens, me and my brother used to share a room back at our old house," Brian explained. "We used to both sleep on the bunk bed, and once we moved here, I kept the bunk bed while Ian got his own bed."

"Oh," Stacy said.

"Anyhow, which one -"

"I call top bunk!" Stacy said, climbing on top of the bed.

Brian chuckled.

"Okay, top bunk is yours."

Stacy then jumped down the bed and looked at the other things Brian had.

"Oh my gosh," She gasped, eyeing the bookcase. "You got all the Pridelands books!?"

"Yup, all seven of them," Brian replied. "I read them all three times, too."

"Wow..." Stacy whispered to herself, mesmerized. "I've only read the first two books. Oh, I've been counting the days to when I'd finally read book number three!"

"You really like the Pridelands?" Brian asked, stunned.

"Yes," Stacy replied, happily. "Even though I'm a dog, I love the Pridelands to death! Oh, my mom used to read them...to me...before I went to sleep..."

Brian saw the sad expression on his friend's face when she mentioned her mother, which she was referring to her former human owner.

"Well...now you could read it whenever you want," He said, trying to cheer her up. "It's a really good book. I'm sure you'll like it."

Stacy knew he was just trying to lift her spirit, but she appreciated the effort nonetheless.

"Oh, and I also happen to have all the Pridelands films on DVD too," Brian added. "And some other cool movies."

Stacy looked at his DVD collection: her human friend had numerous movies; some she had never heard of before, and some she grew up watching.

"I can't believe it," She squealed. "You have All Dogs Go to Heaven, Balto, and Beauty and the Beast! Those are my three ultimate, all-time favorite movies!"

Brian couldn't help but chuckle at his new house pet/friend's cute reaction.

"Yep, I do," He said. "If you want, we could watch one of them tonight."

"Really?" Stacy squeaked; tail wagging furiously. "Let me see...Balto! I want to see Balto!"

"Balto it is," Brian said, grabbing the DVD case.

Once it was all set up, the TV screen brightly displayed the opening scene of the movie; Stacy sat on the floor Indian style about three feet apart from the TV, while Brian sat on the bottom of the bunk bed. The black and white husky/collie mix had her full attention on the movie like a five-year-old.

Just then the door was banging of knocks. Brian got up to answer it; he had big hunch of who was responsible for the ramming on his door. Brian opened the door and just as he thought: it was Janet.

His older sister had the foulest look he had seen on her in a long time.

"Brian," Janet spoke in a dark, firm tone. "Your 'pet' made a mess in the shower. There's hair all over the floor. Go and clean it."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Brian sarcastically replied. "I live to please my queen."

Janet rolled her eyes.

"Just clean it already and be quick about it," She demanded. "I need to be clean for work tomorrow morning."

"Fine," Brian said; then turned his attention to Stacy. "I'll be back in a few."

"You want me to help you?" Stacy asked.

"No, it's alright," Brian replied. "I did say I'll take full responsibility for you - and that's what I'm gonna do."

"Okay," Stacy smiled.

Then Brian left the room, closing the door behind him.

Brian's a real nice guy,_Stacy thought. _Maybe staying here won't be as bad as I thought. It's just too bad that the rest of his family, beside Ian, isn't as nice and caring as he is...