Piggy Party (Cul-de-sac Kids Book #19): Book 19 (4 page)

Jason stuck his nose in the air. “Carly
already asked,” he repeated in a high-pitched voice.

“Okay for you!” Carly grabbed up a mittenful of snow. She threw the snowball at Jason.

Kerplop!
It landed on his shoulder.

Eric and Stacy came running across the street. They joined in the snowy fun. Stacy was wearing her new ski outfit.

By the time Dunkum arrived, a snowball fight was in full swing.

“Stop!” Abby shouted. “It’s time for the Piggy Party.”

Carly threw one more snowball. It landed on Jason’s hat.

“Hey! Watch it!” he hollered.

“It was a very soft throw,” Carly insisted. She felt someone pulling her away from Jason.

It was Abby. “Come on, you two,” said the president of the Cul-de-sac Kids.

Stepping back, Carly lost her balance.

Kerplop!
She fell into a snow pile.

Suddenly, she heard a high whistle.

“Hey! That sounds like Piggy’s whistle,” she said, looking around.

The kids stopped throwing their snowballs. They tilted their heads, listening.

“Wait a minute,” Carly said, worried. “Is the guinea pig outside here somewhere?”

Jimmy spun around in a circle. He was singing a Korean folk song. Faster and faster.

Carly gasped. It was just like her dream. Only Piggy was nowhere to be seen.

She ran to Jimmy. “Where’s Piggy?” she asked him.

“Piggy who?” Then Jimmy burst out laughing.

Abby ran to Jimmy. “You
do
know
where he is, don’t you?”

“Guess who cannot find his shadow!” Jimmy pulled the guinea pig out of his coat pocket.

There was Piggy. He was snug inside one of Jimmy’s socks. The cuff was folded over his neck. It made a big, wide collar around Piggy’s tiny neck.

“You could’ve choked him!” Carly said.

Abby shook her head. “What were you thinking?”

“Jimmy help winter go away. Far away,” said Jimmy. He started to cry.

Carly snatched Piggy from Jimmy’s hands. “That’s no way to help,” she said.

She ran into the house. Abby followed her.

“Poor little Piggy,” Carly said over and over.

NINE

Carly picked up the telephone. She punched Dee Dee’s phone number.

Brring! Brring!

“Hello?” Dee Dee answered.

“Hi, it’s Carly calling you back,” she said. “You can bring Mister Whiskers to the party.”

“I can?”

“Yep.” Carly explained that all the kids were invited. “And anyone can bring
a pet. Except Jason isn’t bringing Croaker.”

“Because it’s too cold?” Dee Dee said.

“He could freeze his toes off,” Carly said.

“What about Piggy?” asked Dee Dee.

“He won’t be outside long,” said Carly.

She was feeling better toward Dee Dee. Lots better.

Carly glanced at the clock. “It’s almost twelve o’clock,” she said. “We’re having cookies and hot cocoa.”

“I’ll be right over,” Dee Dee said and hung up.

“See ya,” said Carly.

It was high noon.

On other days, the sun would be shining. Straight up.

Today was different. And Carly was glad.
She crossed her fingers for spring. Capital S!

Gently, she placed Piggy’s cage on the snowy ground. Then she got down on her hands and knees. She looked closely.

“How’re you doing, little guy?” she whispered.

The guinea pig stuck part of his head through the cage.

“Do you see any shadows anywhere?” she asked.

Piggy twitched his button nose.

No shadow. Not even a teeny-weeny, Piggy-shaped one.

“Yay! Piggy doesn’t see his shadow!” she hollered.

The Cul-de-sac Kids cheered.

“Let’s take a vote on
all
the pets,” Abby called.

“Okay,” Carly said. “But it’s freezing out here.”

“We’ll make it quick,” Abby promised. She and Shawn gripped their dog Snow White’s leash.

“How many pets see their shadows?” Carly asked. She glanced at her best friend. “Start the vote with Dee Dee.”

“I vote no. Mister Whiskers can NOT see his shadow,” Dee Dee said, cradling her cat. “Too many clouds!”

Eric’s hamster was next. “Fran the Ham sees zero shadows,” Eric reported. “I vote no.”

The kids shouted, “Hoo-ray!”

Stacy Henry was next. “Sunday Funnies, my cockapoo, can’t see
his
shadow. I vote no.”

“Yay!” the Cul-de-sac Kids cheered.

It was Dunkum’s turn. “Mr. Blinkee votes no,” said Dunkum, holding his rabbit tight.

“My turn!” hollered Jimmy. He was
leaning over the duck pen near the fence. “Quacker and Jack not see shadows!”

“That’s two more NO votes,” said Abby.

Jason was doing his usual jig. “Hold everything,” he said. “I think . . .” He paused. “Yes, I see my shadow! I really do!”

“What?” Carly said.

“No way!” Abby shouted.

Jason pulled out a flashlight. “See?” He was shining the light on his head.

“Flashlights don’t count on Groundhog Day,” Abby scolded.

“Abby’s right,” Dunkum spoke up.

“Besides, Groundhog Day is just for animals,” Carly called.

But Jason was grinning. “Somebody has to be different,” he said.

Just then Mister Whiskers got loose.

Meow! Ph-ht!
The cat flew across the
snow toward Snow White.

The dog must’ve seen him coming. She ran across the yard and over the neighbor’s fence.

“Somebody do something!” Abby shouted. “Quick!”

Dee Dee ran after her cat. Jason, Jimmy, and Shawn chased after Snow White.

Quacker and Jack flapped their wings. But they bumped against the duck pen.

Fran the Ham spun round and round in his hamster cage.

Blinkee flicked his long ears. He made strange bunny sounds.

Stacy’s cockapoo tried to jump out of her arms.

“This is one crazy Piggy Party,” Carly muttered. She picked up the guinea pig cage and headed for the house.

It was beginning to snow again. Even harder than before.

Carly dashed to her bedroom. She took Piggy out of his cage and held him close. “I guess winter isn’t over yet,” she whispered. “But it’s not your fault. Not the sun’s, either.”

TEN

The Cul-de-sac Kids gathered around the kitchen table. The pets had already gone home. Except for Piggy.

“Time for goodies,” Carly said.

“Hoo-ray for the treats!” said Jason.

Carly set the guinea pig cage on a chair. “Piggy’s the guest of honor,” she said.

Jason chuckled. “Some guest.”

“Piggy’s adorable,” Carly said.

“But he didn’t see his shadow, did he?” Jason said.

“He couldn’t help it if the sun wasn’t shining,” Carly said.

“It’s shining, we just can’t see it,” Dunkum explained.

“Anybody knows that,” Dee Dee said.

“Whatever,” Carly said with a grin.

“Okay, kids, listen up,” Abby said and unfolded the newspaper. “Has anyone seen the weather page today?”

“I hope it’s not bad news,” Carly said. She reached for a chocolate chip cookie.

Abby spread the paper out on the table. “We’re supposed to have gobs more snow. All week long. The weatherman says so.”

Everyone groaned and reached for another cookie.

“Phooey,” Carly said. She hated to hear such bad weather news.

Abby folded up the paper. “I guess the seasons have nothing to do with groundhogs and shadows.”

Carly nodded. “Or Piggy Parties.”

“Or Cul-de-sac Kids,” said Dunkum.

“Not cookies and hot cocoa,” said Shawn.

“God is in control of the seasons,” Abby replied. “The Bible says so.”

Carly couldn’t complain. She knew she should’ve thought of that in the first place!

Click . . . click . . .

Carly glanced at the guinea pig. “Let’s hear what Piggy has to say.”

The kids stopped sipping hot cocoa.

They stopped chewing their warm cookies.

Click . . . click . . . click . . .

“Does he
really
talk?” asked Eric.

“What’s he trying to say?” asked Stacy.

Carly and Dee Dee giggled.

“Oh . . . no, not the giggles,” said Jason. He crossed his eyes and covered his ears.

“I think Piggy’s trying to tell us he feels left out,” Abby said.

Carly stopped giggling. “Hey! Abby’s right.” And she gave Piggy a snack of pellets.

“He wants to join the Cul-de-sac Kids club,” Eric said.

“He’s not a kid,” said Jason.

“But he’s cute,” said Stacy.

“He needs a sweater,” said Dee Dee.

Carly nodded. “For his trip back to school on Monday.”

Jason frowned. “You’ve got to be kidding. A guinea pig in a sweater?”

Carly couldn’t help it. More giggles flew out.