Saucy by Cynthia Kadohata

Author:Cynthia Kadohata
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Published: 2020-09-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN A GOOD LIFE

In the morning, Becca woke to see Mom feeding her pig. Becca scrambled up from the floor. “But Mom? Shouldn’t I be the one who feeds Saucy? Since she’s my pig and everything?”

“We’re bonding,” Mom said. But then she also said, “Sweetheart…”

Becca didn’t like the way she said that. Not at all.

Bailey coughed lightly, then said, “Bec, we want Mom to bond with Saucy.”

“I like this pig,” Mom said. She coughed lightly herself. “You love this pig. Bailey does too. Your other brothers even like her. Your father likes her. Your grandmother—well, who knows what she thinks? But it might be a good idea to, you know, just take her down to that sanctuary the veterinarian had mentioned, just to meet the other pigs. For no other reason! Okay? She’s growing so fast. Let her get used to where she’ll live someday. Okay? She needs a good life. We both agree on that, don’t we?”

“She has a good life here!” Becca shouted.

“She has a good life,” Bailey repeated calmly. “Mom, she does.”

“She does, for the moment. But what about when she’s hundreds of pounds and you’re all in school? She’ll be lonely, and think of what she’ll be able to destroy by that time.”

Becca did think about it sometimes. She thought about the couch, which was kind of expensive just because it was so big. But she didn’t think it was massively expensive, at least for a couch. And anyway, Saucy might be able to destroy some cushions, but would she really be able to destroy the entire couch? There was also the refrigerator. She was pretty sure that was one of the most expensive things they owned, just because it made ice, which couldn’t be easy. Their old fridge hadn’t made ice. Also, it was big, and big things usually cost more. But what else was there that it would be a big deal if Saucy destroyed?

“But Mom…” Becca heard whininess in her voice. Mom always said not to whine. So she cleared her throat and repeated, “Mom” more firmly. “She’s still small. You said a hundred pounds.”

“I said a hundred, maybe sixty. But I didn’t realize how… destructive she’d be. Or the amount she eats, which is fine, but at the same time, honey, you knew we couldn’t keep her forever. Let’s do this with as little disruption to Saucy as possible. Let’s start getting her used to her future home. Just a visit. Okay? For Saucy?”

Becca felt her face grow hot. She was sure it was red, too. “You’re trying to manipulate me!” she said accusingly. “By saying it’s all for Saucy and not because you’re mad that she’s broken things! And Mom, I’m going to make everything up to you! Someday I’m going to pay you back for everything she’s wrecked!” “You’re trying to manipulate me” was a line her parents used sometimes on her and her brothers. Which for sure they tried to do sometimes, because sometimes you kind of had to! Otherwise you wouldn’t get your way!

“I called the sanctuary yesterday.

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