Jen did get her walk. Tracy attached a leash to her collar and she and Rex were walked around the neighborhood several times. Jen had been nervous when they encountered one of her neighbors out for a morning jog, but the woman just smiled and patted her on the head as she went past. All the other neighbors treated her the same. Many of them commented on how well-behaved she and Rex were. Tracy proudly explained that they were both trained at Chesterton Heights, and several neighbors said they would have to look into it.
Once back home Jen ate her breakfast side by side with Rex before going out in the yard to sunbathe. She had been out there for a few hours when her mother came out to join her. Jen was surprised to see she was carrying the pink ball that Betty had gifted her.
"How about a quick game of fetch, Jen?" she asked. "I know you haven't had a chance to play since you got back from obedience school."
Jen leapt to her knees and let out an eager bark. Tracy threw the ball and she tore off after it and brought it back in her mouth. Tracy just laughed and threw it again. and again. and again.
That night Jen slept on her dog bed in the living room. Her mother made no comment and simply rubbed her shoulder as she went past up to her own bed.
It rained on Sunday. A proper summer storm. At first Jen didn't want to go out in it and considered getting dressed and being human for the day, but then she saw Rex rolling in a mud puddle and felt compelled to try it at least once. It was even more fun than fetch. Jen rolled in the muck and romped around the yard with Rex until her mother called her in again.
"Look at the two of you." She admonished. "You're absolutely filthy. Into the bath, both of you."
Jen was about to make her way up to her own bathroom for a shower, but Tracy led her and Rex into the laundry room where a dog-wash tub had been installed back when they had first gotten Rex. Jen had bathed Rex in it several times. Now it was her turn. She sat next to Rex in the shallow tub while her mother scrubbed the two of them down. Once they were clean they got a vigorous toweling before being released back into the house to do as they pleased.
As Jen was curling up to sleep on her bed in the living room that night her mother sat down on the floor beside her. She reached out and began rubbing Jen's back just like she would Rex. Jen sighed in contentment.
"I just wanted to remind you, in case you've forgotten," Tracy said quietly, "Your sister is coming home from camp tomorrow. I'll be picking her up at the high school in the morning. You and Rex can come along if you like."
Jen shook her head. She was tired and planned on sleeping in tomorrow. Tracy rubbed her back for a while longer, then went to bed.
Jen was woken up the next morning by a familiar voice yelling something about cereal.
"I was looking forward to it!" the voice called out.
"Then you should have put it on the list before you left, You know you ate the last of it." Jen heard her mother reply.
"I did! Jen must have eaten it all!"
"You know very well she didn't. She's been at obedience school half the time you were gone and the other half she's been eating her own food. You just forgot. Like you always do."
Jen heard cupboards slamming.
"What else is there to eat then. What are you making?"
"Jen's breakfast. If you want some then grab a bowl and I'll serve you. It's actually quite tasty and very nutritious."
"But that's dog food!"
"Jen doesn't complain."
Jen got up and stretched. Breakfast sounded good right now. She trotted into the kitchen. Her sister, Emily, was digging through the fridge. 13 years old and very precocious, Emily was known to be a troublemaker and had spent most of the last school year in in-house suspension. When the middle school had let out for the summer, Tracy had sent Emily to a camp for troubled teens. Jen doubted it had any effect on her. Despite her sharp tongue and tendency to start fights, Emily actually excelled at school. She just didn't want anyone to acknowledge that fact. When Jen entered the kitchen she turned and gasped.
"Holy shit." she said, staring openly at Jen.
"Language." Tracy said, but Emily wasn't listening. She was circling Jen, gazing at her with a critical eye.
"So... You're, like, a dog now?" Emily asked.
Jen just tilted her head sideways. Emily grinned.
"Sit!" she commanded.
Jen sat.
"Paw!" Emily said, holding out her hand.
Jen put her gloved hand in hers.
"Roll over!"
Jen rolled onto her back. This was all basic stuff that she had learned at Chesterton Heights. Emily stared down at her in amazement.
"They got you well trained, huh?"
Jen barked. Emily busted out laughing. She couldn't help it. The sight of her older sister crawling around naked, doing tricks, and barking was just too much. She pulled out her phone and started recording while she put Jen through her paces again.
"Alright, that's enough." Tracy said. "Jen needs to eat her breakfast, and you do too. If you don't want Jen's 'dog food' then I suggest you figure out an alternative fast. I can have a bowl on the floor for you less than 10 minutes if you can't make up your mind."
Emily pulled a face and went to grab her second favorite cereal from the pantry. As she poured herself a bowl she watched Tracy fill Jen's dog dish with her breakfast and place it on the floor next to Rex's dish which she filled with regular dog food. Emily was treated to the sight of girl and dog eating together side by side while she ate her own meal.
"When you're done eating I want you to take Jen and Rex for a walk." Tracy told Emily.
"What, Why? I was gonna go hang out with my friends."
"Because they both need daily walks and you need to stay away from those so called 'friends' of yours. They're nothing but a bad influence on you. I was speaking with Sarah's mother just the other day and she's considering sending her to Chesterton after seeing how much good it did for Jen. I have half a mind to send you as well."
Jen looked up at that last comment. She had a sudden image in her mind of her and her sister in matching collars and pads being walked down the street by their mother. She shook the thought from her head. She might be able to get away with it, but she had the curse to back her up. She briefly debated trying to use the curse on her sister. Maybe give her a taste of doggy life. She looked over at Emily and was surprised to see that she was blushing. The cereal box had been strategically placed so that Tracy couldn't see it, but Jen had a very clear view from her vantage point on the floor. Emily caught her staring and glared.
"Fine." she said. "I'll take them for a walk. Just let me go and change first."
Twenty minutes later, Emily lead Jen and Rex out the front door on their leashes. Jen had been looking forward to this. The walk she'd had on Saturday had been so much fun. She and Rex both pulled at their leashes, causing Emily to have to walk quickly to keep from being pulled over. The three of them went twice around the block. On their third loop they heard a shout from one of the houses.
"Melanie! You get back in here and put some clothes on right this instant!"
Jen turned and saw Mrs. Proust, their next door neighbor, shouting at her seven year old daughter. Melanie was crawling around their front lawn on all fours, completely naked. She was giggling and barking while she scrambled madly to dodge her mother's attempts at catching her.
"I'm a doggy, mommy! Woof Woof!" she cried.
"No you are not." Mrs. Proust scolded. "You have to go to a special school to be a doggy, like Jenny did, and you're not old enough for that yet. Now come over here and get dressed."
Jen stared in horror. Did Mrs. Proust say what she thought she said? Well, thanks to the curse, Jen could be a dog girl because she went to Chesterton, but that was only true for her. It almost sounded like Mrs. Proust was implying that her daughter could just attend obedience school and then she could be like Jen. She must have just been saying it to get her daughter to stop playing naked outside. Parents lied to children like that all the time to get them to behave.
Mrs. Proust finally managed to nab her streaking daughter and haul her into the house. Jen went to continue her walk, but was pulled up short by the leash. She turned to find Emily, standing as still as a statue, staring at the door Mrs. Proust had shut behind her and breathing heavily. Jen pulled at her leash. Rex, who was getting restless, did likewise and the two of them managed to pull Emily back to her senses. They did a few more laps, and Jen noticed that whenever they passed the Proust's Emily seemed to slow down and stare. Jen also caught her sister staring at her a few times as well. Though as soon as she looked Emily would quickly look away and pretend to be interested in something else.
A few laps more and Emily started complaining that she was tired of walking. Jen wanted to keep going and Rex seemed up for it as well, but Emily's incessant whining finally won over and the three of them returned home. When they came in through the kitchen door they found Tracy waiting for them with a sour look on her face.
"I just got off the phone with the camp director." she said very calmly. "Apparently after you had left a few of the other campers came forward with complaints of missing belongings. I honestly never thought you would ever stoop so low as to steal other peoples personal property."
"What are you talking about." Emily asked, confused. "I never stole anything in my life."
"Then explain this."
Tracy held up one of Emily's bags from camp and pulled the zipper, allowing its contents to spill onto the floor. Among the crumpled clothing and assorted toiletries Jen caught a glimpse of several shiny objects. A watch, a ring, a couple of necklaces, there was even a small diary which obviously belonged to someone way more into unicorns than Emily was. Tracy pushed apart the pile with her foot and a few more small treasures were revealed. Emily just stared, dumbfounded.
"I- I didn't do it." she stammered, "I've been framed!"
"A likely story." There was an edge of anger in Tracy's voice now. "And what about this?"
Tracy held up Emily's wallet. It was bulging with cash.
"Okay," Emily looked slightly relieved, "That I can explain! You see, one of the other girls liked playing poker-"
"Stop. Right. There." Tracy's tone became rather dangerous, "Gambling? I believe I have made it quite clear before what my thoughts on gambling are. I had hoped that that camp would help you turn your life around, but gambling? Theft?"
"I told you I didn't steal those things! It must have been Amber! She was upset because I kept winning all the money her parents sent her!"
"I have heard enough out of you. Get in the car. Right. Now. I am taking you straight to Chesterton. I've already made the arrangements with Amelia."