From THE PUPPY PLACE #28: TEDDY Mom frowned. "You've been working hard lately with all these dogs," she said. "Maybe you and Maria need to think carefully about taking on so many clients. And maybe you could think about something other than dogs once in a while. You need some balance in your life. I don't want you to get sick, and I don't want your schoolwork to suffer...." "I already did my homework." Lizzie didn't need to hear the rest: she'd listened to this lecture before, many times. She pointed to her desk, with her folders all neatly lined up. She knew Mom would never let her keep her business going if her grades started to slip. Mom nodded. "Okay," she said. "I guess I'm just surprised to find you asleep in the afternoon. You didn't even hear the phone ring, did you?" "The phone?" Lizzie asked. "Dr. Gibson just called," said Mom. "She needs our help with a puppy." Excerpted from Teddy by Ellen Miles All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.