Excerpt: The Declan Diairies 2 - Minding Maggie

Tonight, it looked like it would just be the three of us as usual and after I had scoffed down my dinner – essential these days, if Maggie was to leave it alone and not eat it from my mouth if necessary, having bolted hers at lightning speed – I wandered over to my favourite chair and hopped aboard to let it settle a bit. Maggie, snuffling around both bowls in the hope of finding something one of us had missed, jerked her head up to see where I was. Giving a squeal of delight, she galloped towards me and made a flying leap for the chair, missing the seat and sliding down to the floor again, paws scrabbling madly. I relaxed for a second, which was a mistake as she bunched her quarters and flew into the air, landing on my side with all her weight on my belly and immediately licking me at top speed. I let out an involuntary belch and grunt combined, then closed my eyes as she started to lick my face with enthusiasm. Suzy had watched this and was smiling, the disloyal woman.
‘Ah, Deccy, she loves you!’
Loves me indeed. She was wrecking me and any moment now she would start chewing my already perforated ears. I tried a warning growl and curled my lip but her tail went even faster. Eyes shining, she did indeed move to my ears but as I was lying down at least she wasn’t actually swinging off them and one was safely tucked under my head so as long as I didn’t move that one would be safe, at least. Enough was enough though. I gave a sudden snap and she jumped away, looking hurt. Suzy decided to give me a break.
‘C’mon Maggie, let’s give poor Deccy some peace.’
She scooped up the puppy who wanted to bring my left earflap with her, and placed her in the crate with a rubber toy (mine!) and a bowl of water. Maggie let off a series of shrieks and yaps, racing around the crate until Suzy draped a large sheet over it and gradually the galloping slowed to a pacing up and down and within minutes she was curled up asleep. Hurray! Perhaps I could sleep too, and let the tiny scratched and bites heal a little before she was let loose again. I gave a deep sigh and closed my eyes.