Abby talks to their mom

Lucy got off the bed and let Abigail attach her leash again before they went downstairs together. Out in the back yard, Abby directed her to pee by the bushes. Lucy did her best to avoid dirtying herself, but some of it still splashed onto her legs. Fortunately Abby had brought some tissues, and wiped her clean without saying anything.

When they went inside again the two girls passed through the living room, where Nancy Carpenter was sitting on the couch. She was immersed in her phone and didn't notice her daughters come in until Abby spoke up. "Hey mom. Mind if we join you?"

Nancy looked up. After a moment she managed a small smile and put her phone down. "Sure hun. Come sit with me."

While Abigail did just that, Lucy curled up at their feet. She chose her position to make herself as decent as possible, turning so her mom wouldn't be looking at her chest. She tried to look as cute and innocent as possible too, anything to make whatever happened next go better. Her mom didn't comment on her presence, but Abby sure did.

"She's doing great, mom. She's not happy about everything, and what happened to her at school scared her badly, but she's really trying. She's not a bad girl. She just needs a family that understands her and will show her what she is with love."

"Abby, please. I'll let you do what you want, but I want nothing to do with it," Nancy said, refusing to look down at Lucy.

"How can you say that mom? You were just as excited as me when we first saw her wearing that collar. She's as much your daughter as I am. So what happened? Do you feel guilty for raising her wrong or something?"

Nancy sighed. "I sent her off to college. She's just an animal and I put all that on her. How can I not feel guilty?"

"Becaude she wasn't suffering! Lucy's so smart and adaptable, I bet she could have graduated college if they hadn't caught on. And I loved having her as my big sister. But that isn't what nature intended for her, so it's up to us to give her the life she deserves don't you think?" Abby's tone allowed no argument.

"I suppose so. She does look like she's accepting all these changes now that she's away from that college environment." Nancy bent down to pat Lucy's head. "And she's undeniably adorable like this."

Abby beamed. "Does that mean we're all good? You're not going to avoid her anymore?"

Her mom sat up again and nodded. "I'm going to try. It's time to stop living in denial and start making this right. She deserves that much after all the confusion I've caused her."

Down at her feet, Lucy's spirits rose. It wasn't like she wanted another person to accept her as a pet, but having everyone on the same page would make her life easier. At the very least it would cause less stress while she was trapped here, and the more everyone liked her the more things she could get away with. But until then she would have to play along and keep her family convinced that she really was accepting her new life.