“Achoo!” Bisi couldn’t stop sneezing. She was laying on her bed, cuddling her dog, Patches. “Achoo!

I think you’d better not sleep with Patches tonight,” said her dad. “I think she is making you sneeze!”

“But why?” asked Bisi. “I’ve never been allergic to her before.”

Bisi’s parents took Patches from her room. Then they tucked her in. “We’ll discuss it in the morning,” said her mom.

Bisi lay awake in her bed. She was angry. She slept with Patches every night. Why was she sneezing now?

Bisi thought about everything that had happened that night before bedtime. She and her family had eaten dinner together. They had pasta cacio e pepe, which was yummy noodles with cheese and black pepper. Bisi and her brother, Amari, had helped their dad make the delicious dish. Bisi added the cheese. Amari measured the pepper.

After dinner, Bisi didn’t notice Patches anywhere. She wasn’t in the room when they played Monopoly. She wasn’t in the room when they watched a TV show.

Amari was there. He was acting kind of weird. But he was always weird. He kept leaving the room. Bisi remembers that when he came back, he had Patches’ fur on his clothes.

After TV time, Bisi and Amari took showers and brushed their teeth. Then Bisi climbed into her bed with Patches. That’s when the sneezing began.

Bisi thought over the events of the night one more time. Then she climbed out of bed and ran to her parents. “Amari! He did it!” she said.

“What are you talking about?” asked her mom.

“Why are you accusing your brother?” asked her dad.

“Where is Patches sleeping now?” Bisi said.

Sure enough, Patches was sleeping with Amari. “He wanted Patches for himself,” said Bisi.

“But how?” asked her mom.

“I think I know,” said her dad. Bisi nodded. “He measured the pepper!” they both said together.

Bisi and her dad looked at Patches. There, in her fur, were flakes of pepper.

“Ok, you caught me,” said Amari. “But it’s not fair that you get to sleep with Patches every night.”

“That’s true,” said Bisi. “I never knew you wanted her to sleep in your room. You could have just asked.”

Amari grinned. “That wouldn’t have been any fun!”

The family laughed. “Still, what you did wasn’t right,” said their parents.

“That’s ok,” said Bisi. “I was mad, but now I understand. How about we each sleep with Patches every other night?”

“It’s a deal!” said Amari.

They were all happy. Except for Patches. She needed a bath.