On the morning of her shot, Pigúiça woke up with a tummy full of butterflies. The kind that don't fly, they just go round and round.
“Today we're going to see Doctor Whiskers,” said Fofuxo. “Just to check that you're growing nicely.”
“I'm growing great!” said Pigúiça. “No need to check. I believe it.” And she hid behind a fern, which didn't even cover half her tail. Fofuxo didn't laugh. He sat down beside her and waited a little while.
“Being scared is normal,” he said. “I've been scared too.” “You?” asked Pigúiça, peeking through the leaves. “Me. I thought the doctor's office was full of strange things. But it's only a place where they take care of us.”
Pigúiça took a deep breath, came out from behind the fern, and walked along pressed up against her friend's golden fur.
Doctor Whiskers' office was inside a round library, with shelves in arches and books with wings fluttering across the ceiling. The doctor was a schnauzer with round glasses and a white mustache that wiggled when he talked.
“Good morning, Pigúiça! First of all, I'll show you everything.” He showed her the tiny flashlight that peeks inside ears. He showed her the listening tube that hears your heart. Pigúiça listened to Fofuxo's heart: thump, thump, thump. It was the calmest sound in the world.
“And now the shot,” said the doctor. “It's a quick little pinch, the size of a sneeze. Want a trick? Look at that glowing book on the floor and count how many books are flying.”
Pigúiça looked. The open book glowed like a little piece of moon. She began to count. “One, two, three...” Fofuxo held her paw. “Four!” said Pigúiça. “Doctor, there are four books with wings!”
“Very good,” said Doctor Whiskers. “And I'm already done.” “Already?” “Already.” Pigúiça's mouth fell open. She had felt just a little something, a light sneeze, and that was it. “That's all?”
“That's all. You were very brave. Courage isn't not being scared, Pigúiça. It's being scared and going anyway.”
She got a shiny star sticker to put on her paw. On the way home, she showed the sticker to the clouds, and the clouds smiled.
At night, in her bed, Pigúiça thought about the day. The butterflies in her tummy had left, one by one. Only a nice warm feeling was left.
“While you sleep,” whispered Fofuxo, “the shot is learning how to protect you.”
Pigúiça looked at the star glowing on her paw. Thump, thump, thump, went her heart, nice and slow. And, with that calm little sound, she fell asleep.
