Twelve year old Charly really wants a puppy, but she is not allowed to have one because her youngest brother, William, is allergic to dogs. When Charly and William happen upon a puppy that is about to be abandoned, Charly thinks back to the week after her mother's funeral when her father tells her that she and William are being sent away to live with their grandmother. Knowing what it's like to feel abandoned, Charly decides to rescue the pup even thought she knows Gram won't approve. In an effort to keep the puppy, Charly conceives of a plan to cure William's allergies. Danger surfaces, however, when her plan backfires placing William's lie in jeopardy.