by Rachel Wells
I curled myself up on the sofa in the living room as Polly put a DVD on the television for Henry. He was soon engrossed in it, whilst across the room Martha was just as engrossed as she practised her standing – she finally seemed to be getting the hang of it. Polly sank onto the sofa and I curled up on her lap. It was so comforting to be there as all manner of strange and confusing thoughts about Tiger raced through my brain.
I knew I’d been warned that she felt romantically towards me but I’d put it to the back of my mind and I certainly hadn’t taken it seriously. I might have known but I pushed it away because I didn’t want to deal with it. Tiger was my buddy and I didn’t want anything to change that. However, feelings were already changing that. The more I thought about it the more I realized that I wasn’t sure how I was going to fix this one. It seemed to me that as soon as I thought I had one problem under control, another would present itself.
I wished I could talk to Jonathan, because before he met Claire he had lots of women in his life. Although thinking about it, he generally got rid of them pretty quickly. Nor did they seem to be very happy about it.
I didn’t want to get rid of Tiger, I loved having her as my friend, but I didn’t want a romantic relationship. I needed to be honest with her about how I felt, but the last thing I wanted to do was to hurt her feelings. Oh, it was such a conundrum! The only thing for it was to sleep. Polly stroked me gently, talking to the children every now and then, and I could hear Henry’s laughter and Martha’s occasional tears as I drifted off.
Polly gently moved me, waking me up. I yawned and stretched and then, miaowing my goodbyes, I made my way back to Claire and Jonathan’s. The house was empty, so I made my way to my favourite spot in the living room, where the sun streamed through the window. I rolled around in a big patch of sunlight, enjoying the warmth and the feeling of the soft carpet against my fur; it was as nice as sunbathing, but in the comfort of my own home.
A little while later, I heard the key in the door and Claire rushed in, all smiles. I smiled and purred as we greeted each other.
‘Hey, Alfie, Jonathan has a work thing so I’m having a girls’ night,’ she said. I wondered if I would get to see mine and Claire’s friend Tasha.
‘Yes, Alfie, Tash is coming,’ Claire said as if she could read my mind, ‘as well as Polly and Franceska.’ I purred my approval. My favourite human women all under one roof. It would be a good night, even if I was the only man.
I prepared by eating my tea and cleaning myself thoroughly so I looked my best. I sat in front of the big hall mirror, and slicked my fur down so it wasn’t sticking up. I tilted my head to check how I looked from all angles and after a while I was satisfied with my appearance. Claire approached and laughed at me.
‘Oh, Alfie, you are a vain little cat,’ she said. I bristled. I was certainly not vain, I just liked to make sure I looked my best at all times like any self-respecting cat. Still reeling from the accusation, I followed Claire into the kitchen where she took wine glasses out of the cupboard and put some plated nibbles on the table. She still had that glow from Paris about her and she was still singing to herself as she got ready to receive her friends.
Franceska arrived first with a bottle tucked under her arm, so I prepared for my first lot of fussing. Tasha followed soon after, with such an enormous bunch of flowers that I could barely see her. As Claire greeted her and then ushered her into the kitchen to join Franceska, I could see her baby bump was beginning to show. I remembered Polly’s when she was pregnant with Martha; I thought she looked a bit like an egg to be honest but I understood now that when babies grew inside you they made you fat – cats and humans alike. I was quite grateful that it was a female thing.
I curled up on Tasha’s lap as they sat around the kitchen table. I knew this wouldn’t exactly thrill Claire – she didn’t like me being to near human food, but I took a chance and luckily she didn’t say anything. Claire and Franceska sipped wine and Tasha sipped a soft drink. They were commenting on the fact that Polly still hadn’t arrived, and how it wasn’t like her to be late.
‘I’ll text her. Maybe the kids aren’t settling tonight?’ Franceska suggested. As she did that, Claire turned her attention to Tasha.
‘Are you finding work easier?’ she asked. When I first moved here Claire and Tasha worked together, but not anymore and I knew Claire missed her still.
‘Yes, but I wish I was back at the old place. Here they want a pound of flesh, pregnant or not. To be honest I think they’re a bit annoyed that I’m pregnant; after all I’ve only been there a year and it was a promotion,’ Tasha replied.
‘Are they that bad?’ Franceska asked, rejoining the conversation.
‘Probably not, I think I’m a bit oversensitive. It’s just that there’s a lot going on and I’m not feeling the sympathy I want,’ she said with a wry smile. They all laughed.
‘You mean they aren’t treating you as a delicate little flower?’ Claire teased.
‘Exactly.’
The doorbell interrupted them and Claire jumped up. I waited with Tasha, being particularly comfortable, but I was as surprised as everyone else when Claire walked in with not just Polly but Karen Snell behind her.
‘Everyone, this is Karen,’ Polly introduced. ‘Karen, this is Claire, Franceska and Tasha.’
‘Hello.’ Tasha looked at her with interest as did I.
‘Hi.’ She looked awkward, as if she was going to turn and run away again.
‘Pull up a pew, Karen. Karen recently moved next door to us,’ Claire explained as Karen reluctantly took a seat. I had never seen anyone look less pleased to be there and it seemed that no one knew what to say exactly. Claire put two glasses of wine in front of Karen and Polly.
‘Thanks, lovely,’ Polly said.
‘So how do you like Edgar Road?’ Tasha asked innocently. Karen looked at her as if she was an alien.
‘Karen is having a bit of a time of it with some of the neighbours,’ Polly interjected. At the sound of that, Karen burst into tears.
‘Oh no, don’t cry!’ Claire exclaimed. Franceska pulled her chair next to Karen’s and put her arm around her.
‘I picked Karen up outside as she was being accosted by the Goodwins. Someone had to help her escape that terrible pair!’ Polly explained. The atmosphere had changed and it suddenly felt oppressive.
‘Street busybodies,’ Claire explained to Tasha.
‘Anyway,’ Polly continued, ‘they were threatening to call the landlord, unless Karen told them why the police were there the other day – it was all very silly but upsetting at the same time as you might imagine.’
‘The police?’ Franceska asked, wide-eyed.
‘Never mind that.’ Polly shot her a look. ‘Anyway, I’m afraid I’ve made enemies of the Goodwins now.’
‘We need some help though,’ Karen mumbled through her tears. She was brandishing some pieces of paper but I couldn’t see what was on them.
‘Why, what’s going on?’ Claire asked, full of concern. I pricked up my ears.
‘It’s our cat, Snowball. She’s gone missing.’ She held up a poster and I found myself looking at the love of my life. Well her picture anyway.
- CHAPTER -
Twenty-Three
As the women mobilized to help Karen look for Snowball – who’d been missing since the fight with Tom and Salmon – I needed to see Tiger, but I was scared. I knew we still needed to have ‘the talk’, cat to cat, but now Snowball might be in danger, my priorities had shifted. I was so afraid of many things, but losing Tiger’s friendship, and losing Snowball scared me equally.
I know that men aren’t known for being good at these things, but I vowed to do what all men and women should do when it came to such delicate matters. Instead of lying or pulling out meaningless platitudes I was going to tell the truth and speak from the heart. Because I needed her more than ever now.
I risked meeting her family as I jumped through the cat flap, and Tiger seemed to appear almost immediat
ely. I could hear voices from another room so I guessed I was in the clear.
‘Hey, what are you doing here?’ she asked.
‘Look, I know we need to talk, but I’ve just seen Karen Snell. She was in tears because Snowball is missing. She hasn’t been home since the altercations with Tom and Salmon.’ I sounded hysterical, I know, but I felt it too. I was so afraid for Snowball, and I understood why Karen was so inconsolable.
‘Alfie, do you think she might have been hurt more badly than Tom and Salmon led us to believe?’
‘But even Rocky said she ran off. She can’t have been hurt too badly if she could still run surely?’
‘OK, come on, we’ll round up the others and start a search party. Don’t worry, Alfie, we’ll find her.’ Tiger gave me a reassuring look and I knew I’d never have a better friend.
‘About earlier,’ I said as we walked towards Nellie’s house to get her first. Tiger was being really sweet over the missing Snowball but what if she didn’t want to ever be my friend again? I tried to tell myself not to be so dramatic, but a cat can’t change its fur.
‘Alfie, it’s OK. I know you don’t have those feelings for me,’ Tiger said.
‘You do?’ I was taken aback.
‘I’m not stupid, Alfie. I’ve known you for three years; you meet white fluff-ball for a second and you’re in love. Don’t worry, I know that we’re just friends, and I know that deep down you respect my feelings but like a man, sometimes you can be a bit insensitive to them.’
‘Wow,’ I managed to say. Now I know why my human males said women were so much better at this stuff. It was like she could read my mind. I continued, ‘I wanted to tell you honestly how I felt. I love you, Tiger, but as a friend, and as a friend I couldn’t love you more. You’re right, it’s different with Snowball. I don’t know why, but that’s how it is.’
‘I know, Alfie. If you felt the same way about me it would be so easy, but you don’t and we need to move on.’
‘And I thought this conversation was going to be tricky,’ I said feeling bemused. I was confused again but in a different way. A good way.
‘I don’t want to lose you from my life, Alfie, and that means I have to accept that we are just friends and stop being so jealous of Fluff-ball.’ She looked at me but she was smiling. I purred and nuzzled.
‘You are so amazing, Tiger, the best friend a cat could have.’
‘You always say that.’
‘Because it’s true. Are you sure you’re OK with this?’ I was still concerned.
‘I will be. Alfie, I want things to go back to the way they were with us before, and if that means I have to hear about Fuzzy-kitten and her weird family then so be it.’ Tiger smiled to show me the name-calling was in good humour.
‘Thank you so much Tiger, you mean the world to me.’ I meant it.
‘Right, well come on, let’s find Snowball, and make sure she’s all right.’
We found Nellie at the end of the street, watching the moon. While she went to find Rocky and Elvis, we started our hunt but then we bumped into Tom.
‘Tom, are you sure you didn’t hurt Snowball more than you said?’ I asked, angrily. I was worried now and upset, and although Tiger was being amazing I hated to think of Snowball out there, scared and hurt.
‘Honestly it was nothing major. She could still walk away. Why are we raking this up again, I said I was sorry.’ He looked a bit sheepish as Tiger stepped forward.
‘She’s gone missing,’ Tiger explained. ‘Her owner has Alfie’s families out looking for her now, but she hasn’t been home since she fought with you and argued with Salmon.’
‘I didn’t mean for anything bad to happen.’ Tom did look stricken, I had to admit. ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to help you find her.’
‘You’re the last person she’d want to see,’ I pointed out, ‘please don’t look for her. You might scare her off again.’
‘OK, but I really do want to help you.’
‘Maybe go and see what you can find out from other cats. If you hear anything, come and find one of us,’ Tiger said and we bounded off.
We both searched well into the night, as far as the park at one end of the road, while the other cats covered the other end.
‘No sightings could mean that she isn’t too injured to hide,’ Tiger said.
‘But she’s probably hungry and scared. Do you think that maybe Salmon saying that the family were going to be hounded out, tipped her over the edge?’
‘Probably, I know she’s having a hard time settling in. She could have gone back to her old home,’ Tiger suggested.
‘I guess we need to go home and get some rest now. We can’t stay out forever.’ I was tired, cold and losing hope. I needed to regain my strength and think logically about where she could be. It was important that I had a strategy and, so far, there were no leads and I could no longer think straight. Every lamp-post we passed on our way home now had pictures of Snowball on them; her beautiful face was everywhere. I had never known worry like this but I gave up and went to get some rest. Although I knew I wouldn’t properly rest until I’d found her, I curled up into my bed.
- CHAPTER -
Twenty-Four
I slept uneasily which wasn’t a surprise. I made my way downstairs where Claire and Jonathan were already sat at the breakfast table.
‘Polly texted me to say she’d called in at the Snells’ and there was still no sign.’
‘God, I remember how worried I was when Alfie was missing, when he’d been hurt and taken to the vet’s that time.’ I shuddered as I made my presence felt. I hated hearing that word.
‘Oh there you are, I wonder if you’ve seen Snowball?’ He went to feed me. I miaowed to tell him I hadn’t seen her.
‘They’re making more posters. Polly said she would take the kids out and put them up a bit further afield. I can’t get out of work but I’ve offered for us both to help when we get back.’
‘OK, darling, cool. I’ll try not to be late.’
After I’d breakfasted, groomed myself and made my way out, I saw Polly and Karen and I wanted to cry as I saw Snowball’s beautiful face smiling down at me again and wondered if I would ever see her again. You heard about cats going missing a lot and many of them were never found. Terrible things could happen, and it was unfortunately more common than it should be. I felt as if my heart was going to break. It seemed Karen felt the same because she stood with Polly, sobbing as Polly put her arm around her and the children looked on.
‘I’m sorry,’ Karen said. ‘But she’s family. Daisy adores her and we’ve had her since she was a kitten. I can’t bear to lose her after everything else we’ve lost.’
‘Hey, love, come on, we’ll find her. After work me, Matt, Claire and Jonathan are going to look. We’ve put these posters up everywhere and I’m sure we’ll have her home safe in no time.’ I hoped that Polly was more confident than she sounded.
I left them, as Tim joined his wife and for the first time I saw affection pass between them. They clung to each other and when Tim suggested driving around looking for Snowball, Karen said she wanted to go with him.
I had to find that cat. As I started walking I saw Tiger engaged in some kind of conversation with Salmon. I quickened my pace. Maybe he would know where Snowball was.
‘Hi, Tiger,’ I said.
‘Ah, here’s your partner. I’ve just discovered your ruse, Alfie,’ Salmon said unkindly.
‘What?’ I asked.
‘Sorry, Alfie, I felt I had to tell him we were just pretending to be on his side the other day, as we’re doing all we can to find Snowball.’
‘Oh, I’d forgotten that.’
‘Well who cares. The cat is done for.’
‘What do you mean?’ I hissed angrily.
‘It’s obvious. She’s been kidnapped by the criminals that the Snells are involved with. They’ve probably double-crossed them or something and so they’ve taken the cat.’
‘I’ve never heard such nonsense,�
�� Tiger said.
‘We’ll see,’ Salmon replied before stalking off.
‘Ignore him, Alfie, I’m sure she’ll be all right,’ Tiger said, trying to cheer me up. I smiled, gratefully, at her but even I was losing hope as no one had seen her. We had looked everywhere we could think of and were quickly running out of ideas.
That evening, I felt the love in Edgar Road, for the first time in ages, as Polly, Matt, Claire and Jonathan and all the Snells came out together to look for Snowball. I had cat tears in my eyes as I saw them all working together. I had wanted to bring them together, to help them, but not at the expense of Snowball. As her face looked at me from every lamp-post I tried to strengthen my resolve to find her but even I was struggling to stay positive.
‘I just can’t think of where else to look,’ Tim said as they all converged outside our house. My families exchanged anxious glances.
‘But, Dad, we can’t give up,’ Daisy said, tears streaming. Her father put his arm around her.
‘We’ll never give up, princess.’ He hugged her.
‘Hey, I know,’ Matt said, trying to sound optimistic. ‘Why don’t we try another search but this time split up? I know we’ve looked but she might have got lost and be trying to find her way back. Tim and Christopher, come with me and Jonathan and we’ll head east, you ladies go west and we’ll meet back at ours where I’ll get our babysitter to make us some hot drinks.’
Everyone agreed but I couldn’t help but feel that it was because they didn’t know what else to do. The only silver lining, I thought glumly, was that at least we were showing the Snells what a nice street we were, with the exception of the Goodwins of course.
‘What now?’ Tiger asked me. The other cats were all still searching but like the humans, we were running out of places to look. I began to feel despondent but then I remembered who I was.
‘Remember when I went to stay at Franceska’s?’ I asked. Tiger nodded. ‘I met this outdoor cat, Dustbin, he works the yard outside big Tomasz’s restaurant, keeping it clean from vermin.’