Meow and Forever

by Patricia Fry

  Rochelle, Savannah, and Iris each smiled at one another and Iris asked, “So Rochelle, do you think that vortex we didn’t find today had something to do with the beautiful thing that happened here today?”

  Rochelle smiled coyly. “Well, it’s possible, I guess. But I kind of think this one was on Rags.”

  ****

  “What time’s everyone getting here for Teddy’s birthday party?” Michael asked after breakfast on Saturday.

  Savannah smiled at their son’s antics as she washed his face. “After naps,” she said. “The littles are going to have a nice nap, then we’ll put on our party clothes and…”

  “And party?” Michael said, picking up Teddy and dancing around the room with him.

  “Do it again, Daddy,” Lily said, laughing. “Do it again.”

  “Never mind,” Savannah said. “We have a lot to do this morning.”

  “Can I help, Mommy?” Lily asked.

  “Sure, you can, punkin. Thank you for asking.”

  “I’ll dress up Rags and Glori,” Lily said, running toward her bedroom.

  Savannah glanced at Michael. “I had in mind her helping me set the tables. What did she say she’s going to do?”

  “Dress up the cats,” Michael said.

  Rochelle laughed. “Well, that’s helping, isn’t it? Remember, we’re here to help, as well. Let us know what we can do.”

  Peter scoffed. “What’s this we thing, Rochelle? Do you have a mouse in your pocket?” He winked. “Michael and I are going golfing, aren’t we, buddy?”

  “Yeah, right.” Michael gestured. “Come on, Peter, let’s set up the tables and chairs.”

  “Here are the tablecloths,” Gladys said, handing them to Michael.

  “And the piñata,” Savannah said, pointing. “I’ll leave it to you guys to find a place to hang it.” Before the men stepped out, she called, “Oh, and would you fill the horses’ water trough. I didn’t get that done this morning.” When Michael frowned at her, she defended, “They have water, it just needs to be refreshed.”

  “Got it,” Michael said, walking out the door with Peter.

  “She’s going to dress up the cats, huh?” Savannah said, shaking her head. She smiled.

  “Well, that’s okay, too, I guess. She’ll think she’s helping.”

  Rochelle smiled. “She’s so cute.” She asked, “What do you want the boys to do?” She looked around. “Where are they, anyway?”

  Savannah looked confused for a moment, then said, “Oh, that’s right, Rochelle, you were helping Lily with something when they left. Auntie called and asked if the boys would like to earn a few bucks this morning at the shelter. Peter said it was okay if Simon went.” She grinned. “They were pretty excited.”

  “Cool,” Rochelle said. “Simon will enjoy that.”

  The women were preparing strawberries, pineapple, orange sections, and kiwi for a fruit salad when Lily walked slowly into the room with Glori in her arms. “Look, Mommy. Glori’s a cowgirl.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Savannah remarked when she saw the calico wearing a small Western hat and vest. “What’s that?” she asked, “your baby Alana’s cowgirl outfit?”

  Lily nodded. She put Glori down on the floor and the cat walked nonchalantly to her kibbles bowl and started eating.

  Savannah laughed. “Well, she doesn’t seem to mind strutting around in costume.”

  Gladys clasped her hands in front of her. “Oh, that is so cute. Lilliana reminds me of you, Vannie, when you used to dress Jennie. You’d beg for clothes for your MaryAnn doll, but you secretly wanted them for Jennie.” Gladys laughed. “That cat seemed always to be parading around in a tutu or a bathing suit or pajamas—sometimes a boa would be trailing along behind her. She didn’t care. Little Glori there is like a reincarnation of Jennie.”

  “She’s adorable,” Rochelle said.

  Savannah smiled and asked Lily, “Is that what Glori’s wearing to the party?”

  “Maybe,” Lily said. “She might wear the red dress with buttons.”

  Rochelle chuckled. “Glori hasn’t decided, yet?”

  Savannah laughed, then asked, “Rochelle, does Simon dress your kittens?”

  Rochelle shook her head. “No. I guess he hasn’t thought of doing that, but he does enjoy posing them and taking their picture. He thinks they’re going to become YouTube stars.”

  “Does he submit his photos?” Gladys asked.

  “No,” Rochelle said, “he doesn’t know how to do that yet.”

  Savannah asked, “Lily, would you like to help Mommy set the tables?”

  She nodded.

  “Let’s take the clothes off Glori, shall we? We don’t want her to get caught on something.”

  “Why?” Lily said, looking at the cat.

  “It can be dangerous to leave a cat dressed up when you’re not watching her. Let’s take the clothes off her now and you can put them on her later if you want to.”

  Savannah helped the child with the cat, then they stepped outside with Rochelle, each carrying a basket of napkins, utensils, and paper plates. Their quiet conversation was interrupted by a frantic voice. “Vannie! Vannie!”

  “Hi, Auntie,” Savannah said as Margaret approached. “What’s up? Did you come to help?”

  “Not really,” she said breathlessly. “Vannie, I have to talk to you.”

  “Are the boys okay?” Rochelle asked, concerned.

  Margaret looked at her for a moment, then said, “Oh, they’re fine. They’re helping Max arrange a couple of pens for a new batch of kittens that are coming in tomorrow.” She giggled. “Simon is really into it. He wants to put up a welcome banner and balloons.”

  “How cute,” Rochelle squealed.

  Savannah focused again on her aunt. “Hey, why don’t you come sit down here on the porch? You look upset. Did you run all the way over here?”

  “Practically,” Margaret grumbled. “I’m just kind of worried, that’s all.”

  “About what?” Savannah asked.

  By then, Gladys had joined the others on the wraparound porch with Teddy in tow. Margaret reached for him, saying, “How’s my big boy? I can’t believe you’re going to be two already. How can that be?”

  Savannah smiled, watching Teddy and Margaret interact, then asked, “So what’s going on, Auntie? What has you worried?”

  Margaret took a shallow breath. “Okay, some man just came to our door. When he saw the cats behind me in the living room, he practically pushed his way inside and demanded, ‘Where is he? Where is he? Where are you hiding him?’ I asked him who in the heck he was looking for. Well, it seems it was your cat—Rags. He was looking for Rags.”

  Savannah gasped. “Rags?”

  She nodded. “He has your address, but when he saw our house, he stopped there, thinking it was your place. You know that happens sometimes. People don’t realize there’s a house back here behind us.”

  “What did you tell him?” Savannah asked.

  “That I don’t know what or who he was talking about.”

  “Why?” Savannah asked. When Margaret just stared at her, she said, “Why didn’t you send him over here, if he wanted to see us?”

  “Hell,” she blurted, “I figured he wanted to sue you for something your cat did.” She thought for a moment and said, “No, you wouldn’t want that guy coming around here. He was…well, sort of belligerent.” When Savannah remained silent, Margaret continued, “He acted like he didn’t believe me. In fact, he sort of pushed me aside so he could see Layla and Gizmo and Jack. Thankfully, Max came in about then and he sent the gent on his way in no uncertain terms.”

  “So he asked about Rags?” Savannah muttered. “Did you tell him where we live?”

  “No. When Max saw his demeanor, he thought really fast and said we’d just moved in and suggested he must be looking for the folks who used to live there.”

  “What did he look like? Was he wearing a plaid tam and a matching tie?” Gladys asked.

  “Tam?”
Rochelle questioned.

  “Beret,” Savannah explained.

  Margaret stared at Gladys. “What? Plaid? No. He had on jeans and a tight t-shirt. Oh, he did wear a hat—a sort of fishing hat. Why?”

  “Well, there was a man in San Francisco interested in Rags, and I thought that might be him. I guess not.” Gladys nodded toward her daughter. “Then Vannie got a call from someone…” “A call?” Margaret asked.

  “Yeah, some man wanted to buy Rags,” Savannah explained. “Then I saw someone who could have been him along the walking path.” She faced her aunt. “Did he have a lot of white hair?”

  Margaret frowned. “No, actually, it was kind of brown—yeah, medium brown, I’d say.” She looked at Savannah. “Someone wants to buy your cat?”

  Savannah nodded. “He seemed almost desperate to have Rags.”

  “Well, I don’t think he’ll bother you again,” Margaret said. “We got him so confused I doubt he’ll go to the trouble of trying to find you, unless…”

  “Unless?” Savannah repeated.

  “Yeah, I guess it depends on how serious he is about buying Rags.” Margaret looked curiously at her. “How much did he offer?”

  “Two thousand dollars.”

  “What?” Margaret shouted. “Did your cat swallow a gold bar or maybe a diamond ring?”Savannah gulped. “I hope not.”

  “Maybe a street drug,” Michael suggested, joining the women.

  “Michael, that’s an awful thing to imagine,” Savannah scolded. “He could get really sick.” She faced him. “Do you think someone fed him something to stay out of trouble and they want him so they can cut him open and get it back? Oh my gosh! Michael, would you take him to the clinic and x-ray him? If he has swallowed something, we need to get it out of him before something awful happens.”

  “Oh, hon. I was joking.”

  “But Michael, that’s a possibility. His life could be in danger. Please Michael, go x-ray him will you?”

  He thinned his lips. “Okay, I can do that, but Savannah…”

  “Just do it. Please. We have to be sure.”

  “Don’t you think if he’d swallowed something in San Francisco—say, Saturday night, a week ago, it would have passed by now?” Margaret asked.

  “Unless they wrapped it in something that won’t dissolve—that he can’t pass.” Savannah frowned. “Which is all the more reason why we need to find it and get it out of him. It could cause a blockage or worse.”

  “He’d be showing symptoms long before this,” Michael reasoned. “There’d be signs that something’s wrong. You know that.”

  “Michael, why else would someone want him so badly?” Savannah argued.

  “Maybe they see him as a moneymaker,” Rochelle suggested. “They want to exploit him.”

  “I guess,” Savannah said, “but…I mean, Rags is unusual, but not that unusual.”

  Margaret stood up to leave. “Well, I’m sorry to have brought you disturbing news, but I thought you should know about the intrusion.”

  “Thanks, Auntie.”

  “Sure,” she said waving as she walked back toward her house.

  Savannah checked her watch. “Look at the time! I need finish setting these tables and pick lemons and make the lemonade. I’m going to put the kids down for their naps a little early and… gosh, everyone will be here in…”

  Rochelle interrupted her. “Give me the basket. Your mom and I can finish setting things up. I’ll get Peter to pick the lemons. Go take care of your children.”

  ****

  “How is he?” Savannah asked, when Michael returned with Rags a short time later.

  “He’s fine. I don’t see any foreign objects inside him.”

  “Maybe he passed it already,” she suggested, “although I probably would have seen something in the litter box.”

  “Or maybe there was nothing for him to pass at all.” Michael placed Rags on the floor and the cat trotted off to his kibbles bowl. He smiled. “Guess who followed me in.”

  Savannah strained to look out at the driveway. “Who?”

  “Your sister.”

  “Oh, Bri. I haven’t seen her in forever.” She headed to the front door, where she greeted Brianna and her fiancé, Bud. “I’m so glad you two could be here.” She hugged her sister. “I swear we see each other even less since you moved back to Hammond.”

  “I know. It’s a shame,” Brianna said. She grinned. “But maybe things will change.”

  “Uh-huh,” Michael said, joining them, “if Savannah will stay home for more than a week at a time.”

  “Yeah, it’s not me,” Brianna said, “it’s you. You’re like a flea on a hot rock since last summer. You’re gone more than you’re home. How are sisters supposed to bond?”

  “So what’s about to change?” Savannah asked eagerly.

  Before she could respond, Brianna looked behind her and smiled brightly. “Hi, sleepy-head boy. Auntie brought you a present.”

  Teddy reached for Brianna and she took him from Gladys.

  While her sister played with Teddy, Savannah hugged Bud. “I haven’t seen you in a while, either.” She chuckled. “I guess we run in different circles.”

  He grinned. “We run in circles, all right.”

  “Bri,” Savannah said, “it’s naptime, why don’t you help Mom put him down, then we’ll visit before the other guests arrive.”

  Brianna looked around. “Where’s Lily?”

  “I think she’s helping Rochelle clean up after lunch. Then she’s going down for a nap.”

  “Awww,” Brianna complained. “Can’t she stay up, just this once,” she whined. “I never get to see her.”

  “You can see her after her nap,” Savannah said.

  “Yeah, but everyone else will be here. She’s four. She doesn’t need a nap,” Brianna reasoned, lowering Teddy to the floor when he began to lean and point. She watched as he scampered toward his toy box.

  “Hi, Auntie Bri!” Lily shouted, skipping into the room.

  Brianna wrapped the child in a bear hug, saying, “Hi, girlfriend.” She looked at her sister. “Lily doesn’t look sleepy to me.”

  “Me?” Lily asked, stepping back. “I’m not sleepy. Can I stay up, Mommy?”

  Savannah smiled. “Okay. But you’d better not become a whiney baby like your Aunt Bri.”

  “Goodie,” Brianna said. “I’ll take full responsibility, okay, girlfriend?” she said, inviting Lily’s high five.

  “Okay,” Lily said, slapping her hand.

  Savannah smiled at the duo, then focused on Bud. “So you’ve been busy too?”

  He nodded. “Been busy at the clinic and busy on the farm.” He glanced at Brianna, who was engaged in a lively conversation with Lily. “We took some time off together last week, before you went to San Francisco, and we did a little sightseeing.” More energetically, he said, “We’ve chosen our honeymoon destination.”

  “Honeymoon?” Savannah squealed. “You’re getting married?”

  “Well, that’s generally the progression for an engaged couple,” Brianna snarked playfully.

  “When? Where?” Savannah pushed.

  “You’ve set a date?” Gladys asked.

  “Congratulations!” Rochelle said, joining the others.

  Brianna looked around. “Well, we’d hoped to make a more formal announcement once everyone is here.”

  “You’d override Teddy’s birthday celebration with your news?” Michael teased, overhearing the conversation.

  “Okay,” Brianna said, “we don’t have to do it today. Just watch for your invitation in the mail, or we might send an e-vite.”

  “No!” Savannah complained. “I can’t wait for an invitation. Tell us,” she begged.

  Brianna and Bud smiled at one another and she said, “Well, we do have a date. We’d like to get married during the summer solstice, which should occur around June twenty-first. So we’ve chosen that Friday.”

  “Wow!” Savannah said. “You’re actually finally goi
ng to do it.”

  Brianna nodded, and Bud smiled at her. “We’re going to do it…yes, finally.”

  “Sooo, Vannie,” Brianna said, “I had hoped…”

  “You want to get married here? Everyone gets married here, has their birthday party here, holds fundraising events here…”

  “Actually no,” Brianna said.

  “No?” Savannah questioned.

  “Well, I thought you’d be happy. You sounded all crabby when you thought we wanted to get married here.”

  “I wasn’t crabby.” Savannah faced Michael. “Was I?”

  He winced. “Yeah, you sounded a little crabby.”

  “I didn’t mean to,” she said. “I like having things here. I’d love to have your wedding here. So where are you getting married?”

  “At the site of our new home,” Brianna said, smiling broadly. When the others waited for more, she said, “We’ve designed our home on Bud’s family property. We think that will be a good place to raise our children.”

  “Children?” Savannah shrieked. She looked at Brianna, “Are you…?”

  “No,” she said shaking her head. “Not yet. But by this time next year…” she started.

  “If we’re fortunate,” Bud said, smiling at Brianna.

  Savannah choked up a little and wrapped her arms around her younger sister. “Well, I’m so happy for you.” She hugged Bud. “You too, brother. Wow, I’ll finally have a brother.”

  He laughed. “And I guess I’ll finally have a sister.”

  Savannah gazed at the couple. “So someday soon I’ll be an aunt, huh?”

  “Hope so,” Brianna said.

  Hmmm, Savannah thought, what was that? Did I hear a hint of doubt or concern in Bri’s tone?

  “Hey,” Brianna said, “I know we crashed the party kind of early. Want to put us to work? What can we do to help?”

  “Auntie Bri, want to dress Glori with me?” Lily asked. “She’s going to wear a red dress with buttons.”

  “Glori? Is that a new dolly?” Brianna asked.

  Lily giggled. “No,” she insisted, “she’s our new kitty. Come see her. We need to put on her dress.”

  “Okay,” Brianna said. “New kitty, huh? And she wears dresses?”

  When Brianna looked at her sister, Savannah shrugged. “What can I say?”