by Rachel Wells
‘I feel terrible, you came around to make me feel welcome and now you’re stuck.’
‘Oh no, I’m still glad I met you, I just wish you could come out, and then you could meet the others, our cat friends.’ That would be my next plan. As soon as I came up with one to get myself out of her house, I would come up with a way of getting Hana out of the house too.
We both looked around for any sign of being able to leave, but it was hopeless. There were no windows open, or anything that I could use to get outside. As I was beginning to despair we heard a sound, like a key in the door.
‘That’s the front door,’ Hana said and we both bounded towards it. The door opened and I saw my chance. Without hesitation I ran as fast as I could through Connie’s legs and outside. It was only when I was on the front path that I stopped, turned around and saw that Connie and Aleksy were both looking at me with bemusement.
‘How did Alfie get in here?’ Connie asked. ‘Hana, are you OK?’ I took offence at that, what did she mean? What did she think I had done to her?
Hana mewed, softly. I hadn’t even stopped to say goodbye to her but I raised my whiskers and she raised hers back.
‘I’m sure he was just being friendly and, after all, Alfie is one clever cat, he would have found a way,’ Aleksy replied, and I bounded off to get home to George, as they closed the front door. Not feeling that clever – after all, it had taken hours to get out.
When I told George all about my adventures next door, he went into a sulk because I hadn’t taken him with me. When I reminded him of his refusal to go out because of the rain, he still took umbrage. I promised him the next time I would take him with me but of course I wasn’t sure how there would be a next time. After the hazard of getting in and out, it just might not happen. I wasn’t ready to cope with that again.
It was only much later, when I was alone, about to take a short nap, that I thought about it all again and realised I hadn’t stopped to wonder what on earth Aleksy and Connie were doing at her house in the middle of the day. Weren’t they both supposed to be at school?
Chapter Eight
Word about my visit to Hana got around quickly. I was surprised. I had thought that if Connie told her mum she would have had to explain not being at school, but that only goes to show how wrong I was. It turned out Connie had gone home at lunchtime because she’d forgotten one of her text books. She obviously hadn’t mentioned Aleksy, because when Claire was telling Jonathan, in front of me, his name didn’t crop up.
‘Did Sylvie mind about our mad cat being in her house?’ Jonathan asked. I waved my tail, I wasn’t mad.
‘She was a bit surprised at first but when I explained that Alfie always liked to make friends with other cats she didn’t seem too upset. She said she always worried about Hana being bored, she wasn’t alone very often in Japan.’
‘Maybe we can persuade her to put a cat flap in so Alfie can visit more often,’ Jonathan laughed.
‘Yelp!’ I jumped onto his lap; that was a very good idea.
‘Alfie, I think Jon was joking,’ Claire giggled. ‘Anyway, I invited her to lunch on Sunday at the restaurant. I checked with Frankie and she didn’t mind.’
‘Great. Hopefully she’ll start to settle in a bit more.’
I was excited at the news. Not that Sylvie and Connie were joining us, although that was nice, but mainly about the fact that we were having lunch at the restaurant. It would give George and I a chance to catch up with Dustbin, the restaurant cat who was a very, very good friend. He lived outside and was a bit feral, but he liked it that way, and he might have been rough around the edges but he had a heart of gold. I hadn’t seen him for a bit, probably because life in Edgar Road was keeping me busy, so we were due a visit.
In the meantime I had to find Tiger. She was still being a bit elusive of late, and I did want to see her. I missed her. George had seen more of her than I had, but that was because he went into her house. I wouldn’t go because if I got caught by her owners they threw me out. They didn’t mind George quite as much, but nor were they laying out the red carpet to welcome him either. He assured me she was fine but I still wanted to see for myself.
I went to Tiger’s house and nudged the cat flap. As I waited on the doorstep I was anxious, but Tiger appeared after a short time.
‘Hi stranger,’ I said.
‘Don’t start,’ she replied, giving me a quick nuzzle. ‘I’ve had my family all keeping me in, it was to do with the vet. I thought I was fine but it turned out I had some kind of infection, and I had to take some medicine, which is why I haven’t been out. It’s all gone now and I’m allowed out again.’
‘But George said you were staying in because of the weather.’
‘I didn’t want him to worry, or you. I was only allowed dry biscuits to eat for days, can you imagine?’
‘No, frankly I can’t. But you say you’re all better?’
‘Yes. The tablets, which my family thought they were being very clever in hiding in small bits of chicken – which I ate because it was the only respite from the biscuits – have all gone, and that means I am back to normal.’ She grinned.
‘Oh thank goodness.’
‘You know, Alfie, you worry too much. Tell me, what’s been going on in the world while I’ve been stuck in.’
‘Walk with me and I will do.’ I grinned. It hit me how much I’d missed her. I was a softy after all.
As we took a stroll, I told her about Hana and being stuck in the house.
‘It’s a shame, you know, she’d make a perfect companion for George,’ I said, not for the first time.
‘Stop trying to matchmake, Alfie,’ she replied. ‘George will make his own friends.’
‘I know, I was just saying, they aren’t that far apart in age and she’s lived a very sheltered life.’
‘That sounds like an understatement,’ Tiger pointed out. One of the many things I loved about her was the fact that she paid such good attention to everything I told her.
‘Yes, right, so I thought her sweetness would be great for George. Anyway, I don’t see it happening, she doesn’t go out and there isn’t an easy way for us to get in …’
‘Don’t tell me you’re going to give up that easily.’ We both stopped and I looked at her. She knew me so well.
‘Of course not,’ I replied, with a grin.
When I got home, feeling lighter than I had for a while, probably because of seeing with my own eyes that Tiger was fine, Claire was at the kitchen table with Polly and Sylvie. After establishing that George was outside, playing in the small back garden, I joined them, sitting myself on Polly’s lap and enjoying the sensation as she ran her fingers lightly through my fur.
‘So, the job is good?’ Polly asked. She had a big bag with her, which meant she had been working herself. She was an interior designer and although she tried to work part-time she could sometimes find herself very busy. Luckily, Claire was always able to help out with the kids if necessary, that was how we all did things on Edgar Road.
‘Yes, it’s strange though. I haven’t had a “job” since we moved overseas.’
‘That’s a long time to be out of the workplace,’ Polly said.
‘It is. And, you know, getting out of the house is good, the hours aren’t too long so I can be there for Connie … Not that she seems to want me to be.’ Her brow wrinkled.
‘Is everything OK?’ Polly asked.
‘If you ask Connie, it is. She says she likes school, she’s getting good grades already, she even has a sleepover with a couple of friends on Friday, so it seems she’s settled in pretty well. But, well, she’s very quiet and when I try to talk to her she gives me one-word answers, then makes any excuse she can to be in her bedroom with her phone or iPad.’
‘I think, from what Frankie says about Aleksy, that that is being a teenager,’ Claire laughed.
‘I hope so. I know it sounds strange but it’s like she’s gone from being this chatty little girl who loved to tell me about her
day, who seemed to love me, to someone who acts as if I am torturing her by asking her if she’s alright and can barely stand the sight of me. I’m worried that she’s just putting a brave face on everything.’
‘Does she speak to your ex?’ Polly asked, gently.
‘Yes, he Skypes, or FaceTimes her a couple of times a week, and she’s pretty surly with him, but of course he doesn’t have to deal with her moods on a daily basis.’
‘Listen, I honestly think it’s just the big upheaval, but hey, you said she’s doing well at school?’ Claire said. Sylvie nodded. ‘She’s not got an eating disorder or a drug problem?’
‘Oh God, I hope not. No, she still seems to eat like a horse and she isn’t losing weight. I’m pretty sure she’s not on drugs,’ Sylvie replied with a slight grin.
‘Right, as far as I can tell that means you’re winning parenting her. I said the same to Frankie about Aleksy. He’s the sweetest kid, always has been, sensitive, caring, but he has started acting as if he’s a bit too cool for all of us, especially his parents.’
‘Meow!’ I shouted.
‘OK, apart from Alfie then.’ The three of them laughed.
‘Actually, even Alfie at times,’ Polly whispered but I heard and narrowed my eyes at her.
‘I need to stop worrying so much,’ Sylvie said.
‘Yes. My dad, he was a social worker and pretty good with children and teens, he told me that he got through me and my brother’s teenage hormonal phase by not pushing us too much. He said he gave us space and one day we started being pleasant again,’ Claire explained.
‘Oh God, I was a nightmare,’ Polly said. ‘I drank, smoked and was boy crazy, but then I started modelling when I was fifteen so I guess that explained it a bit.’
‘Was modelling a bit wild?’ Sylvie asked.
‘Yes, it was, but after a while I rebelled against the bad behaviour.’
‘Oh God, you know also, we didn’t have all the pressure of social media when we were growing up,’ Claire pointed out.
‘I know, I didn’t want Connie to have any, but she said that she didn’t want to be the only girl at school without Snapachat or whatever, so I had to give in. I can’t make her feel different, that’s the worst when you’re a teenager.’
‘Trust her – as much as you can anyway. She seems pretty good to me,’ Polly said, giving Sylvie’s hand a pat.
‘Meow,’ I said again. Polly was pretty good as well, all my women were.
‘I will do my best to give her space, but I can’t help worrying.’ Sylvie’s brow was furrowed.
‘None of us can, really,’ Polly agreed.
‘Meow,’ I thirded. That was what us parents did best: worry.
Chapter Nine
‘The cats are coming?’ Sylvie asked as we all set out to lunch on Sunday.
‘Yowl,’ I replied. Of course we were.
‘You’ll soon learn that our cats go pretty much everywhere with us,’ Claire explained, as if it was perfectly normal. Over time, I have learnt that it’s not. Dogs, they go to many places with humans, cats not so much. But for George and I things were different. And we liked it that way.
‘It makes me feel sorry for Hana,’ Connie said. She wasn’t being surly at all today, she had a big smile on her face. She really was very pretty, a bit like her cat; they matched. ‘You know, at home on her own so much of the time.’
‘Meow,’ I said. Good, it seemed the seed had been planted.
‘Yes, but darling, Hana doesn’t go out, I’m not sure she’d cope very well.’ Sylvie sounded worried.
‘I know, but seeing the freedom Alfie and George have, well it got me thinking. I really am worried that she’s lonely here.’
‘Ah, well maybe we’ll get her a treat later, some fish maybe, just in case.’ Sylvie gave Connie’s shoulder a squeeze. That wasn’t what I had in mind.
George and I kept up with the humans, although at one point Toby picked George up and carried him for a while. No one thought to offer me a lift. But Franceska and Tomasz didn’t live far away, so it wasn’t so bad. I was used to the journey, it was one of my regular routes.
The family used to live in the flat above the restaurant, which was nice but small, so when Tomasz became more successful and the boys got bigger they bought the house next door. They still had the flat, but a couple of the members of staff lived there. Thankfully they’d knocked down the back wall so the yard to the restaurant and the house was adjoining, which meant when George and I stayed with them – which we did if Claire and Jonathan and the children went away without us – I could see Dustbin whenever I wanted.
‘Hello, welcome,’ Tomasz said, standing at the door, and scooping me up as he ushered everyone in. They had a rule that the place was always closed on Sundays, to make sure everyone could have a day off, so when we had family day here we had the place to ourselves. As hugs and kisses were exchanged, Toby and Henry went to find the boys, Martha and Summer took their dolls over to the table which had been set for the children, whilst the adults all chatted and sorted out drinks. Connie stood, looking slightly awkward, but as soon as Aleksy spotted her he bounded over. I was offended that he didn’t even say hello to me.
‘Let’s go and find Dustbin,’ I said to George, affronted, and we made our way through the kitchen – where we normally weren’t allowed – to the backyard.
‘I heard you were coming,’ Dustbin said as he greeted us affectionately.
‘Hi, how are you?’ I asked, pleased to see my very good friend.
‘Yeah, not bad. Got a few mice yesterday, the blighters keep coming back for more, it’s like they never learn.’ He gave his head a small shake.
I shuddered, I hated all talk of hunting. In fact for a cat I was a pretty poor hunter. I had done it out of necessity, when I was homeless, in order to survive, but I didn’t like it and since becoming so pampered I had lost my knack. George showed an interest in it, disappointingly, but more for the thrill of the chase than anything. I tried to discourage it but it was his instinct, so I had to accept that.
‘Dustbin, can we go and find some mice?’ George asked, looking hopeful.
‘Maybe later, lad. They’ve all scarpered for now.’ He gave me a ‘look’ and I thanked him silently.
‘Anyway, they’ll be bringing us some lunch soon,’ I said. When we visited it was the only time we ever ate outside because Dustbin didn’t like to come inside. Which reminded me to tell him about Hana.
‘Well, I never heard such a thing. A cat who doesn’t go out? I wouldn’t like that.’
‘But if you didn’t know any different you might,’ George said, sagely. He was a chip off the old block.
‘True, George, true. And what suits some cats doesn’t suit others, eh Alfie?’ I nodded my agreement. ‘Anyway, Alfie, you might want to know this: Franceska was on the phone out here last night, talking to one of your ladies no doubt, and she said she was worried about Aleksy.’
‘Oh no, what about?’ My fur stood on end. I couldn’t bear it if anything was wrong with my Aleksy.
‘He’s acting all secretive apparently, home late from school, spending all his time in his bedroom on his phone, only coming out for meals – and you know how close he and Tommy were. Well, apparently he basically ignores his little brother, these days.’
‘Oh,’ I said, a bit relieved. ‘I know what this is, the women were talking about it the other day: hormones. All teenagers get it, it’s like an illness I think, you know, makes you not a very nice person for a while, but they all said it passes eventually.’
‘That’s good to know. Poor Franceska’s very upset, she misses how close she and Aleksy used to be.’ It was the same conversation that Polly and Claire had with Sylvie.
‘Thanks Dustbin, and I will keep an eye on things, but our new next-door neighbour, Connie, is suffering from it too. Thank goodness us cats don’t get it,’ I said, raising my whiskers at George.
‘Oh no, we are just lovely and fun and sweet all the time,’ George s
aid as he pounced on a mouse which seemed to appear from thin air.
‘Good catch,’ Dustbin said, proudly. I shook my tail. I bet the mouse didn’t think George was sweet.
We dined on sardines and as always it was delicious. We had a very pleasant time with Dustbin before we left him to go back to our families. In truth I was cold, chilled to my bones actually, and George was tired. Dustbin didn’t seem to get either cold or tired, he was a super-cat. As we said a reluctant goodbye to him, I said I’d see him soon. I would put visiting more often on my to-do list.
Back inside, I began to warm up as I let the human chatter wash over my fur. A good meal had been eaten, dishes were piled up, but Franceska and Tomasz refused to let anyone clear up, saying they would do it when everyone had gone home. The children were playing in one part of the restaurant; Tommy had set up an elaborate obstacle course and the younger children were enjoying it, along with George who quickly joined in, easily shedding his tiredness, it seemed. Aleksy and Connie were watching them, but set apart from the others. Both had phones in their hands. They were talking though, laughing, and they seemed happy. The adults were enjoying drinks, and talk turned to Christmas.
‘I have so much to do,’ Franceska was saying. ‘Not only for the boys but for work too.’
‘I know, but I love Christmas.’ Claire sounded dreamy.
‘It costs a fortune,’ Jonathan huffed.
‘Bah humbug,’ Matt teased.
‘It’s going to be nice this year, all together,’ Tomasz said, then the table fell silent.
‘Are you staying in London for Christmas?’ Claire asked Sylvie.
‘Yes, I think so. My sister has invited us to go away with them, but well, Connie and I aren’t used to being here yet, so I think staying might be best. I just don’t …’ Her voice cracked and I went to rub her legs. ‘I haven’t really thought about it,’ she said. Then she tried to smile.
‘You must come to us,’ Claire suggested.