Alfie in the Snow

by Rachel Wells

  I didn’t have much time to listen to their conversation though I picked up a bit. Harold was recovering well, but wasn’t coming home until the doctors were confident that he had the right medication. But that was all I managed to glean as I ate, had a quick wash and, after putting George to bed – he felt he had successfully communicated what he needed to to Hana – headed out to meet Dustbin. I was beyond tired, and my exhaustion was added to by the thought of the long night ahead. I wasn’t sure what time the kids would think about trying to escape, but I knew it would probably be fairly late if they were waiting for the adults to go to sleep. Just the idea of it made my fur feel weary.

  Dustbin was hard at work when I arrived, evenings being his busiest time. It was pitch black, as the nights were now, and the street was lit only by a handful of stars and eyes of the cheeky rodents that Dustbin was charged with getting rid of.

  ‘Why don’t you get some rest while I finish up here?’ he suggested, kindly, when I told him how tired I was. I didn’t need asking twice, I curled up by the back door to Franceska’s house and I took my forty, or so, winks.

  I was woken by Dustbin nudging me and although I was startled I shot up to see Aleksy opening the back door to their house. He was wearing dark jeans and a black hoody, and had a backpack with him. It didn’t look as if he had much stuff in it, I thought, as he was carrying it with ease. Dustbin and I blinked at each other and we turned to face Aleksy.

  He jumped at the sight of me. ‘Alfie, what are you doing here?’

  ‘MEW,’ I said at the top of my voice. That was our cue. Dustbin and I yowled and meowed at the tops of our voices.

  ‘Shush, please shush,’ Aleksy said. We didn’t. He picked me up but I wouldn’t stop and I wiggled until I had to, reluctantly, give him a tiny scratch, which made him let go and drop me onto the floor. It wasn’t one of my best experiences. Dustbin, give him his due, thankfully kept going – turns out he had quite a pair of lungs on him. We saw a light go on inside the flat above the restaurant, and I saw Aleksy notice it too. I imagined them looking out of the window at us. Thankfully neither Tomasz or Franceska seemed to have heard us though.

  ‘Can you both please just be quiet, you’ll wake Mum and Dad.’ I could hear the desperation in his voice but I wasn’t going to be silenced.

  ‘Yowl,’ I shouted over and over.

  ‘Alright,’ he said, suddenly sitting down on the doorstep and pulling out his phone. We both stopped shouting and waited. ‘Hi, it’s me.’

  I couldn’t hear what Connie was saying.

  ‘Hana tried to trip you up?’ There was a pause. ‘She woke your mum up?’ Another pause. ‘What did your mum say?’ Silence. ‘Oh, you shut yourself in the bathroom, quick thinking. But Alfie is here and he and Dustbin made such a noise when they saw me that my parents will wake up soon, and the flat next door is already looking out of the window. They haven’t seen me yet, I don’t think.’ Pause. ‘No, I agree, we can’t risk it tonight.’ He sounded crestfallen but it was for his own good. ‘I’ll text you and let’s talk at school tomorrow and come up with a new plan.’

  That wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear but at least he and Connie were safe and had aborted their running away for now.

  ‘Alfie, why are you here?’ Aleksy asked, after he hung up. ‘Did you know I was going to try to be with Connie?’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘No, that’s silly. Of course you didn’t know, you just came to see your friend, Dustbin.’ He nodded. If it was easier for him to believe that, then who was I to argue?

  ‘Alfie, I’ll walk you home,’ Dustbin said, after we watched Aleksy go inside. I was glad I hadn’t woken Tomasz and Franceska, but also a little surprised. The fact that they had slept through me and Dustbin at our nosiest was slightly worrying. If that didn’t wake them then what on earth would?

  ‘You don’t think he’ll try to come out again?’ I asked. I was longing for home, for my bed, but I didn’t want to lose Aleksy.

  ‘No, we’ll wait a few minutes just in case. But that doesn’t mean that’s the end of this.’

  ‘We’ll keep our ears to the ground,’ I said, but I didn’t mean literally.

  ‘Sure, but we’re both tired, it’s been a long day. Let’s sleep on it and see what tomorrow brings.’

  ‘Oh goodness, I need a rest. In a few days we have the nativity play to look forward to. Maybe that will give us some light relief.’ I filled Dustbin in on Tommy’s plan as he walked me back to Edgar Road and even Dustbin thought it would be a riot. That was what worried me: it might cause a riot. I wasn’t sure how much more this cat was up to at the moment.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I knew the nativity was a big deal, but today it was all anyone talked of over breakfast. Summer was so excited, she kept saying she was literally the star of the show. Toby mumbled how there were loads of other stars but he was too miserable about having to hold Emma Roper’s hand to make a huge fuss. They didn’t mention Tommy’s plan and I was impressed with the fact that Summer hadn’t spilled the beans, she just kept saying it was going to be the best nativity ever. The performance was after school, which was why all my families could go, and of course that included Tommy and Aleksy.

  It had been a few days since we’d foiled Aleksy’s running-away plan, and according to Dustbin he and Connie seemed to have been a bit put off the idea; Aleksy hadn’t mentioned running away when he’d listened to his snatched conversations. That gave us some time, thank goodness, and we could focus now on the nativity and then Christmas. Although George and I were on good terms, I knew the first Christmas without Tiger would be incredibly hard for him, for both of us, and I was mindful of that. I was also feeling the stress of the past couple of weeks. So much had happened: Tiger, Harold, George and I, Hana and getting George into Hana’s house, and of course the attempted runaways. It was a lot for any cat to cope with, and the strain was definitely being felt. Yes, I was coping, yes I was grieving, and yes I was exhausted with the emotion of it all.

  I didn’t feel like myself at the moment. There was something missing, and everything felt as if it was such a huge effort. I wanted to enjoy Christmas and all that entailed but I was also dreading it, knowing it was the first one without Tiger. I missed her, and that was exhausting too. I didn’t like to complain but all I wanted to do was to yowl in pain. But of course I couldn’t do that.

  Thankfully we had Tommy’s caper to distract us. I was still unsure about the finer details of how they were going to pull it off, but for once I didn’t have to worry about that. It wasn’t my plan, I was just an innocent part of it. That made a refreshing change to be honest. It was almost like having a day off, and that was how I was going to look at it. After the drama of the last few days and the ache that I carried constantly from missing Tiger, no one needed a day off more than me.

  Thankfully, it really was a day off for me, as I needed more than anything to catch up on some rest. Claire was helping at Harold’s house; everyone else, including Marcus, was working, so she was supervising the new carpets. George was visiting Hana. Aleksy and Connie were both at school and I would be seeing Aleksy later, so I didn’t have to worry about him for now.

  I spent the day catching up on my sleep, before making a quick visit to our friends. I also checked on the Barkers, a habit I’d got into. Since Tiger had passed away they never left the cat flap open, of course, so I couldn’t go in, but I just felt that it was my duty to go by and see their house. If I saw them I would try to be friendly, and they did pet me kindly; I could tell they felt Tiger’s loss keenly. We all did. Grief hung over Edgar Road, despite the approach of Christmas. The Barkers hadn’t even bothered to get a tree from what I could see through their front window, which meant they must have been in a bad way. I felt so bad for them; I understood how they felt, after all.

  I added them to the list. I didn’t know how I could cheer them up when I couldn’t really cheer myself up, but I was concerned. I knew Tiger would have wanted me to try and I owed it to her, so I w
ould do all I could. But time was ticking on, and problems were piling up, and I was shrouded in grief, so it was all so hard. When I got home, I took another nap.

  The light outside was beginning to fade as I heard the door open and Aleksy and Tommy appeared. Luckily, George and I were in the living room and were ready, having had something to eat and groomed ourselves thoroughly.

  Aleksy picked me up and told me I would have to hide in his jacket. Tommy did the same with George.

  ‘Quick,’ Tommy said. ‘Before Mum notices I stole the key.’

  ‘You didn’t steal it, you borrowed it,’ Aleksy replied, far less dramatically.

  ‘I know, but the grown-ups might not see it that way. Anyway, we better go, I told Mum we’d meet her at the school so we could get good seats.’

  ‘We need to get the best seats to watch what you’ve got planned,’ Aleksy said, and I agreed. I noticed he stopped at the gate to Connie’s house and looked longingly up at the window. He didn’t mention anything about the other night to either me or Tommy.

  ‘Come on, honestly her mum will come round, I heard Claire say that,’ Tommy said, patting his brother on the shoulder and nearly dropping George in the process. ‘Oops, sorry George, I must be more careful.’

  ‘Meow,’ I yelled from the warmth of Aleksy’s jacket. Yes you must.

  It was a pleasant journey after that. I could just about poke my head out and check out the scenery, which was always different from this vantage point. Instead of seeing – and dodging – feet, we could see the people more clearly. And the cars – there were so many cars revving along the road. Although it was warm inside Aleksy’s jacket, the top of my head felt cold. I willed Aleksy and Tommy to be careful when crossing but they were very sensible, thankfully. I noted a couple of dogs being taken on their walks and women pushing prams, the way our ladies used to when our children were younger. Goodness, when I first met Tommy all those years ago he was still just about in a pushchair. And look at him now. Time passes, that’s what it does, and although we have to carry our hurts and our grief with us, it showed me, yet again, how we all have to keep moving forward.

  It was funny, on this walk I was watching life, and it was passing us, bumping us, moving around us, and that was what life did. It made me realise, from my home in Aleksy’s jacket, how absorbed we get into our own little worlds and I found some kind of comfort in seeing a bigger world. I wondered what Tiger would have thought if she’d known what we were about to do. I imagined her chuckling and telling us how mad we were but also being impatient for us to get back and relay the story to her. She would have told me to make sure George was alright but, other than that, she’d have liked this one. I would tell her later, in my head, and in my heart, because that was where she lived now.

  I tried to rein in my emotions as we reached the school. Tommy told us both to keep down as they zipped their jackets up. Surely it was obvious we were there, bumps poking out of coats? It was pitch black so I couldn’t see anything, but my hearing was very good. Aleksy greeted the adults, Tommy was quiet. Claire had got them all seats near the front and so they rushed in. Aleksy sat down with me on the end, hoping no one would notice me, and Tommy said he needed the toilet. Luckily he had been to this school himself, not so long ago, so he knew where everything was. I was still locked in the jacket so I couldn’t tell you what was happening but by the sound of scuffles on the floor and chairs scraping impatiently the hall was filling up. People greeted each other, chattering excitedly. Parents were all desperate to see their little ones appear on stage. I just hoped that we weren’t going to ruin it for them. Although I thought that, mad as Tommy’s plan was, it was also quite funny and harmless. And it had brought Toby and Henry back together, so I was still very proud of the boy.

  Tommy reappeared and took his seat next to Aleksy with his dad on the other side. I was pleased that all the family was here, but then, as Tomasz said, it wouldn’t be Christmas without going to a nativity, and now his boys didn’t have them any more, he was glad they could still come. Not long ago I had thought that Sylvie and Connie would be joining us but, of course, that hadn’t worked out. I knew that not everyone could be friends, but I still didn’t understand why not. The loneliness coming from next door was bothering me but, as the lights were turned down and the headmistress appeared on stage, I put that to one side. We had a play to watch.

  I was allowed a peek out of the jacket to watch. I didn’t dare look around too much, lest I was noticed. But after the headmistress welcomed everyone – I like to think she included me – she introduced the play and then I noticed people taking out their phones. Tommy did the same; they were either taking photos or filming.

  The music struck and the singing began. Toby looked so cute in a robe and what looked like a tea towel on his head, but I noticed the donkey couldn’t stop laughing as Toby kept trying to pull his hand away from his Mary. I saw Summer twirling on the stage as a star and she really did pretty much command the centre of the stage, which I wasn’t sure she was supposed to. Then Martha came on as an angel and, actually, she really was a little angel. The angels sang a song and then the oldest one spoke to a scowling Toby and his Mary.

  At one point a teacher appeared to move everyone, as it had got a little confusing. I was pretty sure I knew the story of the nativity well; I think Summer was supposed to move with the other stars to the back of the stage after singing to the shepherds, but she seemed to want to stay right at the front. I imagined Claire had her head in her hands at this point. A shouty boy told Toby there was ‘no room at the inn’. I have to say Toby looked quite relieved but I’m not sure he was meant to. Then they were directed to the stable and I braced myself.

  There was another song, and then the shepherds gathered, and the wise men, and they were all supposed to give gifts to the baby Jesus. Tommy stuffed his fist into his mouth, and held his phone up high, while Aleksy giggled into my fur. Toby and Henry exchanged a glance and then, just as the first wise man approached the manger, he shouted:

  ‘It’s a cat. The baby Jesus is a cat.’ I could hear Jonathan’s groan from my seat. Then George, who I assume must have fallen asleep, jumped up from the manger where they had wrapped him in a tea towel.

  ‘Mewmewmewmew,’ he said.

  The audience erupted in laughter, the room echoing with it as Toby grabbed hold of George and cuddled him to his chest. I peered out and looked at my family. Claire did have her head in her hands, Jonathan and Matt had tears running down their cheeks from laughter, Aleksy was giggling into my head, Franceska, Polly and Tomasz’s shoulders were shaking as they tried and failed not to find it funny. A teacher ran on stage but didn’t know what to do when she got there, and Henry, the donkey, laughed so much he had to lie down.

  ‘It’s George, the baby Jesus,’ Summer shouted, as she spun around. Only Mary/Emma Roper didn’t look happy. She was still trying to hold Toby’s hand even though he was now clutching a cat.

  Finally, Jonathan, having been shouted at by Claire, approached the stage, looking a bit embarrassed, and got Toby to give him George. The applause was deafening and if George hadn’t been clamped so tightly to Jonathan’s chest I know he would have taken a proud bow.

  ‘High-five,’ Aleksy said to Tommy, and as we all high-fived, I felt as if it had given us some much-needed fun.

  The children were all squashed onto our sofa, the parents lined up in front of them. George, unsure where to go, finally perched on the arm of the sofa and I, of course, stood with the parents, although I was pretty sure this time I was in trouble too.

  ‘Tommy, it was your idea?’ Franceska asked, with her arms folded.

  At the play, the audience hadn’t stopped laughing until they reluctantly filed out of the hall, collecting their children as they went. The headmistress had a face like thunder, as she told my adults that the nativity, which they had all worked hard for, had been ruined. Although parents did come and stick up for us, saying it was the best nativity they’d ever seen, I’m not
sure it helped, the woman was so angry. Claire was embarrassed as they got a ticking-off, and it didn’t help when the headmistress told Toby that he wouldn’t be trusted with the role of Joseph again, and he replied, ‘Thank goodness.’ The adults made the children apologise. Tommy stood up and took responsibility, but the headmistress pointed out that Toby and Henry knew George was in the manger all along and if they weren’t ‘in on it’ they should have told an adult. The upshot was that everyone was in a bit of trouble, and although actually it was worth it, they had to at least pretend to be cross. Although thinking about it, I think Claire really was cross; sometimes she forgot her sense of humour.

  ‘It was all my idea,’ Tommy said, again. Give him his due, he always owned up. Like the time it was his idea to take George to church in our holiday home in Devon – I haven’t forgotten how they left me behind – and George saw Chanel, the cat he had a crush on, and it didn’t end well. Or when it was his idea to take us both crabbing with them, on a boat no less, and George got bitten on his nose by a crab. That did turn out well, as we all got ice cream, but you get the gist.

  ‘That’s a surprise,’ Franceska said with her best cross voice, but I could tell she wasn’t actually that angry. Apart from Claire, I could see them all struggling to keep straight faces.

  ‘But the rest of you all went along with it,’ Claire pointed out. The children, including George, looked a little guilty beneath their smiles.

  ‘But apart from me, George was the best thing about the play,’ Summer pointed out. Star by name, star by nature.

  ‘Where does she get it from?’ Claire hissed.

  ‘Don’t look at me.’ Jonathan shrugged.

  ‘Let’s get back on topic,’ Polly interrupted.

  ‘It was quite funny,’ Matt added. ‘No, it was incredibly funny. “The baby Jesus is a cat” classic line.’