A Cat Called Alfie

Chapter Fourteen

‘I have to warn her,’ I said to Tiger.

‘Oh, Alfie, if only you paid half as much attention to your real friends, rather than to someone who doesn’t seem to have a nice word for you.’

‘I know, but you know as well as I do what unhappiness can do. Look at how I fixed things for Aleksy. I need to do the same for Snowball, or at least try to. I’m pretty sure her family’s unhappiness is the reason she is so prickly after all. So if I can help her family, I can help her.’

I tried to snuggle up to Tiger, but she moved away from me. She wasn’t a happy kitty. She had wanted us to go and play with the other cats but I couldn’t. After all, my neighbours were in trouble with the Goodwins and I wanted to give Snowball the chance to do something about it.

‘Look, Tiger, I’ll go over there, and try to get her attention then I’ll come and join the rest of you. I’m sorry but you know what I’m like and a cat’s got to do what a cat’s got to do.’ I gave her my most endearing look as she stalked off. But she looked back at me and I knew that she would forgive me, yet again. Eventually.

After Tiger stalked off I made my way to Snowball’s back garden. I didn’t exactly have a plan, but I was hoping that it would come to me when I got there. Although of course I was determined not to be so stupid as to get stuck in any cupboards today. The weather was damp and threatened rain. I felt this in my back legs especially. It was funny but my injury seemed to be affected by the weather. I felt a dull ache in my leg as I prepared to gently jump over the back fence and into Snowball’s garden.

I let my thoughts wander to earlier this morning. We had been up early and as I bounded downstairs eager for breakfast, I saw something on our doormat. I miaowed to draw Claire’s attention to it. It was a white envelope with their names written on it. Claire opened it and pulled out a card. Later when Jonathan came down, ready for work she showed him.

‘So they sent a thank you for the plant after all,’ he said, giving the note a quick glance.

‘Yes but, darling, it just says, “Thank you for the plant it was a very kind thought, from Tim, Karen, Daisy and Christopher.” Not much really.’

‘At least they have manners. Strange they didn’t ring the doorbell to say hello when they dropped it off though. We went to bed quite late last night, and you were up early so they must have put it through the letterbox either incredibly late or very early.’

‘Which is weird, Jonathan. I hate to give any credence to the Goodwins but it is strange.’

‘Maybe,’ Jonathan said, taking a sip of coffee and buttering a piece of toast, ‘they seem to be nocturnal. Like bats. Like Batman.’ His eyes were wide.

‘You’re saying Batman lives next door?’ Claire raised her eyebrows exasperated.

‘A whole bat family. By day they’re mild-mannered, by night they turn into bats and clean up the evil streets around Edgar Road.’

‘You’re as insane as the Goodwins.’

‘But it is a good theory for me to bring up at the meeting tonight. That will throw them off,’ he chuckled.

‘Almost makes me want to come along.’ Claire kissed the top of his head.

‘You still can you know,’ he replied.

‘I said almost.’

As I jumped down onto their lawn, I stopped short; the girl, who I now believed was called Daisy, stood in the garden smoking a cigarette and looking at her mobile phone. I stood still, unsure what my next move should be, when she turned and screamed.

‘God, you startled me,’ she said, but didn’t sound angry. She bent down and looked at my tag. ‘Hello, Alfie. You are a very pretty cat.’ I tilted my head to one side and blinked in greeting. I would have preferred being called handsome but I would take pretty. I purred as she put out the cigarette and stroked me. Then she sat down on the back step, looking pensive. This was my chance, I thought as I rubbed up against her legs. She was wearing school uniform and as it was late morning I wondered why she wasn’t at school. I glanced through the patio doors, but the house looked deserted.

‘Oh boy,’ she said stroking me. ‘I wish I knew what to do.’ I nestled into her, knowing that she needed to talk and I needed to listen. ‘I’m bunking off school, which I’ve never done before. But then I was forced to leave my old school when we moved here and I’m in the middle of my exams! I mean I know what happened meant we had to move but that doesn’t make it any easier.’ She let out a huge sigh.

I miaowed softly, urging her to go on as she wasn’t exactly making anything clear to me.

‘I know I shouldn’t blame Dad, but Chris is miserable, Mum’s working herself into the ground, and it wasn’t his fault but still … we’re all suffering. How can life change so drastically, so quickly? I’ll never understand that.’

I miaowed again, I totally understood that one. After all, I’d been there. My situation had brought me to Edgar Road, and I hadn’t wanted life to change when it did either.

‘I wish I could feel better about it. I just feel so angry about everything all the time.’ She pulled gently at my fur in the nicest way. Lucky Snowball I thought. ‘And so does everyone. This is one unhappy house, that’s for sure.’

She stood up.

‘Anyway, Alfie, I’d better go to school before they call my parents and there’s even more shouting here.’ She started walking away, then turned around. ‘Have you met my Snowball?’ she asked.

I miaowed. She laughed.

‘She’d like you. I think you’d make a really cute cat couple.’ She laughed sadly and I felt my stomach flutter. If only, I thought.

I stared at the empty house, contemplating whether or not to go in given that the house was empty — I was a curious cat after all — when I heard a hiss behind me. Although it was aggressive, it was still music to my ears. I turned around.

‘Hi,’ I said.

‘When are you going to get the message and leave us alone?’

‘Where were you when I was talking to Daisy?’

‘You spoke to Daisy?’ Snowball looked angrier than ever as she bared her teeth.

‘She told me a bit about how she was forced to move here.’ I really hoped she would soften towards me as I gave her my best smile.

‘Yes we had to move and because of Karen’s work we ended up here. Everyone is living on a knife-edge and now the police are involved. The kids had to leave their very nice school and no one is happy about it. Including me.’ She looked horrified.

‘So why do you all keep to yourselves?’ I asked, my eyes like saucers as I felt desperate to know more.

‘Oh goodness, I have said too much. Forget I said anything and please, you need to leave us alone. We’ve had enough of people interfering in our life, causing trouble, we are better off alone. My family are good people but they have been through hell, through no fault of their own.’ She paused, then thankfully spoke again. ‘Tim has been the victim of injustice, and the rest of the family are suffering. We had to leave our old home and we need to be left alone.’

‘Snowball, I do understand that you might feel that way. Life hasn’t been all sardines and butterflies for me you know.’

‘What’s that got to do with us?’ Snowball asked.

‘I just want you to know I’ve been in a similar position. You don’t know my story but before I lived here I was left orphaned and they were going to put me in a shelter. I became a homeless cat and I nearly died making my way here. When I got here I finally found homes but it was awful before that, so you see I do know how hard life can be.’ I was desperate for her to see that I did care but it wasn’t exactly going to plan. ‘But, Snowball, I’m only trying to help. I can help you, I just know I can, I can make your family happier, by introducing them to my families. But you have to give me a chance. Daisy talked to me, why can’t you?’

‘I don’t think so,’ she said, quietly.

‘But you know we need to do something. People are talking behind your backs, the Goodwins are relentless, if only you’d let me help, I could solve this for you.’

‘It’s not something you, I or anyone can solve.’ She quickly switched back to being hostile just as I felt that we were getting somewhere as she flicked her tail at me, turned on her paws and had her back to me.

‘What happened to you all?’ I asked, softly.

‘I’ve said too much. Please go, give us some space. We’ll figure it out.’ Without even a backward glance she jumped through the cat flap and was gone.

Although I was left with more questions than answers, I had made some progress. I would do exactly what I said to Snowball and I would bring our families, and therefore us, together.

I lay on my back on a sunny patch of grass in Polly and Matt’s front garden, watching the sky and thinking. There was no sign of anyone at home but that was OK. I did quite fancy something to eat but it was more important to me to ponder on what had been happening and what I could do about it.

As Snowball’s face popped into my head I felt giddy. Yes, she was angry but that didn’t stop her beauty shining through. I couldn’t stop thinking about her glittering eyes and that incredible white fur … I had never felt this way about another cat before, and I wasn’t sure exactly how to describe it, but all I wanted was to be close to her.

A loud miaow jolted me out of my reverie and I rolled back onto all fours. My friend Rocky stood in front of me.

‘How long have you been there?’ I asked, stretching out; my back legs felt stiff and I realized I must have been sunbathing a bit longer than I thought.

‘Only a few minutes. You looked so content, with the biggest smile on your face.’

‘I was thinking of Snowball,’ I admitted. ‘You know, the white cat who’s just moved in down the street.’

‘I know who you mean. I bumped into her a few evenings ago, although she was pretty rude to me. I thought for a minute she was going to attack but she was just warning me not to try to talk to her.’

‘She can be aloof,’ I said, knowing I was trying to make excuses for her.

‘I think that might be your best understatement yet, Alfie. Besides, Tiger was just telling us all about her.’

‘What was Tiger saying?’ I narrowed my eyes.

‘That she’s nasty but you seem intent on sucking up to her. She’s not best pleased with your behaviour, and she’s guessed that you have a crush on her.’

‘Is that what this is? Tiger’s not wrong though. I can’t stop thinking about that fluffy white coat, and those eyes …’

‘Oh boy, you’ve got it bad, Alfie. Let me give you some advice, man to man; be careful, women are complicated. Take Tiger for example.’

‘Tiger? I barely think of her as a female cat.’

‘That’s the problem, Alfie, you two are such good friends but she is female and, well, it’s kind of difficult to be really close friends with girls. If you know what I mean.’

‘I absolutely don’t.’ I really didn’t get it. I was friends with Agnes, the cat from my first home, I was friends with the human women in my life, so why not Tiger?

‘OK, well Tiger has this little thing for you, you know, more than just friends. She has, you know, romantic feelings for you.’

I nearly fell off my legs. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

‘There must be some mistake, Rocky, she doesn’t think of me like that.’

‘Well, mate, trust me she does, you just don’t notice. You should have heard her just now. She’s really jealous.’

‘Jealous?!’ This was all news to me.

‘Oh, Alfie, you silly cat. You need to be careful if you don’t want to lose Tiger as your friend.’ Rocky sat down, looking serious. ‘She won’t ruin your friendship but you need to respect her feelings, especially if you really do like Snowball.’

‘You’ve given me even more to think about; thank you for being a good friend. I really do care about Tiger, she is my best cat friend and I don’t want to hurt her. But I can’t stop thinking about Snowball.’ Rocky and I looked at each other, seriously.

‘Hey, Alfie, that’s what friends are for. I’d better go — lunch is calling.’

We said goodbye and I suddenly felt I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. How much could my head take? Now I had even more to figure out and solve. I felt as if I might explode.

I made my way back to my house. My cat instinct told me it would be safer to keep out of the way of anyone for now, as I made my way round the back and in through the cat flap. The house would be empty, I could find some peace and quiet and try to get things straight.

As I stalked through the kitchen and was about to go and find my favourite corner of the sofa to snuggle on, I stopped. Because slumped on it already was Claire with Franceska, who was hugging her as she cried.

I felt my heart sink, as I fretted for another person I loved. As one problem was solved, another presented itself. That was how it seemed to be with humans, or the ones in my life anyway.