A Cat Called Alfie

Chapter Twenty-Six

‘Why do I have to do everything?’ Claire’s shrill voice shattered my sleep. I stood up, stretched, and shook the sleep off me, before I ventured downstairs. Claire rarely shouted and I was unused to it. I found her and Jonathan in the kitchen; she looked incensed and he looked slightly scared.

‘I’m sorry, but I didn’t know you wanted me to go to the supermarket on my way home from work.’

‘Because you never bloody ask! You just expect food to magically appear in the house, despite knowing that I work hard too. I might not earn as much as you but I still contribute to this household,’ Claire thundered.

‘Darling, I know, and I would never suggest otherwise. Listen, give me a list and I’ll go shopping right now.’ Jonathan looked startled, like a cat caught in the headlights.

‘Yes, of course you’ll go now when I’ve had to shout and scream at you. Forget it, get your own dinner. I’m going for a walk.’ The front door shook as Claire slammed it. Jonathan looked at me.

‘No idea what’s got into her, mate, but I’m not keen.’ I miaowed. I wasn’t keen either, this was not like my Claire, who never shouted. I was unsure if I should be worried but I was pretty sure I should be.

While Claire stormed off, Jonathan fed me, before sitting at the table and scratching his head a bit more. After an hour Claire returned and he apologized, although I was pretty sure he had no idea what he was actually sorry for. He poured her a glass of wine and after they talked things through, they made up and she eventually forgave him. It was all so strange.

Meanwhile, while they went to bed quite happy, I went to bed worrying about Snowball. I wasn’t sure why she was so angry with me. I had helped save her, and then gone to see if she was all right, yet I was being made to feel as if I was in the wrong. It was as if she would never forgive me, not for all the saucers of milk in Edgar Road, although I was only trying to be caring. It was so confusing.

After a fretful sleep I decided that I would take a leaf out of Jonathan’s book and apologize even though I hadn’t technically done anything bad. I thought about taking Snowball a gift but I didn’t want to overdo it. It was easy for me to get a mouse or bird for her — or more accurately, to ask Tiger to get me one as she was the better hunter — but what I needed to do was issue a heartfelt apology to her and hope that she would forgive me. I was pretty sure she wasn’t as easy to get round as Claire though; Claire was a lovely pushover when it came to me or Jonathan, but Snowball clearly wasn’t that easy to impress.

Decision made, I didn’t want to dilly-dally. I ate my breakfast quickly, but took some time cleaning myself, determined to look my best. I quickly made my way to the Snells’ back garden next door and hid behind a bush. I sat and waited, as I watched the kitchen scene unfold. It was familiar in a way.

Tim was dishing out breakfast. Daisy was looking at her phone as she ate toast. Christopher looked even more unhappy than he did the previous day, and Karen was drinking a cup of coffee. No one seemed to be speaking. I caught a glimpse of Snowball at her bowl, eating her breakfast, looking happier than when I last saw her, and I bided my time.

Finally, Tim cleared the dishes, Karen left the room and Daisy and Christopher followed shortly after. I guessed they were going to school. Tim loaded the dishwasher and Snowball came outside.

I slid out from my hiding place.

‘You!’ she exclaimed.

‘Listen, I’ve come to apologize. I’m sorry that I was in your house yesterday but I’d only come to find you, to check you were all right. I didn’t expect Christopher to talk to me.’

‘What did he say?’ Her eyes were narrowed.

‘Just that someone did something to his dad, someone who he thought was a friend. He didn’t say what.’

‘Good. That is more than you need to know.’ Her tail twitched from side to side angrily.

‘Snowball, there is something going on, and I know it’s something bad and sometimes it helps to share. I’ve solved my fair share of problems in my time, both for cats and for humans, and I’m not bad at it, if I do say so myself.’

‘Even you can’t fix this,’ she said.

‘But I could try,’ I pushed.

‘What is it with you? Why won’t you just leave us well alone? We don’t need you or your help.’

‘OK, fine. But can I ask you one thing? Snowball, if I tell you my story, how I came to live next door, and the people in my life then will you agree to listen? And after that if you want me to leave you alone then I will.’

She narrowed her eyes at me again. They really were like glittering sapphires.

‘So if I listen to your life story you’ll go away?’

‘If you want me to.’

‘Oh, I’m pretty sure I will. But do carry on. And I’ll try not to fall asleep.’

This was one tough cat to win over, but then I loved a challenge.

‘You see I am a doorstep cat. Before you moved in I was considering adding the new family here to my list of families I stay with, but of course they already had you.’ I tried to sound my most charming as I told her the story. Of my first owner Margaret, of being homeless, of the cats who helped me on my way, and those who tried to hurt me. I told her of reaching Edgar Road, my journey, how I met my families, helped them and brought people together. I left out no detail as I filled her in on my story.

‘So you see, I am actually a fairly resourceful cat,’ I said.

‘Is everything you’ve told me true?’ she asked.

‘Absolutely. I do not tell lies.’ I was slightly affronted, although I realized I had told her a lot of stories in one go. I sat upright, my tail curled around my body, trying to work out what she thought of it all.

‘Well it’s quite an adventure. And yes you have obviously proved yourself very helpful to those people but I don’t see how that applies to us.’

‘Can’t you see that if I know what’s wrong for your family I can help you guys too?’

‘No, you can’t.’

‘How do you know?’

‘I just know. Alfie, listen to me. I’m sure you are a very nice cat. Perhaps in other circumstances we could have been friends even. But now, this is not the time. My family is literally falling apart. They are only together now because of misery and the misery isn’t going anywhere. Just as I think things will get better, they get worse again. It’s all horrible and we are all tormented. I think that if there was something to be done I would have done it by now.’

‘Yes but if I knew … I might have a new perspective.’

‘Your life has been amazing, you’re right, but it’s nothing like mine. And you might have helped others but you can’t help us.’

‘But I’m sure I can.’ I was confident.

‘Alfie, you said that all I had to do was to listen to your story.’

‘I did,’ I admitted.

‘And if I still wanted you to keep away you would?’

‘I said that too.’

‘Well I want you to keep away. From me, from my family and especially from Christopher.’

‘But do you really?’ I asked, clinging on to my fast-evaporating hope.

‘I absolutely do. Goodbye.’ She was beating her tail from side to side, and as I looked at her I knew I’d failed.

She disappeared back into her house, her white fur gleaming in the sunlight, and I realized that for once I had overestimated my abilities. I made my way home, slowly, bereft at the idea that I had failed and might never be friends with her, and terrified at the thought that I would only be able to see her from afar and never hear her voice again. I was flooded with disappointment that her family wouldn’t be part of our lives, and I felt like a failure as a doorstep cat. A failure at everything. I felt the weight of the world settle on me as I made my way home.