A Cat Called Alfie

Chapter Twenty-Eight

‘Alfie, play with the football outside?’ Aleksy asked me as he headed out the patio doors. I followed him. It was family day again at our house, and I was almost back to my old self. I was totally myself in front of people — and cats — but I still had the odd moment of pining when I was alone. My heart ached a bit when I pictured Snowball, no matter how fruitless it was; I had no control. But at the same time I was eating again, exercising and on the whole feeling a lot better. I had a couple of glimpses of Snowball; only from afar now the fence had been fixed and I hadn’t risked going round there. Yet.

Tomasz bounded out after us, followed by a slightly more reluctant Henry. The boys started kicking the ball and I just watched them, rather than joining in, given that the ball was almost as big as me. Tomasz rushed into Aleksy, sending him flying, then he kicked the ball up into the air.

‘Tommy, stop,’ Aleksy said, rubbing his leg as he sat on the ground.

‘Sorry, Aleksy, I didn’t mean to hurt you.’

‘The ball is gone,’ Henry said, pointing at the fence. We all looked but the ball had disappeared.

‘I am very cross,’ Aleksy said to Tomasz as he picked himself up and, blinking back tears, made his way inside.

I followed him, leaving Tomasz and Henry outside. Everyone else was in the kitchen, chatting and sorting out food that smelt delicious, even with my reduced appetite.

‘Mum, Tommy kicked the ball over the fence and he bashed into me.’ Aleksy was a sensitive boy, and he rushed to his mother’s side and into her arms.

‘Which way did it go?’ Jonathan asked.

‘That side.’ Aleksy pointed to the Snells’.

‘Oh boy, they might not even answer the door.’

‘Who’s going to go?’ Claire asked.

‘You know after we all bonded over the missing Snowball we’ve barely seen them,’ Jonathan said.

‘Really?’ Tomasz asked.

‘I’ll go,’ Polly announced.

As Polly stood up to go, my heart leapt and I quickly stood up too. I definitely wasn’t going to miss this opportunity.

We made our way next door, Polly striding along and me running to keep up with her. I was excited about the fact I had an excuse to maybe get a glimpse of Snowball. I hadn’t seen her since she banished me, but I was also nervous at the idea of seeing her and how she might react.

Polly looked a bit anxious as she rang the doorbell. I could hear movement from inside the house, and then after what seemed like ages, the door slowly opened.

‘Hello, Polly,’ Daisy said with a smile as she opened the door. She turned round, shouting ‘It’s Polly.’ We couldn’t hear the response but no one else rushed to greet us. ‘Sorry, Mum’s tied up in the kitchen.’ I hoped she didn’t mean literally.

‘Right, so anyway,’ Polly started, her eyebrows a bit raised. ‘My friend’s little boy kicked the ball over your fence. I’m so sorry but I wondered if you wouldn’t mind getting it for us.’

‘Of course, no problem.’ I was surprised that Daisy was quite so sunny, given how she’d been when I’d seen her previously. She hadn’t closed the door when she went to get the ball, so I stood by Polly’s feet looking in; but there was no sign of Snowball, and I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. After a few minutes, we heard footsteps and then Daisy returned with Aleksy’s ball.

‘Thank you so much, love. He’ll be relieved and I’ll make sure we don’t disturb you again.’

‘’S all right,’ Daisy said, suddenly looking a bit coy. ‘Can I ask you, are you a model?’

‘No, not anymore, but I was before having two kids.’ Polly laughed. ‘And certainly not a supermodel, but I did a few magazines and catwalks in my time. Why, are you interested in that world?’ Polly asked.

‘I’d love it but Mum and Dad well …’

‘Daisy, you have the height, and the looks, although I obviously don’t know how you photograph. How old are you?’

‘Sixteen.’ Daisy was red-faced but I noticed that she was very pretty. I wonder why I hadn’t noticed it before.

‘Well, take my advice, get your exams first and then maybe think about it. It’s a tough world. But if you’re really interested and if your parents are OK, I can help with agencies.’

‘Would you really?’

‘Of course. But as I said, your parents have to agree to it, and don’t do anything until after your GCSEs.’

We heard shouting from inside; it sounded like they were wondering what was keeping Daisy. She looked apologetic.

‘Sorry, I better go, but I’ll talk to Mum and Dad.’

‘Thanks for the ball,’ Polly said as Daisy closed the door. I was flooded with disappointment. I knew Snowball knew I was there, I could sense her, but she clearly didn’t want to see me.

We walked down the path and back to mine in silence. As Claire opened the door, Aleksy rushed forward and looked delighted to see his ball.

‘Don’t kick it over again or it’s lost.’

‘It wasn’t me, it was Tomasz,’ Aleksy protested.

‘OK, tell him to be more careful, love.’ Polly ruffled his hair as she handed the ball over. She and Claire went into the kitchen. Everyone was sitting around the table. Martha was in the highchair that they brought over with them and when Polly sat down the food was served.

‘How was it next door?’ Jonathan asked.

‘Honestly those poor people are like characters in a soap opera; everyone wondering what they are up to or why they are like they are! Anyway, Daisy answered the door, I didn’t see anyone else.’

‘I wish we knew what their deal was? What was she like with you?’ Claire asked.

‘Very sweet, wanted to know if I was a model. I said I’d help her if her parents were happy with it but I can’t imagine they would be.’

‘Do you think they might be like those secret people?’ big Tomasz asked. I sat at Aleksy’s feet and the children were all concentrating on their food; the adults seemed more keen to chat.

‘What secret people?’ Matt asked.

‘You know something happens and they have to be new people and no one can know who they really are?’ big Tomasz explained.

‘Oh yes, those in witness protection!’ Claire exclaimed.

‘Well I guess it would explain why they don’t want to see anyone.’ Polly nodded.

‘And why the police visit sometimes,’ Jonathan added.

‘Yes but if you’re in witness protection you have to act normally so as not to raise suspicion surely?’ Matt chipped in.

‘Oh yeah.’ They all reverted to looking as confused as they did when they started speculating.

After lunch had been cleared away, including my empty bowl, they all decided to go for a walk, as it was a cold but sunny day. As children were bundled into coats, and Matt fetched Martha’s pushchair, I decided that as much fun as it had been I was glad for some time alone.

I bade them all goodbye and made my way to the back garden to sunbathe. As I jumped through the cat flap I was surprised to find a most unexpected visitor in my garden. Snowball.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

‘Hi, why are you here?’ I asked, taken aback.

‘We had a deal. Or so I thought. Why did you come to the house before?’

She was as coldly hostile as ever, but beautiful with it too.

‘Snowball, you can’t blame me for that. I was helping Polly get Aleksy’s ball back, but I have kept away the past few days.’

‘Don’t take me for a fool, Alfie.’

‘I never would.’

She looked at me witheringly. OK, so maybe I was a bit, but you can’t blame a cat for trying. ‘Anyway, Daisy seemed really happy to see Polly.’

‘She was.’ Snowball looked a bit sad for a minute. I had found her weak spot; it was Daisy. ‘But of course then when she spoke to her mum and dad they weren’t happy. They kept telling her that modelling is so tough, and not many people make it. I mean she was happy for the first time in months; you’d think they might have been a bit more supportive.’

‘Yes, you would. Why do you think the parents are doing that?’

‘They’re scared, Alfie, really scared. We all are. I know those horrible people with that nasty cat Salmon think we’re bad, and I know everyone else thinks we’re strange, but that’s not it. We’re scared. Nervous even, and on top of that we’ve lost the ability to trust.’

‘Wow, that’s a lot to deal with. What on earth has happened to ruin your family’s trust like this?’

‘I can’t tell you, and you know why I can’t,’ she reprimanded me.

‘Fair enough.’ I needed to tread carefully, this was the nicest she had been to me and I didn’t want to ruin that. ‘I get it, Snowball, honestly I do, because I was in a bad place, I told you. There must be something we can do. You can’t do it on your own.’ I looked at her, her eyes were filled with sadness that I just wanted to take away from her. ‘And it’s the same for us cats. You need friends and I’m willing to be just that.’

She stood up and walked around in a circle, as if she was thinking about what I said. Then she looked at me again.

‘You’re a good cat, Alfie and I’m sorry I was so mean to you, but I have to do what my family wants me to do, and that means I have to keep away.’

‘Are you sure you won’t let me help?’

‘For now I can’t, sorry.’ She looked at me. ‘Honestly, Alfie, I really am sorry.’

I was speechless as I knew that somehow, in my little garden, something had changed. A switch had been flicked. And although I didn’t know where that would lead, I felt we had taken a giant leap forward.

She turned and ran as she heard voices. My families were back and Snowball had disappeared in a puff of fluff.

‘Alfie looks like the cat who got the cream,’ Claire observed later when the others had all gone home. She was right, I couldn’t get the grin off my face, ever since my encounter with Snowball. I know she didn’t exactly furnish me with good news but I felt that had been our first truly friendly conversation. I couldn’t be happier.

‘Hey, if he looks like the cat who got the cream, then let’s give him the cream. There’s some left over from pudding.’ As he winked, Claire giggled and I licked my lips. Moments like this, when life felt good, were priceless. And on top of that I had a big bowl of cream to enjoy.