Alfie The Doorstep Cat

Chapter Twenty-Two

As I entered Jonathan’s house one evening a few days later, I was struck by a delicious smell. I found Jonathan in the kitchen, doing something I had never seen him do before; cooking. There was a bottle of wine open on the side and he had a bottle of his beer next to him.

‘Hi Alfie. Have you forgiven me yet?’ he asked. I purred. I hadn’t seen much of him over the past couple of days but I had forgiven him, on the proviso that I would get a good dinner out of it. As much as I liked the others, he gave me the best food. He went to the fridge and took out an open packet of salmon. He dished some out for me and smiled warmly. I narrowed my eyes at him; there was something different about him but I couldn’t put my paw on it. Instead, I ate and then took a place on the windowsill in the kitchen, where I could watch him and look outside as well.

I enjoyed watching him cook. He had changed his clothes, and looked nice in a white shirt and pair of jeans. He also smelt good. He whistled as he cooked, and he had this new energy about him; what a cat would liken to having a spring in their step.

The doorbell rang and Jonathan seemed to bounce towards the front door. I waited. After a while he returned with a woman in tow and I understood his mood. She was tall and slim, with long auburn hair. She was wearing jeans and a white shirt, dressed a bit like him, actually. She didn’t look like the type of women I’d seen here before, that was for sure. She was attractive but not like his other women. I guess she was more groomed and not falling out of her clothes. ‘Philippa, can I get you a glass of wine?’

‘That would be lovely, thank you.’ Her voice was very posh.

‘Red or white?’

‘Um, red please.’ He gestured to her to take a seat at the kitchen table and delivered a glass of wine to her.

‘Thank you.’

I was still on the windowsill, but she hadn’t looked at me. I miaowed to let her know I was here.

‘Is that a cat?’ she asked.

‘What?’ I thought. ‘Of course I’m a cat. What a stupid question.’

‘Yes, that’s Alfie,’ Jonathan replied.

‘You don’t strike me as a cat man,’ she said dryly, and again I felt insulted.

‘He kind of came with the house. And although I didn’t think I wanted any kind of pet, let alone a cat, I’m really fond of him.’ I preened myself. Take that, you mean woman; Jonathan really did like me.

‘I don’t like cats,’ she said. I couldn’t believe my ears; I wanted to scratch her but I knew that was the wrong thing to do. ‘Don’t see the point of them at all.’ I waited for Jonathan to step in and defend me.

‘I suppose if I had a snake or a lizard, that would seem more manly,’ he joked.

‘Or even a dog. But a cat?’

‘He’s all right, you’ll get used to him, I did. More wine?’

I was so upset that I jumped off the windowsill and hissed as loudly as I could, before stalking out.

‘Look, you’ve upset him now,’ Jonathan said, laughing rather than sounding cross, like he should have done.

‘He’s a bloody cat, for God’s sake.’ Those were the last words I heard as I strode out of the house.

I spent the next few evenings with Claire, who hadn’t been herself since the whole drunken incident. She still went to work every day, but she looked sad when she came home in the evenings and although I didn’t know why, I paid her extra attention for a few days. I didn’t know exactly what she needed but I made sure she knew that I was there for her. That I would do anything to make sure she was OK.

Just as we were having supper together, her phone rang. She looked at the screen, blinked and then answered it.

‘Hello.’ She looked a bit shocked. ‘Oh Joe, hi.’ There was a pause. I couldn’t hear what he was saying. ‘I am so sorry about the other night, I was so drunk and I don’t normally drink like that.’ No, she didn’t, in all fairness. She might have liked her wine but I hadn’t seen her that bad before.

They chatted for a bit longer, and as they did, a huge smile began to form on her face. When she hung up, she picked me up and cuddled me as if I was a rag doll.

‘Oh Alfie, I didn’t mess up. He’s coming here for dinner tomorrow night. Goodness, I really thought I’d made a fool of myself. Oh God, what am I going to wear? What am I going to cook? I haven’t had a date for years. Years! Oh, crikey. I have to call Tash.’ She jumped up and danced around the room a bit.

I was trying to help but it seemed that a phone call from a man she barely knew could do more than I ever could! Humans. They were definitely, absolutely, beyond even my advanced comprehension.

I stopped to watch Tiger trying and failing to catch birds as I made my way to Jonathan’s. I’d left Claire on the phone to Tasha; she was full of excitement. As I continued on to Jonathan’s, I wondered what I would find there. As I walked through the cat flap the kitchen was clean, but empty. I went into the living room and there he was, on the phone.

‘That’s OK, I enjoyed cooking for you.’ There was a pause. ‘I’m frantic at work too but how about Wednesday?’ Another pause. ‘Brilliant, I’ll book a restaurant, see you then, Philippa.’ He hung up and seemed to notice me.

‘Alfie, my mate,’ he said, affectionately scooping me up onto his lap. ‘I am feeling very happy right now. I think I told you that I knew Philippa years ago, before I went to Singapore. We were both with other people, actually she was living with one of my old work colleagues. So imagine how I felt when I bumped into her and we’re both single! Honestly, having a cat might not be very manly, but I’m pretty sure you’re my good luck charm.’ He laughed and then went to get ready for his ‘gym’.

I felt like a bit of a yo-yo as I headed back to Claire’s. She was sitting at the kitchen table writing something.

‘Hello, babes,’ she said, and I almost looked around until I realised she was talking to me. I sat on the chair next to her and wished I could read as she scribbled away. The doorbell rang and she went to the door, returning with Tasha.

‘Thank you so much for coming round, honestly, you are such a good friend.’

‘Not really, I should have insisted you came home with me, rather than leaving you that night.’ Tasha gave me a cuddle.

‘I was so drunk.’

‘I was, too, which is why I left you with the others. Anyway, it’s all OK. Joe obviously likes you, you like him, and you have a date tomorrow.’

‘I feel like a giggly teenager. But I’m also terrified. Oh, God. Anyway, now that you’re here, this is what I was going to cook.’ They both looked at her list. ‘I have no idea if he likes Italian food but homemade lasagne and a green salad … I know it’s not very exciting, but it should work, don’t you think?’

‘I think it’s great, and he won’t care about the food when he sees what you’re wearing.’

‘But I don’t know what I’m wearing!’ Claire protested.

‘Come upstairs, you soon will.’ They both giggled.

I followed them into Claire’s bedroom where Claire and I plonked ourselves down on the bed and Tasha opened the wardrobe and began trawling through her clothes.

‘What do you feel like wearing?’ she asked.

‘Well I thought a dress, because I look better in dresses but then, I’m at home and I don’t want to look as if I’m trying too hard.’

‘Jeans. I think jeans and a sexy top would be best.’ She started pulling tops out.

‘I think if you get the jeans and the top right, you’ll give off the right message. Besides, your figure is to die for now. He’ll be putty in your hands.’

‘I hope so. I really did like him.’

‘I can’t really remember him, although he did have red hair, didn’t he?’

‘Yes, he has lovely hair and was funny too.’

‘Well, you deserve some fun.’

‘I do, don’t I?’ Claire giggled.

‘Right, try this on and we’ll see how you look.’

I stayed on the bed, watching the fashion parade, as the women laughed. It was nice to hear, after seeing Claire in despair again the past few days, but it worried me. If a man could do that to her, one she hardly knew, was she ready to date again? I might not be an expert, but I had seen how Claire was when she first moved here and now she’d had a mini-relapse. I would go so far as to suggest she was still very unstable. I needed to keep an eye on her.

They finally settled on an outfit and made their way downstairs.

‘Do you fancy a cup of tea?’ Claire offered.

‘No, thanks, I better get back. Dave has decided that we need to eat dinner together tonight.’

‘Oh God, sorry for dragging you over here.’

‘Don’t be silly. I enjoyed it. Anyway, I’ll see you at work, but just in case I don’t get to speak to you on your own, remember; a date is meant to be fun. He might not be “the one”, but you just need to enjoy yourself. And remember it is just a date.’

‘I know, I need to not take it so seriously. It’s early days, but I’m trying.’

After Tasha left, Claire snuggled up on the sofa and I joined her.

‘I’m sorry I’ve been such a mess lately. I love you, Alfie.’ And I rewarded her with my best cat smile. ‘Things are looking up, you know.’ I purred in agreement. I really hoped that was true, but somehow I just wasn’t convinced.