Alfie The Doorstep Cat

Chapter Thirty-Two

I awoke knowing the answer. It was still dark outside but the dawn chorus was about to start. No wonder cats chased and killed birds, the racket they made first thing in the morning really was unnecessary. I looked over at a sleeping Jonathan. He looked so peaceful, so content. Although inside I felt terror at what was to come, I tried to be comforted by his presence.

It was going to be a risk, I knew that. My plan, which had somehow formulated in my sleep, was foolhardy to say the least. But I also knew that it was what I had to do, which meant taking the chance and hoping with every ounce of my cat being that this plan worked out.

I nestled into Jonathan. One thing I knew was that today everything would change and I wanted him to know that I loved him no matter what. He slept soundly with me by his side for a while before his clock started beeping and he sat up. I jumped up onto his chest and smiled at him again.

‘Alfie, what are you doing in my bed?’ he asked, but not unkindly. I miaowed. He laughed, patted me affectionately and then got out of bed.

I managed to get downstairs but my legs were feeling a little bit weak. I had never thought of myself as a brave cat. Let’s face it, when I first lived with Margaret and Agnes I was anything but brave, and then when Agnes decided to like me I had no need to be brave. But when I lost them both, there was a courage that reared up in me; one I had no idea I possessed, and that’s how I survived. So my legs might not feel brave, but my resolve didn’t waver.

I waited in the kitchen for Jonathan to come downstairs, and when he did, he made coffee, poured me some milk, put some toast on and gave me some cold salmon that he’d cooked. I savoured the breakfast, as I realised it might be my last for a while.

‘Right, Alfie, I’m off, but I’ll see you after work,’ Jonathan said, standing up. I crossed my paws that he would.

I set off to see Claire. When I arrived, she looked as if she hadn’t slept. She was distracted as she patted me and I could see in her eyes that she was scared too. She wasn’t happy with Joe, anyone could see that, but she also seemed to think that being alone was a bad thing. I had heard about this with humans, that some people would rather be with someone, even if they weren’t happy, than on their own. Claire was one of those people, I’d decided. But seeing her, the state she was in, and then looking at the hole still glaring out from the wall, made me even more determined to see my plan through.

I left the house with Claire, who was going to work. I walked a little way down the street with her until she had to turn off.

‘You take care, Alfie, and I’ll see you tonight.’ I rubbed against her leg and knew she definitely would.

It was time to take my shaky legs to the flats at number 22, where I scratched at the door before Franceska let me in.

‘Alfie,’ Aleksy and Thomasz said in unison and they proceeded to make a big fuss of me. I was affectionate with both boys and they rewarded me by tickling my tummy as I lay on my back. They didn’t seem to mind doing this for ages and I lapped up all the wonderful sensations while I could. I played with them until Franceska said it was time to go and see Polly. I hadn’t seen Polly since that day with the doctor so I was pleased to go too.

The lady that answered the door wasn’t Polly but an older lady, quite elegant and not as old as Margaret.

‘Franceska, how nice to see you,’ she said, smiling.

‘Hi, Val. We just want to see how is Polly. If there is anything we can do?’

‘Yes, you can come in, she would love to see you, and the boys can entertain Henry.’ She stepped aside and I followed them into the flat. ‘Oh hello, you must be Alfie, the hero cat.’ I purred. I decided I liked this woman.

Polly was wearing her pyjamas but she looked beautiful and a little better. Franceska gave her a big hug as the boys went straight to where Henry was sitting on his play mat, surrounded by cushions.

‘Frankie, it’s so nice to see you,’ Polly said. ‘Now I’ve slept for so long, I’m feeling a bit better.’

‘Good, but you take time.’

‘I’ll pop the kettle on, shall I?’ Polly’s mum asked.

‘Thank you, Mum.’

‘I can help?’ Franceska asked.

‘No, love, you sit and keep my daughter company.’ She left the room.

‘So, are you OK, Frankie?’

‘We very good. Aleksy start his school next week and I find nursery for Thomasz. Is good for him to meet children and also I get a part-time job. Just a shop or something but good for me.’

‘Actually that sounds great. Improve your English, meet people. I never asked what you did in Poland, for work?’

‘My family had a grocery shop, so I worked there. Not so exciting but I like. I like serving people and having chats.’

‘Aleksy?’ Polly said. He turned round. I was surprised; it was the first time I had heard Polly talk directly to him, but I guess she didn’t know that.

‘Yes?’ he said.

‘Yes, Polly,’ his mum corrected.

‘Sorry. Yes, Polly.’ Polly laughed.

‘Are you excited about your new school?’

‘I am yes, so, but I am also a bit scared.’

‘Right, well, I think that we should go to the shops and you can choose a cool school bag and pencil case; it’ll be a starting school present from Matt and me.’

‘Wow, really? I can have Spiderman?’

‘Whatever you want.’

‘Polly,’ Franceska started.

‘No, please, Frankie. I can never repay what you’ve done and I hope you don’t need me in the way I needed you, but let me treat the boys. And also, I need an outing some time soon, I can’t fester in here forever. A trip to buy a Spiderman bag might do me the world of good.’

‘OK, thank you.’

Val returned with the tea and they all chatted like old friends. The boys played with both Henry and me and I felt emotional as I knew what was happening next. But although I was leaving them, I knew they would be all right. They were happy, and while Polly wasn’t exactly back to normal, she was at least more cheerful than she’d been. I could tell when she picked Henry up and kissed him. I had never seen her do that before. Henry barely cried the whole time I was there. It felt as if a miracle had happened in the flats at number 22.

Before lunch, they decided to take a walk to the park.

‘I need some fresh air,’ Polly said. ‘Let me quickly throw on some clothes.’ That was a curious expression, I thought, but she returned wearing jeans and a T-shirt. They started getting their shoes on. Henry was strapped into his smaller pushchair and Thomasz insisted on walking. They set off, and they turned round to me as I stood at the gate.

‘Bye, Alfie,’ Aleksy said.

‘Bye, Alfie,’ Thomasz mimicked. Both Polly and Franceska bent down to stroke me.

‘If you come back at lunch time, I’ll buy you some fish on our way back,’ Polly said. I miaowed with joy.

‘You’d swear he understood you!’ Val pointed out.

‘He very clever cat,’ Franceska replied. ‘Of course he understood.’

I rushed to see Tiger after leaving. I took the back way, which was slightly quicker; jumping fences and dodging snarling dogs. When I arrived, she was sunning herself in the back garden. I told her immediately of my plan and she looked stricken. She actually yowled at me in annoyance, but I tried to explain the thinking behind it. She called me all kinds of cat names, telling me I was an idiot. Then she cried out and said she was scared for me because we didn’t know how it would turn out. She said I was a very brave, very stupid cat indeed. And I couldn’t do anything but agree with her. We eventually had an affectionate goodbye and I promised that I would do whatever I could to make sure I came back to her in one piece.

I tried to forget about the visit with Tiger and what lay in store as I hastened back to number 22 for my fish.

‘We go to my flat,’ Franceska said, as I met her outside with the boys. ‘Henry is sleeping and Val makes Polly rest too, so I have your fish.’ I purred with pleasure and followed them up the stairs.

Aleksy put the television on, and Thomasz sat on the floor as close to it as he could get. Franceska, who was in the kitchen, shouted, ‘Too close, Thomasz, move.’ And she laughed. I wondered if she could see through walls. Cats have wonderful sight and can sense objects but even we can’t do that. I followed her into the kitchen and waited for my lunch. As promised, she cooked me some fish and then served it. It was like being a human, apart from the fact that I ate from the floor. I ate quickly and then cleaned myself as she fed both the boys and herself.

After lunch she put a reluctant Thomasz down for a nap and spent time reading with Aleksy.

‘Is hard to read English,’ he complained.

‘Yes but you are doing good. Soon you will be better than your mamma.’

‘Will I like school?’ he asked, looking worried.

‘You will love it, just like you did in Poland.’

‘But with different language.’

‘Yes and the teachers say they will be very kind to you and help you, so you must not worry.’ I could see that, for all her reassurances, Franceska was concerned about her boy.

‘And if Polly buys me a bag, I will be very happy.’ Aleksy squirmed as his mum kissed him and cuddled him.

After reading for a while, Aleksy got out his toy cars and tried to make me chase them. I did, but my stomach wasn’t feeling good. My nerves were growing and although I tried to make the game fun, my heart wasn’t really in it. I told myself off. If this was to be our last play for a while, or, I shuddered at the thought, even longer, then the least I could do was to have fun. So I let Aleksy push the car, which I chased and then tried to roll it back to him with my little paw. It wasn’t that easy. He laughed with glee when I did this. We played for what felt like a very long time, before I had to leave. It was time for me to go and put the very scary plan into action.

As I bade everyone goodbye I memorised their faces and hoped sincerely that I would see them again soon.