Alfie The Doorstep Cat

Chapter Thirty-Five

It was the day to go home and I was so excited. No more cage, not that it was that bad, but it was hardly The Ritz. And although they had encouraged me to exercise, I had been confined. Now I would go back to my life of wandering the length of Edgar Road, perhaps not quite jumping the fences as I used to, but having a go at the very least. I was so looking forward to seeing all my families and Tiger too, although I wasn’t sure if they were cross with me now they had all discovered each other. I hoped not.

Claire came to collect me and although I wasn’t happy about it, she and the vet bundled me into my cat basket. I screeched, not with pain, but because I find it very undignified being shoved into one of those.

‘He really ought to be kept in one place for a while. I would recommend that he exercise, but gently. He should be able to figure it out, but I want him kept in for at least one more week and then I’d like you to bring him in for a check-up,’ the vet instructed. I tried to scowl at her from the cat carrier; that didn’t sound like fun and it wasn’t what I had planned.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.’

Jonathan stood at the desk, waiting for both Claire and me. I was delighted to see him.

‘I just need to pay the bill,’ Claire said, as the lady on the desk handed it to her.

‘Jesus,’ Jonathan said, whistling. ‘Bloody expensive.’

‘Well, as he’s your cat too, maybe you’d like to chip in,’ Claire said. Jonathan looked shocked, but then Claire laughed. ‘Only joking. I have insurance.’

‘You have insurance?’ Jonathan asked, incredulously, as if he’d never heard of it.

‘Yes, Alfie is my cat and so of course I have him insured.’

‘Never occurred to me,’ Jonathan said.

‘Well that doesn’t surprise me,’ Claire retorted. ‘I bet you forget to feed him if you go away as well, don’t you?’ Jonathan had the grace to look bashful, because he did.

‘Well, with four homes, I’m sure he never goes hungry.’

‘Not the point. Right, let’s get going, we’ve got a party to go to.’ I felt indignant myself then, they were having a party on my first day back?

Jonathan parked his car outside his house and he carried me in, with Claire following behind. They had bickered about me the entire journey home, until I was sure that it was only a matter of time before they realised they were meant for each other. Perhaps it wasn’t immediately obvious, because they were arguing and Claire had just got out of a volatile relationship, but actually, to me, they made perfect sense. Their arguing was different; softer, and not as aggressive. Not only that, but Claire gave as good as she got. She wasn’t timid around him. She was the Claire I knew she should be. Call it cat’s intuition, but I just knew in my heart that these two could love each other as much as I loved them.

I was growing happier by the minute. Especially with thoughts of prawns and my cashmere blanket, of Aleksy and our ball games, of seeing how Polly was, and Henry and the two Thomaszes, and of course, not forgetting my lovely Franceska. Oh, how I had missed them, I thought, as I smiled broadly and waited to be let out of the cat carrier.

Jonathan put me down in the hallway and opened the door. He picked me up and carried me to the kitchen. I was still upset that they were leaving me to go to a party but as the door opened, I miaowed in surprise.

‘Alfie,’ Aleksy shouted, and ran over. He stopped just in front of Jonathan. There was a colourful banner pinned to the wall, and around Jonathan’s kitchen table were Franceska, the two Thomaszes, Matt, Polly and Henry. I couldn’t believe it. These people didn’t know each other and here they were, all together.

‘You’ve been rumbled, Alfie,’ Matt laughed.

‘What is rumbled?’ Aleksy asked.

‘We found out he have four homes, well, not that he lives with us, but he visits us,’ Franceska laughed.

‘Yes, Alfie, we look for you and I draw picture but we no find you and we worry. But then they tell us you were hurt.’ Aleksy looked tearful.

‘Here, Aleksy, if you’re very gentle, you can hold him.’ Jonathan passed me to Aleksy who kissed me. Claire had joined us. It was so funny seeing all my families here together. I studied them while I nestled into Aleksy. Polly looked more gorgeous than ever and definitely much better as she bounced Henry on her lap. Thomasz and Matt looked the same. Franceska looked as in control as ever, and little Thomasz looked as if he had grown in my absence. But Claire looked wonderful. I had seen her at the vet’s but not really taken her in. She was beginning to blossom again; she seemed to have put on a little bit of weight – I noticed these things – and her cheeks were gaining colour. She was beautiful, I thought, as was Jonathan.

Jonathan took me from Aleksy and put me in the bed that was usually at Claire’s house. They put my food down next to me: salmon and prawns, the best meal ever.

They made a fuss of me and everyone gave me presents. It was like it was my birthday! Aleksy and Thomasz had drawn me pictures, which were of a cat and a car. The children had been told that I had been hit by a car whilst crossing the road, so that they weren’t distressed by what had really happened. I minded slightly, I had crossed half of London dodging traffic, for goodness sake, I think I knew my Green Cross Code.

‘You must be careful crossing the road,’ Aleksy said to me, and Jonathan winked.

‘There’s one last present,’ Jonathan said.

‘Long overdue,’ Claire added. She reached over to me and gently removed my collar. She took off the tag that tied me to Margaret. She held up a new one and everyone clapped. ‘Alfie, this has your name and all of our phone numbers etched on it. All four of your families, so you’ll never be lost again.’

People say cats can’t cry but I promise you, I had tears swimming in my eyes.

I was exhausted, but they were being gentle and loving with me, everyone saying how much they’d missed me. My heart swelled so much I thought it would outgrow my body. Seeing all my families sitting around at Jonathan’s house was the best present ever.

They talked about a rota. I was to stay at Claire’s whilst I was getting better, and she had taken some time off work to nurse me. Then Jonathan said he had taken different days off to take care of me too. Apparently I needed my medicine regularly, and I needed to be quiet.

‘There’s a sweet cat that seems to have been looking for you too,’ Claire said. ‘The one who lives next door to me.’ I wondered if Tiger would come and visit me as well. That would complete my friends and family.

Eventually, when Aleksy was promised he could visit me after school, and Polly said she would bring Henry round and sit with me when Claire had to go to the shops, and each and every one of them had kissed me and petted me gently, they all left.

Jonathan carried me back to Claire’s house and settled me downstairs. They said I wasn’t up to managing the stairs yet and I felt quite weak, so I guessed they were right.

‘Will you stay for a drink?’ Claire asked him, when I had curled up to rest.

‘Of course. Do you fancy getting a takeaway too? I’m famished. I mean, only if you want the company,’ Jonathan said, and I was pretty sure he turned a bit red as he suggested this.

‘That would be great. I’m so glad he’s home,’ she replied, looking down at me.

‘Well, one of his homes anyway,’ Jonathan replied and they both laughed. My heart lifted as I heard in their voices something I often felt in mine; love. They might not know it yet but I did. I was a very clever cat.