by Patricia Fry
Savannah nodded. “Same with Lily. She hasn’t been around kids her age at all. In fact, I’ve been wanting to make some connections for her. Hey, would you be interested in doing a playdate with the girls some time?”
Mary’s face brightened. “I’d love it. Do you live here?”
Savannah shook her head. Before she could respond, Lily walked away and Crissy started to follow. Both women headed after their toddlers. Once they’d picked them up, Savannah said, “We live in Hammond. Do you ever get over that way?”
“Not for a long time. But sure, I can drive over and maybe you could come here sometime. We live near a nice playground with a special area for the little guys.”
“Sounds great.” Savannah took out her phone. “Want to give me your number?” Once she’d typed it in, she gave her number to Mary. “What’s your schedule like?” Savannah asked.
Before she could respond, Crissy began to fuss in Mary’s arms. “I’d better get my child home. She probably wants lunch, and then it’s nap time.” She leaned toward Savannah. “That’s my time. I get to clean up the messes she’s made all morning.” She gestured toward Savannah. “You know how it is.”
Savannah nodded. “Sure do.”
“Ba-by,” Crissy said, reaching toward Lily with her doll. Lily took it and held it to her, the little purse still in her other hand. When Crissy reached for the purse, Lily squeezed it more tightly.
“Give Crissy her purse, Lily,” Savannah prompted, moving closer to Mary and Crissy. When Lily frowned and looked down, Savannah apologized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know she could be so stingy. This is a new situation for us. I’m not sure what to do.” She then said, “Wait,” as she dug through her own purse for a few seconds. She pulled out a small coin purse and handed it to Lily.
Lily stared at it for a moment, then dropped her doll and Crissy’s purse and grabbed the coin purse. Savannah and Mary both laughed.
“Good move,” Mary said, smiling, as she bent over and picked up the toys.
“Well, I have more shopping to do,” Savannah admitted. “Didn’t want her throwing a fit.”
“I hear ya,” Mary said, then added, “…to answer your question, thankfully, I’m a full-time mom. My husband works hard to make it possible. So most any day is good for us.”
“Cool,” Savannah said while strapping Lily into the stroller. “It’s supposed to be nice over the next few days. Want to come over sometime this week?”
“Sounds good. Let’s chat soon and set something up.” Mary started to walk away, but turned and asked, “By the way, could you recommend a good vet in the area?”
Savannah chuckled. “Would you believe I’m a veterinarian?”
“Really?” Mary said, wide-eyed. “Where do you practice?”
She chuckled. “I practice being a mom right now, but my husband runs the Ivey
Veterinary Clinic in Hammond. And yes, I would recommend him.”
Mary laughed. “I would hope so.”
Savannah creased her brow. “Do you have a sick animal?”
Mary shook her head. “No, it’s just time for Regina’s annual vaccine booster. She’s an inside-outside kitty, so I need to keep up with her shots. I’m sure you know what I mean.”
Savannah nodded, then asked, “How does she travel?”
“Pretty good, actually, if I don’t box her up. I mean, she likes to have the run of the car.”
“Well, I’ll check on Michael’s schedule and maybe you could bring her when you come for the playdate.” When Mary hesitated, Savannah said, “We have a pet-friendly home and some overly friendly animals.”
“Okay, then. Yeah, let me know when I can get an appointment.”
“Sure, I’ll text you later.” Savannah smiled. “It was so nice to meet the two of you. I can’t wait for our playdate.”
“Your playdate?” Margaret asked as she approached the two women.
“Well, the girls’ playdate,” she corrected.
Mary acknowledged Margaret then turned, waving as she left the store.
“Wow, that was fortuitous, wasn’t it?” Margaret said.
Savannah stared after Mary, tilting her head. “Sure was.” Thinking out loud, she said, “I can’t believe how much she reminds me of Barbara’s daughter Jenna. Don’t you think?”
Margaret shook her head. “Um, I really didn’t notice.” She grinned at the baby. “A few days ago Lily had no friends; now she has quite a collection, don’t you, sweet thing?”
****
It was after ten the next morning when Savannah saw a car pull into their driveway. “Hi, Mary,” she said, walking out to greet her. She looked at her watch. “Regina-kitty’s appointment is in twenty minutes; do you want me to go with you? Then we can come back here afterward.”
“Sounds good.” She looked toward the house. “Where’s Lily?”
“Napping. Helena, our housekeeper, is here in case she wakes up.”
“Okay.” Mary glanced at the mirror she had placed strategically in the backseat to keep an eye on her child. Quietly, she said, “Looks like Crissy’s still sleeping, too.” She smiled. “Good. They’ll be rested for their big day of play.”
Savannah nodded. “I’ll be right back. Need to tell Helena I’m leaving.”
Ten minutes later, Mary parked her car outside the veterinary clinic. “In you go,” she said, lifting the cat from Savannah’s lap and pushing her into a small plastic carrier. To Savannah, she said, “She hates her little cage, but she’s impossible to carry someplace she doesn’t want to go…like into the vet’s office. How is it they always know?”
Savannah shrugged. “The scents, maybe? Cats are pretty observant and sensitive to what’s going on around them. They have a good memory—for some things.”
Mary nodded. “Here, want to carry her while I get the baby?”
“Sure,” Savannah said, taking the small carrier, which bounced up and down as the cat moved around inside, trying to find an escape route. She peered at the cat through the wire door. “It’ll be okay, Regina. Just a couple of pricks, then you can play with some new kitty friends.”
“Hi Scarlett,” Savannah said, greeting the receptionist when they entered the waiting room. “This is Mary and her kitty Regina.”
“Oh yes, Dr. Mike put Regina on the schedule. Please have a seat.”
After just a few minutes, Michael walked out from the back. “Hi, hon,” he said, leaning over and kissing Savannah. He then nodded toward Mary. “Hello, I’m Michael Ivey.”
“Mary Rice,” she said, reaching out to shake hands.
“And who’s this little charmer?” he asked, smiling down at the sleeping toddler.
“This is Crissy, hon,” Savannah said, “Lily’s new BFF.”
He chuckled. “Cute.”
When he turned toward the reception desk to pick up a file, Mary raised her eyebrows at Savannah and mouthed, “Wow! He’s hot!”
Savannah giggled a little. “Don’t I know it.”
“This way, ladies; let me take a look at,” he glanced at the chart Scarlett had prepared, “Miss Regina.” He turned to Mary as they walked toward the exam room. “Regina—that’s an unusual name for a cat.”
“Yeah, when she was a kitten, she reminded me of a girl I knew in junior high who wore a lot of eye makeup and it was always smudged. Her name was Regina.”
Michael ushered the women into a room and took the tortie out of the carrier. He peered into her face and chuckled. “Yeah, she does look like she has smudged her mascara.”
“That girl, Regina, had a nose kinda like hers, too—pug.”
Both Savannah and Michael laughed.
“How old is she?” he asked.
“They told us at the shelter when we got her that she was ten weeks, so she’ll be two next spring.” She dug into her purse. “I had my vet in Frisco send me her records. Here, I almost forgot to give them to you.”
Michael studied the chart, then said, “Hey,” w
hen the tortie suddenly stood against his chest and began batting at his stethoscope.
“I’m afraid she’s still very much a kitten,” Mary said.
“I can see that.” Michael reached for a wand with feathers attached and the trio laughed while watching the small cat play with the toy.
“Now that’s a good idea,” Mary said. “When I play with her, she scratches me all up. See?” she said, showing the scratches on her hands to Michael and Savannah.
“Ouch,” Savannah said.
“Yeah, behaviorists recommend against using your bare hands when playing with a kitten,” Michael explained.
“Hands are for petting,” Savannah said. “Play, for cats, is sort of like hunting practice and they can get kind of rough with their prey.”
Mary considered the information before saying, “I never thought of it that way. You know, she does play rough with her toys, too. Yeah, I don’t want to be mistaken for a mouse or a gopher. I’ll get one of those feather toys. Good idea.”
“Here, take this one,” Michael said. “I have others.” After examining the cat, Michael administered the necessary vaccines, then said, “She seems to be in good shape. Her weight’s good. Does she eat okay?”
“Oh, yes. Loves mealtime and treats.”
“Well, you seem to be doing a good job with her. I guess we’ll see you in a year, unless you have any questions or concerns in the meantime.”
With that, the cat looked up at Michael and mewed. Michael chuckled. “I’m glad you like the diagnosis.” He tucked Regina back into her carrier and focused on the baby, who was starting to wake up. “So this is Lily’s new best friend?” he asked, smiling down at the child.
“Yes,” Savannah said. “Isn’t she a cutie? Look at all that dark hair.” She asked Mary. “Did she get that from her daddy?”
Mary nodded. “Yes…well, the curls are mine, I suppose, but the dark hair is from my husband and, I imagine, my dad. He was half Mexican.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket, tapped on it a few times, then held it toward Michael and Savannah. “That’s Mark, my husband.”
“Oh, he does have dark hair and great brown eyes,” Savannah noted.
“Yeah, his family was from Brazil.”
Savannah winked at Mary. “…talk about a good-looking guy.”
Mary smiled. “Yeah, he is.”
“Well, let’s get back to our playdate, shall we?” Savannah suggested. “Thanks, hon, for fitting Regina in.”
He nodded, then asked, “Where’s our child?”
“With Helena. She was still napping when we left.”
“Okay. Well, nice meeting you, Mary. You girls have fun.”
****
“I love your home,” Mary said as she entered the living room with Crissy in her arms and a diaper bag over one shoulder.
Savannah smiled. “Okay if I let her out?” she asked, placing Regina’s carrier on the sofa.
Mary glanced around. When she saw Lexie dance into the room excited to see people, she said, “She’s kind of aggressive with dogs.”
Savannah thought for a moment before suggesting, “Let me check on Lily and then we’ll organize the animals so everyone will get along. Just drop your stuff anywhere, Mary, and make yourself at home. I’ll be right back.”
Before Savannah could leave the room, however, Helena entered from the downstairs hallway with Lily in her arms.
“There you are, punkin’,” Savannah said, walking toward them.
“Ma-ma,” Lily said, reaching out for Savannah.
“Did you have a good nap?” she asked, taking the baby and glancing at Helena.
“She just woke up,” Helena responded. “Yes, a good nap.” She ran her hand over the baby’s blond curls. “She slept like a baby.”
“Helena, this is my friend Mary and her daughter Crissy,” Savannah said. “This is Helena, another one of Lily’s favorite playmates.”
“Nice to meet you,” Mary said, reaching out with one hand.
“You, too,” Helena said. She smiled at Crissy, then told Savannah, “There are brownies just out of the oven and fresh lemonade in the fridge.”
“Thank you. Sounds wonderful.”
“Gosh, she must be a jewel,” Mary said after Helena had left the room. “She cleans, watches the baby, and bakes for you?”
Savannah nodded. “Sometimes she makes a casserole or a stew for our supper while she’s cleaning. She’s one good multi-tasker.” Savannah turned toward the dog. “Okay, Lexie, you’ve greeted everyone. Let’s put you out in your pen for a while, shall we?”
“She’s a sweet dog,” Mary said. “She seems to like babies. She came right to Crissy—made her giggle.”
Savannah smiled. “I told you we have friendly animals.” She glanced up and saw their grey-and-white cat sauntering in from the kitchen. “That’s Rags.”
“Goodness, he’s huge!” Mary exclaimed.
“Ki-ki,” Lily said, pointing.
Mary took Lily’s little hand and said, laughing, “Yes, a giant ki-ki.” She asked Savannah. “What breed is he?”
“They told me at the shelter he’s part ragdoll. I guess that’s where the size comes from.”
“Is he…?”
“Gentle?” Savannah said.
When Mary nodded, Savannah responded by saying, “Oh yes. He can be a nuisance and a worry, but he is gentle and actually rather a comedian.”
“Interesting,” Mary said, squatting down and holding her hand out to entice the cat. “Hi Rags,” she said, petting him. She laughed when he flopped onto his side, rolled over, and invited a tummy-rub. After enjoying the massage for a few moments, he jumped to his paws and began sniffing the air. His nose soon led him to the carrier on the sofa and the cat within, who was waiting impatiently to come out. Mary, now almost convinced that Rags was merely curious and not contemplating an attack, put Crissy on the floor and unlatched the carrier door.
Upon seeing the large cat peering in at her, however, Regina wasn’t at all sure she still wanted to come out.
“Well, give her room, you big lug,” Savannah said. “She can’t come out and play with you standing in the doorway.” She eased Lily to the floor and took hold of the eager cat. “Come on, Rags. Let her out,” she said, removing him from the sofa. Both women laughed when they saw Regina ever-so-cautiously peek out through the opening in the carrier.
“What is that, Regina?” Mary said laughing. “Biggest cat you ever saw, isn’t it?”
They watched as Regina stepped out and glanced around the room. She jumped down off the sofa and started to explore, when she spotted Rags walking toward her. She locked eyes with him briefly, then crept under the coffee table.
“How about a treat?” Savannah suggested. “Come on Rags, give her some space. Let’s get your treats.”
When Savannah and Rags returned to the living room, Mary was holding Regina on her lap. The tortie’s ears perked up when she heard Savannah rattle the treat packet.
“You’ve discovered her weak spot,” Mary said, watching the cat jump from her lap and trot toward Savannah.
After both cats had devoured a few kitty treats, Rags head-bumped Regina and promptly darted toward the staircase. As if she understood the gesture, the tortie scampered after him. The two cats slipped between the dowels in the baby gate, raced up the stairs, and quickly disappeared.
“Can I trust him to be alone with her?” Mary asked, chuckling. “He isn’t some sort of Casanova is he?”
Savannah laughed. “When it comes to Rags, I can’t make any promises.” She quickly added, “Except to say that I’m sure he won’t hurt her…at least not physically. I can’t speak for his allure.”
Both women laughed and Savannah motioned toward the kitchen. “Come on, let’s have a brownie, shall we? Can Crissy have a cookie?”
“Sure,” Mary said.
“Let’s put the girls here in the dining room with these toys. Have a seat there at the tabl
e, if you like. I’ll go get the brownies and tea.”
The two women didn’t get much opportunity to relax. They found themselves chasing after the toddlers, who both delighted in exploring. What one didn’t think of, the other one did. Mary and Savannah were up and down numerous times throughout the afternoon, trying to divert the toddlers’ attention away from sleeping cats, their water bowls, and from behind the furniture. Crissy spent a good part of the afternoon tossing toys through the baby gate that stretched across the bottom of the staircase, then fussing when she couldn’t reach them. Buffy decided to take her nap on the upstairs landing, where she could watch the children from a safe place. Even Walter changed his daily routine when his sleep on the plum-colored chair was interrupted by inquisitive baby fingers one too many times.
Rags and Regina, on the other hand, seemed to thrive on the adventure created by the toddling duo and their interesting array of toys. In fact, the two cats remained on the fringes of the baby activity for much of the afternoon.
Despite the constant activity, the two women managed to chat on many topics, including the location of the nearest beauty school where they could get cheap haircuts while supporting hard-working students, the cozy mysteries they’d read lately, the possibility of going on a horseback ride some weekend when their husbands were home, public school versus private or homeschooling, and other subjects of interest to both of them.
“This has been such fun,” Savannah said as Mary packed up to leave. “Be sure to send me that selfie you took of the four of us, and the one of the girls hugging. I missed that one.”
Mary laughed. “I think it was more of a stranglehold. Crissy wanted that toy Lily was playing with.” She added, “Send me the one you took of Crissy and your horse. I don’t think she’s ever seen such a big doggie.”
Once Mary’s car was loaded, she turned to Savannah, who was holding Lily. “Thank you again,” she said, hugging them both. “Next time maybe you can come to our place and we’ll go to the park.”
“We’d like that, wouldn’t we?” she said to Lily.
Lily raised her little hand and began wriggling her fingers.
“Oh, she’s waving. How cute is that?” Mary said. “Lily, you’ll have to teach that to Crissy.”
