Love at First Purr

by Patricia Fry

  Michael chuckled. "Unbelievable. That cat must have graduated at the head of her class in cat college. That's a pretty advanced scheme, if you ask me."

  "Or it could have been accidental," Gladys said. "A coincidence."

  Savannah shrugged.

  "So where did you find her last night?" Michael asked.

  Savannah giggled. "Oh yes. Now I'll know where to look the next time she disappears. She's pretty creative, actually." More seriously, she said, "She was sleeping under the skirt on the ottoman. I don't think any of our cats have ever done that. Rags gave me the idea. He must have figured out she was there."

  "Creative," Gladys said. She tilted her head. "There's not much room under that ottoman. She'd better watch out that she doesn't have a growth spurt while she's sleeping under there and be unable to get out."

  Savannah laughed. "What an image. Actually, you're right. It's already a tight fit, but she came out all by herself, so I knew she was okay."

  Gladys smiled at the young cat, then said, "Vannie, I talked to my brother last night. He's a night owl and I couldn't sleep, so I texted him to ask if he wanted to talk. He sure did. We were on the phone for nearly an hour."

  "How is Uncle Ray?" Savannah asked. "Is his health improving?"

  "Not really, especially now with Jake's problems. You know how it is; when your kids have problems, you have problems."

  "So what's going on with Jake?" Savannah asked. "I haven't talked to Craig all week. Last I heard, Jake's attorney was going to ask for some of the charges to be dropped."

  "Yes, "Gladys said. "They're working on that. Jake's seeing a psychologist or therapist or something and Ray said he believes Jake's making progress."

  "Already?" Michael asked. "Are you sure Ray isn't hearing what he wants to hear?"

  "Maybe," Gladys said, "but Ray said something is making a difference. He's talked to Jake three or four times lately, and Ray and Anne are very pleased with how good he sounds. Oh, and he's been able to have a visitor. I guess Craig arranged it. Did you know that Damon has been to the jail to see Jake?"

  "No," Savannah said. "How did that come about?" She frowned. "I was with Colbi yesterday and she didn't say anything."

  "Maybe she doesn't know," Michael said, "or it just didn't come up while you and Colbi were together."

  "Did you know about this?" Savannah asked.

  Michael nodded. "Yes. Damon brought Dolly to see me the other day. She had a claw that was about to grow back into the pad."

  "Colbi didn't tell me that, either," Savannah complained. "Is Dolly okay?"

  "Sure," Michael said. "She's fine. Well, Damon said that Craig was telling him about your cousin's struggles—his demons, and Damon expressed an interest in trying to help him. I guess what Damon went though when he was younger was very similar to what Jake's dealing with now." Michael took a sip of coffee. "Damon believes that without Craig's support when he was incarcerated and, as Damon puts it, 'totally messed up,' he wouldn't be the happy husband and father and citizen he is today."

  "Wow!" Savannah said. "That's interesting. Good for Damon—I mean to try helping Jake."

  "Yes, the family really appreciates his efforts," Gladys said. "Ray told me that Jake especially likes hearing the details of how Damon changed his life and how much his family means to him now. I guess it helps to talk to someone who actually understands some of what you're going through."

  "Jake evidently talks a lot to his mom and dad about his child," Gladys said. "He hopes to finish paying his debt to society by the time the baby's born, but that's doubtful. I think he's facing at least a year and maybe more. Ray has told Jake he needs to try to establish a relationship with Marla—if even just a civil one—you know, so he has access to the child. However, we all know it will most likely be a process. From what I understand, theirs was a rocky marriage. According to Ray, Jake says he's willing to do anything for the welfare of his child and he seems sincere about it." Gladys shook her head. "I sure hope he isn't just paying lip service to it."

  "I wish him well," Michael said. "It seems he has a long way to go to become the man he wants to be."

  "Maybe not," Savannah said. "Mom and I remember the young Jake, right Mom?"

  Gladys nodded. "If he can somehow tap into who he was as a young man, he may be okay."

  Michael stood up. "Well, it's time to go to work." He picked up his jacket just as Lizzie trotted up to him. "Do you want me to take her to the clinic today?"

  Savannah thought for a moment and decided, "I'd like to bring her in myself, so I'll just make an appointment. Okay with you?" He nodded and she continued, "I'm eager to find out if she has a chip. Actually, I might hold off for a few days, and give her a chance to become a little more familiar with us and the house before carting her off to a new place. Maybe day after tomorrow."

  "Okay. So you girls started trapping?" he asked.

  "Yes, Auntie set traps last night. I'll be going over to check them this morning." She smiled and said in a sing-song manner, "We may have some patients for you today." Savannah turned to her mother. "Mom, I think that's your phone."

  Gladys walked swiftly into the other room as Michael slipped into his light-weight jacket and left for work.

  "The saga continues," Gladys moaned, returning to the kitchen several minutes later.

  "Saga?"

  "With my storage unit. Evidently the police are watching it in case that woman returns. So far she hasn't, but it looks like I'll have to go down there."

  "Really?" Savannah asked.

  "Yes. It's either that or give the police permission to go through my things without my being there. Since I've likely been robbed, I don't think that's a good idea. They're giving me the chance to go in there with them and take inventory. I was really hoping you'd go with me."

  "When?"

  "The sooner the better. I'd also like to visit some pawn shops in the area and see if I can find my stuff, but first I need to itemize what's missing." Hesitantly, she asked, "Want to do a road trip?" M/p>

  Savannah let out a sigh. "Gosh Mom, any other time and I…"

  "I know, Vannie, you're tied up with the cats and all. Maybe Maggie will go with me."

  "Or you can get Mel or Roxy to help you once you get down to Los Angeles," Savannah suggested. She tilted her head. "Or what about Karl? I haven't heard you mention Karl lately. Hasn't he been back up here? Are you two still talking?"

  "Some, yes. He hasn't been here since I went to Arizona to see him. I think he and I both realize that we were maybe on the wrong path with each other. But after all these weeks of just talking occasionally, I think we're maybe ready to resume some sort of relationship. I've missed him." Gladys narrowed her eyes in thought, then said, "You know, he goes to LA on business sometimes. He just might meet me down there and help me out with this problem. I'll call him."

  "If you're comfortable doing that, Mom. Don't put yourself in a position you don't want to be in," Savannah warned.

  Gladys thought for a moment and said, "No, I feel as though this is the right thing. All I can do is ask. I think he would be a great help and comfort in this situation, if he's available and willing."

  "Well, good then. Let me know what he says."

  "What's on your agenda today?" Gladys asked.

  Savannah smiled. "Gabby and Charlotte are coming over to play with Lizzie this afternoon. I just talked to Gabby to find out if we caught any of the feral cats." She grimaced. "We didn't. I had her move the traps into the shade. We'll just leave them set and I'll check them again this afternoon." More brightly, she said, "I told her about our little stowaway kitty. She got the biggest kick out of that. I thought she and Charlotte might enjoy spending time with the kitten, and it would probably help Lizzie use up some of her creative energy. Maybe she won't dive into my dinner plate tonight."

  Both women laughed.

  Savannah jumped a little. "Oh, I'd better call Auntie and Colbi and let them know the status at the Randolph Colony."

  "Lo
rdy-Lordy," Gladys muttered. "I'm tired just hearing about your schedule. I don't think I ever kept as busy as you do."

  "I'm sure you did, Mom," Savannah said.

  "Taking care of all these critters, including horses, managing cat colonies, staying in touch with friends like you do, writing books, and still spending quality time with your children…I think not," Gladys remarked.

  Savannah snapped her fingers. "Oh, that reminds me we need to start doing some canning and jam-making in a few weeks. The fruit's really coming on."

  Gladys shook her head.

  ****

  "Two of my favorite girls!" Savannah called out when she opened the door to Gabby and Charlotte just after lunch. She waved at Stella as she drove away.

  "Hi, Thavanna," Charlotte said with her usual charming lisp. "You have a new cat? Gabby told me you have a new cat."

  "Just for a while," Savannah said. "I'm fostering her."

  "How did you choose her?" Charlotte asked.

  Savannah laughed. "I didn't. She chose me. She crawled into my car when I wasn't looking and rode home with me from the colony where she was living."

  "Wow!" Charlotte said. When she heard something behind her, she turned and said, "Hi, Ragth!"

  "He must have heard your voice," Savannah said. "I think he was sleeping upstairs, but when he hears your voice he always comes running, doesn't he?"

  "He still looks sleepy," Gabby said, laughing.

  Savannah ran her hand over the cat's fur. "Rags, do you know where baby sister Lizzie is?" She looked around. "Let's see, the last time I saw her she was on my bed. Want to go look, Charlotte?"

  "Not there," Charlotte said, returning. "Not in your clothet either. Remember, Ragth uthed to hide in your clothet."

  Savannah laughed. "Yes. Lizzie likes my shoes, too. She fell asleep in one of them last night. Oh," she said, remembering something, "I think I know where she is. She got down on her hands and knees and lifted the ruffle on the ottoman, then sat up straight. "Not there. That's odd."

  "Maybe she's in the bathroom building a sandcastle," Gladys said, chuckling.

  "Sandcastle?" Gabby questioned.

  "Yes," Savannah said, laughing. "She's wild with the litter—kicks it out everywhere. I practically need a shovel to put it back into the box after she uses it."

  Gabby laughed.

  "That'th funny," Charlotte said.

  "She's a funny little cat." Savannah called, "Lizzie! Lizzie! Do you know your name? You have company. Come out, come out, wherever you are." After a while, Savannah said, "Girls, I guess you'll have to help me figure out where she might be hiding. Or you can play with Rags, Glori, and Buffy until Lizzie decides to join us."

  "Okay," Charlotte said. "Hey, can I go look in Ragth toy boxth?" Charlotte asked. "I haven't been there for a while."

  "I don't think he's taking things up there much anymore," Savannah said. "But sure, Rags will probably want to go up with you."

  "Come on, Gabby; come on, Ragth," Charlotte said.

  "Isn't that his toy box?" Gabby asked, pointing to a basket full of small stuffed toys, wand toys, and balls in the dining room.

  "Yes," Savannah said, "but he has what we call his stash upstairs. That's where he used to take the things he found in people's purses and pockets." She frowned. "We'd find bread crust in there, half-eaten cookies, Lexie's dog treats, mail…you name it. I told you that he's a thief, didn't I?"

  Gabby nodded. "And I read that part in your book." She took Charlotte's arm. "Come show me. I want to see his stash." She called out, "Coming, Rags?"

  "Meanwhile," Savannah said, "I'll keep looking for Lizzie."

  It wasn't long before Savannah heard the girls giggling as they made their way back down the staircase. She stopped at the bottom and asked, "What's funny?"

  "Look what we found," Gabby said. "Is this Lizzie?"

  "Yes," Savannah said. "Where was she?"

  "In Rags's stash."

  Charlotte laughed and asked, "Ragth, did you put her there? Ith the kitty your new toy?" M/p>

  "Oh, that's hilarious," Savannah said. She ruffled the fur on the kitten's head. When the cat appeared to reach out for her, she took her and kissed her cheek. Lizzie rubbed against Savannah's face. Savannah cradled the kitten in her arms like a baby and stared into her eyes, crooning, "Gosh, you're cute. Hey, the girls came to play with you. Want to play?"

  When Lizzie lifted up a little and looked out at the girls, Gabby said, "Savannah, that's her. That's the little tabby that was staring at me. See those eyes?"

  "Oh yes," Savannah said, "I've noticed. They're almost hypnotic."

  Gabby smiled and scratched the kitten's cheek as Savannah held her. "She's the one who climbed into your car, huh? I should have known. She's just a little different from the others." She reached for the cat, cuddled with her, and murmured, "And something special. Aren't you little one?" She looked at Savannah. "Her name's Lizzie?"

  "For now, yes. What do you think?"

  Gabby kissed the kitten and smiled down into her face. "I like it. Lizzie," she said. "Yes, I think she likes it too."

  Savannah chuckled. "Teddy named her. At first he wanted to call her Lizard."

  The girls laughed.

  Charlotte wriggled a feather wand toward Lizzie, saying, "Thee liketh it!"

  "She likes all toys and even things that aren't toys," Savannah said. "She thinks the whole world is her playground and everything is her toy."

  "That's funny," Gabby said. "Hey, Charlotte, shall we see if we can teach her how to play catch?"

  "Yeah," Charlotte said. "I'll get a ball."

  Savannah smiled. "Okay, while you girls are entertaining her and while the children are still asleep, I'm going to put together a taco salad." She called over her shoulder, "I'll be in the kitchen."

  When Savannah returned to the living room thirty minutes later, Charlotte was trying to get Rags to kick a ball back to her and Gabby was curled up in the overstuffed chair with a sleeping Lizzie in her arms.

  Gabby said, "I can't believe she was living with those feral cats. She's so tame and sweet. Savannah, I just love her."

  "Isn't she yummy?" Savannah said, running one finger over the kitten's head. Both she and Gabby smiled when Lizzie opened her eyes briefly, stretched and mewed before falling back to sleep in Gabby's arms.

  ****

  "So how was your day?" Michael asked later that afternoon? He sat down on the sofa and started to remove his shoes.

  "Daddy shoes," Teddy said. "I get Daddy shoes."

  "Well, thank you, buddy," Michael said, taking his flip-flops from the boy. He hugged his son. "What a big helper you are."

  Teddy frowned and scolded, "Lizzie shoe."

  "Lizzie has shoes?" Michael asked.

  "No. Lizzie bite shoe," the toddler said.

  "She bit my shoes?" Michael asked.

  Savannah laughed and explained, "Well, she found them under the sofa there, and dragged one of them out."

  "And she chewed on it?" he asked, examining his flip-flops.

  "I don't know about that," she said.

  Michael slipped them on, and looked across the room at the tabby. "These are my shoes," he said. "Your toys are in that basket over there. Didn't anyone show you the cat toys?"

  "Charlotte and Gabby did," Savannah said.

  "Oh, they came over today? How'd that go?"

  "Great! Oh my gosh, they all had so much fun," Savannah said, "only…"

  "Only what?" Michael asked suspiciously.

  "I felt kind of sorry for Rags. He seemed to feel left out."

  "Oh, buddy," Michael said to the cat, who lay on the couch next to him. He petted Rags. "Are you being displaced?"

  "No he's not. Each critter has a place here," Savannah insisted.

  "Well, he looks dejected to me," he said.

  Before Michael could continue, Lizzie leaped into the air and landed on Rags's head, rolling off onto the floor. Rags jumped to his feet and glared down at Lizzie as she picked
herself up and looked around at everyone.

  "What was that about?" Savannah asked. When she saw Rags's head moving in circles, she said, "Oh, it's a fly or a gnat or something." She laughed. "Where does she get the energy? Michael, she helped me change the bed this morning and boy did she enjoy that. She got herself all tangled up in the sheets a couple of times. I was laughing so hard. She'd lay there and wait for me to unravel her, take a quick lick-bath, then dive back into the sheet again. Lily got the biggest kick out of her."

  Michael chuckled and asked, "So you saw Lizzie helping Mommy make the bed?"

  Lily nodded and Savannah said, "She has a new game she plays with Lizzie now using one of her doll blankets."

  Michael smiled at the tabby and Savannah continued, "Charlotte and Gabby played with her for over an hour. She really seemed to enjoy them." She faced him. "I'm bringing her in tomorrow."

  "To the clinic? Oh, hon, you know you don't have to bring her in. I can take her to work with me."

  "I know," she said. "It's just that I want to be with her. I want to be in on the exam."

  He looked at the cat. "So you think she's been spayed, do you?"

  Savannah nodded. "Yes, want to double check? I wish you would, just to be sure."

  Michael rolled his eyes, and reached for Lizzie. "Hi there, pretty girl. Will you let me see your tummy?"

  Savannah chuckled. "Do you always ask permission before you examine a patient?"

  He grinned, picked up the cat, and laid her across his lap on her back.

  Lizzie quickly flipped over.

  "I want to see your tummy," he said, turning her over again.

  When she squirmed and righted herself again, Teddy giggled.

  "She's stronger than she looks," Michael said.

  Savannah laughed. "It's called determination."

  "Lizzie lay down, Daddy," Teddy said excitedly.

  "Oh, so you think it's a game, do you? Is Lizzie playing a game with poor old Daddy?" He turned the young cat over and laid her on her back along his knees again, but, again, she flipped over and lay contentedly across his knees on her stomach.

  Teddy roared with laughter, saying, "Again, Daddy. Do again to Lizzie."

  Both Michael and Savannah were laughing by now. Savannah ran her hand over Lizzie's fur. "You sure have a mind of your own, little one." She asked Michael, "Do you want me to help you? Or do you want to wait and check her when I bring her in tomorrow?" She ruffled Lizzie's fur. "She won't be able to get away with her Houdini act once you have her on your slick exam table."