The Magical Adventures of Tara and the Talking Kitten
Page 3
“Mummy, why don’t you and Mrs. Farthing go for a cup of tea,” Tara suggested, “while Rosy and I watch Daddy drawing. Shall we Rosy?” She smiled persuasively at Rosy and took hold of her hand. Rosy looked at her Mum for permission.
“Alright, as long as Tara’s Dad doesn’t mind,” she agreed. Their mothers took Jack with them on the promise of an ice cream. For once Tara was not interested in ice cream!
The two girls ran over to sit on the grass by Tara’s Dad.
“What time is it Daddy?” Tara asked.
“Ten to four,” he said with a smile. He wondered if Rosy knew he was to draw her dog. “I am running a little late,” he warned. At ten past four he handed a sketch of a rabbit to a young boy who was delighted with it. Tara felt terrible. Rosy’s Dad wasn’t coming. She knew it. Dad looked at her and winked.
“And now Tara, what did you want me to draw?” She couldn’t speak. Her throat was too tight. It was all going wrong.
Rosy’s Dad
Then suddenly there was a commotion. A dark haired man with a huge dog on a lead was running through the crowd looking very anxious. Then he saw Rosy and his face broke into the biggest smile, “Oh Rosy, my birthday girl.”
Rosy jumped up and screamed. “Daddy! It’s my Daddy! And Goldie.”
Then she and her Dad were hugging as if they would never let go and Goldie was leaping all over them barking.
The two girls’ mothers were walking across the field back towards them as all the commotion was taking place. They stopped and stared. Rosy’s Mum had a tense look on her face. Rosy’s Dad turned and looked at Tara, “You must be Tara. I only just got the letter. It went next door! I’ve raced here and thought I’d probably missed you girls.”
They all looked at each other. What letter? Tara said nothing. Dad looked at her and guessed what she had done. He put his arm round her and hugged her close.
Rosy’s mother did not even look at her husband. She put her hand out to Rosy who reluctantly moved away from her father’s embrace and obediently took her mother’s hand. They walked away in silence. Rosy’s Dad called out after her, “Happy Birthday sweetheart, I love you Rosy.”
Rosy turned for a moment and whispered, “I love you too Daddy.”
Goldie whimpered.
Tara’s mother invited Mr. Farthing and Goldie back to their house for a cup of tea. Daddy said he would draw a picture of Goldie when they were at home. Mr. Farthing was very grateful and said he would put it in an envelope and take it straight round to Rosy’s flat so that she got it on her birthday. Ash-ting was waiting on the doorstep and Tara took him into the garden to tell him what had happened. She had a feeling he knew already but he listened gravely.
“You can’t make two adults love each other,” he told her. “But they do both love Rosy.”
“I just wish she could see her Dad and Goldie.”
“You have done everything with the best intentions, so perhaps it will work out. Let’s wait and see,” purred Ash-ting as Tara crossed her fingers and tickled him behind his ears.
Daddy drew the most beautiful picture of Goldie but he wouldn’t take any money for it. The dog looked as if he was ready to jump out of the page.
Mummy was extremely impressed and said to him: “I think you should do more pictures, everyone loves them and you could earn some extra money selling them.”
They all laughed, especially Daddy, who hugged Mummy in delight.
Mr. Farthing left to deliver Rosy’s card. An hour later there was a knock at the door and they all rushed to answer it. To their surprise Rosy stood there with her Daddy and Goldie. Rosy was holding a bunch of flowers. She held them out to Tara’s Dad and whispered, “Thank you for the picture, it was lovely.”
Her Dad was smiling. He explained that Rosy had seen him going up the driveway to post her card and had come running out to meet him. Rosy’s mother was still angry, but Rosy kept saying that all she wanted for her birthday was to see her Daddy.
“Then Goldie went bounding over and licked Rosy’s mother. It’s funny,” he added. “She seemed to change then. It was like magic, she agreed to let Rosy come out for a walk with me for an hour. It’s a beginning.”
“Come in for a minute,” said Mummy. She put seven candles on a cake for Rosy and they all sang Happy Birthday to her. Then she blew out the candles and made a wish — though Tara guessed her wish had already come true. She was very shy and pink. Afterwards they waved goodbye as Rosy skipped down the path holding her Daddy’s hand while Goldie ran ahead.
Bedtime
When Tara was tucked up in bed that night she snuggled up to Ash-ting. “I love you Ash-ting. Thank you for being my friend. You’re right,” she murmured sleepily, “When I’m nice people do like me and things do have a way of working out when you help other people. It also feels really good.”
Ash-ting purred a sleepy purr and sent a secret thank you to Goldie for playing his part in their plan.
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