Рейчел Уэллс - Alfie And George

‘Yeah, well, that was a bit different. Anyway, I wanted to meet George, plus I have something else to tell you.’

George, on hearing another voice, approached us, hiding between my legs and looking a little scared.

‘Hey, George, there’s no need to be worried. This is Tiger, my best cat friend,’ I announced, feeling proud of my charge.

‘George, I am so pleased to meet you,’ said Tiger.

George stepped out from between my legs and gave Tiger his most charming head tilt.‘Hello.’ He sounded so sweet.

‘Gosh, you are gorgeous!’ Tiger walked closer to him and rubbed him with her neck. I had never heard her sound so tender. Not with me anyway, that was for sure. Honestly, she’d only spent a few seconds in his company and she was already smitten.

‘Are you my mummy?’ George asked. ‘I don’t think you are, but you look a bit like her.’

Tiger looked at me and I knew we both felt our hearts soften even more; I could see it in Tiger’s eyes.

‘No, George, but I am going to help Alfie take care of you, if you’d like me to.’ Tiger cuddled into my kitten, and George seemed to love that, stretching his paws out into the grass.

‘Do you have a kitten?’ George asked.

‘No, I’ve never had a kitten of my own … but maybe you can be my kitten.’ Tiger looked at me hopefully.

‘Hey, it goes without saying, Tiger. We’re like family and families take care of each other. That’s what I try to teach my humans and that’s what I’m now teaching George.’

‘Now I have a mummy and a daddy!’ George exclaimed. I looked at Tiger and was hit by an unexpected bolt of emotion.

‘Right, well then, George, when you’re allowed out more I will help you, with Alfie, get used to the area and the other cats. And if you feel like hunting then I can take you.’ I had never heard Tiger sound so excited. ‘Oh, think of the things we can do!’

George bounded off and started jumping around at the other end of the garden, where he had spotted a low-flying bird. I looked at Tiger.

‘Do you think he’ll want to hunt?’

‘It’s natural for us cats, Alfie. Just because you’re rubbish at it doesn’t mean the boy won’t want to,’ Tiger teased.

‘It’s not just that. When I had to hunt, when it was the only way I got food, I still really didn’t like it. I’m just not that type of cat — so it’s lucky you’re around for George.’

‘Yowl!’ George tried to climb a bush and promptly fell off, landing on his tail and covering himself in blossom. Tiger and I smiled indulgently but let him get himself up again. My instinct was to rush to him whenever he fell but he had to learn to land properly.

‘Alfie, he is so lovely, I know exactly what you mean now,’ Tiger cooed.

‘Isn’t he just? Oh, what was the thing you said you had to tell me?’ I asked, suddenly remembering.

‘Well, I didn’t want to worry you but when I was on my early morning walk I heard Polly shouting at Matt as she left the house. She stormed down the road muttering to herself. She looked really cross.’

I looked at Tiger thoughtfully, grateful that she had told me. It was the second week of Polly going to work and Matt staying at home, and although I hadn’t been able to visit them to find out how it was going, I had heard Claire and Jonathan saying that they were both finding it tough.

‘Thanks, Tiger, I’ll go and see them. Any other gossip?’

‘Well, the cats miss seeing you as much as they usually do, but you’ll be able to bring George by soon and it’ll be like old times. There haven’t been any more posters for a couple of days, which is good, so maybe that whole missing cat thing will blow over.’

‘Thank goodness.’ I had enough to worry about with my humans and George, I certainly didn’t want to worry about other cats as well.

‘The funniest thing is that Salmon has taken a liking to that Pinkie. You know, the one who thought you weren’t very manly! Anyway, he keeps trying to find excuses to see her and I’m not sure she feels the same way. Actually, I’m sure she doesn’t, she hides whenever he approaches, but seeing him try to flirt is the funniest thing ever. I think she’s scared to come and join us much now.’

‘Ha, serves her right for rejecting me,’ I said.

‘I thought you weren’t interested?’ Tiger’s eyes narrowed.

‘I’m not, but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t have admired how handsome I am.’

‘Oh, Alfie, you’re such a vain cat. Please don’t pass on that trait to George.’

We both looked at George. He was staring at his reflection in the glass door, preening and turning his head to look at himself from all angles.

‘Oh dear, it might be a bit late for that,’ Tiger laughed, before bidding us goodbye as Claire, Summer and Elijah all ran into the garden. Summer scooped George up and squeezed him tightly. Honestly, I did worry that she would stop him breathing sometimes.

‘Eli?’ Summer said.

‘Yes?’ he replied. He was used to being bossed about by her and didn’t seem to mind too much.

‘You pat Deorge now.’ She thrust my kitten towards Elijah and he obligingly stroked him. I smiled, George purred, and I felt content for the moment.

A little while later I left George, who was still playing with Summer — or rather, Summer was dressing him up in her dolls’ clothes. He didn’t look exactly thrilled, but I had to go and see Matt, and I knew that being bossed around by Summer would at least keep him out of trouble for a while.

I pestered Claire to let me out. Despite the fact George had had his vaccinations, his outings were still being monitored and so the cat flap wasn’t always open. I no longer worried about being let back in: if I sat on the kitchen or living room windowsill someone usually saw me. Although it wasn’t quite as convenient as the cat flap, it wasn’t too bad. I had cat friends who refused to use the cat flap, preferring to get their owners to let them in and out as if they were their butlers. Which I kind of understood now — it was pretty nice having my humans run around after me.

I padded slowly to Matt and Polly’s house. It was early afternoon so I knew Polly would be at work and the kids probably at school, or at least Henry would be anyway. I let myself in and found Matt at the kitchen table, alone, with his laptop open in front of him. He didn’t look great. He hadn’t shaved, which wasn’t like him — he was usually as well-groomed as me.

‘Miaow,’ I said, loudly. He jumped a bit, looked up and smiled sadly.

‘Alfie, how are you?’

‘Miaow.’

‘I haven’t seen you in ages. Hey, have some tuna.’ I licked my whiskers; not only was I a bit peckish but it would be nice to eat without the threat of George stealing my food.

He took a bowl out then opened a tin and emptied it in, placing it on the floor. He then got me some water. I was in for a feast.

‘It must be funny seeing me here in the middle of the day,’ he said as he watched me eat. I had learnt in my years of experience with humans not to interrupt them when they needed to talk. If I carried on eating quietly I knew he would say all he needed to say.‘I’m not used to it either,’ he continued.‘I miss work. I feel useless, Alfie. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending more time with the kids but, well, I’m just not feeling myself.’ I could tell he wasn’t himself just by looking around. The sink still had dishes from breakfast and there were crumbs all over the kitchen floor; usually their house was immaculate. Polly would never have let that happen.

‘Miaow,’ I concurred.

‘I know, it’s normally immaculate and Polly is much tidier than me. Don’t worry, I’ll sort it before I pick the kids up from school. Like I need to give Polly any more excuses to nag me! I haven’t done the washing and the place is a mess, but I am trying to find a job, you know. And it turns out housework is harder than I thought. The other day I tried to empty the hoover and I managed to tip it all over the kitchen floor. Honestly, I am not cut out for this.’ He looked so upset.