Рейчел Уэллс - A Cat Called Alfie

‘And she is — you all are — but then if you have something and it gets taken away, it’s totally natural to miss it.’

I thought about what Dustbin had said about how some people didn’t have homes and it wasn’t their choice. That made me feel so sad. ‘Some people don’t have any home, let alone a nice one like yours,’ I said, gently.

‘I know, you’re right, but I miss it too. My old life, my garden. I was miserable and sad when I first came here, and I didn’t want to see anyone or make any friends.’

‘Really, I’d never have known,’ I joked.

‘Yes, but then this cat called Alfie came along and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.’

‘And are you glad I wouldn’t?’ I asked, suddenly feeling quite emotional. Snowball snuggled up next to me; her warmth made me feel as if I was made of gold. I nuzzled into her neck.

‘Yes, I think I just might be,’ she replied.

Forget my sore legs, after hearing that I floated on air everywhere for the rest of the day.

‘Well, you know I’d go and see them, but the last time I did I made things worse, and I don’t think they’d even open the door for me,’ Jonathan said.

Polly and Matt had popped in with the children on their way home, although it was bedtime. Claire was giving Martha a cuddle, Henry and I were playing with a plastic ball as they spoke.

‘I don’t think they’ll let any of us in. But you know we have to try to do something.’

‘We could write them a note,’ Claire suggested.

‘Not a bad idea,’ Polly agreed.

I was trying to concentrate on what everyone was saying, but it was difficult as my mind kept drifting back to the previous day with Snowball. After our lovely date, I slept beautifully and had lots of wonderful dreams. I had never been in love like this and until yesterday it was all one-sided. She hadn’t exactly given in totally to my charms but she had softened towards me and when I walked her to her back door, we had a little nose rub. I asked her when I would see her again but she had only said, soon. She seemed to have put a bit of her guard back up, although not totally. I just had to be patient.

As I listened to what was going on around me, it turned out that Polly had had another run-in with the Goodwins earlier.

I hadn’t seen Snowball today and I now found out why. Polly was upset. On her way back from dropping Henry off at nursery she ran into the Goodwins and two police officers outside the Snells’ house. According to her, the Goodwins were wearing camouflage clothes — like they wear in the army — and said they had been undercover watching the Snells’ house. The police were trying to explain they were here to see the Snells but the Goodwins kept trying to pump them for information. Polly said they were crazy and she almost expected the police to arrest them for harassment.

Heather and Vic were interrogating the police — apparently in normal circumstances it’s the other way round. The police officers told them they couldn’t say anything, although the Goodwins kept badgering them about the Snells being part of the criminal underworld, telling them about their petition, on which they had managed, somehow, to get more than twenty signatures. Polly stepped in at this point and said that they needed to be left alone. The Goodwins accused Polly of aiding and abetting and the police looked at her with sympathy as they finally managed to get away and headed into to the Snells’ house.

‘Quick, back to our vantage point,’ Heather had said as they both ran to watch from behind a bush in their front garden.

Polly had gone home, fuming.

‘It is quite comical when you think of it,’ Jonathan said. ‘I mean they’re now dressing up like a bush to get to the bottom of something that probably doesn’t have a bottom.’

‘We all know they can’t make them leave, but it must be upsetting to have a vendetta against you, no matter how ridiculous the perpetrators. I just think they should be told that we don’t feel the same way the Goodwins do, and we want to lend any support we can. We need to show them that not everyone is as horrible as that pair.’ Polly was incensed and I loved her for it.

‘I agree,’ Claire said. ‘Let’s get a letter done tonight and we can all sign it.’

‘Right, Matt. Put the kids to bed and I’ll write this letter with Claire now.’

‘In that case, Jonathan, you can carry one of them home with me. And have a beer when we’ve put them down.’

‘Sounds like a good plan to me,’ Jonathan agreed. Claire and Polly both rolled their eyes.

I purred as loudly as I could to give them my approval, although I wasn’t sure they got it. This was perfect. What the Snells needed to know was that they did have support. After what I had heard, about how vulnerable the family was, I really did worry the Goodwins could actually hurt them. I couldn’t wait to tell Snowball, and to see her again of course.

I decided to take a chance as the women finished writing the letter and Polly delivered it on the way home. I headed next door too, going over the fence, praying it wouldn’t hurt my legs. I went over to the patio doors but they had pulled blinds across. I moved over to the cat flap and I chanced things by putting my head through. Although I could smell Snowball, and I enjoyed taking a moment to breathe in her scent, there was no sign of her. I lay down. It was night but it was still quite light as I found a spot to wait.

I thought I heard a loud voice and then I heard a door slam. Then another one. Then I heard a strange sound, followed by miaowing, and more door slamming. I knew I shouldn’t, I knew this was a bad time and no one wanted me there, but I couldn’t help myself. Without thinking it through, I hopped through the cat flap and into the kitchen, which was shrouded in darkness. The house was empty. Snowball wasn’t there. I looked everywhere — upstairs, downstairs — she was nowhere to be seen. What if something was wrong?

I knew it was wrong to break into someone’s house, but I had to wait for them to come back. What if they had had enough and decided to flee regardless? I felt panic. What if I never saw Snowball again? I curled up under an armchair in the living room trying to control my fear. I felt as if I had been there for years before I heard the pitter patter of paws.

‘Alfie!’ Snowball exclaimed. ‘What are you doing under the chair?’

‘I was worried.’

‘About what?’

‘I thought you’d gone. Polly told me about the Goodwins and the police today and then Claire and Polly wrote a letter to you all to say we supported you. But I heard shouting and door slamming and thought you must have fled. I thought I’d never see you again. I was so worried I had to wait here. I couldn’t risk leaving.’

‘Blimey, Alfie, you have got an overactive imagination.’

‘Well, yes perhaps I do, but look at you; yesterday you were all doom and gloom and today you seem different.’

‘I was actually out looking for you! So guess what happened? The police came to say they had Simon. Although they might not get the money back, Tim will get his reputation restored and Simon will go to prison. My family are so much happier.

‘Karen picked up the letter from your family, read it to Tim and they both hugged. Then the kids, well, with a bit of prompting from me, asked their parents if maybe things could go back to normal a bit. Their first act of normality was that they went out to get a take-away, together as a family. I was so happy I ran round to find you but you’re here after all!’

‘So what was all that shouting?’

‘Well they were quite loud admittedly, but happy loud.’

‘Oh, I feel like a total fool now.’