Рейчел Уэллс - Alfie The Doorstep Cat

‘Can we go and see him? I don’t want to wake him, I just want to look at him. I need to.’ She burst into fresh tears.

‘Come on,’ Matt said, scooping her up in his arms as if she weighed as much as Henry. I was too sleepy to follow them through to the bedroom.

‘It looks as if Alfie is staying with us tonight,’ Matt said, as I felt myself drifting off.

‘He looks so cosy, don’t disturb him,’ I heard Polly say as I fell fast asleep.

If I thought being a doorstep cat had been hectic before, I had no idea just how exhausting things would become. I had built myself a little community and everyone around me had become important to me in their different ways. But I couldn’t be in four places at once.

Back and forth I went, trying to keep my eye on everyone who needed me, and it seemed that everyone did.

It wasn’t too long a walk between all my homes but I seemed to do it a lot. I was a fit cat, but at times I did find the trek a little bit tiring. When I arrived at the flats, I found Franceska and Matt outside with the boys. They were playing on the grass, just as they had done previously with Polly. As usual, Aleksy greeted me as if I was his best friend. Franceska and Matt had mugs in their hands. Henry was lying on his tummy on the blanket, and Thomasz was looking at a book. Aleksy started to tickle me and I rolled on my back for him.

‘She’s been asleep on and off since she came back from the doctor yesterday. I hope it’s helping,’ Matt was saying.

‘It will help her. She is so tired that part of the depression is exhaustion. Like you say, is vicious circle.’ Franceska and Matt laughed, sadly.

‘I’m going to get her mum from the train station later. Having her here will make a big difference I think, but then, she can’t stay with us forever.’

‘Matt, she won’t need to. Polly will get better, and quicker than you think.’ I felt tears in my cat eyes at the thought of the beautiful fragile woman, but I hoped Franceska was right. She would get better.

Before the breakdown, I had thought she was improving. She had seemed much brighter. But then before Joe, Claire had seemed better too. I was learning that with humans, like food, you were best off taking nothing for granted.

After a bit more playing, Franceska organised lunch for the boys and Matt joined her. He said he didn’t want to disturb Polly, but I could also see he was anxious and didn’t seem to want to be on his own.

‘You make the formula for Henry and I mash some vegetables,’ Franceska said.

‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’

‘Don’t be silly. I make vegetables for my boys and then mash them for Henry. Is easy. Is easy, if we all eat together anyway. I have soup for us? Is a Polish, um, beetroot borscht?’

‘I’ve never had it.’ Matt looked a bit dubious.

‘Thomasz make it at his restaurant, is very good. You try?’

‘Of course, I’d love to try it.’ Matt was very polite but I wasn’t convinced by his tone. And when I saw the colour of this bright red stuff, I wasn’t sure about it either. Luckily, Franceska had sardines for me.

After lunch, they all went out for a walk, and then Franceska took Henry, so that Matt could go and check on Polly before collecting her mother from the train station. I stayed a bit longer to play with the boys. Thomasz was getting more and more interested in me now, copying his older brother, so it was doubly exhausting. By the time I scratched at the door to be let out, I was tired from all the playing, full from my sardines. For once, the walk back to my other homes was a good thing.

I went to check on Claire first, as I was pretty sure Jonathan wasn’t home from work yet. I realised, as I entered through the cat flap, that I had become scared of this house; my fur was standing on end. It wasn’t a nice feeling. Claire had been my first owner and she had made me so welcome that to feel I was intruding in my own home unnerved me. Claire was in the kitchen, but she had clearly been crying as she turned to me.

‘Alfie, you’re here at last!’ She picked me up. ‘I was beginning to get worried, it’s been nearly two days. Honestly Alfie, I wish I knew where you went when you’re not here. Have you got a girlfriend?’ Claire asked. I miaowed, guiltily. ‘Let’s get you some food. I know that you’re a cat and you like to go out and about, but remember that I worry about you if I don’t see you.’ She spoke softly but I felt as if I was being told off. I miaowed, trying to tell her that if she got rid of Joe I wouldn’t be so nervous about coming home, but I knew that she wouldn’t understand me. I nuzzled into her neck to say sorry instead.

‘What’s all the racket?’ Joe asked, coming into the kitchen. He was dressed as usual, in jeans and a T-shirt, but I also noticed he was getting a bit thicker around his stomach. The thinner Claire got, the fatter he got.

‘Alfie’s back. I’m just going to feed him,’ she said putting me down and getting some cat food out of the cupboard.

‘You treat that cat better than you treat me,’ he said, sounding angry.

‘Don’t be silly,’ Claire replied, laughing.

‘Don’t bloody laugh at me,’ he shouted, suddenly. I recoiled, as did Claire.

‘I’m not—’ she began.

‘You are. And you know what, I’ve had enough. You treat me like a fool. Just because I lost my job, through no fault of my own, you think you can walk all over me.’ I literally curled myself into a ball near the kitchen cupboards. I was frightened but I had no idea what to do. After Joe’s previous attempts to hurt me, I wasn’t sure just what he was capable of. He started to loom towards us and then seemed to change his mind; he turned around and punched the wall. It was a sudden, violent move and Claire screamed. He hadn’t hit her or me, but he frightened us both. There was silence for a while.

‘Joe, I think you ought to leave,’ Claire said, her voice quivering. I uncurled myself and almost jumped for joy. Joe’s face darkened, then suddenly it seemed to change.

‘I’m sorry, gosh I’m so sorry.’ He rubbed his hand. ‘I just lost my temper; I’ve never done that before.’ He moved towards Claire, who shrank further back. I went to stand protectively in front of her. I wanted to tell Claire he was a liar, but I couldn’t.

‘Joe, you’ve put a great big hole in my wall, and you say you didn’t mean to lose your temper?’ she pointed out. She sounded scared, not angry.

‘Oh God, I’m sorry. What have I done?’ Then to my amazement, he started to cry.

‘Joe, don’t cry,’ Claire said, softening.

‘I’m sorry. What must you think of me? Claire, I never behave like this but I am just so upset by the whole job thing, the fact I’ve lost my flat and I feel like I’m totally sponging off you.’

‘But I don’t mind. I know it’s not forever; you’ll soon get another job and be back on your feet.’ Her voice was no longer angry; he was so good at manipulating her. I was losing hope.

‘I wish. There’s a recession. No one is hiring at the moment. I might get some freelance work but I feel like a complete loser. I had a good job, and now look at me.’

‘Joe,’ Claire said, and went over to him. She put her arms around him, to my despair and disgust. ‘I love you, and I’m here to support you in whatever way you need. Now stop being silly and never lose your temper like that again.’ It was funny to hear Claire sounding as if she was a bit more in control, but I was furious that she had forgiven him so easily. He was clearly going to lose his temper again; men like him always did. And he didn’t make her happy. She must be mad if she thought he did.