Рейчел Уэллс: Alfie Cat In Trouble

While Stanley was busy drawing up plans for our first mission, I thought I would go and see what else was going on in the house. As I walked past the next room, I spotted Viola returning from her piano lesson. She looked down in the dumps as she sat on her bed, so I jumped up and nestled into her. She started stroking me gently and I purred.

‘Oh look at you, in your hat and scarf, I bet you’ve been having loads of fun with Stanley?’ She sounded sad.

I miaowed in agreement.

‘You do look a little bit warm though, Alfie. Shall I help you take those off?’

I miaowed even louder to say what a good idea this was and Viola carefully removed my adventure outfit.

‘I wish Stan would play with me more,’ she said. Her voice was so much quieter than Stanley’s. ‘I miss being friends with him and I miss my old home.’ She paused to wipe a tear from her cheek. ‘I know we had to move so I could go to music school but it’s a lot of pressure. I love playing the piano, I really do, and I like it here a bit, but at the same time I’m scared about my new school.’

She had tears in her eyes. I wished she would talk to Stanley – they were both feeling the same. I brushed my tail on her wet cheek and she smiled as it tickled her. ‘I’m glad you’re here,’ she said quietly.

‘LUNCH,’ Mrs Clover’s voice boomed. Viola jumped up, dried her cheeks with her sleeve and ran downstairs with Stanley on her heels. I followed them into the kitchen where four bowls of pasta were laid on the table. I was glad it wasn’t custard soup again, although there was still no sign of any pilchards.

‘Oh Alfie, I have something for you too,’ Mrs Clover said, putting a bowl with some tuna on the floor. I licked my lips and miaowed my thanks. Today was looking up.

The family were quiet as they ate, as if they were all lost in their own thoughts. I started eating but kept one eye on them. Stanley was staring at his food as he shovelled it in; Viola played with hers. Mrs Clover was humming an unknown tune and Mr Clover was eating with one hand while holding an egg with the other. It was a bit odd, as I had come to know the Clovers could be.

‘What’s for pudding?’ Stanley asked when he’d finished.

‘Um, go and help yourself to some fruit,’ Mrs Clover replied. Stanley got up from the table, picked an apple off the counter and took a bite. As he walked back to the table with it, I sat at his feet.

‘AHHHH!’ Mr Clover screamed. Everyone looked up and Stanley dropped his apple in surprise. It landed on my head.

‘YELP!’ I cried.

‘That was my apple!’ Mr Clover shouted.

‘But Mum said to get some fruit, and it was on the side.’ Stanley sounded upset.

‘Yes, dear, I did,’ Mrs Clover agreed.

‘And Dad, it looks like a normal apple,’ Viola added.

I rubbed my head with my paw. Who knew apples could be so heavy?

‘Well, it wasn’t a normal apple. It was a special apple that I was planning on painting later,’ Mr Clover moaned.

I had an idea. I went to sit on a big pile of empty bags from the greengrocer’s.

‘Miaow,’ I said loudly.

‘Oh, look at Alfie! I know, why don’t we all go to the local greengrocer’s and help you choose some even better apples?’ Viola suggested, pointing at me.

‘Better apples?’ Mr Clover repeated.

‘Great idea!’ Stanley sounded excited.

‘Please, let’s go,’ Viola said.

‘All right, it’ll be a bit like old times.’ Mr Clover finally had a smile on his face, as did the rest of the family. I grinned as well.

Everyone went to get ready for their outing and I waited by the door. As I left, I realised that I still had a lot of work to do. I had to bring the family together and help them see how much they needed each other. Because it was clear that they did need each other and they all really needed me.

I left them at the corner and made my way home. Tiger was lying in the sun at the end of our road.

‘Hey Tiger,’ I said.

She opened her eyes. ‘Alfie, you’re back early today.’

‘The family have gone out together. Only to get fruit, but it’s a start.’

‘So, you think that whatever it is you’re doing is working?’ Tiger rolled onto her stomach and looked at me.

‘It’s early days but I’m a confident cat.’

‘As long as you know what you’re doing.’

‘Oh Tiger, how could you say that? I always know what I’m doing.’

Tiger flicked her tail at me as if to say ‘yeah right’. ‘How about we forget the humans for a bit and go and tease some dogs?’

She didn’t need to ask me twice.

I wandered around the house, but there was no sign of Stanley. I went to see Viola who was playing the piano as usual. She stopped when I jumped onto the stool next to her and she made a fuss of me.

‘Hi Alfie, it’s nice to see you.’ She had such lovely manners.

‘Miaow,’ I said; it was nice to see her, too.

‘I’m afraid Stanley’s in trouble again. He pretended he was skydiving earlier, jumping off the sofa. It was funny but Dad got cross because he was being loud and I was supposed to be practising my scales.’

I rubbed up against her. This wasn’t what I had hoped to find after yesterday.

‘He’s been sent outside. I didn’t want him to go. He was having so much fun, I wished I could have joined in. I mean Stanley doesn’t seem to like me very much sometimes but I wish he did. We used to play together in our old house, I miss that—’

‘Viola, I can’t hear the piano,’ Mrs Clover shouted. Viola sighed and I felt bad. I wished she could confide in me more. She looked downcast as she started playing again so I decided to cheer her up. I jumped onto the keys and tried to play with her. She looked surprised, then she giggled and we played together, although I found it quite hard. The keys were unsteady and it was difficult to balance.

‘Plink, plonk,’ I played but suddenly my leg slipped, and I crashed onto the keys.

BANG! My bottom hurt. To be safer, I sat on the keys and tickled Viola with my tail; she giggled.

‘What on earth is going on?’ Mrs Clover asked, coming into the room.

‘Sorry Mum,’ Viola said. ‘Alfie was playing the piano.’

Yikes, I was in trouble now. Would I get banished, too? But Mrs Clover just laughed.

‘Oh you silly cat! And by the way you are no Mozart,’ she said, laughing even harder. I purred with joy as they both laughed, although I had no idea who or what Mozart was.

‘What’s so funny?’ Mr Clover asked as he walked in with Stanley in tow. ‘Dear, I said Stanley could come back in; I think he’s spent enough time in the shed.’

‘Fine, but Stanley, and Alfie actually, can you please stay out of mischief? If Viola doesn’t practise she’ll be in trouble.’

‘OK, Mum,’ Stanley said, grumpily. ‘Come on, Alfie. Let’s go upstairs.’

I felt bad about leaving Viola, but I followed my friend upstairs and into his room.

‘I’m so fed up; she’s always telling me off, and Viola gets all their attention. Sometimes I think they don’t even want me in the house. Oh well, at least I like the shed. I mean, I can’t tell them that – they think being sent outside is a punishment, but I think the shed is going to be my headquarters. I’ve put my special stones in it, as well as photos and plans that I’ve drawn up.’