‘Been drinking again, have you Joe?’ He looked into the caravan at the piles of empty cans. ‘I’ve come to collect your rent. Have you got it?’
Joe stood up. I felt Ellen’s hands go stiff. What was going to happen now?
[Êàðòèíêà: img_8]
‘YOU CHEEKY CAT’
John started school that autumn. Ellen took him every morning in the car. She started staying out for a long time, and we cats were left alone with Joe. The first thing Joe did was to pull Jessica out of her basket, holding her roughly with one hand under her tummy. Even if it was raining he dumped her outside, clapped his hands and shooed her away. One day he did the same to me. I felt so hurt. I turned around and looked at him reproachfully, flicking my tail, but he slammed the door. Clearly he didn’t want us.
Jessica was catching mice in the hedge. She stashed them under the caravan and waited for her chance to sneak one inside and into her private cupboard. I headed down the lane to Karenza’s cottage, the chilly wind ruffling my fur. Jessica and I were hungry. Our food was getting less and less, and we relied on mice or the little treats Pam gave us more than ever. Today one of Karenza’s cats, a big ginger tom, kindly shared his dish with me. He had plenty so I ate as much as I could. Karenza opened her door and I peered in, tempted by the warmth of her cosy stove. I wanted to go in and curl up on the rug with the cats who were already there.
‘Hello Solomon,’ Karenza said brightly. ‘Oh yes, I know your name. Your Ellen’s been telling me all about you, what a special cat you are.’ She picked me up and gave me a cuddle, and I leaned on her, soaking up her warmth and cheerfulness. I thought she was going to carry me inside and let me sit by the fire, but she put me down again. ‘You go home, Solomon,’ she said as I rubbed myself against the black boots she always wore, and she guided me firmly outside and shut the door.
Disappointed, I sat down on the doorstep to think. The easy days of summer had passed, and soon we faced another winter. The morning sky was yellow and grey, the wind zigzagged up the lane, stripping leaves from the sycamores. Above me on the telephone wires, a crowd of swallows had gathered, twittering and fussing. I watched them fly away to the south and I knew they were going to a better warmer place thousands of miles away. I wished I was a swallow instead of a cat.
My angel was twinkling at me urgently.
‘Go home,’ she said. ‘Quickly.’
I hurried up the lane, dashed across the copse and over the hedge to the caravan, a feeling of dread in my throat. What had happened now? I soon knew.
Ellen was sitting doubled up with pain, a basin in her hand. Her face was yellowish white and frightened. Pam was sitting one side of her and Joe the other.
‘You’ve got to go to hospital, Ellen,’ Pam was saying, her arm around Ellen’s tense shoulders, and Ellen was shaking her head.
‘No. No, Pam. I can’t be ill. What about John, and the cats?’
‘I’ll take care of John,’ Pam said warmly.
‘And I can manage the cats for goodness’ sake,’ said Joe.
Ellen just looked at him hopelessly.
I ran to her and jumped on her lap.
‘Get out cat,’ Joe tried to push me aside.
‘Don’t call him cat,’ cried Ellen. ‘This is SOLOMON. Let him stay.’
I glared at Joe and settled on the seat as close to Ellen as I could get. She was doubled over with pain and her body felt stiff.
Joe stood up and took the car keys from their hook.
‘I’m taking you to hospital right now.’
‘How much have you had to drink?’ asked Pam sharply.
‘Nothing today, promise. I never drink until after lunch.’
Pam looked at Ellen and raised her eyebrows.
‘Is that true?’
‘Course it’s true. I’m not a liar.’
‘Don’t you raise your voice at me, Joe.’ Pam’s eyes flared at Joe. ‘I’m going to be looking after John. I’ll fetch him from school on me bike and I’ll clean up for you too, so don’t get lippy with me.’
Ellen looked too ill to care what happened. I stared deep into her eyes, trying to tell her I loved her. Then I kissed her on the nose, purring and purring. She took my face in both hands.
‘Thank you for being my cat, Solomon,’ she said. ‘Now you stay here, and Jessica too, and Joe will bring me back when I’m better.’
Joe picked her up and carried her out to the car while Pam bustled around stuffing things into a bag: Ellen’s slippers, her hairbrush and wash bag. She took down a photo frame with a picture of John holding me and smiling, and popped that in. When I heard the bag being zipped up and the car starting I felt uneasy. I ran to sit on the steps, and as the car drove off Ellen looked back at me.