‘John and I have been in a B& B,’ explained Ellen. ‘John hated it. But– I’ve just been to see Nick and he said we can have the caravan back. Joe left three weeks ago, he’s gone up country to stay with his dad.’
‘Was it drink?’ Karenza asked.
‘Yes. And his dad is getting him into rehab,’ said Ellen. ‘But I’m never going back with him, Karenza. Of course he’ll have to see John. I’m much better on my own though, even in a B& B.’
Karenza grinned at her.
‘Cats are better than men,’ she said. ‘I figured that out long ago. So when can you move back?’
‘Next weekend,’ said Ellen. ‘Nick has kindly said he’ll do a few repairs on the caravan, and he’s going to put in a little wood burner, so we’ll be cosy.’
‘Well, I’ll look after Solomon until you’re ready.’ Karenza gave my head a rub. ‘Is that all right, Solomon?’
‘He understands everything,’ said Ellen. ‘I just wish he could tell us where Jessica is.’
I sat up and gave the saddest meow I could muster. It came out as a wailing sound. Ellen and Karenza looked at each other. Ellen put both arms around me and looked right into my eyes.
‘Has Jessica died, Solomon?’ she whispered, and I did an even sadder meow and buried my head in her scarf because I couldn’t bear the sadness.
‘He’s grieving,’ said Karenza. ‘I know a grieving cat when I see one. He’ll need lots of time and love. I took him to bed last night and I’ll do it again for him.’
‘You’re an angel. How can I ever thank you?’
John and Pam arrived next, and there were more tears. I was glad to feel John’s small hand stroking me.
‘Poor Solomon,’ he kept saying. ‘I missed you, Solomon.’
Pam had a big plastic bag, which she gave to Ellen.
‘I brought you a present.’
‘Oh Pam.’ Ellen reached into the bag and took out the amber velvet cushion.
‘I rescued it, after he’d chucked it out,’ said Pam proudly. ‘And I’ve washed it, and dried it, and even made it smell nice.’
‘Wow!’ Ellen buried her face in the cushion. ‘It smells of lavender. Thank you, Pam. You’re an angel.’
Another angel, I thought. Pam and Karenza. Two earth angels. If I were a person instead of a cat, I would give them a bunch of roses each.
I was quite nervous about going into the caravan again. The memory of Joe’s bad tempers would be in there, and the damp washing, and the way everything rattled in the wind.
After a week of Karenza’s TLC, I was much better. My fur was growing back, my thin body was filling out again, my legs were strong and my tail was up most of the time. When the day came, Karenza carried me all the way up the lane inside her coat, and I knew my eyes were shining again as I looked around. High in the trees a song thrush was singing, and there were snowdrops and yellow celandines along the sides of the lane.
John had gone to school, but Ellen was there to welcome me home. She’d bought me a new basket and lined it with a cosy rug, and a new dish with food already in it for me. The caravan looked and smelled different. The best thing was the new stove full of a crackling fire, and it washot in the caravan. It felt peaceful. I inspected everything, strutting around with my tail up. I went into John’s bedroom and touched noses with his two teddy bears, then into Ellen’s room and saw her slippers under the bed. I sniffed at Jessica’s cupboard. It had been cleaned out and packed with boxes, but right in the corner I found Jessica’s catnip mouse. I took it into my new basket, and settleddown there, wondering what kind of life we would have here now, without Joe. ‘There will be peace,’ my angel had said.
She was right. Ellen, John and I were peaceful together. The caravan wasn’t a house, but it was a cosy sanctuary, and there was no more shouting and screaming. Ellen spoke quietly to John and to me, and on wet afternoons the three of us would curl up together in front of the fire and Ellen would read John a story or play a game with him. We were as happy as we could be. I had something in common with John. Both of us were grieving, me for Jessica, and John for his daddy. At first John cried a lot and I was glad to be able to comfort him. I’d stretch myself out with my long paws over his chest, and my chin on his heart, purring and purring.
‘You are SUCH a healing cat,’ Ellen said to me once. ‘But I know you still miss Jessica, don’t you? You don’t play like you used to.’
It was true. I didn’t feel like playing. Jessica’s death had left a big hole in my life, and I thought about her constantly. Ellen had a photo of Jessica’s cheeky face on the wall near my basket, and I often sat gazing at it. I still loved her, and I kept her memory alive by remembering the fun times we had had, and all that she had taught me.