“I just figured I’d spend some bonding time with your cats,” he said.
“Yeah, well, I hate to break it to you, Chase, but you can’t sing—and you guys can’t sing either,” she added when a questioning meow came from Dooley. “Better get back inside before the neighbors call the cops on you.”
“Hey, wouldn’t that be something? I’d have to arrest myself for disturbing the peace.”
“Go back to bed, Chase.”
“Yeah, go back to bed, Chase!” a voice sounded from next door. It was the same tetchy neighbor.
Then Gran chimed in,“Do what your girlfriend tells you to, Chase!”
“Okay, fine,” he said. He eyed the four cats keenly, and thought they were smiling at him. “So it was great spending time with you guys,” he said, and held up his hand. They actually high-fived him!
“Hey, did you see that?” he asked, but Odelia had already returned to bed.
“Let’s go inside, buddies,” he said. “And do some more singing tomorrow.”
They moved into the house, single file, and the night was still once more.
Chapter 3
I woke up the next morning in an unfamiliar but pleasant position: face to face with Chase, of all people. Usually I wake up having cuddled my way up to Odelia, but apparently Chase has grown on me for me to favor him. My friends were all in various positions on the bed: Dooley was butt to butt with Odelia, while Harriet and Brutus were entangled at the foot of the bed.
Odelia has joked in the past that she would probably have to buy a bigger bed at some point to accommodate her expanding household, and I guess that wouldn’t be such a bad idea. For one thing, my paw was dangling over the precipice, one bump from Chase enough to send me over the edge myself.
He woke up with a loud snore and stared at me. I stared right back and smiled.“Hey, there, sleepyhead,” I said by way of greeting.
He blinked a few times, then said,“Odelia? Your cat is staring at me!”
“He’s showing you how much he cares,” she muttered.
“I do care about you, Chase,” I said earnestly. I happen to think Chase is the bee’s knees—he and Odelia a match made in heaven.
Chase looked a little ill at ease. He’s not used to waking up being stared at by a cat. It’s a sign of affection, as Odelia had correctly surmised, and to show him I really liked him, I put my paw on his face and gently dabbed his nose.
He swallowed, as he lay there, frozen like a popsicle. Weird.
“Relax, Chase,” she said. “He’s not going to eat you.”
“Yeah, but he might scratch me in the face.”
“He won’t. Max is very careful not to use his claws.”
I am. I don’t like to scratch my humans. They tend to bleed. Such sensitive creatures. Sometimes, of course, I can’t help it, like when I’m excited about a rare treat. I wasn’t now—just feeling happy.
“Max,” said Chase. “Please don’t scratch me. I like my face the way it is.”
“I like your face, too,” I said. “It’s a nice face, as faces go.”
Dooley, who’d woken up, said, “Oh, are you having a t?te-?-t?te with Chase? I’ll join you.” He crawled over Odelia and got right on top of Chase, then started purring up a storm and kneading the man’s stomach.
“Ouch!” said Chase.
“No claws, Dooley,” said Odelia.
“Let me get in there, you guys,” said Harriet, and plunked herself gracefully down on Chase’s chest, making herself comfortable.
“I feel left out,” said Brutus.
“There’s still a spot near his head,” I pointed out.
“Great,” muttered Brutus, and draped himself across Chase’s head.
Now four cats were purring up a storm, and kneading our new favorite human. Chase has saved my life numerous times, and Dooley even thinks he might be Jesus. I wouldn’t go as far as that, but he is a pretty solid dude, in my humble opinion, and cats, even though they’re rumored to stint on the emotion, are actually very emotional creatures, and like to show their affection rather than jabber on and on about it like some other species.
Plus, Chase had sung with us last night, and even taken a boot to the head for his trouble. How cool was that?
Odelia finally managed to drag her eyelids high enough to warrant eyesight, and laughed when she saw the predicament her boyfriend was in.
“You’re now officially owned by four cats,” she said, shaking with laughter.
“I feel pretty… funny,” he said.
“Ooh, I know that song!” said Harriet. “I feel pretty. Oh so pretty.”
And soon we were all singing at the top of our lungs, Odelia was laughing, and even Chase had to chuckle—very carefully, though. Hard to chuckle with four cats hampering your chuckling movements.
Just then, a voice rang out from downstairs.
“Are you two lovebirds up yet?”
Chase and Odelia exchanged a glance.“Gran,” they said in unison.
“Come on up, Gran!” Odelia yelled.
“Wait, no,” said Chase, but too late.
Already feet could be heard pounding up the stairs, and moments later a little old white-haired lady burst through the door. When she saw Chase loaded with cats, she laughed.“Well, now ain’t that a sight for sore eyes!”
“Ha ha ha,” said Chase, but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it. His next words proved this. “What do you want, Vesta?”
Her smile vanished.“Be nice to your granny-in-law, mister,” she growled.
“You insulted my singing last night! Called it caterwauling!”
“I was only trying to offer you a learning opportunity. How do you two feel about a trip to England?”
“England?” said Odelia, staring at her grandmother.
“It’s a country. In Europe.”
“I know what England is. Why would we go on a trip there?”
“Why not? You remember Angela? Angela Torrance?” When Odelia shook her head, she added, “When I tell you she’s the mother of Tessa Torrance?”
“Oh, that Angela,” said Odelia, nodding.
“Who’s Angela Torrance?” I asked.
“She lived around the corner for a while and was great friends with Mom,” said Odelia. “Gran used to babysit her daughter Tessa—we’re the same age.”
“Tessa Torrance as inthe Tessa Torrance?” asked Chase. “The princess?”
“Technically she’s not a princess, even though she married a prince,” said Gran. “The English are weird like that. Anyway, I got a call from Angela just now. There was an incident with her daughter and she wants us to go over there and find out what’s going on.”
“Incident?” asked Odelia. “What kind of incident?”
“A big stone almost crushed her. She’s lucky to be alive.”
“But… don’t they have cops in England?”
“They do. But Tessa wants to keep the whole thing quiet. She told her husband Prince Dante it was an accident but she’s not too sure herself. And now she wants us to investigate. Isn’t that great?!”
“But…”
“What’s with all the buts? Don’t you want a free European vacation?”
“Of course I do, but I don’t see—”
“Look, Angela has read all about your sleuthing adventures, and she’s told Tessa about it, and now they want you to go over there to keep an eye on things. Is that so hard to understand?”
“But…” She ignored Gran’s expressive groans of frustration. “I can’t just waltz in there and start snooping around. Doesn’t she have protection officers and royal guards and Scotland Yard or whatever?”
“I told you. She doesn’t trust anyone.”
“You didn’t tell me that.”
“Well, I’m telling you now. Angela will arrange everything. You will pretend to be Tessa’s cousin, and I’m her grandmother.”
“Her grandmother!”
“What? You don’t think I can pull it off?”
“Oh, Gran. This sounds like a really bad idea.”
“No, it doesn’t. It sounds like a great idea. Now get up and get ready. No time to waste.”
“Does Prince Dante know?” asked Chase.