Where's Daddy?

Friday morning the Daddy was up early, and when he put out the squishy food and lots of crunchies he said to Peep, who was the only cat around, “Peep, I’m going to visit the Mommy today. Ande will take care of you until I come home. Don’t worry, I won’t be gone long.” He bent down and scratched the Peep’s head, which she loved. She was so distracted by the scratching that she didn’t really pay attention to what he’d said.

Peep ate some delicious squishy food; it was tuna, and the good kind. She decided against any munchies and wandered into the living room to think about what she’d tell the Cat Club that night. She figured that since no one had seen her encounter with the little dog, she could play it up a bit. She was going to scratch him, but just hadn’t been able to do it, since the Daddy had grabbed her. It wouldn’t make a good story to tell that she’d scratched the Daddy, since that was a no-no.

Peep had decided that she’d tell them how she’d pounced on the dog and pinned him and got so caught up in the details that she almost forgot the true story. She was recalling how she’d nearly bit his ear off before his owner rescued him when sleep snuck up from behind and claimed her.

When she woke it was late morning and she used her poo box, wandered around the house, snacked a bit and sat on the new little dresser Daddy had put in the living room to watch the birds. It was just the right height for Peep, not to high to jump up on, but high enough that she got a good view. She saw the blue jay that LT hated, several cardinals and a few chickadees. There were also sparrows, but they didn’t count, as there were so many different kinds she could never tell them apart.

Just before dark, Rudy came in for some dinner and to tell Peep that it was almost time for the Cat Club. Peep joined her for more food and a chat. Peep told her the day’s bird list, and Rudy talked about visiting Ginger yesterday. Ginger’s owner was sad, because she was going to have to move soon, and that made Ginger sad, too. Peep thought she’d miss Ginger, but wished that it was Fuzzy who was moving and not Ginger.

At the Cat Club meeting, LT announced that Peep had bravely taken on a Yorkshire terrier the previous day, and invited her to tell her story to the group. Peep started her story, concentrating on her bravery in the face of a dangerous Yorkie. Ginger snickered a bit, but stopped when a car pulled into the driveway. It couldn’t be the Daddy, he was never home now, which was why they chose this time for the Cat Club.

The yarn lady got out of the car, and greeted the cats saying, “Well, what is this? Does the Cat Club meet on Fridays here in Jackson?” Fuzzy and Ginger ran for the woods, but LT, Rudy and Peep just sat there, because they liked the yarn lady. She never brought horrible dogs over. The yarn lady bent down and scratched Rudy’s and then Peep’s heads. She nodded at LT to show him the respect that he deserved, knowing he wasn’t a cat to accept physical contact from people who were not a part of his family. “I’m just here to feed you and visit for a while. I’ll go in the kitchen and see what I can find. I did bring some special cat food with me,” she said, shaking a grocery bag.

Special food! All three cats’ ears perked up at that. Sometimes the Mommy bought special food – the kind where only a can fed only one cat. It was delicious, but the Daddy wouldn’t buy it because he said it cost too much money and it was just the same slop in a different can. Little did he know! The special food was much tastier.

Rudy followed the yarn lady in through the back door, and Peep scooted in through the cat door. LT waited on the porch. He had an image to maintain, and couldn’t appear to be too eager. Still, as soon as she left, he’d be in there in a New York minute to help himself to his share of the food.

Rudy and Peep watched her put the bag down and take out three little containers. Peep wreathed around her legs as she opened the first two and put the food on plates. “I think I’ll wait to open LT’s until you two have eaten and I’m almost ready to leave – unless of course he comes in. I don’t want you two accidentally eating his food because he doesn’t want to come in while I’m here.”

The yarn lady went into the living room and sat down on the couch, turning on the television. Peep finished her delicious squishy food and went into the living room to join her. She was always nice, and was more than happy to provide head scratches, and even tummy rubs. She would even groom Peep with the brush, but she didn’t see the brush out, so she guessed it would just be scratches and rubs.

Peep jumped up on the couch and arranged herself next to the yarn lady. She leaned into the head scratches, stretched out and presented a beautiful pure black belly to be rubbed. “This is heaven,” Peep said. “Just keep this up for another few hours, and I might be satisfied.”

From the trunk across the room, Peep heard Rudy say, “You are such a hussy, Peep. You’d do anything for fancy food and a tummy rub.”

Peep was too content to get angry. She just laughed and replied, “And you wouldn’t? Okay, maybe not the tummy rub, but you do love to get brushed and you were eating that food as fast as I was.” She closed her eyes and gave herself to the pleasure of the moment. She began to doze off to the dream of little mice combing her belly fur with tiny golden combs.

The yarn lady brought Peep back to awareness saying, “I’m so glad you’re here, Peep. Last time I came over, you were no where to be found. I’ll be here off and on to feed you until Jay comes back from Virginia.”

“Virginia?” Rudy howled. “Now the Daddy’s gone to Virginia? Now we’re in trouble!” Rudy jumped down and went to tell LT.

Peep tried to recall something the Daddy had said to her this morning. It was something about the Mommy, and someone else taking care of them. Her heart sank and she snuggled even closer to the yarn lady. What would they do if the Daddy never came back? The Mommy was already gone, and now the Daddy – both to Virginia. “Boy,” Peep thought. “Virginia must be some special place if both the Mommy and the Daddy went there and left us by ourselves. The Daddy would never leave us for long, though. The last time he went to Virginia he was home the next day, so I won’t worry until tomorrow morning. I’ll just enjoy this lovely tummy rub right now…,” and drifted into sleep.