‘Did Connie get on OK at school?’
‘She seemed happy enough. It’s very difficult because she’s used to her very nice international school. I think it’s a bit different from a comprehensive in London. I did think about trying to make my ex pay for private school but the fees are eye-watering, even for him, so I decided to try this first. If she’s unhappy, though, I would find the money somehow, or I would make him pay. I should make him pay.’
‘Hey, we’re not going to talk about him, remember. Positive. Aleksy will make sure Connie’s OK at school, you have a job, your ex is a … a word I shouldn’t use and, one day soon, you’ll see there’s a future.’
‘Gosh, Claire, I’ll say it again: we were so lucky to move next door to you.’
‘Meow!’ I said.
‘And Alfie of course.’ Claire winked.
‘Oh for goodness sake, Claire, give it a rest,’ Jonathan said later as they were in bed.
‘What?’ she asked. ‘I just asked if you knew anyone.’
One of my skills is matchmaking. I bring people together, both romantically and in friendship, and Claire has learnt from me. She is an enthusiastic student.
‘The last time I set one of your friends up with mine she ended up moving to Dubai.’ He was talking about Claire’s best friend Tasha, who was also a very good friend of mine. We both still miss her.
‘OK, yes, but I just thought it might help Sylvie get settled if she had a bit of a social life.’
‘I agree, but she’s probably not ready for a man yet, she’s been through a huge upheaval, Claire, and I think the best thing is for us to offer friendship. Honestly, not every woman needs a man.’ Jonathan shook his head. ‘I can’t believe I actually said that. I almost sound like a feminist.’
I grinned, Jonathan wasn’t exactly a ‘new man’. He said he tried it but he liked being lazy and looked after. I had to agree with him. I respected women, as did Jonathan, but I didn’t mind if they liked taking care of me. Although I took care of everyone, so I might have been a ‘new cat’ after all.
‘Hell will freeze over before you’re a feminist. But, OK. For now,’ Claire said. I did agree with Jonathan, Sylvie didn’t seem ready for a new relationship at all. But friendship was good.
I fell asleep thinking about that. How Sylvie went from happy to sad in an instant, the way Claire had when she first moved here. I understood, I really did, she wanted to move on with her life, but it was never that easy. I had been there myself. I had lost people I loved, lots of them, and I’d been through my fair share of heartache, so when I saw Sylvie, I understood how she was feeling as if I could see right into her heart.
Chapter Seven
It seemed like ages before I actually got a chance to see Hana properly. I cased the house, looking for a way to break in, because it was clear that Hana wasn’t going to be coming out. When my old girlfriend, Snowball, lived in the house they didn’t have a cat flap, but if the family were all out, they would leave a window open in the kitchen for her to come and go as she pleased. Otherwise she would wait at the glass doors to be let out and in. It worked well for her, although I preferred the freedom of a cat flap and I also found that having to climb on windowsills could be a bit tiresome. As Hana was a house cat, there was not only no cat flap but also, as it was cold, no windows appeared to be open. It was frustrating me, and the more I found I couldn’t get in, the more I wanted to.
This morning, George had refused to go out as it was raining hard, and he suddenly decided to develop an aversion, so I decided I would take the opportunity of knowing he was safe at home and go and see if I could find a way in. The rain seemed to cling to my fur as I made my way round the back of the house, but there I struck gold, or maybe silver, as one of the kitchen windows was slightly open. Unfortunately it was a small, narrow, high-up one, but I was determined. I jumped onto the windowsill – so far so good – and then I made an attempt to jump for the window. My first one failed; it was higher than it looked. I rebalanced myself and tried again. This time I managed to hook my paws over the open window and, with great effort, pulled myself up. It was only open a bit and I soon found the gap was narrower than it looked. I began to squeeze my way through it and soon realised that perhaps I had misjudged. I was about half way through, but my bottom was a bit stuck as I wiggled and squirmed and regretted eating quite so much breakfast.
‘Yowl,’ I cried out in frustration as my body moved only a tiny bit at a time; at this rate I’d be here all day.
‘What are you doing?’ a voice said. I looked down and saw Hana on the floor, looking quizzically at me.
‘Oh hi, I’m Alfie, your next-door neighbour, and I’ve been wanting to come and welcome you to Edgar Road. But it hasn’t been easy as you don’t go out by all accounts, and so I thought I would have to come in. And that’s what I am trying to do.’ It wasn’t the introduction I had envisaged.
Hana hopped onto the kitchen counter. She was even prettier close up, with sweet light green eyes. I had never seen a cat quite like her and I also really would have liked her and George to become friends. She would make a great companion for him; he didn’t have anyone his own age in Edgar Road.
‘That’s nice, I haven’t met another cat before,’ she said, looking at me with interest.
‘What, really? Never?’ I couldn’t believe it as I gave my bottom another wiggle.
‘No, well I must have done when I was born, not that I remember, but then I came to live with my family, in Japan, and I didn’t get to go out, and no cat ever came to visit me like you’re trying to do.’ She was sweet and warm, if a little bit confused. ‘I always had lots of humans to play with though, so that was nice,’ she added.
‘We have many friends on this street. Honestly, if you did go out you might like it,’ I said. Huffing a bit as I tried to squeeze myself to a smaller size.
‘I don’t know if I’d even be allowed. Anyway, it’s very nice to meet you.’
‘How did you get here?’ I asked. I felt myself easing forward a bit, I was making progress, thankfully.
‘I was in a carrier and we went on an aeroplane. Connie, my human, she said it was like a giant bird that flew in the sky. I had to go into a special place but slept mostly and then suddenly – well, it wasn’t sudden, it was a very long time – we were here and then I had to have a check-up with a vet before I was reunited with my family.’
‘It sounds exhausting.’ I wondered if I would ever get to go on the giant bird, but it was doubtful. When we went on holiday it was always to our house in Devon and we went in the car.
‘It was a very long time and I did feel a bit strange for a few days, but then that might be because we moved so far. The man of my family, he didn’t want them to bring me but Connie refused to leave Japan without me, which I am thankful for, as I love her very much. I miss my home, but I think I would miss Connie more.’
I was going to reply when, with a final squeeze, I found myself almost sliding through the window. In my surprise I ended up falling, landing on my tail, in the kitchen sink.
‘Ow,’ I said, trying to regain my composure and thankful that the sink was empty. ‘Oh well, at least I’m in.’ Always look on the bright side, that’s my motto.
‘Um, yes but I’m not sure how you’re going to get out again.’ I turned my head to where Hana was looking and saw that not only had I managed to get through the window but I’d somehow knocked it closed. Not that I would have had the energy to get back out that way again in any case, but still it did leave me with something of a problem.