"The Cats Of Stony River" by Joyce G. Reilly

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“I know,” smiled Saav. “Sometimes just knowing I could really mess with him is enough for me.”

“Geez, you two,” sighed Joyce.

“Think about it, Mom. If you knew you could really get away with pulling stuff on people, would you do it just to do it or would just knowing you could do it be even funnier to you?” Saav said.

“I think just knowing would be funnier,” Joyce replied.

“Exactly,” nodded Saav. She looked back at the screen, pawing the keyboard. “Now here comes the train…”

“Saav!” groaned Joyce.

“Go, Saav!” Pook cheered.

Saav laughed at them. “See what I mean? Just knowing you can is all the fun.”

“You should be a psychiatrist, Saav,” Pook observed.

“Naahh. But I am going to mess with the wedding plans in this, though,” Saav said, typing away.

“Now what?” asked Joyce.

“They just ran over a skunk on the way to the church.”



The next morning, they stopped by the animal supply store on the way to the shop and found Meows a couple cat toys, some treats, and a soft blanket with kittens on it. At the mall, Joyce found Suzanna a pretty green sweater and a matching scarf. Then she picked up snacks and goodies at the grocery store and headed for the shop.

Pook and Saav bounced in through the cat door, anxious to see how Belle was after her first visit to the vet. "Happy New Year’s Eve!" they yelled as they ran in, startling Carrie and Suzanna.

"How'd it go, Belle?" Pook asked the kitten, giving her a kiss.

"Ugh! They got this thing called a thermometer, and you're not going to believe where they put those! That thing--"

Saav interrupted her quickly. "Oh, we know about that. How many shots did you get? Were you good?"

"I got a couple shots and I was good. Then I had to take a pill for worms! Ew! But she was nice and gave me treats when it was over," said Belle.

"Merry belated Christmas," said Joyce, dropping the brightly-wrapped packages in Suzanna's lap. She looked up, surprised. Apparently Carrie had

 

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the same idea, as there were more packages for Suzanna and Meows on the counter.

Suzanna shook her head. "Oh my! We're getting spoiled!"

Meows patted the packages on the counter gently, smiling. "We didn't have a Christmas this year...until now, thanks to our new friends."

"Well, open those up," laughed Carrie.

Ralph poked his head in. "Happy New Year's Eve!" he boomed. "Here, Suzanna, for you." He handed her a generous gift certificate from Lowery's Porch.

Her eyes widened. "My goodness! Thank you!"

Meows smiled. "I can taste those leftovers now. Thank you, Ralph."

Ralph laughed, and petted all the cats and little Belle. "Speaking of leftovers, your plates are ready," he said to them.

"We'll be right over," Bart replied.

"You guys go on over. We'll start on the snacks here," said Carrie.

"Okay," said Belle. "But don't open those til we get back, okay?" She nosed toward the presents.

"Yeah, we don't want to miss that," nodded Pook.

The humans laughed at the insatiable curiosity of the cats.

"Okay. Hurry back," said Suzanna. The cats flocked toward the cat door and headed for their plates in their usual corner of the restaurant.

When they returned, Suzanna and Meows opened their gifts. Carrie had given
Suzanna a lovely painting of her new little town, painted by a local artist. Meows received more treats and toys, and a different graphics program for his computer. They enjoyed the gifts, but more than anything, they enjoyed the company on New Year's Eve. The cats retreated to the laptop behind the screen after the gifts were opened, and Belle began asking questions again...this time about Russia.

Joyce shook her head with a smile. "I don't think little Belle will ever run out of things to ask questions about."

Meows stuck his head around the screen. "I quite agree with you, Joyce," he said, and disappeared back to the computer.

The humans laughed.

"Damn cat ears," Suzanna smiled.

The little party broke up around 6:00 in the evening. Carrie's husband, Kyle, was due home for three days in a couple of hours, and Carrie was stopping at the store for some champagne on the way home. Suzanna and Meows were headed back to their suite at the hotel to call Suzanna's little sister, who lived in Vermont. Joyce headed home too, for she had holiday

 

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calls to make and Justin from the computer shop was coming over later to watch the ball drop in Times Square on TV.

They shared one last sparkling grape juice toast, and wished each other a Happy New Year.

Bart sighed after they left. He was stuffed on the cheese and slices of summer sausage they had at the little party, and there was Belle, eating again.

"You're going to explode one of these days, you know that?" he said.

She turned to look at him with a parsley sprig hanging out of her mouth. "No I'm not," she mumbled around it, and returned to her plate, gobbling and slurping up the macaroni salad and raw vegetables. He smiled at her, rolled his eyes and settled down for a bath and a catnap. Belle was already much healthier-looking now, putting on weight and filling out. She was learning as fast as they could teach her, absorbing everything, and besides eating, Bart and Meows agreed that learning was her next favorite thing to do. She would spend hours on the computer, Googling words and finding facts; saving pictures and maps; downloading E-books and working on spelling, grammar, and math. History was a favorite now, as well as reading plays, and in Pook’s and Saav’s forum, she was learning to keep a journal. She was incredibly smart and Bart was proud of her.

No one mentioned her misstep with Ralph, and no one would. Belle felt badly enough about it, so there was no need to make her feel worse. And, they all realized, Ralph was very special to the cats, and the idea that now the cats could be themselves around him as well and express their gratitude for his delightful plates and other things he gave them actually made all of them more comfortable. Humans are pretty neat, Bart thought, washing his face and peeking at little Belle still eating noisily. Well, at least this bunch was. He'd spent the first part of his life on the streets, where the humans weren't so nice all the time, and he knew how lucky he was. Belle knew how blessed she was; she still found it completely awesome that she had plenty to eat and a warm, safe place to live. Bart was grateful that she didn't have to endure almost two years out on the streets like he did; cold, hungry, and unloved. Still, Belle's close encounter with Anna's car on Christmas Day had frightened him. That was bad enough. He curled up on his big catbed, content, and took a nap.


"Look at these lamps, Meows. What do you think?" Suzanna pointed to a page in a catalog and turned it toward the big grey tabby.

 

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He wrinkled his nose. "A little frilly. You're going to have guys in these rooms too, you know."

She sighed and turned the page back. "How about these?"

"Now, that's better. I don't feel like I should be clutching a lace hankie if I sat next to those."

Suzanna laughed at him. "That's an interesting visual -- you and a lace hankie. Kinda like me and a jackhammer."

"Speaking of mechanical things, have you thought about getting rid of that silly car of yours?" he asked.

"Why is my car silly? You used to like it," she replied, confused.

"Oh, I can just see you hauling lumber and paint around in that Mercedes with the leather interior."

She looked at him. "Oh my! I hadn't thought of that."

"I know. You might want to."

"Guess I should trade it in on a truck," said Suzanna. "That would be a lot more practical."

"That would be my first guess," he smiled.

She returned his smile brightly. "You know, you're pretty smart...for a cat."

"And you're pretty clever...for a human," he retorted with a wink.

Shaking her head, she reached over and scratched his chin. "Well, I guess we go truck shopping after New Year's Day."

"Why wait til then?" Meows walked across the bed to his nightstand and pawed his computer on. "We can get an idea of what you'll need and prices now. This way, you go to the dealership knowing exactly what you want and don't want, which reduces your chances of falling prey to a pushy salesman and ending up with something you aren't happy with."

"My, you use that little cat brain of yours well," Suzanna marveled.

"Just part of my feline charm," Meows grinned. "First, let's see what your car is worth...


The holidays were over, and the little village returned to its usual sleepy pace. Except for one part of Main Street; the big Victorian on the corner lot buzzed with activity. Hammers rang out, saws screamed, and men yelled over the racket. Suzanna went back and forth in her new blue Toyota 4WD pickup truck between the house and the hardware store, fetching everything from paint and ladders to decorative outlet covers and curtain rods. She made trips to and from Sullivan's Antiques and Gifts, picking up lamps, tables, chairs and other things that Carrie either found for her or ordered for her. A week later, she and Meows were able to move into the

 

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tiny 2-bedroom caretaker's cottage in the back, as it was in good shape to begin with. The last renters had taken care of the little place very well, and after a little remodeling and new appliances and a good cleaning, it was ready for Suzanna and Meows to call home. However, Meows hated all the noise going on practically in their front yard, so he stayed with Carrie in the shop during the day, still teaching Belle and visiting with Bart, Pook, Saav, Carrie and Ralph. He was also becoming quite attached to Ralph's endless plates of goodies. Suzanna was in and out of the shop sometimes as many as three or four times a day, and always had lunch with Carrie. Joyce dropped Pook and Saav off now every day during the week after little Belle asked her to, and they settled into a pleasant routine. On Saturdays if Joyce had a lot of errands to run, Pook and Saav came to the shop, and on the first Sunday of every month, all of them, humans and cats, had lunch at Lowery's Porch with Ralph and Brenda.

The entire town watched the changes to the big Victorian B&B, and the day after Suzanna and Meows moved into the caretaker's cottage, her sign arrived and was put up. Until now, she hadn't told anyone -- not even Meows -- what the name of the new B&B would be. She did, however, hint that it had something to do with how she felt on New Year's Eve. Now it was up for all to see:

Sunshine Inn -- Bed And Breakfast.

The day the sign went up, Justin tied a bottle of champagne to the porch railing and flung the bottle against a corner of the brick foundation and pronounced it christened. The small crowd of shopkeepers and passers-by who stopped to watch the sign go up cheered as the bottle broke and wished Suzanna the best of luck in her new venture. By now almost everyone in the tiny downtown area knew her, and everyone liked this vibrant, happy woman with the dazzling smile.

The first day of March saw the grand opening of the transformed B&B, and Sunshine Inn was officially in business. It looked incredible, and the staff, hand-picked and supervised by Suzanna, were professional and bursting with pride to be working there. Within just a couple weeks, Sunshine Inn was booked full through August, due to effective advertising and promotion -- masterminded by the eternally-researching Meows. Now that the inn was open, the group of friends at the shop saw a lot less of Suzanna and missed her breezing in and out, but she always came to have lunch with Carrie and to say a quick hi to Ralph and the cats. Carrie was busier now, too -- with the inn open, many people asked Suzanna where various items decorating the B&B came from, and she sent them to Carrie. In turn, Carrie often sent her customers to Sunshine Inn to see what a

 

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particular antique looked like in a residential or commercial setting. Sometimes they ended up making a reservation for a night or two at the inn. Bart called it "commercial back-scratching." Belle loved the tasty breakfast leftovers Suzanna always brought at lunch, and Carrie enjoyed seeing the successes Suzanna was now experiencing.

No one would have ever guessed this was the same angry, depressed woman Suzanna was two years ago. With her marriage collapsing and her husband forcing her to sell her part of the law practice they had started together, she vowed to get out and do what she wanted to, where she wanted to, and how she wanted to. The divorce settlement was simple; there were no children, and with her share of their assets, she was able to pull together her Sunshine Inn. It was all hers. No bank or mortgage company owned so much as a book of matches on the property on the corner, and already it was a success. It was exactly what the little town needed, and part of the reason for its success was the fact that Suzanna asked the shopkeepers and townspeople what they wanted in a B&B...and she listened. Interspersed with the antiques and the 19th-century look, local potters and artists, woodcrafters and even a luthier had display cases of their handiwork scattered throughout the big 10-bedroom house, the space provided free of charge with the name of the artist and the address and phone number. This gave them free advertising, and in return, Suzanna enjoyed the variety of items that just added more flavor and interest to Sunshine Inn. She had no staff problems. She paid the staff well and, with Meows's help, found a group health insurance policy that was affordable for her, and free for them. Hopefully soon with savings, she would be able to offer them a retirement plan.

She didn't miss her former life of courtroom arguments and, later, domestic arguments. It was a relief to be out of the city and in her own space with only what she chose to have in that space, not what she was forced to have or accept. Never again. She didn't even bring any of her law books with her. Instead, she packed what she could into her car and left, on the hunt for the perfect place to start over. It took ten months before she stumbled into the tiny town of Stony River, named after the river that snaked its way through the middle of town, providing picturesque scenes of whitewater rushing over rocks and boulders.

Now, with spring in full swing in the mountains of North Carolina, she stood on her tiny cottage porch looking at the back and side of the big B&B, swelling with pride.

Sunshine Inn -- Bed And Breakfast. No Vacancy. Pets Welcome.

Meows came out and jumped on the porch railing and put a paw out.

"Yep. You did it, Suzanna," he smiled at her.

 

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She looked down at him, then scooped him up, holding him close. He always knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Not by myself. I had a lot of help from a lot of great people, especially you," she replied softly.

He purred, and Suzanna watched as the day staff arrived and quietly went in.

"Time for work," she said, picking up her purse. Meows nosed her hand and went down the street toward the shop as Suzanna went to greet her staff and guests.


Pook and Saav came blasting in through the cat door into the shop, ready for fun and food.

"Watch out!" yelled Carrie.

The cats saw the puddle too late and tried to stop, but skidded and bounced off the opposite wall. Belle gasped. Bart laughed. Meows frowned, and Carrie threw her hands up.

"Dang, what happened in here?" asked Pook, seeing the huge puddle and the mop leaning on the counter next to Carrie.

"Roof leak. It rained last night," said Bart.

"Oh-oh, did anything important get wet?" Saav asked.

"No, thank goodness," Carrie replied, mopping up more water. "But before it does, I have a fellow coming to fix the roof today."

"Good," said Pook, shaking the water off her paws.

"I'd hate for anything to be ruined," said Saav. She loved looking at the beautiful things in Carrie's shop.

"Me too," smiled Carrie. "How's your Mom?"

"She’s doing okay. Just busy at work, and working like crazy on her column at home," Saav told her.

Carrie nodded. "I can understand that. I saw that series of articles she’s doing on the town council candidates and the issues. Pretty informative – I like it.”

Ralph poked his head in. "Good morning! Hey, what happened?"

"Roof leak," said Carrie.

"Yuck. I had one a couple years back, remember? Ruined the carpet. Glad you didn't put in carpet," he said.

"So am I. I thought about it, though."

"If you need any help, let me know," Ralph smiled. "Cats! Bart! Belle! Breakfast is ready!"

 

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"Yay!" shouted Belle, hopping down from the counter. She was bigger now, and on her way to looking like the sleek, healthy feline Bart believed she would be.

"Thank you very much, Ralph. I am sure it will be, as always, delicious," Meows said in his usual formal way, going past Ralph toward the kitchen. Meows never did leave his people manners at home, even among friends in the shop.

Ralph smiled and shook his head. "You're most welcome."

The rest of the cats thanked him as usual, and went to their plates. Purring, they dove into the fried catfish, steamed shrimp, crab cakes, and plenty of coleslaw, salad, tomatoes and broccoli for Belle.

They were back in the shop washing up after their tasty breakfast when suddenly Suzanna burst in, her eyes wide.

"Oh, Carrie, you're not going to believe what's happened!" she cried. "The front parlor is just about destroyed!"

"What?" Carrie turned pale, and led Suzanna to a chair. The cats froze, staring at Suzanna. "What happened, Suzanna?"

Meows ran to her as she sat down and he jumped into her lap, looking up with worried eyes.

She cuddled him to her. "Apparently a couple stayed in the B&B last night who weren't married to each other. The woman's husband was driving back early this morning from a business meeting, intending to surprise her by coming home earlier than expected, but he saw her car and his best friend's car parked at the B&B. They were coming downstairs holding hands when the woman's husband confronted them at the bottom of the stairway, and I guess she was trying to calm the men down and got them in the parlor, then all hell broke loose and the guys started beating the heck out of each other and ruined the parlor. The lamps are all broken, the vases are in the floor just shattered, the bay window curtains are ripped down, most of the furniture is in pieces, and there's coffee and water all over the carpet. I have the insurance guy coming in to see it and I took pictures, but I'll have to wait til later to get the cleaners in. It's awful! That beautiful room! And Tracy Poole's pottery display case and all her dishes and goblets are broken. What am I going to tell her? The police came and I asked if they could be charged for damage to property, and they were, but it's going to be awhile til the court date. It's awful!" Suzanna was almost in tears. She hugged Meows closer. The other cats gathered at her feet, and little Belle put a paw out and patted her ankle.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Suzanna," murmured Carrie. "But thank God no one else was involved, and you and your staff didn't get hurt."

 

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"It'll take forever for the insurance to pay. I won't be able to make that room look right again until they come through. I'm just now getting to where I am making a profit. People expect to be able to use that parlor, it's part of the package of Sunshine Inn," said Suzanna sadly.

Carrie reached out and hugged her friend, being careful not to squash Meows. "I know what we can do. We can have that room looking incredible again by ten o'clock tonight."

Suzanna looked at her. "That's impossible, Carrie. You can't do it. I can't do it in that time. The time it took to do that room, I can't even do it in two days."

"Oh yes we can. Get the cleaners in there the minute the insurance guy leaves, and we'll have it looking perfect by ten o'clock. You go back to the B&B now, and just wait. Trust me," smiled Carrie.

"What are you going to do?"

"What any neighbor would do. Trust me. Now get on back there and I'll be over soon," replied Carrie, giving her friend another quick hug and helping her up.

The moment Suzanna left, Carrie burst into action. She pulled the curtains closed, set out the 'closed' sign, and picked up the phone. The cats watched as she began calling every shopowner she knew downtown and told them what happened to Sunshine Inn's parlor. Four big fellows from the lumberyard showed up and Carrie began selecting replacement items from the shop and the back room. The guys began putting these in two big pickup trucks, and Carrie ran to Ralph's and told him what happened. Up and down the street, 'closed' signs came out and doors were locked as the shopowners left their stores and headed toward the B&B.

Carrie opened the passenger side door to her Jeep. Just before shutting the shop door, she called the cats. They ran out of the store and jumped up into the Jeep, and she closed the shop door and locked it. She pulled out of her space and drove to the inn, where she parked in the back behind Suzanna's truck.

They all piled out, and saw the insurance car leaving and the carpet-cleaning van pull in. Carrie went inside with the cats, and there were the shopowners and other townspeople getting the broken things off the floor and moving the intact furniture and other pieces into the foyer so the cleaners would have a clear floor. Suzanna stood in the doorway of the formal dining room, looking completely shocked as all her new friends worked hard to clean it up for her. Guests were helping as well.

 

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She saw Carrie, and the cats scattered to the library, where they gathered in the doorway watching everyone bustling about. Carrie went to her.

"My God, Carrie, look," she breathed. "I can't believe this. You did this. Look at all these dear people. They told me not to help, to relax, that I'd just be in the way."

Carrie smiled. "This is normal for us. Something happens to one, it happens to all of us. Now, look out the window."

She turned, and her hand flew to her mouth as the two big pickups pulled in with the furniture and other things from the shop. "Oh my God. I can't afford this, Carrie. Not yet."

"What do you mean you can't afford free furniture? Honey, that stuff is free -- but I know how you operate, so here's the attached string. You put up a little sign somewhere in the room saying some of the items in this room are for sale and to ask you which ones. Then the person wanting it buys it from you. You call me, tell me what's been sold, I hightail it back here with a replacement and pick up the money -- minus ten percent commission for you. Now tell me you can't afford it."

Suzanna stared from the trucks to Carrie, back to the trucks, and back to Carrie. She threw her arms around Carrie in a bone-crushing hug. "Oh my God, Carrie. Thank you. Thank you. But not the commission. My commission, as you put it, will be the time I get to not lose this room waiting for the insurance check. That could take six weeks."

"If that's what you want," said Carrie.

"Yes, please. This is incredible!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe you people."

In the library doorway, the cats smiled.

Ralph arrived shortly after the carpet cleaners left with two huge floor fans. They put them on opposite ends of the huge room and opened the windows and turned them on.

"These'll have you dried out in less than two hours," he told her. "By six o'clock tonight, you can put the furniture back."

"Thank you, Ralph," said Suzanna, still amazed. She hugged him.

"I'll be back," he promised, and whooshed out the door.

The morning staff offered to stay over without pay and help put the room back together, and one by one, the shopowners and townspeople left, hugging Suzanna and wishing her luck, promising to return and see the new look of the parlor. Ralph brought out a small buffet for the staff and the guests of Sunshine Inn, getting Sam Murray, who owned the steakhouse at the end of Main Street to help with the non-seafood items. The two men set

 

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it up in the spacious kitchen where there was room for everyone to help themselves. The cats had quite a feast, as the guests and staff found them to be totally charming.

Joyce stopped by to help after work, and after dinner, the carpet was dry. In came the furniture and lamps, and after much discussion and rearranging, the room was done at nine-thirty. Suzanna put up the curtain rod and the new curtain in the bay window, and at last, they looked in from the wide doorway.

The room looked much like it had before. Tracy Poole's display case sat filled with her new pieces, something very special to Suzanna; Tracy had refused her offer to buy the broken ones and had even provided an antique display cabinet she had sitting in her attic. She hauled it down, cleaned it up, and it sat in its own place now, its curved glass doors and glass shelves sparkling, the mahogany wood shining. The glass and wrought-iron lamps, the chairs, and the little loveseats and couch were inviting, and the vases filled with lovely silk flowers. No trace of the fight remained, except for a little change in the decor.

Carrie looked at her watch and smiled. "Told ya," she whispered to Suzanna, who was still in shock. She hugged Carrie.

"Thank you. I can't believe this. It's beautiful," she breathed.

"Champagne, anybody?" Peggy Bright, the head breakfast cook who had stayed, waved a bottle. Just then, Ralph and Sam came in, and saw the parlor.

"It's time to celebrate!" Ralph boomed. "I'll help you serve it up."

Sam gawked at the room. "Holy cow! That looks great!"

Everyone agreed heartily, and went into the dining room for a toast to the new parlor.

It was after 11pm, and Peggy, the last to leave after helping clean up after the buffet, bade Suzanna good-night and closed the kitchen door behind her. The guests had gone to bed. Suzanna stood in the doorway of the front parlor, looking at what she felt was a miracle. Meows rubbed against her legs, purring.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he said.

She reached down and picked him up and cuddled him. "Someday, Meows, someday, somehow, I am going to find a way to pay these wonderful people back. Somehow."

"Put a little sign over the doorway," said Meows.

"A sign?"

 

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"Yes. The Friendship Parlor, Dedicated to the People of Stony River Who Made It All Possible."

Suzanna laughed and kissed him. "I will! That's a good start! But I want to do more."

"I know. Like you said, it's a start. And don't worry, you'll always be able to help people around here. News travels pretty fast when someone's in trouble. Your turn is over. Unfortunately, someone else will need help next, and on it goes," he said gently. "Life is a circle."

"Life is wonderful," she replied simply, and turned all but two lamps off. "Let's go home."

As they stepped out the kitchen door heading for the cottage in the back, she turned and looked at her sign in the front, and sighed happily, thinking how lovely the parlor looked now.

She would make that sign herself, and put it up tomorrow.

 

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End of Chapter Five.

With love,
~Cat

 

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Chapter 6 – Sunshine the Inn Kitty

The Friendship Parlor was a hit. The word spread that she had a room dedicated to the townspeople, and they flocked to see it. Tracy Poole's pottery sold out many times over and a few items of Carrie's were sold, but no one wanted to take those out of the room until Suzanna was able to replace it with her insurance money. Cars clogged the driveway, and more and more people made reservations for a night or two. Even Sam booked two nights there in the fall as a surprise anniversary present to his wife, Lydia.

"We've been married thirty years," he laughed. "She deserves something special for hanging in there with me."

He got a large discount. Suzanna made up some lie about a special running that particular week, two nights for the price of one. He fell for it. That's one little private victory, she thought, smiling to herself.

"I heard that," whispered Carrie behind her. "You little fibber."

Suzanna whirled, and blushed. "Was it that obvious?"

"Let me put it this way. I think he was too distracted with the idea of doing something special for Lydia to notice. However...do us all a favor and don't become an undercover cop or anything, ok? You aren't too convincing."

They both laughed. "I think I'll just sit tight here and run a B&B," smiled Suzanna.

"Ready for lunch? I brought Caesar salads and homemade lasagne."

"Oh, I'm there," said Suzanna, picking up her purse, and the two women walked out the back toward Carrie's shop.

It had been a week since the disaster in the parlor, and as Suzanna sat in the shop enjoying Carrie's cuisinary talents, she remembered it.

"Remember about this time last week?" she said.

"Do I ever," Carrie said with a shiver.

"I thought it was the worst day of my life, but it turned out to be the best day of it."

Meows smiled from the counter, where he was leisurely washing his face. Little Belle was next to him, hoping to snag some salad.

"Funny how that works," he pointed out.

"How far are you booked up now?" Carrie asked.

"Up to the week before Thanksgiving, believe it or not."

Pook looked up. "You got beds in there. How come you don't have cats?"

Suzanna looked at her.

"Yeah," said Saav. "What if you have guests who like cats but their cats, let's say, don't travel well or something and they can't bring them? They'd miss them."

"Like a cat away from cat," smiled Bart.

Meows glared furiously at Suzanna. "I'm not sleeping with strangers!"

 

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Carrie and Suzanna laughed. "I wouldn't make you do that, silly. I'd miss you! But I think it's an idea, we could rescue a couple kittens from the pound, and socialize them real well and offer their company to the guests," Suzanna replied.

"That would be an excellent advertisement for Sunshine. That would really get peoples' attention," said Meows.

"Um...I hate to rain on this parade, but I see a few things wrong with this picture you might want to address," began Bart. "One, you're going to need half the bedrooms -- maybe six of them -- to be cat-free. People have allergies. Also, along that line, the cats should stay out of the front parlor, the dining rooms, the library, and the study. The back parlor, the sunroom, the porch part of the kitchen, the hallway, and the basement would be where they could go. That utility room down there is huge and heated, so they'd always have someplace warm to go. And another problem is, kittens are fine, but you might want to try finding a well-socialized, friendly young adult cat or two to begin with, then bring in the kittens."

Suzanna took Bart's little speech in. "Okay, I follow. Those are sound ideas, Bart. I'll definitely give it some thought."

"Or, we could keep them in our cottage in the back and completely off the first floor. If a guest wants a cat, maybe it needs to stay in that room at night, and be let out back to the cottage when the guest is out. It'd be a lot of cat-toting back and forth, but he's right, the allergy thing could be a problem and you don't want to be sued," suggested Meows.

"That's probably a better idea," nodded Bart. "Also, you do allow dogs, and a cat roaming the halls might be a problem for some dogs."

Pook and Saav agreed. "That would work a lot better," said Pook. "You don't want a screaming cat and dog fight waking everyone up at two in the morning."

"Make sure no one on your staff is allergic to them," added Saav.

"That I do know. None of them are allergic to animals," said Suzanna. "I had to make sure they weren't because Sunshine is already pet-friendly."

"I think it's a neat idea. You also might want to think about hiring an extra person to change the litterbox in the room and refill the water and food bowls. It might have to be an on-call thing or part-time, since you might not have guests who want cats every day," Carrie suggested.

"Oh, yeah. Well, the budget looks good, I actually can hire a couple more people if I need to at this point," Suzanna said.

"Wanted: Professional cat-toter with own litterbox scoop to work at cat house," smiled Meows.

 

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They laughed. "My ad agency, there," Suzanna quipped, pointing to Meows.

"I think it's a neat idea," Carrie said. "Adds a homey touch."

"Maybe I can start with one adult cat and see how that goes," Suzanna said.

Meows nodded. "That would be nice."

"Can you get along with just a regular cat?" Suzanna asked Meows.

"Oh, certainly," he smiled. "May I go with you to pick one out?"

"I wouldn't dream of doing that without you."

They finished lunch, discussing advertising approaches and how to fit those in with the existing ones for Sunshine. Meows couldn't wait to find the cat, take pictures of it, and see what he could come up with for the new ads. After the cats relieved Carrie of any leftovers she might have to take home, Suzanna scooped up Meows and took him to the shelter.

The lady at the front desk saw Meows on her shoulder and smiled. "Looks like he needs a friend," she guessed.

Suzanna laughed, thinking this woman looked familiar. "He does. I thought I'd bring him along to pick his new friend out."

"I'm afraid cats and dogs don't last long here," she sighed. "In fact, not a lot of the animals we take in here do. They get adopted almost as soon as they get here. We had a waiting list for kittens, and finally had to get them from another county. Puppies…well, we import those too.”

Suzanna was surprised. "How is that? Usually shelters are overrun with unwanted pets."

The lady smiled. "But everyone here who does have pets, they take care of them. They spay and neuter them. We always have been very short of any unwanted pets. It’s quite interesting, this town and these people.”

"That makes your job a lot easier, doesn't it?"

"Much easier. What are you looking for? I hope not a kitten. We're out, and another litter isn't expected for a while, and if there are only three kittens, they're spoken for."

"An older cat, one that's real good with people," said Suzanna.

"Wow, I have two. Now one, I think, is going to go to a lady when she comes back from vacation tomorrow or the next day. The other just came in yesterday. He's about a year and a half old, and he's a sweetheart," she said, getting up. "Let's go meet him."

Then Suzanna saw it. The slight limp. The pretty long black hair. This lady had been on her hands and knees picking glass out of her carpet a week ago. Suzanna smiled. Victim number two, she thought.

 

[CatPat]

The big cage she led them to had the most beautiful long-haired, cream-and-chocolate colored cat they had ever seen.

"He was just groomed this morning," said the lady.

"What kind is he? He doesn't have the smushed nose of a Persian."

"We're not sure, but we think some type of Persian mix. He's neutered, has all his shots, and I can make you a copy of his records from his former vet."

"Why in the world would someone give up a beautiful cat like this?" Suzanna wondered. Meows purred so hard he rumbled. This one was the right one.

"Oh, that part's a little sad. The lady who owned him had a stroke, and now she's in a nursing home, unable to care for him. Her daughter and grandchildren tried to keep him, but their dog didn't like him and after a few weeks, that wasn't working at all. So her daughter brought him here."

"Can I hold him?" Suzanna asked. "Meows won't hurt him. I think Meows likes him."

"Sure," said the lady, and opened the cage door. The cat came right up to them and meowed to be picked up. Suzanna scooped him up and put him on her other shoulder. Both cats purred so loudly she felt like she had an earthquake on her shoulders. This one couldn't talk, but he was lovely and affectionate, and she wouldn't have to worry about this one scaring any of her guests by suddenly opening his mouth and talking. He was a regular, sweet cat, and the way Meows was thundering away, she knew this one was it.

"I'll take him," said Suzanna. The lady beamed.

"I think you'll be very happy with him. Looks like he likes both of you...listen to those purrs."

Suzanna followed the lady out. "How much is he?"

"Well, he just got here yesterday, and so except for the grooming, we haven't really spent much on him at all. How about just a donation? Whatever you think you would like to give to help us pay the bills and keep doing what we're doing," said the lady.

Suzanna opened her checkbook, wrote one out, and gave it to her, and the woman did a double-take.

"Oh! This is quite generous," she said a little nervously. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. You're married, right?" Suzanna asked, seeing a gold band on her left hand.

"Yes, I am. Just got married last month," she said proudly.

"Wow! How nice. Where did you go on your honeymoon?"

 

[CatPat]

"Nowhere. We're saving for a cruise," she replied, smiling with anticipation.

"Really? Hmm." Suzanna got her datebook out. "How would you and your new hubby like two free nights at Sunshine Inn in the fall, say the week around Thanksgiving? Call it a wedding gift. Everyone needs a little bit of a honeymoon," offered Suzanna.

The lady's eyes flew wide. "Oh that's right! Now I know where I've seen you. You're the one who owns Sunshine Inn!"

"Yes, and I remember you, on your hands and knees picking glass out of my carpet. I want to thank you, and do something for you."

"But you don't have to do that!" the lady exclaimed.

"How about the weekend after Thanksgiving? Will that work for you?"

"Wow...gosh! Yes! We're both off that weekend."

"Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday?" Suzanna asked, her pen poised.

"Um...Friday-Saturday? Is that okay?"

"Sure, and I'll give you the room I usually try to give newlyweds. It's a lovely one with a fireplace and there's a Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. It's especially cozy. I love that one. What's your name?"

"Ellen Duckett. My husband's name is Ben. This is wonderful of you, Ms. Pearson. I can't wait!"

"Call me Suzanna. And if you'd like to see the room first, I'll give you a tour when it's between guests in there."

She shook her head. "Ben and I were one of the first ones there on your opening day, when that guy smashed the champagne bottle. We saw all of them, and I know which one you're talking about. I love that one."

"Oh, good. Then I'll see you the day after Thanksgiving," Suzanna smiled. "And you'll see this little guy there. He's going to have a special role there."

"Official mousecatcher?"

Suzanna laughed. "Not exactly. Check out our ad in the paper in a couple weeks or so, and you'll see," she replied, and winked. "Thanks so much, Ellen. Thank you for helping me."

"No problem," Ellen smiled back. "You need a carrier for him?"

"No thanks, he'll be fine. It's only a couple blocks. Thanks again, see you in November."

With a smile and a wave, Suzanna went out the door with their new housemate.

 

[CatPat]

"I like him," said Meows when they got in the truck. The other cat curled up next to Meows on the passenger seat.

Suzanna scratched the new cat under his chin. "How's the name Sunshine sound?"

"Quite fitting, Suzanna. I like it. Hello, Sunshine."

Sunshine looked at them, perfectly content, and Suzanna started the truck.

The beautiful cat fit right into the little household behind the B&B. After a week getting used to his new home, it was time to introduce him to the staff, get the ads in before the deadline, and hire someone to take care of him.

She needn't have worried about the last one. The staff was thrilled and offered to share the job. They loved the cat, and he seemed to like them. Luckily, he seemed to like everyone. When Suzanna took him to Carrie's shop, he got along fine with the other cats there, and didn't seem to really notice the other cats acted differently. He played with Belle and sampled Ralph's goodies, and he liked riding in the truck.

Meows, after the first week, ended up being a little disappointed because Sunshine didn't talk. He brought that up one night as all three of them were piled on the bed.

"Well, look at it this way," Suzanna said. "At least you two won't be fighting over the computer."

Meows did the feline version of a shrug, which was twitching his ears and whiskers. "Maybe. But it would be nice anyway."

"He's a regular kitty, Meows. And it's better. Remember when Carrie told us about Belle blowing their secret wide open to Ralph? You don't want panicking guests here, do you?"

He thought about that. "No, I guess not. Not everyone understands it."

"And also, if he did talk, and someone found out, and had less than the best of motives, he could be stolen and exploited. You don't want that either, do you?"

Meows sighed. "No, I guess not. I think maybe it's safer for him, that he can't talk. But I like him...on a feline level. I just wish I could have a conversation with him, find out who he is. That kind of thing."

"But you can. Just watch him. Notice his habits. Have you ever noticed he likes to curl up in the laundry basket? He likes our smell, he likes being associated with us. He follows us around all the time, so he likes people and other animals. You just have to watch him, and it's harder to do that than it is to talk to him...if he could talk. He also acted very friendly

 

[CatPat]

toward everyone, and I think somewhere in his mind he understands what we want him to do here and he's trying to say, 'No problem, I can do this.' And I think he likes the idea, too. As if it suited his personality and his needs," said Suzanna.

Meows looked at his sleeping feline friend. "I guess so. That makes sense. If I want someone to talk to, I can always raise the others on messenger." He brightened. "Then again, after hours online with Belle zapping me with questions and sending me on endless searches because of her insatiable curiosity and zest for learning, sometimes the peace and quiet is nice."

Suzanna laughed. "I bet. But she is doing really well, from what I'm hearing."

"She's doing wonderfully, as usual. Very bright little one. Pook and Saav, I found out, are math, science and technology wizards and Bart's strong suits are philosophy and sociology, politics and religion. Interesting fellow, he is. When Pook and Saav distract Belle enough, we have some very enlightening discussions."

"That sounds very interesting," smiled Suzanna, thinking that discussions like that for hours on end would send her off the deep end screaming. She was glad Meows had the others to engage in that kind of activity with, and not her. She had gotten burned out on endless conversations like that with her peers in the law firm, and had to put up with stuffy, boring and arrogant fools who truly and completely believed they knew everything there was to know and then some. At least Meows wasn't like that. She had heard some of his discussions, and it seemed to her Meows spent more time trying to understand others' opinions rather than promoting his own. Unless, of course, he was asked. Or genuinely trying to help, such as his suggestion about trading the Mercedes. Practicality. More than once, she'd had reason upon reason to thank Meows for pointing her in the right direction. To show her gratitude, her license tag read MEOWS1. He was proud of that.

"It wouldn't really be to you, but it is to me. I know how you used to say if you heard one more overblown opinion you were going to choke the person it came from. I don't blame you. Those people you used to hang out with in the city were the most insufferable creatures I had ever met. And by the way, most of the time, they were wrong. I'd go look stuff up on your computer that I had heard mentioned, and wonder why the American Bar Association even bothered with them."

She was surprised at this. Again, he knew what she was thinking. "You went and looked it up? How come you never said so?"