You Really Got A Hold On Me

Rain

I walked home with Abby in relatively high spirits. She had steered clear of John and George although I could tell both wanted to talk to her. I knew she and John had got on like a house on fire – that their personalities had clicked given that both had a wicked sense of humour and were witty conversationalists. But I could also tell that George could be a good match for Abby – he seemed the strong silent type so perhaps he could balance out Abby’s chatty nature.

Even though we had seen eachother not more than two hours ago Abby called me that evening, and we resumed our usual conversations as if while we were apart somebody had a hold of the pause button.

“Oh where can I get my own Paul McCartney?!” Abby whined, referring to the day’s events and the Casbah. I smiled to myself, knowing that Paul had promised to wait for me felt like a gift in itself even though we weren’t together.

“Hey I reckon George likes you y’know, I saw the way he was looking at you today in the Casbah.”

“You think?” she asked, I could hear a tad of hope in her voice.

I nodded, then forgetting that she couldn’t see me answered:

“Yes.”

“Hmmm…” Abby mused, clearly thinking about what I had said.

“I suppose I wasn’t properly in a relationship with John” she started, “so I could think about another guy... Maybe I will meet him.”

“Yes! Oh Abby, imagine we could have a double date! The four of us, you and George, Paul and me.”

Abby fake groaned “oh must we?”

“Yes, we must” I said giggling.

“But it will have to wait until I am free once more” I said rather melodramatically.

“Uggh” Abby groaned. I could tell she was rolling her eyes without even seeing her.

“But you can see George before then” I carried on, “like go to the Casbah or something.”

“Err, it might be a tad awkward with John there” she pointed out.

“True” I said, realising. Neither of us had George’s house phone number either.

“I could just turn up casually at the Casbah one day and ask George if he wants to go for a walk with me and we could talk?”

“Yeah that sounds good” I said, envious that Abby always seemed to have good ideas – enough for both of us actually.

After we both hung up the phone I disappeared upstairs and brought out Pride and Prejudice again. I was really getting into this book – Dad was right I did like it.

I was about half way through and had arrived at the scene where Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth and my heart felt like it was breaking as I read and I could just imagine the tension in the room.

Then in the middle of their argument I was plummeted back down to reality by the sound of Dad’s voice.

“Michelle!”

“Yeah?”

“Could you come here for a second I need your help!”

I crawled off my bed, Pride and Prejudice still in hand.

I saw Dad standing at the bottom of the stairs as I appeared on the landing. He was soaked, dripping wet and noticed the book I was holding.

“Oh how are you getting on with Austen?” He asked.

“Dad? Why are you so wet?” I disregarded his question, startled by his appearance.

He looked down at himself as if he had forgotten what he’d called me for in the first place.

“Oh yes, come down and help me out back.”

Curiosity dragged me downstairs as I followed Dad through to the back door. We had a small yard out back, it was nothing much but we kept the bins out there.

Dad opened the door and it was pouring with rain. I figured he just wanted to move the bins or something but what he needed me for I did not know.

“Right you move this bin” he pointed at the one closest to me, “and you can grab him before he tried to run away again.”

“He? Dad who are you talking about? What’s going on?” I asked, growing slightly scared now.

“I found a kitten hiding here behind the bins” he explained, “must have jumped over the fence or something, poor thing.”

“A cat?!” I said excitedly.

“Yes” Dad nodded, “he must be trying to escape the rain.”

I gasped and couldn’t wait to get a look. Dad motioned to me to stand ready and counted down with his fingers. Then he quickly pulled the bin away and revealed a scared small cat, cowering in the rain, its eyes startled. He, I decided it looked like a he, I didn’t know at the time, was all black with a white patch over it’s left eye and looked rather skinny. I also noticed a lack of a collar, I wondered where he might have come from.

I quickly, but delicately, scooped up the kitten before it tried to run away and carried it back into the house.

“Good job” Dad said as he closed the door.

“Poor thing” I said, looking at the cat in my arms, “he looks so cold.”

“Go and get a towel from upstairs so you can dry him off.”

Not wanting to put the kitten down I carried it upstairs with me and retrieved a towel from the airing cupboard, then returned downstairs to the kitchen.

Although still looking a bit scared and timid, the kitten looked grateful to be inside and I proceeded to rub him down with the towel.

“Where do you think he came from?” I asked Dad who was pulling off his jacket.

“No idea” he replied, “no collar on him, probably a stray.”

“You’ll be warm and toasty soon don’t worry” I whispered to the cat, whilst stroking him.

“Well don’t get too attached to that cat Michelle, I’m warning you.”

“Dad! We can’t just put him back out in the street!”

“When it’s dried off that’s what I intend to do.”

“Dad!” I cried again, “no!”

“Michelle we can’t have a pet right now, they take work y’know? You have to look after them, and feed them and clean them.”

I knew money was tight but I still felt like hanging on.

“But Dad, I won’t have to take him on walks and cats clean themselves – please!”

Dad looked at me sitting on the kitchen floor with the kitten and he softened a little.

“You promise you’ll look after him? I don’t want to hear that you’re bored of him in a month.”

“Dad, I promise.” I said, confidently. I had never had a pet before but Abby had a cat a few years ago – a great bit Tabby and I felt I had a special connection with animals, they tended to like me.

“Okay” Dad said slowly, choosing his words carefully but I had already sprung up to give him a big hug.

“Welcome to the family buddy” he said, looking down at the kitten who seemed to understand what was happening as he stood up and came to rub his head against my ankle.

I bent down to pick him up and cradle him as I said: “What shall I call you then?” He stared back at me with large brown eyes. “What about Darcy?”