You Really Got A Hold On Me

Don't Let Me Down

Having told Abby over the phone yesterday that I now had a kitten she had promised to rush over first thing on Saturday morning. She would have come yesterday but her parents were firm about her staying in and doing her homework – as if she would ever do it I thought.

Darcy was slowly getting used to his new surroundings. I had made a sort of bed or nest thing for him in my room so could sleep there instead of downstairs. Because he was rather skinny to begin with I had taken to feeding him up – giving him large portions of cat food that Dad had picked up at the local shop. He seemed grateful for it – Darcy I mean, not Dad – and polished each bowl clean.

I was busy watching Darcy playing with a ball of wool when I heard the front door open. Abby didn’t even have to ring the doorbell she was that welcome.

“Up here!” I called to her and I heard her footsteps grow closer.

“Awwh!” Abby exclaimed as she flung the door open.

Darcy looked a bit startled at Abby’s sudden intrusion.

“Cute!” She said, sitting down beside me.

“You said you found him out back right?” she asked.

“Yeah” I answered, “Dad said he’s probably a stray, he was just there in the rain behind the bins.”

“Poor thing” she reached over to stroke Darcy’s ears. At first he backed away but I coaxed him back over to me and held him whilst Abby petted him.

“There we go” she said quietly as Darcy relaxed under Abby’s hand – she was a natural with cats seeing as she used to have one.

“He’ll be gorgeous once you feed him up a bit, what’d ya call him?”

“Darcy” I said.

“Darcy? Sounds very posh” she sniggered.

I smiled to myself like I had an inside joke that only I knew about.

“Hey, I was just gonna ask you if you wanted to pop into town today?”

“Yeah sure” I said, still stroking Darcy. “You’ll be alright Darcy, Dad will be here.” I whispered to the kitten.

I quickly got changed, throwing on a jacket and my boots and went downstairs with Abby.

“Dad, Abby and I are off out!” I called.

“Okay, where to?”

“Just town Dad” I said, rolling my eyes, “can you keep an eye on Darcy for me?” 

“Sure thing, have fun girls.”

I closed the door and we made our way to the busstop.

“Hey, y’know what I’ve got a few bob left from last week’s pocket money let’s go to the shop and get some sweets.” Abby jingled her pocket making suggestive eyebrows at me.

“Lets’ go!” I said, excited. I hoped they still had those lollies that make your tongue go blue I loved those.

We left the busstop behind and skipped to the corner shop.

“I fancy some lemon sherbets” Abby said when we opened the door to the shop and the little bell rang. “Or maybe some jelly babies…” she mused, looking around the shelves.

To my delight I spotted the blue lolly and took one off the shelf.

“Jelly babies it is” Abby said after a minute. She took her own packet and my lolly to the counter and paid for them both.

“Have a nice day young ladies!” The owner said cheerily handing Abby her change.

“We will mister” Abby answered a smile on her face.