Chapter Six
Caroline recognized the voice of Maurice, another cat, who apparently lived somewhere in French Canada. Caroline had never understood how, in invisible reality, she could be in her normal physical surroundings in the Pacific Northwest, and someone else would apparently be in their own normal physical surroundings, thousands of miles away, but they’d somehow still both be in the same “invisible place.” It had just become something she’d grown used to after awhile.
“What, nothing to say to an old friend?” continued Maurice.
“Oh sorry,” said Caroline, “It always takes me a few moments to get used to being invisible, no matter how many times it happens. Just give me a moment to adjust.”
Caroline’s delayed response was also because she needed to mentally prepare herself for dealing with Maurice. He actually could be considered a friend, of sorts, but more out of shared experiences, rather than someone she was comfortable with, or felt she could trust. There seemed to be something calculating and slightly condescending in Maurice’s manner that made Caroline suspect he’d be turning a situation to his own advantage, while appearing to be considerate and kind.
Basically, as long as Maurice shared the same objectives or benefits as Caroline, he was good to have around. He apparently spent a lot more time being invisible than Caroline, and seemed to enjoy it. So he pretty much had become her not-quite-trustworthy guide in invisible reality.
Finally Caroline once again seemed used to being invisible. She saw that Maurice had been watching her with an amused but still sympathetic expression, while she had been silent.
“I’ve got a new human, called Janet” said Caroline. “One of those who seems to instinctively like us, and has a sense of what we like.”
Maurice gave a shrug and said, “A lot of humans are like that in the beginning, when we’re something new in their lives.” He seemed to notice Caroline not wanting to think along these lines, and so went on, “But it’s a good sign if your new human likes you as a cat. It’s so easy to charm humans as a kitten. Sometimes I wish it weren’t so easy. It’s hard to convince kittens that it won’t always be so easy to be likable.”
Since this had been Caroline’s own experience, she nodded, and added, “It’s no wonder that so many full-grown cats become wary of humans, and turn sullen and aloof.”
Maurice nodded back, with a sad smile, and Caroline felt a bittersweet closeness to Maurice. Briefly, Caroline felt guilty of her general distrust of Maurice. But she remembered that she had felt this way before, and when the situation changed, Maurice would be back to his calculating, self-serving personality.
Then Caroline and Maurice were interrupted by the sound of someone yelling.
