Duchess (5 page)

“I tried so hard to be friends with her,” Mia said.

“You did a good job,” Mom assured her. “Duchess is just a hard nut to crack.”

Mia looked at Mom. “A hard nut?” she repeated.

“It just means that it isn’t easy to tell what she’s thinking.” Mom tapped her finger on the steering
wheel. “Don’t feel bad, Mia. Do you know what I’m thinking?”

Mia shook her head.

“I’m thinking it’s a good thing Duchess will be out of our house for your party next Saturday. I don’t think she would have liked all the kids there, or all of the attention.”

Mia thought about that. Mom was probably right. But was Duchess really going to learn to get along with Boone? Catherine had agreed to give it a chance, but Mia was not so sure things were going to work out. Duchess still might be back at their house next week on the day of the party.

The party! With Duchess around, Mia hadn’t had much time to think about her party. She and Mom had mailed the invitations last week, and people were starting to call to say if they could come. Mia hadn’t heard from Wilson yet, and Audrey had said she couldn’t come because she had to go to her grandmother’s.

Mom kept bugging Mia to invite Logan, but so far she hadn’t. Mia was pretty sure he’d say no if she did invite him. They hadn’t talked since their phone call, so Mia was surprised when he came up to her desk on Monday morning at school.

“How’s Duchess?” he asked.

“We might have found her a home,” Mia said.

Logan smiled. “That’s great.”

“I hope so. I just want her to be happy,” Mia said.

“Sure,” Logan agreed. “She’s a good cat, even if she isn’t super playful or cuddly with people she doesn’t know.”

Mia was impressed that Logan understood Duchess so well.

“Anyway, thanks for taking her,” he said. “It’s great that you get to foster cats. I wish I could help sharks somehow. But really, I only started liking sharks ‘cause my dad’s allergic to everything else.”

Mia laughed. “You sure do know an awful lot about them, Logan.”

Logan rolled his eyes. “But I won’t be fostering one anytime soon. I should get to my desk.” He motioned to the clock and started to turn away.

“Hey, Logan,” Mia said. “Want to come to my birthday party? It’s my half birthday, actually. Anyway, it’s on Saturday, at two o’clock.”

Logan looked surprised. Mia couldn’t blame him. She’d surprised even herself with the invitation. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve got a soccer game that day.”

Mia swallowed. “Oh, that’s okay. My brother always has games on Saturdays, too.”

Mia watched Logan walk away. Now she felt kind of sorry that he wouldn’t be able to come to her party. But with or without Logan, the party was going to be fun. She was going to have cat cupcakes—what could be better than that?

When Mom came home from work that night, she had news from Catherine. Duchess was still
on her own in the bedroom. She seemed fine, except that she hadn’t been eating.

On Tuesday night, Mom had more news. Catherine had let Duchess out of the bedroom for an hour. She reported that Duchess and Boone were slowly getting used to each other.

Mom had Wednesday off, so there was no update from Catherine. That night, Mom and Mia put together the favor bags for her party and talked about games. Mom had some great ideas, and Mia came up with a few, too. The games would be silly, but in a good way, and Mia thought her friends would love them. They all fit the cat theme, like Pin the Tail on the Puma and a hide-and-seek game with chocolate mice.

At dinner on Thursday, Mom told everyone that Catherine was ready to let Duchess out of the bedroom for good. “It sounds like she’s finally settling in,” Mom said hopefully. “Catherine has tomorrow off, and she’s going to spend a lot of
time making sure Duchess and Boone get to know each other.”

But on Friday afternoon, the telephone rang. Mom and Dad were still at work, and Nonna Kate was watching Mia and Michael. All three of them were busy playing Monopoly on the rug, so they let the answering machine get it. Mia recognized Catherine’s voice right away.

“Hi, Julia, it’s Catherine. Could you give me a call? It’s about Duchess, and it’s important. Thanks. Bye.”

“We should call Mom on her cell,” Michael said.

Nonna Kate put her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s not worry her. Your mom will be home any minute,” she said.

“But what if Duchess is hurt?” Mia asked. “What if she and Boone got into a fight after all?”

Nonna Kate smiled at her. “That Duchess is a strong, smart cat. Don’t you worry. She can take care of herself.”

Mom called Catherine as soon as she got home. She looked at Mia, Michael, and Nonna Kate as she hung up. “Catherine asked us to come over later tonight.”

“Did Duchess get in a big fight with Boone?” Mia asked.

“I don’t think so,” said Mom. “But I’m not sure they’re best buddies, either. I guess we’ll find out more tonight.”

After dinner, Mom and Mia put on their coats and drove over to Catherine’s. Mia held her breath as she rang the doorbell. When Catherine opened the door, Mia was surprised to see that she was smiling.

“Is Duchess okay?” Mia asked.

“She’s fine,” Catherine said. “But I asked you to come over because I think we have a problem.”

“What problem?” Mom asked.

“Well,” said Catherine. “The problem is that
Duchess doesn’t seem to be such a good fit here. I wanted her and Boone to be friends, but I’m not sure that’s ever going to happen. Boone gets in her food and knocks over her fancy dish. He leaps in her water bowl and splashes her when she tries to drink.” Catherine shook her head. “Duchess doesn’t like it. She’s never hurt him, but she’s always batting him away. I’m worried that she might scratch or bite him.”

Mia didn’t want Boone to get hurt, but she had to hide a smile. Nonna Kate was right. Duchess
could
take care of herself.

“And with all the brushing and the special food, she’s more work than I can handle.” Catherine took a deep breath as she poured tea into three cups. “I asked my friend Annette for advice since she has lots of experience with Persians. In fact, she has three of them. And … well, it turns out that Annette might be interested in Duchess! She’d love to come over and meet the cat—and you—if you think it’s okay.”

Mia swallowed. Three cats? She looked at Mom.

“I can see you need to think about it,” said Catherine. “Let’s sit and have a cup of tea while we talk. Mia, Duchess is in the guest room if you’d like to say hi. I thought it might be best to keep her and Boone separate for now.”

Mia went down the hall to the guest bedroom. She wondered where Boone was. It would be fun to play with him again. But right now, she needed to see Duchess. Somehow she knew that the pretty Persian needed her.

Mia opened the guest room door and peeked in. The white cat was curled up in her crate with the door open. Mia slipped inside the room, careful this time to make sure Boone wasn’t trying to get in, too. “Hey, Duchess.” Mia knelt down and held out her hand. Duchess blinked and yawned as she sniffed Mia’s outstretched fingers.

The girl is back. It’s good to see her. At least she isn’t always in my face like that little kitten.

As Mia gently scratched Duchess behind the ear, she thought about Annette and her three cats. It was obvious that Duchess wasn’t a good match for Catherine and Boone, but would Annette’s family be right for her? Wouldn’t it be hard for Duchess to get the special attention she needed in such a crowded house? It wasn’t fair to bounce Duchess from home to home.

Mia took a deep breath. Suddenly, she knew there was something important she had to say. She had to speak up. Duchess’s happiness depended on it. She went back into the living room where Mom and Catherine were still talking. She waited until there was an empty moment in the conversation. “Um,” she said. She took another deep breath. “I think maybe Duchess should come home with us. I think we need to find Duchess a home where she is the only cat.”

Mom raised an eyebrow, then smiled at Mia. She nodded slowly. “You know, honey, I think you’re right.”

Catherine smiled and nodded, too. “I think Duchess is lucky to have such a good friend who understands what she needs. My friend will be disappointed, but Annette loves cats, just like you do. She’d want whatever is best for Duchess.”

Once again, Mom and Mia loaded Duchess’s carrier into the van and drove home.

“I’m proud of you for speaking up, Mia,” Mom said as she turned down their street. “But now we have another problem.”

“What do you mean?” Mia asked.

“What are we going to do with Duchess during your party tomorrow? She won’t like all those kids running around and yelling.” Mom glanced at Mia in the rearview mirror.

“I’ve got that all figured out,” Mia said. “We just have to ask a favor.”

“A favor? From whom?” Mom asked.

“From someone who loves and understands cats,” Mia said.

Mia ducked under pink and purple party streamers as she carried Duchess up the stairs to the second floor of their brownstone building the next morning. Michael was right behind her with Duchess’s pillow and comb and a day’s worth of food piled in his arms.

“Nonna Kate!” Mia called as she knocked on the wooden door. “We’re here.” Duchess mewed and fidgeted in Mia’s arms.

What’s going on? Is she going to drop me? I don’t really fit in this girl’s little arms.

“Hold on, Duchess,” Mia said soothingly. “You’ll have a good time today with Nonna Kate. It’ll be
quiet and you won’t have to run away from all the kids downstairs.”

“You’re lucky, Duchess,” Michael said. “I wish I could hide from a houseful of third graders, too.”

Mia scowled at her brother just as Nonna Kate opened the door.

“Well, hello,” Nonna Kate said. She smiled at the cat in Mia’s arms.

“Hi, Nonna Kate. Thanks so much for taking care of Duchess today.”

“Anytime, really,” said Nonna Kate. “We have a big day planned, don’t we, Duchess?” She took Duchess from Mia and began to pet her. Mia saw Nonna Kate’s long, glossy nails run through the fluffy hair under Duchess’s chin, and she heard Duchess purr in contentment. Duchess stretched out one paw and squeezed her eyes shut happily.

Now that’s nice. This person knows how to hold me. And she knows how to give a good scratch, too. Nice, soft, and slow.

“Thanks, Nonna Kate,” Michael said as he dropped Duchess’s stuff by the sofa. “We’ll come and get her after the party.” Then he turned to Mia. “Come on. We still have lots to do!”

Mia waved and hurried down the stairs. Her friends would be there any minute!

It wasn’t long before the party was in full swing and the backyard was filled with music and laughter. Mia had just taken her turn at hitting the giant lion piñata when Michael called her inside. “You have another guest,” he said, tilting his head toward the front hallway.

Mia looked curiously at the kitchen clock. She thought all her friends were already there. Whoever had just arrived was really late!

Then she saw Mom talking to someone in the front hall. “Mia!” Mom called. “Logan is here. I was just talking to Mrs. Barrow. Come say hi.”

Logan? That was a surprise. When she stepped into the hall, she saw Logan standing there, still
in his soccer uniform, shin guards and all. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey. Sorry I’m late,” Logan said. “My game ended early, so we came straight from the park. I knew from your map at school that it was close.” He smiled and thrust a present toward her. The wrapping paper was covered with soccer balls. “Here. Sorry it’s not cat wrapping paper. They didn’t have any at the store.”

“Thanks,” Mia said. She smiled at him. Logan was okay. “Guess what?” she asked. “We had to take Duchess back from my mom’s friend. That didn’t work out so well. Her kitten was too much for Duchess. Now we’re looking for someone who wants only one cat so she can get tons of attention. Do you want to see her? She’s right upstairs, with our neighbor.”

“Sure,” said Logan.

Mia led Logan up the stairs. She knocked lightly on Nonna Kate’s door. “Nonna Kate? Are you there?”

“Come on in,” Nonna Kate called. “The door’s open, sweetheart.”

Mia cracked the door open and saw her neighbor sitting on the couch with Duchess sprawled out by her side.

“Nonna Kate, this is Logan. He’s the one who told us about Duchess. He wanted to see her.”

“Hi,” Logan said with a nod. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” Nonna Kate looked down at Duchess. The Persian leaned into Nonna Kate’s hand, lifting her chin a little to show Nonna Kate just where to scratch.

A nice, easy afternoon on the couch. I hope I can stay here. It sounds noisy downstairs, and I really would like to take a nap.

Mia thought Duchess seemed more relaxed than she had ever seen her. Every once in a while, Duchess’s ear would flick back at the sound of an
excited scream from the backyard, but she seemed happy on the couch.

Logan knelt down to let Duchess smell his hand. “Hey, Duchess, I hope you find a good home,” he said.

“Oh, she will,” Nonna Kate assured him. “She’s a lovely cat and she’d be a good friend and companion. Anyone would be lucky to have her.”

“Hey, Mia!” Michael called from downstairs. “It’s time for cupcakes!”

Mia smiled at the thought of the frosted kitties on the chocolate cupcakes they’d bought for the party. She had her eye on a white cat with bright blue eyes, and she couldn’t wait to blow the candle out and make a wish. She smiled at Duchess, who was purring loudly as Nonna Kate softly stroked her silky fur. This year, Mia had a feeling she could make her wish come true.

Mia loved having cupcakes for her birthday—especially cat cupcakes! Mom put one pink candle in the middle of Mia’s, right on top of the cat’s nose. As Mia blew out the flame, she crossed her fingers and made her wish.

The cupcakes from Mrs. Lopez’s bakery were delicious. Everybody loved them—except Michael, who was eating a black-and-white cookie instead. Mia had asked Mom to order one just for him.

After cake, Mia opened her presents. Carmen gave her a cool rain forest poster with a jaguar playing in the river. It made Mia think of Boone jumping in his water bowl. Wilson, her friend from art class at the rec center, gave her a
jewelry-making kit. She got lots of games, a DVD, and some cute rain boots. But Mia’s favorite present came from Logan. He gave her two books:
500 Cool Cat Facts
and
500 Stunning Shark Facts.