trying to undo the buckle, which I know from experience can't be undone. "That buckle is frozen in place, isn't it? It's like it's fused. It's not coming off that way."
She runs a finger under the collar again and pulls it away from my neck to examine it more closely. I hold my breath in anticipation until she says, "It says 'Tom' in here. Is that your name? Tom?"
I purr up a storm. I rub against her like a madcat. I am one feline love machine.
Cassie laughs a weak little laugh. "Well, even if it's not, I guess you like it. Might as well be Tom from here on in. 'Cat' has always been too generic for my tastes, and you're my cat now, I guess, not Gran's."
Of course, that just sets her off crying again. It may be a while before I can get her to notice what a good Tom I am.
***
I hear the sobs starting to form in Cassie's voice as she talks into the phone, "But Daddy, I held the funeral off this long hoping that you and Jan would change your minds and come. I know you had a terrible relationship with her, but she was your mother."
A male voice responds, but I can't hear what he says.
"Fine. Be that way. Maybe you hate her, but you could be here for
me
!" Cassie flings the phone into the couch, where it lands with a whump.
I hear knocking and rush to the front of the shop to investigate. Cassie trails behind me slowly, laboring to get herself under control as she wipes away her tears.
Gilly waves at Cassie through the glass. Behind her, most of the female members of the coven stand in line with covered dishes and baked goods.
Cassie opens the door, protesting weakly, "You guys shouldn't have."
"We wanted to, sweetie. We know how much work it's going to be to sort out your grandmother's personal affairs, not to mention the house and shop." Gilly sets her basket on the shop counter and pulls Cassie in for a huge hug, rubbing her back to comfort her. "Plus, you'll need to feed people at the wake, so it's not all for you. Now, some of this will need to be refrigerated." Gilly lets her go. Cassie seems calmer now. "Do you want it in the kitchenette or the kitchen upstairs?"
"The kitchenette, I guess. I hadn't even thought about food. Even though I made the arrangements, it's so hard to keep remembering that she's gone." Cassie starts to mist up, and Gillian engulfs her again.
"There, there, sweetheart, you're such a good girl. Your grandmother was so lucky to have you."
From the back of the pack, I hear Natalie add under her breath, "With her poison personality, she was lucky to have anyone." Some of the others must have heard her, too, because they cough quietly to hide their titters.
"Come on, girls, let's get this stowed away in the back." Gillian leads the way, and the other food-bearers follow. I stay well out of the way of all those tramping feet.
Cassie and Gillian say goodbye at the shop door only a few minutes later, and Gillian adds, "Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything at all," as she releases her from a final hug.
Just as Cassie starts to lock up shop again, Kevin yoo-hoos as he bustles along the sidewalk from the café, heading toward her.
She waits as Kevin comes rushing up. He thrusts his hand out for her to shake, which she does, but with little enthusiasm.
"It's been years since I watched you play softball, but I always enjoyed cheering your team on. My father was a great friend of your grandmother—he's Robert Andrews, head of the town council?"
"Yeah, I remember you, Kevin. The shop isn't open yet." What I remember is she and her teammates used to giggle and make vomiting sounds on the phone about "Kreepy Kevin." He doesn't have children. He just gets off on watching teenage girls.
"Oh no, no. I don't need anything from the shop. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your grandmother. Eunice was important to the town. I interviewed her for an article about the store just the other day…I noticed you said "yet" about keeping the shop open. You're continuing with it,
She runs a finger under the collar again and pulls it away from my neck to examine it more closely. I hold my breath in anticipation until she says, "It says 'Tom' in here. Is that your name? Tom?"
I purr up a storm. I rub against her like a madcat. I am one feline love machine.
Cassie laughs a weak little laugh. "Well, even if it's not, I guess you like it. Might as well be Tom from here on in. 'Cat' has always been too generic for my tastes, and you're my cat now, I guess, not Gran's."
Of course, that just sets her off crying again. It may be a while before I can get her to notice what a good Tom I am.
***
I hear the sobs starting to form in Cassie's voice as she talks into the phone, "But Daddy, I held the funeral off this long hoping that you and Jan would change your minds and come. I know you had a terrible relationship with her, but she was your mother."
A male voice responds, but I can't hear what he says.
"Fine. Be that way. Maybe you hate her, but you could be here for
me
!" Cassie flings the phone into the couch, where it lands with a whump.
I hear knocking and rush to the front of the shop to investigate. Cassie trails behind me slowly, laboring to get herself under control as she wipes away her tears.
Gilly waves at Cassie through the glass. Behind her, most of the female members of the coven stand in line with covered dishes and baked goods.
Cassie opens the door, protesting weakly, "You guys shouldn't have."
"We wanted to, sweetie. We know how much work it's going to be to sort out your grandmother's personal affairs, not to mention the house and shop." Gilly sets her basket on the shop counter and pulls Cassie in for a huge hug, rubbing her back to comfort her. "Plus, you'll need to feed people at the wake, so it's not all for you. Now, some of this will need to be refrigerated." Gilly lets her go. Cassie seems calmer now. "Do you want it in the kitchenette or the kitchen upstairs?"
"The kitchenette, I guess. I hadn't even thought about food. Even though I made the arrangements, it's so hard to keep remembering that she's gone." Cassie starts to mist up, and Gillian engulfs her again.
"There, there, sweetheart, you're such a good girl. Your grandmother was so lucky to have you."
From the back of the pack, I hear Natalie add under her breath, "With her poison personality, she was lucky to have anyone." Some of the others must have heard her, too, because they cough quietly to hide their titters.
"Come on, girls, let's get this stowed away in the back." Gillian leads the way, and the other food-bearers follow. I stay well out of the way of all those tramping feet.
Cassie and Gillian say goodbye at the shop door only a few minutes later, and Gillian adds, "Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything at all," as she releases her from a final hug.
Just as Cassie starts to lock up shop again, Kevin yoo-hoos as he bustles along the sidewalk from the café, heading toward her.
She waits as Kevin comes rushing up. He thrusts his hand out for her to shake, which she does, but with little enthusiasm.
"It's been years since I watched you play softball, but I always enjoyed cheering your team on. My father was a great friend of your grandmother—he's Robert Andrews, head of the town council?"
"Yeah, I remember you, Kevin. The shop isn't open yet." What I remember is she and her teammates used to giggle and make vomiting sounds on the phone about "Kreepy Kevin." He doesn't have children. He just gets off on watching teenage girls.
"Oh no, no. I don't need anything from the shop. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am about your grandmother. Eunice was important to the town. I interviewed her for an article about the store just the other day…I noticed you said "yet" about keeping the shop open. You're continuing with it,
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