senior center, passing Hermann who made a disgusted face at the traps, climbed into his car, and drove off.
“Frank is mad at us,” Aneta observed. “Hermann thinks our plan is terrible.”
Nadine finished inspecting the covered traps and approached the group. She blew out a breath. “I’m thinking you girls got carried away by your success in your first adventure.”
A rush of anger surged up from deep within Vee. She’d gotten her want-to ramped up to volunteer to save Dumpster cats nobody wanted. Hadn’t she offered her time when
everybody
—well, maybe not Nadine and Frank and Cat Woman and Hermann or Mrs. Sissy—but everyone
else
knew she was hitting the math books so hard they were hitting back. Not only that, she and the Squad—and
her
lists—were going to come up with ideas for the mayor’s beetle-y Helpful City Festival. The lists would be stellar, um, when she made some. Wasn’t that enough?
“We sure did,” Esther said. She shot a look at Vee. “I said we were rushing catching the cats.”
Cat Woman, standing like her spine was made of steel, snapped, “You got that right, and you still don’t have it right. You don’t
catch
community and stray cats. You have to
trap
them. What were you planning to do, sneak up on them while they were eating and invite them to jump into your pocket?”
Nadine held up her hands like a referee. “Okay, let’s get some perspective here. Would you girls agree that it would have helped the cats if you had thought this out better?”
Even while her mind was saying
yeah, but,
she heard her voice say yes along with the others. Her time to help was up for today. A piteous meow sounded from the curious kitten’s trap. She did want the curious kitten to find a spot.
With me.
The new, tiny thought jabbed her so hard she jumped.
Cat Woman humphed. “I’ve seen what do-gooders do. They don’t want to learn. They just want to do something fast and have people tell them they’re wonderful for helping the animals.”
Vee’s face warmed. “I have to go home now to meet the tutor. Then my dad’s picking me up for the weekend.”
Nadine appeared lost in thought, then as the girls started their good-byes, picking up messenger bags and backpacks, she began to walk toward her Toyota. “Sure, Vee. Good luck with your tutoring. Great job, girls. Be sure to keep Frank in the loop for the next step!” she called.
“Next step?” Sunny whipped her head to stare at Vee, mouth wide open. “Vee! She’s leaving.”
Aneta murmured something that sounded like, “Okay, God, now what do we do?”
Esther ran after Nadine. “Nadine! You forgot the cats!”
Nadine turned around and walked backward, her tanned face still smiling. “No, you’ve got all the plans.”
Yes, and that plan was to give the cats to Nadine and get home to Math Man
on time.
“Wait! Wait!” Vee chased after the two women. She had fifteen minutes to get home before Math Man showed up. “You can’t just
leave
them here with
us.
“
Chapter 14
Panic Time
F rank walked out the senior center door, glanced at the cat carriers and then at the girls. Esther stood, hands on hips. Aneta crouched by the traps, murmuring. Sunny bounced up and down, first looking at Nadine and Gladys, then at Frank and the girls. Frank watched his wife’s back. Suddenly he looked much more cheerful. Vee could not think why. This was
serious.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he passed each girl with a nod. “Let’s talk Monday on how it goes this weekend, okay? We still have to figure out what the other events are going to be.”
“Frank!” Esther was trying to sound bossy and only sounded scared.
“You cannot leave! The cats!” Aneta’s voice had tears in it.
“You guys! Don’t go!” Sunny stood absolutely still.
Frank opened the door behind the driver’s side for Gladys. She stiffly bent and got in. Then he went around to open the door for his wife, who stood on her toes and whispered something in
“Frank is mad at us,” Aneta observed. “Hermann thinks our plan is terrible.”
Nadine finished inspecting the covered traps and approached the group. She blew out a breath. “I’m thinking you girls got carried away by your success in your first adventure.”
A rush of anger surged up from deep within Vee. She’d gotten her want-to ramped up to volunteer to save Dumpster cats nobody wanted. Hadn’t she offered her time when
everybody
—well, maybe not Nadine and Frank and Cat Woman and Hermann or Mrs. Sissy—but everyone
else
knew she was hitting the math books so hard they were hitting back. Not only that, she and the Squad—and
her
lists—were going to come up with ideas for the mayor’s beetle-y Helpful City Festival. The lists would be stellar, um, when she made some. Wasn’t that enough?
“We sure did,” Esther said. She shot a look at Vee. “I said we were rushing catching the cats.”
Cat Woman, standing like her spine was made of steel, snapped, “You got that right, and you still don’t have it right. You don’t
catch
community and stray cats. You have to
trap
them. What were you planning to do, sneak up on them while they were eating and invite them to jump into your pocket?”
Nadine held up her hands like a referee. “Okay, let’s get some perspective here. Would you girls agree that it would have helped the cats if you had thought this out better?”
Even while her mind was saying
yeah, but,
she heard her voice say yes along with the others. Her time to help was up for today. A piteous meow sounded from the curious kitten’s trap. She did want the curious kitten to find a spot.
With me.
The new, tiny thought jabbed her so hard she jumped.
Cat Woman humphed. “I’ve seen what do-gooders do. They don’t want to learn. They just want to do something fast and have people tell them they’re wonderful for helping the animals.”
Vee’s face warmed. “I have to go home now to meet the tutor. Then my dad’s picking me up for the weekend.”
Nadine appeared lost in thought, then as the girls started their good-byes, picking up messenger bags and backpacks, she began to walk toward her Toyota. “Sure, Vee. Good luck with your tutoring. Great job, girls. Be sure to keep Frank in the loop for the next step!” she called.
“Next step?” Sunny whipped her head to stare at Vee, mouth wide open. “Vee! She’s leaving.”
Aneta murmured something that sounded like, “Okay, God, now what do we do?”
Esther ran after Nadine. “Nadine! You forgot the cats!”
Nadine turned around and walked backward, her tanned face still smiling. “No, you’ve got all the plans.”
Yes, and that plan was to give the cats to Nadine and get home to Math Man
on time.
“Wait! Wait!” Vee chased after the two women. She had fifteen minutes to get home before Math Man showed up. “You can’t just
leave
them here with
us.
“
Chapter 14
Panic Time
F rank walked out the senior center door, glanced at the cat carriers and then at the girls. Esther stood, hands on hips. Aneta crouched by the traps, murmuring. Sunny bounced up and down, first looking at Nadine and Gladys, then at Frank and the girls. Frank watched his wife’s back. Suddenly he looked much more cheerful. Vee could not think why. This was
serious.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he passed each girl with a nod. “Let’s talk Monday on how it goes this weekend, okay? We still have to figure out what the other events are going to be.”
“Frank!” Esther was trying to sound bossy and only sounded scared.
“You cannot leave! The cats!” Aneta’s voice had tears in it.
“You guys! Don’t go!” Sunny stood absolutely still.
Frank opened the door behind the driver’s side for Gladys. She stiffly bent and got in. Then he went around to open the door for his wife, who stood on her toes and whispered something in
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