Baker's Dozen by Lori R. Taylor

Author:Lori R. Taylor [Taylor, Lori R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sean Platt

Chapter Fourteen

Maeve’s garden wasn’t big, but there were lots of new smells out here, from the blooming flowers at the end of the garden, to the creeping vines along the back fence and the bugs that flitted about inside them. The dirt smelled so good, Baker got excited and started digging a hole in the corner, even though she didn’t have anything to bury there yet.

Then she wondered if Maeve was going to get mad that she'd ruined her grass?

But Maeve just sat on the back porch, sipping on a drink, occasionally smiling or tilting her head back so the sun shone on her face.

“Isn’t it a lovely day?” she asked. “Nice to have a break. We’ve been working so hard.”

Baker barked and carried on digging up the dirt.

Maeve kept her distance. That was good, but sometimes Baker wished she’d pet her.

She buried her nose in the dirt and snuffled it. There was a smell below, something strange and damp. She chewed on the dirt and scratched some more. What was it? Something tasty.

“Oh, hello Macavity,” Maeve said.

The cat sat on the fence, glaring. Baker lifted her snout and barked at him, shaking her rear-end this way and that, leaping and pawing the ground. Do you want to play?

Macavity turned away, lifting his tail into the air. Play with this, peasant.

Annoying creature. But that was fine. Baker could handle a cat, as long as he didn’t do anything stupid, like peeing on the fence or attacking Maeve.

Then she would have to chase him up a tree. Which would be great fun, but she wasn’t sure how Maeve would feel about it.

Baker scraped her paws through the dirt, but she couldn’t find the source of that thick, moist smell. Finally, she gave up and trotted back to the steps.

Maeve stiffened for a moment, then relaxed and smiled. “Look at you. If you keep making a mess, I’m going to have to give you a bath.”

She shook herself, splattering the porch with dirt. A glob of it landed in Maeve’s cup.

She gasped and stared into it.

Baker tensed. The shouting would start. There was a stick nearby. What if she—?

But Maeve burst out laughing. “Now, you need a bath, and I need a shower.”

Baker didn’t like baths. The water was always too hot or too cold, and the soap stung when it got in her eyes. And when she struggled, people would tie her up so she couldn’t run.

But maybe it would be different with Maeve.

“All right, I bought some stuff to wash you with. Be right back.”

Baker wandered around the garden, sniffing at things while Maeve was gone. Macavity planted his furry butt on the top of one of the fence posts.

I’m the king of this castle, he meowed.

She barked back. A king who steals chicken and tries to spray things.

Macavity turned his head away.

Why don’t you come down here and say that to my face?

He didn’t respond, but lifted a paw and set about cleaning his claws. Somehow, he didn’t lose his balance and fall off the fence, because of course he wouldn’t.

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