Maggsie McNaughton's Second Chance by Frances Maynard

Author:Frances Maynard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

27

Woman’s World, 12 September 2018

Five Ways to Be a Better Neighbour!

Trudie still left her door open. So my cat could come in. In her dreams. She had a toy cat now at the bottom of her bed. A black one, all curled up. Made me jump, first time I saw it. Reckon it was to lure Audrey in.

Funny Trudie hadn’t tried to make a pet of Audrey herself. Big Shirl said she had put scraps down a couple of times when she first came. Didn’t keep it up, though. And scraps, not pilchards. Shirl said Trudie didn’t like hanging round outside longer than it took to smoke a fag because of the cold. On account of her ruddy years in Greece. So I’d done the hard work with Audrey and Trudie was muscling in.

Twice I found Audrey’s beanbag moved to the edge of my bed and no sign of Audrey. Trudie didn’t even deny she’d been in my room. Looked up from tapping at her screen. Showing off she had a tablet. Showing off she was good at computer stuff. Not that good, though, seeing as they’d landed her inside. Said she’d thought Audrey might like a bit of company. Might want to sleep on her bed. Yeah, with that manky hippie shawl draped over it, and the creepy toy cat. And no comfy beanbag specially for cats. Yeah, right.

Audrey was miaowing on the landing, Saturday. I was working my way through this week’s Woman’s World, fashion tips for the smaller woman, so I didn’t get up to call her in. I had my finger on a line. Then Puss, puss, puss, I heard. Miaowing from the other side of the wall. Audrey was in Trudie’s room. I threw down the Woman’s World. She was my cat! Then I sat back down. For one, fetching her back would stress Audrey out, for two, I was supposed to drag in poxy psychology. I folded my arms. Audrey strolling into someone else’s room, an old bag’s room, was like I didn’t matter, I suppose. Yeah. Wished I’d never got her tame enough to do it, though you might think that was petty.

At home our cat, Gingernut, Nutty, had liked me best. Tiny never sat still because of his ADHD, and Nella was always out. As for Mum, well, Mum preferred men. So Nutty sat on my lap. Always.

I went downstairs for a fag and a brew. While I was there I opened a new tin of pilchards. Pilchards have got a very strong smell. I was just getting Audrey’s dinner ready. Didn’t know she’d come racing down the stairs, did I?

After she’d ate the pilchard she followed me back upstairs. Into my room, tail with its white tip stuck up. Didn’t bother going back into Trudie’s. Looked like she’d never even heard of Trudie. I got her back without even raising my voice. That was psychology for you, if you asked me.

A few days later I headed straight upstairs after work for a wash and a lie-down.

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