Rescue Me: An uplifting free short story from the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Patchwork Family by Cathy Bramley

Author:Cathy Bramley [Bramley, Cathy]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781398701588
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2020-06-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter five

Ethel watched them leave, Scamp pulling Fearne along one second and then stopping to sniff something interesting the next. She chuckled to herself; despite his age, he was like a puppy, full of playfulness and energy at the prospect of an outing. No sign of that arthritic hip today. He’d be worn out when they got back; he’d fall asleep next to her on the sofa and be out like a light for hours.

If it came to it, he’d like living with Fearne; and Fearne, Ethel reckoned, would enjoy his company. She was lucky to have Fearne next door. Plenty of people wouldn’t give an old dear like her a second glance.

Sadness gripped her heart. Her days living independently were numbered; you didn’t have to be Einstein to work that out. But acknowledging it didn’t make it any easier to accept.

She turned away from the window, grabbed hold of her walking frame, and headed to the kitchen. There was still tea in the pot so she poured some into a china cup and sat at the table with a pad and pen.

Every so often Ethel would have a clear-out; she wasn’t a hoarder and she prided herself on being able to put her hand on anything. Besides, she was thinking of John and Susan; keeping her affairs in order would make things easier for them. There’d be no messy business trying to work out where her money was. It wasn’t that she was maudlin; she was simply practical. And today she was going to get practical about Scamp.

She sipped her tea and picked up her pen …

Dearest Fearne,

As I sit and write this, you are out walking with Scamp in the winter sunshine and I’m perfectly fine. However, I’ve been thinking about my precious boy and what might happen to him if one day I’m not. I know I’m asking a lot but I’m entrusting Scamp’s future to you. I understand if you’d rather not adopt him yourself, but he is my closest friend and has shown me so much love over the last twelve years that I would rest easier knowing that you will make sure he goes to a loving home if necessary. If you could find it in your heart to look after him yourself until new owners can be found, I know he would be grateful, and so will I.

Ethel paused to blow her nose. ‘Silly old woman,’ she muttered to herself. She’d left detailed instructions with the solicitor about things like her preferred care home and her funeral wishes, even down to choosing the hymns, and hadn’t shed a tear doing that. But the thought of Scamp’s puzzled face, wondering what had happened to her, tore at her heart. She took a deep breath and carried on.

I’ll give you proper instructions when the time comes, but just to be on the safe side, all the vet’s paperwork is in the bureau in my front room and his food is in the cupboard above his water bowl.

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