The Burden of Sparrows: A Novel by Debra Payne

Author:Debra Payne [Payne, Debra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mission Point Press
Published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

The Curse of Being Right

Tell me how cats can possibly shed so much, he thought to himself as he looked under the bed for his left slipper. The slipper, finally located, was covered with hair. Buddy brushed his hands over it to get the worst off, stuck it on, and wandered into the kitchen. He threw the cat hair into the trash, or tried, but most of it drifted past the garbage bin and landed on the floor. Never mind. The floor was dirty, anyway. Mags had managed to keep the dishes caught up, but the rest of the house was still a mass of disorganization and life.

Buddy had to pee, but Mags was in the bathroom, so he grabbed a cup of her mud and started to go outside in his robe. No one would notice if he just peed among the trees. Just as he opened the door, though, he heard steps outside. It was Carrie, and she had Ben with her. Before Buddy could think, he was peering at them through the screen door.

“Hey, Buddy,” she said as he stood there. She was smiling in a tentative way, and Ben was holding a box of doughnuts.

“Hey,” he said. “Mags will be right out. Come on in.”

“We can’t stay long, but I told Ben about all your cats, and he wanted to see them,” Carrie said. “Sorry we didn’t call first. I was supposed to work today, but someone wanted to switch with me so they could have tomorrow off. I thought maybe you guys would like some doughnuts.”

“I never turn down doughnuts,” Buddy said. “Let me get changed, though.”

“Did I hear the word doughnuts?” Mags hollered as she came around the corner. “Oh, my, you have your brother! Nice to meetcha, Ben!”

Buddy noticed Ben start to hang behind his sister, but Mags had a way of making anyone comfortable. Before long he was sitting at the table munching a nutty doughnut, although he remained quiet. Buddy went to the bathroom, returned to the kitchen, and swiped a plain one. He dunked it into his coffee. A few of the more outgoing cats came into the kitchen. Caesar made a move to get on the table, but Mags grabbed him and set him on the floor. Ben held out his hand, and the cat moved toward him.

“Ya like cats?” Mags asked.

“Yeah.”

“We do, but we couldn’t have any before, and the foster mom is allergic,” Carrie said.

“Yeah,” Ben repeated.

“I’m going outside,” Buddy said. He slipped past the table and headed out the front door.

Soon he would put the beans up, so he set some beer out for slugs to drown in. Things were coming along. Buddy bent to pull a few weeds. His back protested, but he knew if he kept at it he’d limber up. Grandpa always claimed that.

It was Saturday. He had two days to be outside, and it was supposed to be sunny but cool. He’d have time to do some of that tree counting today, maybe.

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