Chapter 13 #2
Its fur was a bit matted, but overall, the kitten looked fine. “Scrappy little thing, aren’t you?” George muttered, tugging off one glove to dare a small stroke of one hand over the tabby’s back and side, which he told himself was just to double-check that it was alright.
The kitten stared at him with clear indignation. “What am I supposed to do with you now?” George grumbled, already mentally calculating how much of his day he’d lost to the Great Christmas Kitten Rescue.
The tiny creature’s only response was to bat at the sunglasses hanging from the pocket of his shirt.
“Probably ought to take it back to Mabel, yeah?” Jackson suggested, coming up to scratch the kitten behind its ears. To George’s annoyance, the kitten immediately began to purr.
“I guess I don’t have much choice,” George sighed. He glanced at his watch. “So much for working on the gazebo today.”
“I’ll come with you,” Jackson said quickly. “I’ve been meaning to stop by the toy shop anyway.”
“To see Vanessa?” George raised a bushy eyebrow, and Jackson rolled his eyes.
“It’s not as if us dating is a secret, Lowery. It’s been a year. Yeah, I’m going to go see my girlfriend. You’re going to see yours, might as well make it a double date.” He grinned wolfishly, and George rolled his eyes.
“Mabel’s not my girlfriend. You’ve been standing in a hot kitchen for too long.
Come on, let’s get this over with.” He looked down at the kitten, who had settled down in the crook of his arm.
The sight of the ball of fluff curled up so comfortably there made his chest feel a bit odd.
“Let me grab a box or something to put this little monster in while we ride over.”
“I think it likes you,” Jackson observed, glancing at the now-purring kitten.
“It’s just cold,” George insisted, although he found himself absently stroking the soft fur. “Cats don’t like anyone. They just tolerate people who feed them.”
It didn’t take more than a few minutes to find a small cardboard box in the back of the office, and George dug out an old flannel he used when working around the farm, one he wouldn’t mind doing without.
It was well-worn and just about to the point of being used for rags, anyway.
He lined the box with it, and carefully placed the kitten inside.
It immediately tried to climb back out, tiny paws scrabbling at the edges.
“Oh no you don’t,” George said, gently pushing it back down. “You’ve caused enough trouble for one day.”
The kitten looked up at him with what could only be described as betrayal in its eyes, letting out a soft, pitiful meow that made George feel unreasonably guilty.
“Fine,” he relented, picking the kitten back up and tucking it inside his jacket pocket. “But just until we get to the truck.”
Jackson smirked but wisely said nothing as they locked up the office and headed out to George’s pickup.
True to his word, George plopped the kitten back into the box once they were in the truck, handing it to Jackson to hold on the ride over.
As a result, every few minutes Jackson had to scoop up the kitten as it tried to escape and put it back in the box, as it tried to get back to the warmth of George’s jacket.
“You’re a menace,” George told it, but there was no heat in his words. The kitten merely blinked at him from the edge of the box, paws curled around the cardboard.
Main Street was bustling with holiday shoppers, and it took several minutes to find a parking spot. George finally wedged his truck between a minivan and a Jeep, one with reindeer antlers on the hood, and the other with a Christmas wreath hanging from the tire on the back.
“Shopping season’s in full swing,” he muttered as they headed toward The Toy Chest. Mabel’s Christmas displays were out in all their festive glory, lights twinkling from the window displays and door, a huge wreath on the front door, and an elaborate window display featuring animated elves in the largest one.
George wrinkled his nose, remembering the elf-themed prank Mabel had played on him the year before, but he somehow couldn’t stop a smile from springing to his lips.
“Can’t complain,” Jackson said cheerfully. “We’re busier than ever at the diner. And you’re doing pretty good yourself, I hear.”
“Can’t argue with that.” He really couldn’t.
He’d been having his most profitable year so far, although there were times when he missed the years gone by, when Fir Tree Grove hadn’t been such a draw for tourists, and the Christmas season had felt cozier and more belonging to the town, and only the town.
But still, he didn’t mind it all that much.
It was good for business, and it was nice to see the town thriving.
The bell over the door jingled merrily as they walked in, Jackson handing the box containing the kitten to George.
George scooped the kitten out immediately, certain that he needed to keep ahold of the little thing.
The interior of the store was even more crowded than the street outside, with parents and children filling the space and making a long line at the register.
Perfume and cologne mingled with the scent of pine from the Christmas tree and the cinnamon spice scent of the wax warmer on the counter.
Next to him, Jackson hummed along to “Jingle Bells” as they waited, the song that was currently playing from the store speakers.
He saw Mabel behind the counter immediately, her gray curly bob pulled back with a tartan headband as she rang out customer after customer.
On her other side, Vanessa was quickly wrapping gifts—a large teddy bear, at this particular moment.
She was wrapping with a speedy precision, with crisp corners and perfect bows despite her pace.
“Look at her go,” Jackson said with a grin. “She’s a pro at this.”
George chuckled, focusing on holding onto the squirming kitten in his arms. He was certain by the time they made it to the register that there had to be at least three new holes in them.
“George!” Mabel exclaimed as he and Jackson walked up. “What are you doing here—oh.” She shook her head as she caught sight of the kitten in his arms. “How on earth—”
“I think this belongs to you.” George held out the squirming bundle. “Little rascal had it in his head to become a Christmas tree topper.”
“A what?” Mabel’s eyes widened.
“Found the little beast atop my Christmas tree in the office,” George said matter-of-factly. “No idea how it got there though.”
“Oh my goodness! All the way over there?” Mabel stroked the kitten’s head, scratching behind its ears. The kitten immediately started purring, curling against her chest as she crooned to it. “I feel awful, I didn’t even realize she was gone! We’ve been so busy—-”
“Well, the little rascal made it back safe and sound,” George said gruffly. “She might reconsider her life choices after this.”
“Poor little thing,” Mabel crooned. She broke off, looking up at George with a sudden light in her eyes. “That’s perfect!”
George frowned. “What is?”
“The name! Rascal! It suits her perfectly. I hadn’t gotten around to naming her yet, but that is just—”
“You name her, you’re going to end up keeping her,” George muttered. “And you’re way too busy for a kitten, Mabel.”
Mabel sighed, still petting the kitten. It meowed loudly, over the din of the store, as if in agreement.
“See? That’s settled.” George shrugged. “You’ve got to find a home for her. Or see if any room’s opened up at the closest shelter.”
Mabel sighed. “I am too busy, but…” She bit her lip. “The holiday season has been crazy this year. Even more so than normal. But she’s such a sweet little thing—”
She looked up again suddenly, that same bright light in her eyes. George shook his head.
“Oh, no. I can see when you’re cooking something up, Mabel Stewart, and I am not—”
“I’ve had a brilliant idea,” Mabel gushed, cutting him off.
“We can share joint custody of Rascal! She really seems to have taken to you too, or she wouldn’t have gone all the way over to the farm!
That way I’m not overloaded with caring for her, and you can get some time with her too. It’d do you good.”
“That’s a perfect idea!” Vanessa piped up, clearly listening in as there was a lull in customers needing to be rung up and their gifts wrapped. “Rascal can spend the day at the farm, and then be at Mabel’s house at night.”
“She did look pretty at home on top of that Christmas tree,” Jackson added. “Sounds like a good solution all the way around to me.” He glanced at Vanessa, and George didn’t fail to see the knowing look that passed between them. He had a feeling he and Mabel were being set up.
“That’s absolutely ridiculous,” George protested. “A cat is the last thing I need around the place. We’ve already established what a little rascal she is. That’s all I need—her underfoot, running in and out, worrying about if she’s going to get out of the office…”
“I think she’d be perfectly happy curled up by the fire with a toy or two,” Mabel said. “And she seems to have taken a liking to your tree, like Jackson said.”
“She’s not going to just lay in front of the fire.” George rolled his eyes. “What if something happens?”
“Honestly, it’s better than her being here in the shop, where she could run out right onto Main Street. I’ll pick her up after work every day,” Mabel promised.
George ran a hand over his beard, eyeing her. “I think this sounds like a heap of trouble.”
“Think of it as making amends,” Mabel suggested, her eyes twinkling mischievously. “After all, your pranks over the years have been quite an inconvenience. This could be your way of making things right.”
“My pranks?” George scoffed. “What about yours? The time you filled my truck bed with ping pong balls? Or when you filled my work boots with shaved ice? There was that one time when you frosted the entire office desk with Silly String, and I still don’t know how you got in—”
Mabel had the grace to look slightly abashed, although her smile didn’t dim.
“Fair point,” she conceded. “But may I remind you that I broke my wrist last time I pulled off a prank? Stringing those elves on your Christmas tree that you’d set aside for Cindy and Neil?
I had to have my granddaughter move here just to help me recover… ”
Jackson snorted, and Vanessa covered her hand with her mouth, clearly barely holding back her laughter. Jackson was red-faced, his lips pressed together as he struggled too.
“She’s right,” Vanessa finally managed, shrugging at George. “I did move here just to help her recuperate from a prank she pulled on you.”
“You do owe her. All that recovery time…” Jackson mused, and George shot him a dagger-sharp glare.
“It’s only fair,’ Vanessa added.
“Fine!” George threw up his hands, shaking his head.
The look on Mabel’s face was teasing, but underneath it, he thought he could see something slightly optimistic, and…
hopeful? He had a feeling she wanted to keep the kitten more than she’d let on.
And as annoying as the elf prank had been, he did feel bad that she’d hurt herself on account of it.
“I’ll help with Rascal. You supply all the things she needs,” he added, narrowing his eyes at Mabel. “I’m not going cat-shopping.”
“I have everything she could possibly need,” Mabel agreed. “Just come by and pick her up in the mornings. The store’s usually at peak around eleven and then again in the afternoon after lunch. I’ll come get her after I close up, like I said.”
“Fine,” George repeated. “But not today. I’ve got pickups here soon that I need to get back to. It’s busy at the farm too, you know.”
“I’m sure it is,” Mabel said brightly. “Tomorrow morning, then? About ten or ten-thirty?”
“Sure.” George looked at the kitten, who had settled right down in Mabel’s arms. He had to admit, it was a cute little thing. But an annoyance, he reminded himself. One that he’d agreed to… babysit? Kitten-sit?
As he said his goodbyes and headed back out to the truck, leaving Jackson there to make lunch plans with Vanessa, he couldn’t believe what he’d just agreed to. The cold air hit his face as he stepped outside, jolting him back to reality, and he shook his head.
He’d just agreed to co-parent a kitten with Mabel Stewart. His friend—and prank nemesis—for the last… he couldn’t even count how many years now.
“I’m getting soft,” he muttered, climbing into his truck. The kitten was nothing but an inconvenience, and now he’d agreed to make it partially his problem. Something he’d have to watch out for and manage in the middle of the busy season.
He glanced back at the store, window, seeing Mabel showing the kitten to a delighted little girl, who reached up to pet the tiny thing. He watched the child’s face light up, and his heart softened, just a little.
Rascal clearly made Mabel happy. This could be his Christmas gift to her, he decided, helping her make it so that she could keep the little beast. And, he thought to himself as he pulled back out onto the snowy road—he couldn’t pretend that he didn’t like the idea of being able to see Mabel more often, without the bother of having to prank her.
Actually, he didn’t mind it one bit.