Chapter 21
Clarice looked up at the strange dude next to her. “Why are you dressed like a bumblebee, my man?” she asked.
Unfortunately for her, he was one of those strong, silent types who don’t talk much. Though even the strong part was questionable, since he looked more mushy than muscular.
The bumblebee guy sighed. “Isn’t this pretty?” he said. “Isn’t this the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen, Clarice?”
Clarice looked up sharply. How did this weird dude know her name? Then again, if he was a resident of this town, he might have seen her around, as had most people.
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” she said, though frankly, she could take or leave the ocean. All she cared about was finding a new home, and she wondered if this guy had a nice one.
“Do you have a house, buddy?” she asked.
She sniffed and thought she detected the scent of dog on him, which probably meant he wasn’t much of a cat person. Most humans, in her experience, seemed to fall firmly into one camp or the other. He was definitely a bug person, though. Big-time.
“I like it out here at this time of night,” said the guy. “So peaceful and quiet. This is our time, isn’t it, Clarice? The time when we come alive?”
“I don’t know about you,” said Clarice, “but the time I come alive is when I sit on the couch next to my human and we watch the new season of The Bachelor together.”
An image of Scarlett’s face drifted before her mind’s eye, and a powerful sense of nostalgia hit her out of left field.
How was it possible? She, the strong spirit, the independent cat who didn’t get attached to anyone?
And here she had allowed herself to be bamboozled into thinking someone cared for her.
Of course that was all a ruse. A big, fat lie.
“Look, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I’m omnipotent or omniscient,” said the bug guy.
“But what I do know is that life is pretty sweet. Provided you’re allowed to bring out your true self.
And that is what I have discovered, Clarice.
And I think you will agree with me, as you are also an original soul.
That we all need to be true to ourselves. ”
“Sure thing, buddy,” said Clarice, who was starting to regret having taken a seat next to the guy. At first he had been pretty quiet, but suddenly he was starting to turn into a real chatterbox. “Whatever floats your boat.”
“I mean, just look around. This is the life, isn’t it? Being of service? Making your community safe?”
“If you really want to make your community safe,” she said, “you could join the Neighborhood Watch. Vesta and Scarlett do some really cool stuff together.”
And here she would never get to participate in any of that cool stuff ever again.
But then she steeled herself. She was not going to get all emotional.
She was going to be strong and seek out a new home.
Or, better yet, simply return to her old life of living in the woods, looking for food anywhere she could find it.
Nice big, yummy rats—just like the old days.
Though truth be told, she would have expected there to be more appeal to that dream than she was experiencing right now. Looked like life on Scarlett’s couch had made her soft.
Just then, suddenly another person arrived, and judging from the sound of their voice, it could only be Scarlett.
Of course, this could not be true. Scarlett would never look for her. Hadn’t she proven that by preferring to spend time with Dick Bernstein, of all people? But when she turned, she saw it really was Scarlett, and behind her, Clarice recognized Vesta and her four friends.
“You have some nerve!” Scarlett was saying, as she addressed the bug guy.
“What are you talking about?” asked the guy, who didn’t seem all that pleased that his peace and quiet had been so rudely interrupted by the arrival of the Neighborhood Watch.
“You are trying to steal my cat!” said Scarlett.
“I’m not doing anything of the kind,” said the bug man. “Clarice came to me, not the other way around.”
“Fat chance,” said Scarlett. “Clarice would never do such a thing, because Clarice belongs with me. Don’t you, honey?”
Clarice regarded her human suspiciously. What the heck was going on? First Scarlett had ignored her for weeks on end, spending all her time at the senior center while leaving her to languish alone in the apartment, and now, all of a sudden, she was claiming Clarice belonged to her?
“I don’t belong to anyone,” she told Scarlett coldly. “Least of all to someone who takes me for granted. So buzz off—and take your lies and empty promises with you.”
Scarlett must have realized that this was not going to be a walk in the park, for all of a sudden, she went down on one knee!
Was she going to propose to her now?
“Clarice, please!” said Scarlett. “I know I’ve been neglecting you.
I spent all of my time at the senior center, doing nails and nails and nails for Dick Bernstein.
So he could line his pockets and fool me into working for free.
And I’m sorry, all right? Honey, I love you, and I miss you, and I want you to come home. ”
“Right,” said Clarice dubiously. “Because that worked out so well the first time.”
Though truth be told, it had worked out pretty well.
She remembered all the treats that Scarlett had given her over the years, and all the delicious stuff she had gotten her.
And of course, the nights they had lain in bed, Scarlett reading a book and Clarice cuddled up against her. It had certainly been the best time.
But then she hardened her heart. This is what had gotten her into this situation in the first place: because she had gone soft. And had been lured by a bunch of false promises.
“Look, I’m a free agent again,” she told Scarlett. “Which means I don’t need any favors from the likes of you. So buzz off, bozo, and find some other fool to live with you.”
Vesta dutifully translated Clarice’s words, and Scarlett actually looked stricken. More stricken than Clarice had expected. Was it possible that she did have feelings for her? It was hard to believe.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, honey,” said Scarlett.
“And I promise that it won’t happen again.
This is all one big misunderstanding. I just figured that you hated the smell of all of that nail polish and the presence of all of those people.
So I left you at home while I went out. I know I should have talked about it with you, and I know that is my bad. Can you please forgive me?”
Clarice was starting to feel mighty uncomfortable. This kind of thing had never happened to her before. A human on her knees? Asking for forgiveness? It certainly was not her usual program.
“Look, I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” said Clarice. “But I think you’re making a fool of yourself now. I mean, where is your self-respect, woman? Just get up, will you? And stop sniveling and groveling.”
“She really is sorry, Clarice,” said Harriet. “She has told us all about it. How she misses you and how she was so worried when you didn’t come home tonight.”
“Yeah, she really loves you, Clarice,” said Dooley, who was possibly the nicest and sweetest cat in the world. “Won’t you forgive her and go home?”
Clarice stared at Scarlett, who was on two knees now and was actually crying.
Even though her heart was pretty hard and covered in calluses from living on the street all these years, and from being treated badly by many of the humans she had encountered, she couldn’t deny that the sight struck a chord in her.
In fact, it wasn’t too much to say that she felt touched to the core.
For a moment, she glanced out across the park behind them. It was reminiscent of the woods where she had spent so many years. Did she really want to go back to her old life? If she was honest with herself, the answer was a categorical no.
“There will be no more going off without me, all right?” she said, addressing her human in no uncertain terms.
“I promise to take you everywhere I go,” said Scarlett after Vesta had done the honors of translating her words. “Unless, of course, you don’t want to go.”
“And there will be no more canoodling with Dick Bernstein.”
“Hey! I never canoodled with Dick!”
Clarice grinned. “Just kidding. I know that. Just testing you.” She studied her human for a moment and realized that she was exactly that: her human.
For better or for worse, in sickness and in health.
In good days and bad, Scarlett was her human.
Looked like she wasn’t getting rid of her quite so easily.
“Okay, I forgive you,” she said finally. “But consider this a trial period, all right? Any more nonsense, and I’m out of here. Is that understood?”
“Understood,” said Scarlett, still teary-eyed.
“And now get up, woman. Have some dignity. Who grovels to a cat, for crying out loud?”
“A real cat lady,” said Vesta proudly. For some reason, she also had tears in her eyes.
“Oh, you guys are all way too soft,” said Clarice, but then she allowed Scarlett to pick her up and clasp her to her bosom, and she forgot all about running away from home.
Looked like she had been reeled in, and she didn’t even care.
Next to her, the Germinator was still seated, and if he was crying, it was hard to tell because of his mask. But when he spoke, it was in husky tones. “That was so beautiful. This is exactly what I want for this community: that we all love each other and hold hands and sing.”
“You can hold hands and sing all you want, buddy,” said Vesta, “but you’re not coming anywhere close to my hand.” She was eyeing him sternly. “What’s all this about you taking over the work of the Neighborhood Watch, huh?”
“Oh, but that was never my intention,” said the guy. “If anything, I thought I’d lighten your load a little. And the load that the police carry, of course.”
“Either you work with us,” said Vesta, “or you work against us. What’s it going to be?”
“I want to work with you,” said the guy fervently.
Vesta considered this and finally nodded. “Fine. Do you want to join the Neighborhood Watch?”
“Absolutely,” said the guy. “Does that mean that I can ride with you?”
“You can ride with us,” said Vesta. “You aren’t allergic to cats, are you? Because mostly we have cats in the car with us.”
“I am not allergic to cats,” said the guy. “Though I have to admit I’m more of a dog person.”
“That’s all right,” said Vesta. “We have dogs in the car, too, from time to time. Mainly Rufus and Fifi, who belong to my neighbors.”
“Are…” The man seemed nervous all of a sudden. “Are Rufus and Fifi in the car now?”
“No, they’re home.”
“Oh, good,” said the guy. “So are you on a mission?”
“Not right now, but we do have an important mission tomorrow. If you care to join us, this is a matter of life or death for my family.”
The guy stood straight. “I’m ready,” he said. “And I will do my very best not to betray your faith in me, Vesta.”
“Good. Drop by the house tomorrow at nine, and we’ll set out on your first mission with the Watch.” She inspected his costume. “Though you may want to dress down a little. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but you stick out like a sore thumb, buddy.”
“That’s because I’m the Germinator,” said the guy. “This is what I look like. So I’m afraid you will have to take it or leave it, Vesta.”
People rarely spoke to Vesta in this way, and they all waited with bated breath to see how the crusty old lady would respond. But finally, her lips creased into a smile, and she said, “I like your style. I think we’re going to get along just fine, Mr. Germinator.”