Don’t Let Me Go(105)

“What kind?” she asked, too hopeful.

“Never mind. It’ll be a surprise. You’ll see.”





Billy



The pounding on his door nearly stopped Billy’s heart. He instinctively looked down at himself. He was still in bed. He was wearing his rattiest pajamas. He ran a hand through his hair. He hadn’t brushed it for days.

“Who is it?”

“Eileen Ferguson.”

She didn’t sound any happier. Her tone filled Billy’s sore gut with nails and ice.

“What do you want?”

“I came for Grace’s cat.”

Billy lay frozen for several seconds, then got up and made his way to the door. He breathed deeply three times before opening it.

She looked startled to see him. She actually took one step back. He must look a fright, he realized, with his black eyes turning yellow, and no make-up to hide the truth. But he didn’t have time to care about that now.

“You’re taking the cat?”

“It’s Grace’s cat.”

“Well. Yes. But she’s become accustomed to a certain standard of living. Are you going to take care of her?”

“Grace will take care of the cat.”

“Grace has no idea how. She’s never so much as fed her.”

“She’ll figure it out.”

Billy pulled a big, deep breath and thought about Jesse, and how he’d handle a situation like this.

“I am responsible for the cat,” Billy said evenly. “I can’t just hand you the cat. There’s more to the cat than just handing her over. She needs her litter box, and her litter. And the little scoop you use to clean it. And she needs her food and water dish, and her wet food, and her dry food, and her brush. And unless I get to instruct Grace in her proper care and feeding, the cat leaves this apartment over my dead body.”

Billy’s heart pounded as he waited for her reply, and it made him feel weak, as though he needed to sit down. He had no strength for a confrontation.

“Tell you what,” Eileen said, brushing back her hair the way she tended to do when angry. “You give me the cat. I’ll take her downstairs to Grace—”

“Why isn’t Grace in school?”

“None of your business. I’ll give the cat to Grace. And you put all that other stuff out in the hall. And I’ll come get it in…about…an hour. And that’ll give you time to write out a note for Grace about feeding and stuff.”

Billy blinked too many times, too quickly.

It had never occurred to him that he might have to give up the cat.

He called her with the special “psst” sound he used to announce the serving of wet cat food, and she came running. He scooped her up, turned her on to her back, and buried his face in the soft fur of her belly.

“Bye, kid,” he whispered. “Take care of yourself.”

He handed her over to Eileen, but the cat panicked and leapt down again. He picked her up and tried again. But she refused to be held by Grace’s mom.

“She doesn’t like you,” Billy said.

“That’s a load of horseshit.”

“She probably feels your anger. It scares her.”

“Just give her to me. I’ll hold tighter this time.”

“No,” Billy said. “Send Grace.”

“I’m not—”

“Stand right here and supervise if you want. But I either hand the cat to Grace or she doesn’t leave this apartment.”

Billy looked right into her eyes. She glared back at him, as if considering a suitable response — one that might or might not involve fisticuffs. Then she turned and stomped off down the stairs.

A minute later she stomped back up with Grace by her side. Billy’s heart fell to see Grace. She looked terrible. Downhearted and downright sick. Well, she must be sick, literally sick, or she wouldn’t be home from school.

She padded up to his open doorway in her bare feet, looking up at him with her face open and soft.

“Please, Mom,” Grace said, her voice breaking Billy’s heart. “I’m worried Billy’ll be too lonely without the cat. Please?”

“Just take the cat,” her mom said. “You’re always complaining how I won’t let you keep your cat and I won’t let you see your friends. Take the damn cat.”

Billy bent down and placed the cat in her waiting arms.

“Take her,” he said. “It’s OK.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “You sure you won’t be too lonely without the cat?”

“I’ll be OK.”

Then Grace’s mom grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her along the hall and down the stairs.

Billy closed the door and gathered up everything that belonged to Mr. Lafferty the Girl Cat, attaching sticky notes to each item to indicate when it was to be used and how. Then he stacked it all in the hallway outside his door. As a final afterthought, he dragged out the plywood dance floor, managing to lever it up at a sharp angle to get it through the door.

Then he put himself back to bed, listening as it was all dragged and carried away.

It was lonely without the cat.

? ? ?

Twelve lonely days later, Rayleen announced that Jesse would be flying home soon.