Tiddles

“Can you smell something burning,” Dad frowned and I said “Yeah.” It had the smell of cooking meat, as well as burning hair, Dad stopped the truck, lifted the bonnet… “Blimey look at that!” Something was mangled by the fan, looking like Mum’s cat. “Strike me pink” Dad shook his head, “Mum’s cat’s been on the motor. It’s been killed by the fan”; and we knew that Mum did dote her. Dad looked at me with steely eyes, “Get the spade and dig a hole, I’ll tell you now and only once… don’t tell a living soul”… … I was halfway through my tea, staying quieter than a mouse. Mum asked “Has anyone seen Tiddles? She’s not around the house.” All Mum got was puzzled looks, and the shaking of each head… Dad glared to remind me, ‘don’t tell a soul the cat is dead.’ Mum loved her cat so much; she’d have Tiddles on her lap out on the porch at evening time. Contented she would nap. I hated seeing Mum distressed, but Dad just acted bored, when Mum said, “I’ll write a note, with an offer of reward.” ‘Ten pounds for her return’; I thought that Mum would smell a rat, when Dad said “Make it twenty, if you really love your cat.” The Ad’s printed in the paper, in the column ‘lost and found.’ Dad said to me “I’m feeling guilty now, with Tiddles underground.” Dad let me drive the tractor while he spread the ragwort spray, and then blackberries copped a dose before they shoot away, he emptied out the tank and we went home to wash the gear. The Evans’ car’s parked in our drive… “What are they doing here?” Laughter’s in the kitchen; a joyous Mother’s voice did say “Young Misty here found Tiddles; she was hiding in their hay, no wonder she would not come home.” I watched Dad’s eyes and jaw. … Twenty quid, the cat is back… a box of kittens on the floor.