Charlie the Kitten Who Saved a Life

‘No. You’re right, it isn’t. It’s very unfair. But we have to trust the doctors. There was apparently something slightly borderline in your blood test, which is why it’s taken longer than usual to hear back about it. They need to investigate it further. It might be nothing whatever to do with the leukaemia, but the biopsy is just to rule that out. Did Daddy tell you what he’s going to do?’

‘Yes, he’ll take me back with him on Sunday. That’s the only good thing about it. I can get away from this boring dump.’

‘You’ll have your biopsy done on Monday, and he’ll bring you back again.’ Laura paused, looking at Caroline’s face. ‘And if it’s OK with her parents, he’ll bring Grace back with you.’

‘Oh!’ She brightened up immediately. ‘Really? He didn’t say!’

‘No, well, he’s going to phone her mum and dad now, so he probably didn’t want to get your hopes up yet. But, well, I thought it would cheer you up to know that’s the plan. We’ll keep our fingers crossed, shall we?’

‘Yes. Oh, thanks, Laura! It’ll be so cool …’, and she was off again on a surge of excitement about having Grace to stay. Borrowing Laura’s phone, this time with her permission, she ran back upstairs to call her friend again.

Laura glanced at Nicky and shook her head. ‘It’s as if she’s forgotten about the possibility of the leukaemia recurring already! I hope I did the right thing, telling her about Grace.’

‘I think so. It’ll take her mind off it. I’m sure Sarah and Martin will agree to let her come – especially in the circumstances.’

‘Oh, Nicky!’ Laura said, wiping her eyes. ‘I’m so frightened for her. Please don’t let this be bad news. I can’t bear to think she’d have to go through all that again.’

‘Try to think positive,’ Nicky said, putting her arm round Laura. ‘At least you won’t have too long to wait. Come on, you need to be brave for Caroline now.’

‘And more patient with her.’

‘No. Then she’ll really worry that you believe she’s ill again!’ Nicky said, smiling. ‘I think it’s important for now that everything stays normal, don’t you? She waited a long time to be treated like a normal girl. Don’t change that now, unless you have to.’

They hugged each other then, and Laura wiped her eyes again and got up to make a cup of tea. I jumped up on Nicky’s lap. I wanted to be hugged too. I was just as worried about Caroline as they were, but I had nobody to talk to about it.

Julian took Nicky and Benjamin home that Sunday when he left with Caroline, who was looking pale and subdued now she knew the hospital appointment was the next day. Laura reminded her, as she kissed her goodbye, that she had Grace’s visit to look forward to, and she nodded and gave a little smile. For the next two days until Julian brought her back again with Grace, it was very quiet in the holiday cottage with just me, Laura and Jessica, apart from the times when Jessica was mewing at the top of her lungs, of course. Laura looked sad and worried, and seemed to keep forgetting I was there. I was very pleased to see Julian’s car arriving outside again when they came back.

‘How did it go?’ Laura said, the minute they walked in. I’d been shut in the kitchen, as usual, while the doors were opened and closed but I was listening from behind the kitchen door.

‘Fine,’ Julian said. ‘Caroline was very brave. We just have to wait for the result again now.’

‘Well done, Caroline,’ Laura said. ‘At least it’s all over now, and you’ve got Grace here to take your mind off it.’

‘My mind is off it,’ Caroline said. ‘I don’t want to think about it ever again. I’m not going to be ill again, and I’m not going back to that hospital anymore.’

‘Well, that’s a good attitude to have, but …’

‘Let’s go and play in my room, Grace!’ Caroline said without waiting for Laura to finish. ‘Come on, I’ll show you round!’

‘Where’s Charlie?’ I heard Grace say. ‘Can I say hello to him?’

Oh, at last! Someone remembered I was there! I meowed at her through the door, and then finally I was let out to join in the reunion.

‘Come on, Charlie, come upstairs with us!’ Caroline said, and all three of us bounded up to her bedroom, the two girls laughing excitedly.

‘I’m glad she’s OK,’ I heard Laura say a bit cautiously as we went.

‘Yes,’ Julian replied in a similar tone. ‘A bit over the top, though, if you know what I mean. All this hysterical excitement. I wonder if she’s covering up how she really feels.’

‘Scared?’

‘Yes. Of course.’

That night Caroline and Grace lay awake for half the night giggling, curled up together in Caroline’s bed. Every now and then I’d hear Julian or Laura saying ‘Shush! Keep the noise down! Go to sleep!’