Christmas at the Cat Cafe

On Tuesday, Linda appeared downstairs wearing loose-fitting trousers, a sweater borrowed from Debbie and comfortable shoes. With her blonde hair tied back and a Molly’s apron over her clothes, she bore more of a resemblance to Debbie, and sometimes I had to look twice to be certain which sister was which. She remained nervous whenever she had to use the till, but was relaxed and friendly with the customers, enthusing about the menu in a way that seemed genuine rather than pushy. ‘Have you tried the Cake Pops? Oh, they’re delicious!’ she gushed, before trotting proudly to the kitchen with her order pad.

As the week went on, her confidence grew, and Debbie seemed both surprised and gratified by her sister’s aptitude for the job. Working together gave them some common ground; for the first time since Linda had arrived, they had something to talk about other than Linda’s marital problems and whose turn it was to wash up. On Friday afternoon, when Linda slipped out, saying that she had an appointment she couldn’t miss, I was surprised to find that the café felt empty without her.

‘Now, Debbie, don’t be cross.’

I had been dozing in the window, but at the sound of Linda’s voice I jolted awake. It was dark outside, the café had closed and Debbie was cashing up the day’s takings behind the counter.

‘What? Why would I be cross? What’ve you got there, Linda?’ Debbie asked, a slight note of anxiety in her voice.

I looked sideways to see Linda standing on the doormat holding a large cardboard box. Smiling with excitement, she walked across the café and, with great care, placed the box on the counter.

‘I know you said no more gifts,’ she explained, ‘but I thought this would be the exception. It’s for the business really. I think it’s just what the café needs.’

I sat up on my cushion, wondering what the café could possibly need that it didn’t already have. I craned forward attentively as Debbie, with a look of trepidation, pulled the box towards her and flipped open its cardboard flaps. What I saw made my stomach contract: from inside the box, a pair of dark-brown, pointed ears appeared, quickly followed by the fine-boned face of a Siamese cat.

‘This is Ming!’ Linda exclaimed.

Debbie’s mouth had fallen open. Speechless, she stared at the cat, who was looking around in wide-eyed alarm.

‘Linda! What have you . . . ? You’re not – you can’t . . .’ Debbie stammered.

‘Now look, Debs. I know what you’re going to say, but just hear me out,’ Linda insisted. ‘I’ve been working here for a week, and I think you’re missing a trick. Molly and her kittens are lovely, of course, but they are – well, just moggies. I think it would really add to the café’s appeal to have something a little more exotic in the mix. You know, to give the customers something a bit special to look at.’

‘Linda, this is ridiculous,’ Debbie replied with a mirthless laugh. ‘We’re talking about cats, not . . . clothes, or soft furnishings. You can’t just throw a new cat into the mix. Our cats are a colony, for goodness’ sake. This . . . Ming . . . will be an outsider.’ She looked in desperation at the Siamese cat, whose disembodied, dismayed face was still peering out from between the box’s cardboard flaps.

As Debbie talked, Ming turned to face her and let out a throaty, plaintive yowl. Debbie raised her eyebrows in surprise at the noise, which was far deeper and louder than anything I or the kittens could produce. Her expression softened and she instinctively reached to stroke Ming between the ears. I watched with narrowed eyes, feeling the hairs on my back bristle with envy.

When Linda next spoke, her voice was wheedling. ‘Ming’s owners put an ad in the paper. They’re expecting a baby, so decided to rehome her. How anyone could give away such a beautiful creature is beyond me . . .’ Linda trailed off, leaving the thought of such wanton cruelty hanging in the air. ‘She’s two years old, and has been spayed and vaccinated,’ she added matter-of-factly, as if this would surely clinch the deal.

Debbie withdrew her hand from the box and began to rub her forehead in consternation. ‘But, Linda, it’s not that simple, is it?’ she frowned. ‘This is a cat café. What if Ming’s temperament doesn’t suit it here? She might hate living with other cats. And they might not like her.’

‘Well, okay, that’s a possibility,’ Linda shrugged dismissively. ‘But we won’t know till we try, will we?’ She looked shrewdly at her sister, sensing that Debbie’s resolve was wavering. ‘Why don’t you give it some time and see how Ming settles in? If she seems unhappy, then you can rehome her. But at least give her a chance. What’s the worst that can happen?’

I fixed my eyes on the back of Linda’s head, allowing images of the worst things that could happen – both to Ming and to Linda – to run through my mind.