e9c12ac8d703d9a536f23183edf8b22c

Vesta looked up at this, and when she saw that two cats were seated outside on the windowsill, and had presumably heard everything with their very keen ears, she arranged her features into an expression of grim determination.“Looks like you’re in for it, buddy boy. If they know, the whole town knows—or at least the cat contingent.” She opened the window to let her cats in. “How long have you two been sitting there and how much have you heard?”

“We’ve been sitting here since you two started arguing,” said Max, “and we heard every word you said.” He directed a curious glance at Tex. “So what’s going on?”

Both cats looked up at her, eager to find out more, but since Vesta had sworn a solemn oath not to divulge her son-in-law’s secret, and she intended to keep her promise, she said, “I’m sorry, fellas. But I’m afraid my lips are sealed.”

Dooley directed a keen look at her lips.“They look fine to me,” he said.

“I promised Tex I wouldn’t tell anyone, and I’m not going to break that promise now.”

“But… you have to tell us, Gran,” said Dooley, who clearly couldn’t imagine a world in which Vesta didn’t tell her cats all.

“I’m sorry.” She glanced up at Tex, who was looking like death warmed over now.

“What do they say?” asked the doctor in a small voice.

“They’ve heard everything, but they have no clue what we were talking about,” she said and watched as relief vied with worry on the man’s face.

“Maybe we should tell them,” he said finally. “After all, they’re bound to find out sooner or later.”

“Are you sure?”

He bit his lip for a moment, then nodded. “Maybe it’s for the best. But ask them to keep it to themselves for now. I’m not ready to tell the world yet.”

“All right,” she said, and placed a comforting hand on the man’s back. “If you say so.” So she took a deep breath, and turned to her cats, who were staring at her with wild anticipation in their eyes. “You probably already know that Odelia’s dad is facing a huge problem.”

“We know,” said Dooley, with appropriate solemnity in his voice. “He’s an alcoholic.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yes, we’ve seen how much he drinks, and we know he’s in line for an intervention,” Dooley continued. “Only question is, where are we going to send him?”

“Exactly,” Max agreed. “The Betty Ford clinic must be very expensive, and after the whole house remodel I don’t think we’ve got that kind of money left in the family coffers. So maybe we’re going to have to settle for one of the less established but also less expensive places.”

Vesta shook her head and pressed her eyes closed for a moment.“Who have you told about this… alcoholism business?”

“Well, um… everybody,” said Max.

“No, we didn’t tell…” Dooley thought for a moment, then smiled. “No, Max is right. We told everyone.”

“In other words, the whole town now thinks that Tex has a drinking problem.”

Tex looked up at these words.“What?”

She turned to her son-in-law.“The cats think you are an alcoholic, and they’ve told everybody.”

“Oh, no!” said Tex, slapping a hand to his brow.

“It’s all right, Tex,” said Dooley, placing a comforting paw on the man’s arm. “We’re here for you. You’re going to get through this, with a little help from your family.”

“Yes, Tex. You just have to be strong and try to kick this awful habit,” Max chimed in, also placing a helpful paw on the man’s arm and starting to knead it gently.

“Why are they doing that?” asked Tex, staring down at his arm.

“They’re telling you to be strong, and that they’re here for you,” said Vesta with an amused smile.

“I’m not an alcoholic, all right?!” Tex cried, shaking off both paws and turning on the cats.

“But… we saw how you drank no less than five glasses of wine last night during dinner,” said Dooley.

“And how you behaved so strangely when your house was burgled by Johnny and Jerry,” added Max.

“They saw you drink five glasses of wine last night and now they think you’re an alcoholic,” Vesta quickly translated the cats’ words for human consumption.

“I know I drink too much!” said Tex, carefully enunciating his words, as if that would make them more understandable to Max and Dooley.

“They can hear you perfectly fine, Tex,” said Vesta. “You don’t have to shout.”

“I’m not shouting. I just want to explain.”

“Look, the thing is that Tex… is facing a midlife crisis,” said Vesta.

“A midlife crisis?” asked Tex.

“What else do you want to call it?”

“Oh, all right. A midlife crisis it is. Though I’m not sure I’ve already reached that age.”

“Tex, you’re forty-eight. In fact you’re probably a late bloomer as far as midlife crises go.”

“What is a midlife crisis, Max?” asked Dooley.

“It’s when a human reaches a certain age and starts to question if the road he or she took in life has been the right one,” Max explained.

“Exactly,” said Vesta. “So now Tex is wondering if he should have been a doctor after all. Cause he recently discovered that he has a different passion, and it’s made him doubt his chosen profession. Isn’t that right, Tex?”

“Yes, that’s true,” said Tex morosely as he placed his empty cup in the sink. “It all started with Sam.”