I would first like to apologize for the long wait; I finally decided that four reviews were enough to bring in the second chapter. (Plus writer's block) Second, I would like to apologize for the formatting bloopers of the first chapter, as I am still getting used to new software. Also, see first chapter's disclaimer stuff, because I'm not going to repeat it here. Here's the second chapter, enjoy.

THE CAT WHO HIT THE DECK

Written by: Reuai

Chapter Two

Qwilleran resisted the urge to hang up, and instead lifted the phone up to his ear and said in a mechanical monotone, "Edith. How lovely to hear from you. To what do I owe this unexpected call?" He made a point of avoiding the word "pleasure".

"Oh James we are simply beside ourselves here! Everything has been so confused ever since poor Miriam…" Qwilleran cut her off.

"Yes I can imagine, but that doesn't answer my question."

Edith continued on, seemingly unflustered. "Well, James, it has come to our attention that you recently came into a financial windfall, and that you've been living alone for quite some time…" Qwilleran cut her off again.

"Edith, I have been living alone since my marriage ended, and I came into my financial windfall several years ago, now what are you getting at?"

Edith gave a sigh. "Well, you remember Judith, right?"

Qwilleran winced at the memory of his ex-sister-in-law, whose vanity was only matched by her elitist attitude. "Yes, I remember Judith." He said.

"Well, you see, James," Edith plowed on. "Judith's ex-husband has been called overseas, and while she's vacationing in Europe I'm afraid that their daughter really has nowhere to…" For the third time Qwilleran cut her off.

"Edith, you can't mean what I think you do? Do you really expect me to play host to some kid I've never met from a family I thought I'd severed all ties with a lifetime ago?" He fought to keep his voice level.

"Oh but James, really, I mean it's the least you could do!" Edith's voice had just the right amount of indignation and accusation to send Qwilleran over the top.

"Now you listen here, Edith! When Miriam died I washed my hands of you people, and good riddance!" He thundered. "How dare you call me up out of the blue and try to push some unwanted kid off on me after all the misery you put me through?" He felt cold sweat beading his brow, and he wiped it away with a shaking hand.

When Edith spoke again after a long pause, she sounded grim and businesslike. "Just listen, James, Edward and I are long into our retirement. We rarely stay at home and have lived quite comfortably without the hassle of children for decades now. Now, neither of us have much time left, and we'd rather enjoy our last years in peace. Believe me, if my son-in-law had any family to speak of we'd send the girl there, but it's just not possible." She paused to let the information sink in before saying, "She really has nowhere else to go. Now, are you going to just leave her like this? You have plenty of money, and I daresay you'd have plenty of room. What's more, you live in a small town where there'll be no danger for her like in the city, and things are rather simpler."

Qwilleran, still fuming, could think of nothing to say. He thought of what it would mean to leave a defenseless human being in the clutches of his former in-laws, and he thought of the children that Miriam and he had never had. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to play the father figure.

"Edith, be reasonable. I've never had children, I don't even know this girl. How do you expect me to take care of a child?"

Edith didn't say anything for a while. When she spoke again her voice was steely. "Will you help her or not?"

Qwilleran felt trapped. Edith wouldn't back down, that much he knew. He also knew that this was just one more way that Miriam's family had found to punish him for marrying their daughter. He desperately wanted to say no, but if they were so adamant about getting rid of this girl, how could he let her stay with them and not be riddled with guilt?

Qwilleran let out a long breath. "I'll do it." He said. He felt somehow as if someone else had said it, like it hadn't been his mouth forming the words.

"Good." Edith suddenly sounded cheerful. "She'll arrive at the Moose County Airport at five o' clock this Friday. She's a blond haired girl of sixteen, she shouldn't be hard to find. Her name is Marie Ingram." A sharp click told Qwilleran that the conversation was over.

Qwilleran sat down heavily in one of the comfortable chairs of the barn's sitting area. Yum Yum, sensing his distress, daintily jumped onto his lap and stroked his moustache with her velvety paw. Qwilleran managed a smile and stroked her ears before realizing, with a sickening lurch, that he had only six days to prepare for the arrival of a complete stranger in his home.

Frantically he dislodged Yum Yum from his lap, ignoring her yowls of protest, and snatched up the phone. With perspiration dotting his brow, he dialed the number of Amanda's Studio of Interior Design.

As usual, it was Fran Brodie who answered. "Amanda's." She sounded bored.

Qwilleran decided to ease into the subject at hand. "Good morning, Fran. Slow day?"

He heard her stifle a yawn. "Sort of. We had a bit of business earlier today, but it's been dead for the past couple of hours."

Qwilleran felt a surge of gratitude and felt a little giddy. Still, his voice was steady and smooth as he replied, "Well, I may just have something to take your mind off your boredom."

"Oh?" Fran sounded intrigued. But then, most women tended to find anything Qwilleran said to be intriguing.

"Yes," He stated formally, donning the character of the professional customer. "I have a…relative coming to stay with me for a while, and I need the guest room renovated into a more comfortable and welcoming space."

"Alright, Qwill." Fran said. Qwilleran heard the rustle of papers over the line. "And what sort of person is this relative?" Her tone held a note of expectation, and Qwilleran could almost see her with a pencil poised over a pad of paper.

Qwilleran stiffened, uncomfortable. After a moment's hesitation he said matter-of-factly, "She's a sixteen year old girl."

There was silence. After a moment, Fran spoke. "I'm sorry, Qwill. Did you say she was sixty?"

Qwilleran narrowed his eyes and replied gruffly, "No. She is sixteen. Adolescent. Her name is Marie." He recalled the sparse details given to him by his former mother-in-law.

When Fran finally spoke her tone was that of disbelief. "You don't know anything else about her?" She knew full well that Qwilleran was not the kind to withhold information. At least, not where interior designing was concerned.

"I'm afraid so." He said. Fran didn't miss the note of regret in his reply. "Qwill, am I wrong to suspect that there's more going on here beneath the surface?" She inquired.

"No, you're not."

"Do you want to tell me about it?" She sounded sympathetic.

"I'd really rather not talk about it just now." He replied. Actually, he did want to talk about it, just not with the vivacious young woman who ran Amanda's Design Studio while the owner was busy with mayoral duties.

Fran did not miss the subtext. "I'm sure dad will tell me about it later. He always does." She said mischievously. Andy Brodie was the police chief of Pickaxe City, and a close personal friend of Qwilleran's almost from the day he had arrived in Moose County.

"I'm sure he will."

"Is there anything more you can tell me? Anything at all?" Fran almost pleaded.

"You know as much as I do. Is it really that important?"

"Qwill," Fran admonished. "The term 'Teenage Girl' doesn't exactly tell me all I need to know. What about her tastes? Her hobbies? How can I make a pleasing and functional room when I know absolutely nothing about the occupant's personality?"

Qwilleran could only shrug. "I figured a lot of pink on the walls and some stuffed animals would do."

Fran's response was horror-stricken. "Qwill! That's designer's suicide! Today's teenage girls don't go around in lacy blouses and ankle-length skirts. They're much more gender neutral than they used to be. She would never be happy in a bedroom that looks like somebody exploded a bottle of Pepto-Bismol in it!"

Qwilleran hurried to mollify her. "Okay, okay, I understand. No pink. You're the boss."

"When will she be here?"

Qwilleran winced. "In six days."

"Six days!" Fran was frantic. "At least with Mrs. O'Dell I had a full ten!"

Qwilleran smiled impishly. "Yes, but this time I'm not asking you to do an entire apartment, just one room."

"Six days!" Fran moaned. "And not a single clue about this girl to go on! It's impossible."

"Perhaps a minimalist approach?" Qwilleran suggested. "Just give her a place to start and she can build up from there. You can even work with her when she arrives."

Fran seemed to perk up at that. "Well, if we go with that, I can have it done by Wednesday at the latest. It'll go a lot smoother once—what's her name? Marie?"

"That's right."

"Once Marie gets here." Fran paused. "How long is she staying?"

Qwilleran huffed into his moustache. "I have no idea. Her father is in the military and he's been sent overseas. I suppose she's to stay here until he returns." He added silently, If he returns.

Fran sighed. "Well, I hope she likes cats." She said.

Qwilleran scoffed. "I hope the cats like her." And they both hung up.

With a weary sigh, Qwilleran looked over to the large, comfortable couch that faced one side of the fireplace cube. There, curled up in the center, were both Koko and Yum Yum, sleeping soundly. Qwilleran couldn't help but notice that the Siamese had acted so strangely on the very day that he was to receive news that would change his life for some time. He no longer chalked these incidents up to coincidence, yet he couldn't help but wonder to himself, How did they know?

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Author's Note: Yes, this took a very, very long time to update. For a while there I didn't think I was going to add to this at all. Unfortunately, it's just such a good idea that I couldn't very well just let it gather dust, so here, at long last, is the second chapter. The ending was kind of weak, but I didn't think any of the next part belonged in this chapter. Marie isn't going to show up for another couple of chapters. First I have to introduce the other major characters (the ones that no Cat Who… mystery would be without). For the next chapter, we see just how Qwilleran deals with life as the wealthiest man in Moose County, his love life, his job, and the impending arrival of a distant relative. I'm fairly certain that this one will be much, much quicker to update, since I'm starting it now. (Oh! And one more thing: sorry for the inexcusable lack of cats in this chapter. I'll try not to let it happen again!)