1945
Stowe, VT
Georg woke to the feeling of a distinct inability to move his legs: something was obstructing his movement, something heavy and warm. Elbowing his way into a sitting position, he groaned at what he saw. Nestled between his knees was the rather smug-looking ginger cat that Gretl had found in the barn last week. Reaching out, Georg picked it up by the scruff and frowned, ready to get up and toss the animal back out the open window from which it had clearly come.
"No, don't," came Maria's voice. Georg looked over his shoulder, only to realize Maria was wide awake and lying on her side, one hand propping her head up as she grinned at him with a sparkle in her eye.
"The thing probably has fleas and it's been in our bed!" Georg protested.
"I don't think you're aware of just how hilarious this is," Maria chuckled, unable to hold back her laughter. "I wish you had seen your face when you picked him up. You'd be happier if I sent you outdoors to fertilize the fields."
"Right you are!"
Reaching out to scratch the quietly blinking cat behind the ears, Maria smiled when it began a rusty series of purrs. "He's very calm. You're lucky you haven't been scratched to shreds, yet."
"Another reason to toss him out the window, Maria," Georg said, but with a disgruntled sigh he settled the cat on the bed between them, careful to keep the feline on top of the bedcovers. "Is our door locked?"
Maria squinted toward the door, shaking her head. "I don't see the key in the lock."
"If Gretl sees him, she'll think it's license to keep him around," Georg groaned.
"Don't worry," Maria laughed, "we'll hear her before we see her."
"She's so fast, though," Georg muttered, running a long finger down the cat's spine in spite of himself. The tomcat's back rippled and his purring increased; he nudged Georg's hand insistently.
"You know…" Maria trailed.
"Oh, no," Georg sighed.
Maria frowned at her husband. "I was going to suggest that we get a mouser, as I have noticed we have a mice problem in the basement and I've seen some in the barn as well."
"Not this one, you mean?"
"I wasn't thinking so at first, but now I think that maybe you deserve this scruffy fellow for a barnmate," Maria said severely. "Seeing as he's already your bedmate!" She pushed herself into a sitting position and hauled the cat into her lap, tickling his chin. "He's so lazy that he wouldn't catch a thing unless it was on top of his paws."
"I'm not the one that left the window open all night as invitation for him to claw his way in," Georg retorted, eyeing the cat with mistrust.
A knock sounded at their door, and the bickering paused as they looked at each other, then the cat, then to the door.
"Yes?" Maria called out tentatively.
"Mother?" came Rosemary's muffled voice. "Mother, the kitty makes me sneeze! Can I have him back now?"
"What?" Maria said quickly as she grabbed her robe and tied it about her, hurrying to let their littlest child into the bedroom. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face tearstained, and she was sporting a trembling lip and several angry scratches.
"Darling, when did you put the kitty in here?" Maria asked, kneeling down to wipe away her daughter's tears and pull her into her embrace.
Georg had climbed out of the bed upon Rosemary's entrance, and with the cat in tow, knelt down to his daughter's level along with his wife. The girl reached out and grabbed the striped cat's bushy tail happily, earning a low growl from the animal.
"No, Rosemary," Maria said hurriedly, unclasping her tiny fingers. "Kitties don't like that, it hurts them. When did you bring him here?"
"When the sun woke up," the girl sniffled, looking up at her mother with large, sad eyes.
Maria sighed and picked up her daughter, sitting down with her on the edge of the bed. "Rosemary, Papa is going to take the kitty back outside because he doesn't belong in here. You are going to get a bath and help me wash the bedclothes today, alright?"
"Yes, Mother," the child conceded, hugging her mother tightly before sliding off her lap and running out the door.
Maria looked up at Georg from where he was standing with the cat, a furry puddle in his cradled arms, and grinned wickedly. "You two make quite the pair; I really hate to break it up!"
Georg grunted dismissively.
"Don't give me that," Maria said. "Put that cat through the window and come kiss me good morning."
"I thought you wanted me to take it out, presumably so it doesn't begin to think of the window as a point of entry?"
Arching an eyebrow, Maria shook her head. "You cannot possibly be stalling over a cat. Heaven help me."
"Technically, this is Rosemary's fault," Georg muttered as he tipped the cat onto the windowsill and pushed him through to the outdoors. When he turned around, it was to find Maria standing there with an amused expression. But instead of saying anything, she simply claimed the kiss she'd been after and sighed happily against his mouth as he deepened the kiss and pulled her flush against him.
Slightly breathless when they pulled apart, a satisfied expression crossed Maria's face and she said with undeniable triumph, "See? Try to be churlish all you want. It won't work." And she stole another kiss, nipping at his neck and humming appreciatively in the process as his hands trailed up her back and neck and began to toy with her hair.
This was followed by a ceiling-shattering bang, and though both parents were startled by it, they simply laughed at the absurdity of their morning thus far, and Maria promised, "Later," as she tore herself away from Georg's grasp. "Don't think we've finished discussing that mouser."