"What is it Virg?" Gordon asks apprehensively, convinced it is something awful, like a giant lizard. It is a well-known fact among the boys that Gordon Hates lizards!
"Don't ask questions Squid, just go!" Virgil snaps back authoritatively.
Gordon and Alan both run back into the house and into the living room where their older brothers, dad and grandma are still gathered around the fire laughing. "Daddy! Virgil found a giant lizard in a box outside and it is going to eat Gordy" Alan announces to the shocked room.
"Dad?" Scott asks confused.
"I will go and find out" Jeff confirms. "Alan, Gordon, you too stay here"
Getting to his feet is harder than usual following a long day of playing in the snow with the boys, as Jeff walks out the door to find Virgil.
"Virg?" he calls, looking out across the porch where Virgil is still with the cardboard box.
"Dad? Over here!" Virgil calls back.
"What Is it Virgil?" Jeff asks as he approaches his son, who is intently examining the contents of the box. The box is letting out low pitched whines.
"Kittens with their mother. Just left in this box in this weather to freeze to death" Virgil replies angrily, before he carefully seals the lid and slides his fingers under the box to lift it up into his arms before following his father back into the house.
Virgil places the box on the coffee table in front of the sofa, before opening it backup. The kittens are meowing pitifully as they look up at him. But the mother cat, is shying away from his gaze, trying to back her way into the corner and as far away from his as possible, humans are evil.
"Dad? What are we going to do?" Virgil asks, reaching down into the box, smiling when a small wet nose nuzzles his fingers.
There are four kittens in the box, two tabbies and two black and white ones. The black and white ones are the spitting image of their mother.
"Scott, go and get the old cage from the barn and we will make them up a bed where they can be together tonight. There is no way they can go back out there. Gordon, Alan run upstairs and get the spare blankets from the cupboard. John can you and Grandma go and open up a tin of salmon, and get a bowl of water for me please?" Jeff asks, setting tasks for the boys and smiling as no one questions their orders.
"Dad, you know Gordon and Alan are going to want to keep them, don't you?" Virgil tells him.
Jeff knows, and he knows that they are not home enough to have a pet, let alone five! He doesn't answer Virgil as he looks into the eyes of the terrified adult cat. Her ears are no longer flat against her head, and in the quiet warm room is helping her to relax, as she pulls one of the kittens closer to her and starts to lovingly wash the tiny animal between the ears.
The magic is broken by the arrival in the living room of Alan and Gordon, who are both carrying armfuls of blankets just as Jeff asked.
"I got this one from the cupboard" Gordon announces, draping a blanket across the sofa. "And this one from Virgils bed" he adds.
"And what am I supposed to use?" Virgil asks laughing.
"You can share my bed" Gordon replies shrugging.
"I think we can spare Virgils blanket Gordo" Jeff tells him with a smile, before giving them some old newspapers he has meant to get recycled but keeps forgetting and a baking tray he knows Grandma won't miss. "Can you two shred these so we can make a litter tray?"
"Sure" Alan replies happily, grabbing the top paper and starting to tear it into pieces happily.
None of the kittens are powerful enough to escape from their prison and momma cat has no intentions of leaving them alone.
The cage is old and rusting in places, but it is still safe and secure as Scott gets is set up in the corner, with the salmon, water and the makeshift litter tray. The floor of the cage has been lined with some of the blankets Alan and Gordon bought down, and Jeff was right, Virgil could have his duvet back!
Jeff places the box on its side before backing away slowly and closing the door and slipping the bolt closed with a padlock.
Alan is sitting on the floor in front of the cage, avidly watching the kittens as they start to make their way out of the box to explore their cage, while momma sniffs at the salmon. She hasn't eaten all day and having to feed the babies has sapped her of her strength, but she can't resist the deliciously smelling fish and starts to gulp it down in relief before climbing back into the box and settling down. Her eyes don't close, there is no way she is letting her babies out of her sight while these strangers are around. They might look and smell trustworthy but they are still people, and people are cruel.
"Alan, it is now hours past your bedtime." Jeff reminds him, the adrenaline of their rescue is starting to wear off and Alan especially is starting to yawn more frequently.
Alan is not going to give up without a fight, he knows he is tired, but he wants to stay and watch the kittens, who are now playing happily in the middle of the cage while Momma watches on wearily. "I am not tired Daddy" he replies stubbornly.
"I don't care if you are tired or not Allie, I am your father and if I say you are going to bed then you are going to bed" Jeff replies.
The little blonde glares back at Jeff over his shoulder, folds his arms and pouts, refusing to get up.
Jeff grabs him under his armpits and lifts him up into the air before carrying him from the room, while he throws a tantrum about how unfair his life is!
"Your brothers are all going to bed shortly Alan. Come on, into your pyjamas." Jeff insists, handing him a clean pair of red pyjamas with a pattern of rockets which he knows are his favourites before helping him get changed.
"I wanna drink" Alan demands, still determined not to go to bed.
"Get under the blanket and I will being you a glass of water and if you agree to go to sleep, I will read you a story" Jeff says to him.
"Promise?" Alan asks, getting into the bed, hoping his dad doesn't realise he has not brushed his teeth.
"I promise, but first let's get your teeth brushed!" Jeff says.
Alans pout this time is half hearted as he follows Jeff into the bathroom. "Good boy" Jeff says to him once he is settled in bed, propped up on his pillows, with Allie-Gator in his arms "But tomorrow you are having a bath!"
"No daddy, I don't need a bath!" Alan insists in disgust.
"We will discuss it tomorrow" Jeff replies as he opens up the book he has chosen for tonight. This was one of Jeff's favourites when he was Alans age and he has always made sure all his boys get their chance to read it.
Alan doesn't make it to Scarface Claw before he is sound asleep, the glass of water still full and abandoned next to his bed.
Jeff knew he wouldn't last long, as he switches on Alans nightlight before manoeuvring him so he is lying down and adjusting the blanket so he is warm and comfortable.
The kittens have all settled back in the box with Momma when Jeff returns to the living room. "Where are the boys?" Jeff asks, as it is only Grandma left in the room.
"Your office printing information on cat care. What are you going to do Jeff? We can't keep them; we are away from home too much" Grandma replies.
Jeff sits down on the sofa beside her. "Honestly? I have no idea. But they can stay here until we decide" he replies, eyeing up the now fast asleep cats.
"Do you have any idea who would dump a box of kittens on our porch in the middle of the worst storm we have had in five years?" Grandma asks. "These cats have clearly been abandoned here" there is a thinly disguised anger in her voice.
"No I don't, and I hope for their sake I never find out!" Jeff replies, he is equally disgusted and just two hours in the company of this shy beauty and her precious babies makes him wish that having pets was viable.
"Hey dad?" Gordon calls, walking back into the room his nose buried in the pile of paper is he reading through.
"Yes Gords?" Jeff replies.
"It says here that we will need toys, real kitty litter, a scratching post, a carrier for trips to the vet, special kitten milk and food, a bed, brushes, flea collars, worming tablets, a cat tree and a cat flap for when they are big enough to go outside" Gordon informs him.
Jeff knows he needs to put a stop to this; the boys cannot keep the kittens. But he can't bring himself to break the boy's hearts right now. "I will discuss everything with Grandma, and we will bring them to the vets for a check up as soon as we can" Jeff replies, not committing to anything. "Besides, it is time you were in bed"
Gordon really wants to say no, and demand Jeff let him stay up, but he knows from watching Alan being forced to bed that will not be a possibility. "Can I have a bath first?" he asks hopefully.
"Make it a shower and make it quick!" Jeff tells him.
"Okay" Gordon sings before skipping out the room and up the stairs. A quick shower and a clean pair of pyjamas later and Gordon is sitting on the windowsill in his and Virgil's room looking out at the snow-covered ground. His pool was drained and covered a week ago and is now covered in several inches of pure white snow.
"Come on Gords, into bed" Jeff says to him walking into the room.
"Have you seen it dad? Its beautiful out there" Gordon replies, ignoring the request to go to bed.
"I have" Jeff tells him amused, "Now into bed!" Jeff repeats his request.
Gordon climbs down from the window on to the bed below. The heater is still on, and the bed is warm and inviting as he climbs under the blanket and wraps his arms around Squid before a big yawn escapes his lips. "I suppose I am tired dad" Gordon admits.
"I am not going to lie to you, me too!" Jeff replies grinning. "Night Gordo"
"Night dad" Gordon replies, his eyes are drooping already, and his breathing is slowing down into a relaxed and comfortable sleep.
*TB*
There is a weak sunlight shinning in through the window when Gordon wakes up the following morning, and not a cloud in the sky as he jumps up to look. The snow is already starting to melt, and hopefully he will be able to get out tomorrow night for trick or treating!
Virgil is snoring happily in the bed opposite. Gordon pulls the curtains open and floods the room with light. Virgil groans before pulling his pillow over his head.
"Come on Virg, the sun is shining!" Gordon tells him, grabbing the pillow before whacking his big brother in the head with it.
"Oh you will pay for that Squid!" Virgil replies, now fully awake he leaps from his bed onto the floor and onto Gordons bed in a single bound before grabbing Gordons pillow and pounding his younger brother with it until he begs for mercy.
"OKAY OKAY! I AM SORRY!" Gordon cries, but he is laughing, as he knows that Virgil would never hurt him.
"Good Squid!" Virgil replies, throwing the pillow back onto the bed and holding his hand out to help him up. "Come on let's go and get breakfast"
They find Alan already up, in the living room watching the kittens wrestle in the middle of the cage. He is giggling, his face up to the bars.
"Virgy! Gordy! Come here! One of the kittens licked me!" Alan tells them excitedly.
"Want some breakfast Allie?" Virgil asks as him and Gordon join Alan on the floor.
"Yes please" Alan replies, his eyes not leaving the cage.
"Make me a coffee" Scott calls from the doorway having overheard their conversation before he walks into the room and collapses on the sofa.
"Make me a coffee what?" Virgil replies.
"Make me a coffee now" Scott demands.
"Yeah right" Virgil tells him snorting with laughter. "Magic word Scotty"
"Please" Scott adds closing his eyes.
"Better" Virgil replies. "I am making toast too"
"Ugh no thanks, just the coffee" Scott tells him. Having stayed up late the night before helping John put together a power point presentation on why they should be allowed to keep the cats, Scott is exhausted and would happily go back to bed and sleep for a week.
The smell of the coffee has Grandma and their father up quickly too.
There is a packet of cooked chicken in the fridge that Grandma was planning to use to make sandwiches with, that Virgil decides will do the Momma cats breakfast, and he hands the packet to Alan and Gordon who start to feed the cat pieces of chicken through the bars. Popping the chicken on to the floor and watching as she snatchers it back and takes each piece back into her box. She is slowly approaching the two boys with more and more confidence as they seem nice, and they seem to care about her children and that is the most important thing in the world to her.
*TB*
It has not snowed now for over twelve hours, and Jeff takes the snow dispersal unit out to clear the driveway and get his truck out so he can take the cats to the vet to be given a thorough health check.
The main roads are clear and the trip into the local town with the cage of cats and all five boys is a lot easier than it would have been the day before. Snow is banked up several feet on each side, and there is hardly any traffic even for a Saturday morning.
Pulling into the parking lot, of the local veterinary clinic Jeff helps Scott with the cage as the walk into the main reception area.
Momma cat has moved her babies back into he box, and is cowering in the corner, terrified and not knowing what is happening. She thought she could trust these humans, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe all humans are as bad as each other.
Jeff takes the five cats into the examination room, leaving Scott to keep his brothers from causing trouble.
"Alan don't go near that dog!" He demands, grabbing hold of his brothers hoodie and pulling him back to their area.
"But Scotty, look it has a lampshade on its head!" Alan replies with a giggle.
"Maybe we should do that to Gordo next time he gets stitches" John adds, causing more giggles from Alan.
"Scoooootttttt!" Gordon whines.
"Stop it John" Scott says glaring at his redheaded brother, who has the decency to at least look apologetic!
"What do you think is happening in there?" Gordon asks.
"No idea" Virgil tells him. "Probably checking them over and making sure that they are healthy"
"Then we can take them all home right?" Alan asks.
"Yeah" Virgil tells them with a smile. there is no way that he is going to allow their father to give away their cats now!
They are all staring intently at the door when Jeff comes back out with the cage and places it on the floor near Scott's feet.
Jeff doesn't say a word to the boys as he starts to gather the things on the list from the small shop near the till. He gets everything required, apart from the toys. Plonking his purchases on the side, he turns to the boys at last. "Right you horrible lot, pick some toys!" he tells them with a grin. They pick toy mice, a dangly pumpkin on a string, a wind-up hamster, a laser pointer and a cat tunnel.
Once back in the living room, in their cage, Momma cat starts to relax more. Even allowing Gordon to stroke her through the bars and offering him a quiet purr in return. The trip to the vet was not her idea of a good time, but she still has her babies, and she has food and fresh water. Looking around at these friendly and happy humans, finally she feels like she is home.
*TB*
"Jeff, we can't keep them" Grandma reminds him later in the evening once all five boys are in bed.
Jeff looks wistfully back at the cage. These little creatures need a family desperately. The vet advised that there are three girls and a boy. And he hasn't had time to name them, but he wants to keep them all safe forever.
"Jeff?" she tries again.
"We will see" he replies finally. "I am sure we can work something out."
And Grandma knows, right then and right there and she just agreed to adopt five cats!
