Author's Note: Hello! Yes, I am alive! I am so sorry for taking so long to get up this chapter up. Truthfully, I wrote the either thing tonight. I hope it is worth the long wait. Personally, this is my favorite chapter so far…and, a few twists develop. :D On with the story!

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Chapter Three

Jolly paces back and forth while his brothers, Nick and Nibs, sit at the kitchen table, bored and concerned expressions on their faces. All three listen as the clock dings six times. A moment later they all jump as the sound of the door banging open echoes in the quiet house. They rush to the hall and are met with the surprise sight of their oldest brother flushed and wet, while Marigold glares at him and tightly holds a kitten in her apron.

"Where have you been? Do you realize what time it is?" Nick asks.

"And where is Rosie?" Nibs puts in.

Neither Tom nor Marigold pays any attention to the questions. Marigold breezes past them all into the living room and settles down before the fire. She puts down the kitten, whose fur is all ruffled and sticking up in every direction. It shakes its head, causing tiny drops of water to go flying. Pacing a little, it turns its brown eyes on Tom and hisses.

"I said I was sorry!" he exclaims helplessly, coming into the room, followed by the others.

"Sorry? Sorry!" Marigold retorts, looking up at him sternly. "She could have drowned!!!!" She gently pats the kitten with her apron, attempting to help it dry. "She may become sick from the coolness and water."

Tom reaches down toward the kitten but quickly retreats as it meows dangerously at him, fire shooting from its eyes, hunching its back.

"What is going on?" Nick demands. "What is with the cat, Tom? You know that I –  I –" Ducking his head, he sneezes loudly.

"What's wrong?" Marigold's eyes swim with concern and suspicion.

Nick motions to the kitten staring at him almost warily. "Cats cause my head to get stuffy and sneeze," he explains.

Marigold's eyes widen; then she folds her arms across her chest, looking annoyed. "Well, this keeps getting better and better, it seems," she mutters through clenched teeth. "That does create a problem…" she muses.

"Would you two please explain what is going on about the cat, and where is Rosie?" Jolly asks.

"Rosie is here," Tom says, gazing at his feet with great interest, feeling properly embarrassed and ashamed.

His brothers look at him as though he is crazy.

"Where here?" Nibs questions, "she didn't come in with you."

Tom shifts his weight from one foot to the other, silent. He just knows his face is turning red. Marigold ignores Tom and pats the kitten instead, pleased to discover its fur is quickly drying. Nibs and Nick watch with total confusion while Jolly frowns, the wheels turning in his head. The silence goes on.

"You don't mean…" Jolly says slowly, his eyes as big as saucers as they travel back and forth between the kitten, Marigold, and Tom. "Rosie…how the…?" He opens his mouth soundlessly several times before managing to get out, "The kitten?! Our sister!?"

"Yes," Marigold answers. "This," she looks with bewilderment and pity on the kitten, "is Rosie."

The room is quiet but then fills with three voices demanding to know how this had happened to their sister and why she had been all wet.

After sitting everyone down, Tom and Marigold explain about the tumble down the hill and Rosie falling into the water and that they had found her as a cat. Tom looks at Marigold for support, for she refuses to look at him.

"So why is Rosie ticked off at Tom?" Nibs asks, petting his sister who has settled at his feet.

"He wanted to see if putting her back in the water would maybe change her back," Marigold says. "He decided just to drop her right in instead of holding onto her. Most cats do not like water. And most cannot swim, especially kittens."

"I'm sorry!" Tom says.

"You should be thankful you won't have to explain to your parents that she died," Marigold snaps.

Tension hangs in the air. Rosie meows, drawing all back to the problem at hand.

"So, what do we do?" Nick ventures. "I don't think she can stay here."

"Could you keep her, Marigold?" Nibs requests. "You seem to know a lot about them, and you are her friend…" he stammers under everyone's pondering eyes, "it would probably just be better if Rosie isn't here with us all. We have a lot of work to do and couldn't always keep an eye on her. And…you know…" he trails off glancing quickly at Tom.

Rosie purrs as though agreeing with the suggestion. Marigold sighs. "I think I can. Only Sam doesn't care for cats. No, he doesn't have a reaction to them or anything," she quickly adds. "He just, I don't know, doesn't like them. Just like how Ted Sandyman doesn't care for dogs. But I am willing to keep Rosie with me. We'll just have to warm up Sam." Her face becomes serious. "This whole thing has to stay between the five of us. No one can know what happened. And we have to somehow find a way of changing Rosie back to herself."

"What do we do when people start realizing Rosie is not around?" Jolly frowns.

"We'll worry about that when we come to that bridge," Tom says firmly.

"Then I should be off then." Marigold gets to her feet. Rosie comes to her and is scooped up into her arms.

"Hey!" Nibs exclaims loudly, causing everyone to freeze and stare at him. "What about food? Rosie would fix the meals for us. What are we to do? I can't cook; that's women's work!"

Both Rosie and Marigold rolls their eyes. Marigold smirks. "Why don't you worry about that when you come to that bridge?" she tosses back Tom's words and smiles sweetly at them as the four lads gaze at her in horror.

They start crying that they know nothing about cooking and don't know how they will survive. Marigold shakes her head. Such little faith they have!

"Goodnight," she says simply and starts toward the hall.

"I'll walk –" Tom starts rising from a chair.

"Completely unnecessary," Marigold overrides him, turning back around in the doorway and finally looking at him with cold eyes. "I have walked home by myself countless times and can do so tonight. I suggest you help your brothers find something to eat. Goodnight, Mr. Cotton."

With that, she spins on her heel, stomps into the hall, opens the door and leaves, closing the door loudly behind her.

Jolly, Nick, and Nibs share half-amused, half-embarrassed glances at their brother's expense, feeling a bit awkward at witnessing the scene. Tom blankly stares at the doorway, moping and drowning in self-pity. Idiot, idiot. This whole day has been a mess. She may have noticed you. But she will probably have nothing to do with you now. He mentally bangs his head against a wall.

"Tough luck," Nibs mutters before trudging into the kitchen in search of food.

"You've really done it this time. Hope you will at least somehow get our sister's forgiveness." Nick follows his brother.

Jolly coughs, tossing over his shoulder, "Nibs, Nick, and I will find something for dinner. You might want to clean that part of the carpet by the fire. You know how Ma doesn't like it getting…" he coughs again, "stains." And he, too, is gone.

That comment is enough to bring Tom back to earth and cause him to forget the problems regarding his love life. With great strides he walks to stand before the fire. He peers closely at the carpet. Not seeing anything, he walks about. He jerks suddenly to a stop as he brings down his foot and is met with something wet and which reminds him of mud. His face a mask of disgust, Tom lifts his foot and stares in horror at the mess on it and the floor.

Thank goodness Marigold is taking care of Rosie! he grumbles to himself. He shoots daggers toward the kitchen as Nibs's head disappears and the unmistakable sound of his brothers laughing reaches Tom.

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TBC…