Harry's life very much improved the moment the pretty lady brought him home with her.
His new mom and dad fed him, made sure he was clean everyday, ensured his education at a local private school. He even had a couple of Uncles who came around to either watch him In the afternoon or walk him home from school. Uncle Mordecai had been named his Godfather. Mordecai Heller taught him valuable life lessons like how to do his own laundry or how to balance a budget within an allowance. He would buy 50 cents worth of sweets for his bi monthly 5 dollar allowance and put the rest in a shoebox in his room letting it collect. It was raised to 10 dollars once a week when Harry James turned ten and he started running small errands for his parents and uncles. He then allowed himself 2 dollars worth of sweets and snacks weekly. His Uncle Mordecai had advised against opening a bank account as he personally didn't trust the banking system in America and advised Harry James to put his money somewhere safe, instilling in the young cat a distrust of banks of his own.
Harry James May loved his parents Mitzy and Atlas May dearly, but he never forgot the old Main Coon cat. Buford had taken care of him for several months when he first came to St. Louis as an orphan vagabond and always said a prayer for him and his birth parents whoever or wherever they where at Sunday Mass. He even asked his Uncle Mordecai to help him set up a small memorial in the alleyway where he found the old man stabbed. The blood long ago washed away by rain, grime and other nasty things.
Uncle Viktor was a red tiger from Czechoslovakia. Heavily accented he was the perfect deterrent for the bullies at school. One look at his fangs and claws made the jerks run away pissing themselves.
Also part of the family was Ivy Pepper. His dads own Goddaughter. Who would come work for the Little Daisy Cafe when she turned 17. She would gush about how adorable Harry James was in his private school uniform. She was earning money for college.
When Harry turned 10 The United States Congress passed The National Prohibition act which banned the sale of alcoholic beverages across the nation. Times where tough for the Lackadaisy speakeasy for a while but soon business was booming again. That's because people always find a way to get drunk.
When Harry turned 11 his parents hired a band for the speakeasy that acted as errand boys for when they needed a new supply of illicit beverages for the bar. Among this group was a young cat named Rocky. He played the violin. A little unhinged Rocky was not afraid to get his hands dirty when getting ahold of alcohol shipments.
"Never be afraid to do what you know needs to be done." Rocky told Harry one evening after he came back with a bloody shirt and a whole box of red wine.
He was even teaching Harry how to play the violin and read sheet music! He wasn't very good yet but he was practicing everyday!
Shortly after Rocky's employ came his cousin Calvin. Rocky called him called Freckle because one day as an experiment Rocky shaved freckles face fur and found a single freckle on his fur less skin.
Freckle was the complete Anti thesis to his dear cousin , Humble, sweet and obedient to authority. Freckle and Rocky where like the big brothers Harry had always wanted. Rocky being the spontaneous "I'll curb-stomp anyone who so much as touches a hair on your head" one and Freckle being the one who tried to teach Harry to be respectful towards God, family and country one. Freckle even took Harry to Sunday Mass when his parents couldn't make it to some reason or another. (Hungover)
Then, it happened... Atlas and Mitzy decided they needed a break and separated for a while. Harry while loving his mother dearly opted to stay with his dad because Atlas needed someone to tell him when it was bed time. To make sure he ate, basically Atlas May needed someone to ensure he wouldn't overwork himself. Mitzy understood completely and Atlas rented her her own apartment a few blocks away from their home.
Uncle Mordecai had taken Harry to the movies. As he did every Saturday night. Mordecai would have preferred to see something educational like The Scarlet Letter but he had let Harry James pick The Black Pirate as Mordecai had picked their last two films both which Harry James payed attention to and enjoyed, but Mordecai was a fair man when he needed to be with his Godson. Mordecai would provide the tickets and popcorn/drinks while if Harry wanted anything else like a piece of candy or maybe a hot dog it had to come out of his own pocket.
"Swish swish swish!" Harry James said excitedly as the young black cat ran ahead of Mordecai with a long thin stick he found, pretending it was a rapier.
He's going to be taller than me. Mordecai thought sadly.
"Harry I can arrange fencing lessons with your father." Mordecai said with a cringe, laying his ears flat as Harry James hit his polo shirt with the tip.
Harry James sheepishly grinned and tossed the stick into a random yard. "That would be cool!" Harry said as they walked.
"I'm glad you enjoyed the movie but please, act in a dignified manner. We are in public. You are acting like a child. "
"I am a child." Harry retorted.
"You are a pre-teen." Mordecai corrected.
"Still not a teenager."
Mordecai sighed as Harry ran up to the house and used his key to enter. Saying hi to Viktor who was parking a car having moved liquor into the Lackadaisy in the last hours of daylight. Harry entered the May home eager to tell his Dad about the movie.
The light was off. But the office door was open. Papers where scattered by the door. Atlas May was a tidy businessman. Cautiously Harry James opened the door.
"Dad?" Harry asked quietly seeing Atlas slumped over his desk. "Dad?" He asked as he quietly walked over. "Dad?" He asked a third time.
Harry gasped then screamed and fell to his backside. His dad had a hole in his head. Eyes wide opened and bleeding.
Mordecai ram upstairs as he heard his nephews screaming.
Mordecai was the first to notice. "Aw damn, come on." He dragged Harry as he kept shouting.
"No he's okay! He's okay! Let me go! Let me go!!!"
"You don't need to see this!" Mordecai insisted as he struggled with the boy. "Viktor!"
Viktor swore in Russian as he saw Atlas' corpse and took the boss's son down stairs as the teen kept struggling.
"Viktor I hate you! let me go!" The teenage feline struggled in the tigers grasp.
"Boy is grieving." Viktor said as he held Harry in place. "Tears will come soon."
"I hate you! I hate you!" Harry kicked and lashed out at the tiger trying to cut him with his claws. He managed to cut the tigers hat open. Then he suddenly went limp and the tears came. He suddenly saw his dad in his custom tailored suit. Holding his hat and putting it on as he walked out the door.
"There it is. Is okay to cry." Viktor said calmly. Holding Harry James in his arms as the black cat wept.
"The police are on their way." Mordecai said as he came downstairs. "I've hidden the important documents and delivery schedules. How is Harry?"
"Quiet. Tears left quickly as they came." Viktor said as he sat in a chair in the drawing room. "Boy is in kitchen in how you say, in shock."
Mordecai sighed and said "Dammit. I never thought I'd have to do this this early." He went into the kitchen and sat across from his Godson and they just stared at each other. The clock on the walls loudly ticking away as Harry saw himself reflected in his Uncles spectacles. Harry looked almost catatonic. "Harry James, your father is dead." He said bluntly. "Do you understand?"
Harry nodded darkly.
"Your going to hear things. Unspeakable things about your father. Some of them will be true while others outright falsehoods. But know this, he always loved you. You and your mother where always his first priority."
"Okay." Harry said before his face blew up and-
Mordecai cringed as Harry puked on the floor next to the table.
"Someone needs to call Mitzy." Mordecai told Viktor.
The tiger nodded and went to call Mitzy from the living room telephone. "Atlas has been shot come quickly." He said.
"What?! Viktor!-"
Viktor hung up and returned to the kitchen as the first police car pulled up.
Mitzy May was in a dressing gown when she got the call from Viktor. She slipped on a pair of slippers and dashed out the door. Putting on a robe around herself. Modesty be damned. She thought. My son needs me! She ran four blocks to find their house swarming with police cars. Harry sitting on a stoop with Viktor standing at the door watching the officers inside.
"Harry sweetie."
Harry James immediately wrapped his arms around the smaller feline and burst into tears.
"We'll get through this." Mitzy said as she gave comforting purring sounds watching Emergency personnel wheel Atlas out on a gurney. "Oh." She gasped, seeing the bloody head area. "We'll get through this honey. We'll survive." She promised. Embracing her son. "We'll survive." She promised again as she petted Harry James' head to calm him.
Wheel of fortune: Suggest Cyclical change. Life keeps changing in a constant series of ups and downs. No one can escape it.
When reversed: suggests new beginnings or revised plans are imminent.