Duchess remembered clearly the first time she saw him-an orange tabby with a white mouth, a large white stripe down his middle and white paws. He was, by all accounts, most unusual. But unusual in a handsome sort of way. And he was singing. It wasn't every day that she heard a rather ordinary cat singing, but on that day she was grateful that she and Mr. O'Malley had discovered one another.
She had no idea how she, along with Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz had ended up on the bank of the river beside the stone bridge. When she awoke and realized that she was no longer safe at home, she was frightened. But her fear increased when she realized her children were missing. Fortunately she found them rather quickly, but it did little to calm her fears.
What if she never saw Madame Adelaide again?
Suddenly Thomas O'Malley came dancing (and singing) into her lives.
Her tail swished back and forth just thinking about him. The way he'd risked one of his lives to save her, and take them back to their home in Paris. He was wonderful in so many ways. He sang and danced and she shared Marie's sentiments in the fact that Thomas O'Malley was the most romantic cat she'd ever encountered.
The way he'd saved Marie when she had tumbled off the truck warmed her heart. And she found herself wishing that she had taken him up on his offer to see the sights of Paris. She'd lived in the city for as long as she could remember but she'd never really seen it. As much as she loved her home in the mansion, there were times when she longed to see the sights; not just the alley ways that cats were always accustomed to, but the real sights; the Eifel Tower for one.
The thought made her sigh.
They started spending time together, and then a little more, and even more. It was truly wonderful. He'd introduced her and her children to his alley cat friends who were quite talented musically. She loved going to the club with Thomas, dancing underneath the colored lights, turning her fur shades of pink, purple and blue. And his musician friend Scat Cat sure knew how to hold a steady beat. Even her children got into the act.
Yes, Thomas O'Malley was practically perfect. And Duchess was more than grateful when the tables turned on that mean Edgar and he headed for Timbuktu in the crate he'd intended for Duchess and her kittens. Serves him right.
As for Roquefort and Frou Frou, they were happy to see Duchess and the kittens. Who knew a mouse and a horse would be fond of cats?
She owed a world of gratitude to Amelia and Abigail, the geese who rescued Thomas while they were on their way to Paris for vacation. Duchess hoped that she'd run into them someday so that she could properly repay them.
As she posed for Madam Adelaide in the parlor alongside Thomas, Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz, she purred contentedly. She never dreamed that she could be so happy. However, she owed it all to Thomas for saving them and becoming part of their lives. Since she still had nine lives left, she would spend them all thanking him.
He was the best thing that had ever happened to her and she hoped that they would be together forever. He loved her and her kittens. What more could she want?
~Fin~