One More Night

As I stood in the empty room of the pub, enveloped in the silence and soft light, I heard a voice ask me, "Please, just give me one more night." I looked down and met the pleading green eyes of Madeleine.

“I gave you one more night. Last night. You still haven’t done your job. I can’t afford your continued failure. I’m going to have to find a replacement.”

“But I’m trying! Really I am!”

“Trying isn’t good enough! I need you to succeed! You have to get those mice under control!”

Madeleine turned up the sad-eyes pleading. “I’ve caught some of them. Remember that night I caught four? FOUR!” She licked her chops and patted her whiskers into place. “That was some night!” she added reflectively.

“One night. Months ago. Not good enough.” I tried to stay firm, but she looked so pitiful, staring up at me with those big green eyes. Her eyes were really her best feature. The rest of her was, how shall I say …. well, scruffy. With her ripped-up ears, the left one missing a corner, her ribs showing through her striped fur, and the crook in her broken tail, she was a mess. But such a sweet mess.

She’d turned up on my doorstep one rainy, stormy night, soaking wet and shivering. I couldn’t turn her away. So she became Head Mouser for the Hole in the Wall Pub.

At first, she’d done okay, catching two or three mice per night. She was making a difference. There were fewer gnawed-on packages in the pantry, and less - er - mouse traces left behind on the floor.

But lately she’d been falling down on the job. We gazed at each other, man to cat, wordlessly considering the situation.

“What is the problem?” I asked her. “Is there something bothering you? Something I should know about?”

Madeleine shifted uncomfortably on the floor. She tipped her head to look at me side-eye. “Well…” she began. Then stopped.

I squatted down to her level, then sat on the floor beside her. Made a lap, and invited her to climb aboard. Scratched her battered ears and petted her. She began to purr softly, rubbing her head on my hand.

“What is it?” I encouraged her. “Tell me. Maybe I can help.”

She looked at me doubtfully. “I’ve just been feeling so tired lately,” she whimpered. “No energy. All I want to do is sleep.” She cuddled more comfortably into my lap. “And I’m hungry. All the time.” She looked up at me wistfully. “I could really use a nice can of food a couple of times a day.”

“You’re supposed to eat the mice,” I said dryly. “That IS your job! Catch more mice. Eat them. You’ll never be hungry again.”

“The mice just aren’t enough!” she protested.

“Then catch MORE of them!” I countered. “That’s all I’m asking. I need you to do a better job! They’re literally eating into my profits. I can’t afford to continue like this.”

She looked away, downcast, so sad. I relented, rubbing her ears to comfort her. She really was a nice cat. I had become quite fond of her. I would hate to have to replace her. She seemed to be thriving in her new position; at least, she had been.

Stroking her soft belly, I noticed that she was filling out a bit. Still kind of scrawny, but her belly had become round, full …. Moving? I sat up straighter, startled. Stared at that belly. Definitely movement there.

I turned her head up to face me. “Madeleine,” I began firmly. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

“Tell you?” she asked, obviously confused. “What would I want to tell you?”

“Have you been - er - seeing someone?”

“Besides you? Of course not! You know I never leave the Pub.”

“Have you had - a - visitor recently?”

She broke eye contact, apparently embarrassed. Hard to tell when a cat is blushing. “Well…” She looked up at me, flirtatious now. “There is this handsome tom who’s been courting me. He’s a big boy, black as night, warm and cuddly …” She gazed off into the distance, daydreaming. She sighed dramatically.

“I think it’s time I met this Romeo,” I said firmly. “Welcome him into our…family.”

She blinked at me, and I saw the moment she understood. She licked her belly fondly. “Family!” she said, with a pleased smile. “Well, that should take care of the mice!”

And she winked.