YOU'RE ALL MINE - ch 2

YOU’RE ALL MINE - ch 2

(the magic of Midnight)

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“Mia, Mia, o ia! Let’s have some fun, come on, let’s see ya!”

“Oh my god! Midnight! The Name Game song? Where on earth did you ever learn that? You’re not that old to know that! Actually, neither am I and besides, you’re a cat! You’re not normally a ‘singing’ cat!”

Midnight Magic only laughed at her ward, then in the same breath scolded. “Aw come on, Mia! You can laugh. You’re allowed. Besides, you work too hard. When you’re not at school, you’re doing homework, or helping your mom with household chores. Then, and I might emphasize THEN, you’re working ‘til all hours in your garden. You take no time for yourself to have fun!”

“Midnight, that’s not true. I have friends. And we do go out. You should know that since you’re always with me. And, if you’re so bored, go chase a mouse!”

“Ha! Last time I did that, your mother screamed when I dropped my ‘offering’ at her feet. Lotsa luck with that fun-filled activity.”

“Midnight, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were a male cat. You surely don’t act at all feminine.”

“AKKK???? A boy cat? Hey girlie, girl! I’m only six months old but old enough to have some fun! I don’t plan on spending my days curled up beside the fireplace purring like some worn out old ‘cat’!”

“Midnight, I doubt you’ll ever be an old cat! Okay, we’ll have some fun, just let me pull out the last row of carrots. There aren’t many, then we’ll take a walk to Uncle Ian’s and see Mickey. I hear he has a new puppy. Maybe the two of you can be friends.”

“A dog? Do you really expect me to be friends with a dog?”

“Oh, cat, don’t sound so repulsive. Let’s just go and see what we see.”

After the next thirty minutes, Mia finished her gardening and told her mother where she intended to go.

“That’s a fine idea, Mia. With their schedules and ours, we don’t see them nearly as often as we’d like. In fact, I’ll speak with your father when he comes home from work and see if he’d like company this Saturday night. In the meantime, Grandmam and Grandpap will be here while I head off to work, so don’t stay too long at Uncle Ian’s”

“Where did they go? Their car is gone.”

“They’re at the plot of land Finola gave them and speaking with a builder. They’ve gotten very excited about living here.”

Mia, with Midnight prancing behind left to head across the road. It wasn’t a long walk, just far enough away to allow Brian and his brother Ian their privacy.

As she approached, she heard the happy yapping of a puppy and the enthusiastic laughter of her cousin. “Okay, Midnight, please behave. His puppy might be very shy or extremely aggressive. Let’s just play this visit by ear and see what happens.”

“Oh, Mia, do you really think I’m that bad?” Midnight said pretending to sulk.

Mia just gave her cat a glaring look that said more words than she wanted to say.

As she approached the split rail fence that surrounded her uncle’s property, she called out, “Mickey!”

She heard his loud voice answering, “Back here, Mia, behind the clinic.”

Mia’s uncle owned and operated an animal clinic that he named ‘Happy Paws’ and sat about one hundred feet from his private home. When Mickey wasn’t in school, he spent most of his time helping his father.

She walked around the back of the clinic and found Mickey on his knees tossing a small toy a few feet away and laughed as his new puppy scrambled to retrieve it.

“Hey, Mia! Come meet Zeus. He’s about two months old, now. Isn’t he great?”

“Oh, Mickey, he’s adorable! He looks like a poodle. Pure or mix? Toy or standard?”

“He’s a pedigree and a toy. Mom didn’t want a large dog running around inside the house but this guy? Oh my god! Mia, you should see him run and yes, inside the house. Good thing he’s small or mom’s furniture would have been upended by now.”

Midnight stood stone still while assessing the new addition to the Diehl family. The puppy dropped the toy as soon as he eyed the cat. They stared at each other, then slowly inched their ways to where the other was standing. Almost nose to nose, Midnight softly mewed and rubbed her nose against the puppy’s cheek. Softly she said, “It’s okay, Zeus. I won’t hurt you. We’ll be the best of friends if you’ll allow it.”

Zeus gave out a soft yap and gently liked Midnight’s cheek.

Mia didn’t know if Zeus understood Midnight’s voice but there was no doubt he understood her friendly gesture.

“Aw, Mickey, I think they like each oth..” before she could finish her sentence, both young animals began to run back and forth, yapping and meowing in happy tones.

Mickey laughed and said, “Mia, I think you might have lost your cat. I think she’s in love with my dog!”

Both animals trotted to their owners and Midnight said, “Not a chance, Mia. I can romp and play with Zeus but he’s not mine. You are. I can hear you and know if you need me, no matter where I am. And yes, he can understand me but can’t answer back.”

She looked at Midnight and said, “Is that so?”

To which Midnight replied, “Oh Mia! Have you forgotten already? I’m a Magic cat. Conversation is my gift!”

He turned and said to Zeus, “Really, my friend, let’s run!”

And for the next hour, while the cousins visited, the animals did just that! They ran. They played.

And Midnight still kept close attention to Mia.