The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon

Keep your doors locked and your security system armed.” She disconnected.

She had no clue I wasn’t at home, which was probably a good thing. Seconds later I removed my damp slicker and embraced Allison. I said, “Something is wrong. I heard it in your voice and now see it written all over your face. What can I do to help?”

“I figured you were the right person to call for this problem,” she whispered. She fixed strands of her brunette hair over one ear. A smattering of rain dotted her gray sweatshirt.

“Why are we whispering?” I said.

“I’ll show you, but be very quiet.” She carefully led me through the cramped office where so many wonderful pet adoptions had taken place. Allison cracked the door leading to the sanctuary examining room and told me to have a look.

I peered through the crack. There, lying on a mat with his spotted dog curled next to him, was Finn, fast asleep.

My hand went to my lips and relief washed over me. I quietly shut the door and then whispered, “How… how did he end up here?”

She pulled me away from the door and said, “I’ll explain. But first, want coffee? Shawn made it about an hour ago—before he left for the feed store to pick up dog and cat food.”

Snug, their African gray parrot, was perched above us and said, “Put on the pot, Allison. Put on the pot.”

Allison looked up at Snug and put her finger to her lips. “Shhh.”

He proceeded to respond with several “shhhs” of his own.

I said, “Yes. Sure, I’ll have coffee. I’ve been living on the stuff, so one more cup might perk me up.”

Once we both had our cups full, Allison sat behind her battered old desk and I took the lawn chair she used for visitors. I hung my slicker over the back of the chair.

“How long has Finn been here?” I said.

“He came this morning,” she said. “Surprised the heck out of me.”

“I don’t understand. Why did he come here?” I sipped the coffee and was instantly reminded how strong Shawn liked his brew.

“Yoshi was limping. Apparently they’d been walking down back roads and through fields all night, from what little he told me. He said he turned around and came back this way when he knew the dog was hurt. He still had my card and thought I could help.”

“Is Yoshi all right?” I said.

“He had a pebble stuck between the pads on his back paw. That can be pretty painful. I removed it and Finn was ready to head out again. But I pointed out the pebble had done a little damage—nothing serious—but Yoshi needed a day off from walking.” She smiled. “I didn’t add that Finn looked like he could use some rest himself.”

“Did he say anything about this latest journey he was taking?” I said. “We’ve been worried sick.”

“He said he’d caused trouble for everyone,” Allison said. “If he were gone, Tom and Karen could go back to the way things used to be.”

I blinked back tears of sadness and relief. “He’s like Tom. He blames himself for everything. None of what’s happened is his fault.”

“I figured as much. You’d helped Finn before and you know what’s going on with this kid.” She paused to drink coffee and then said, “He did ask me not to call the police, which worried me. I took that to mean there’s a lot more to this story I don’t know.”

“There’s plenty I don’t know, either. I am so grateful you called me.” I held the coffee mug between both my hands, considering what to do next.

Suddenly the door to the examining room opened and an exhausted-looking Finn looked at Allison. “Why did you give me up?”

Twenty-Seven

Yoshi dashed through the door and jumped right into my lap. Good thing I’d managed to set the coffee down before his enthusiastic hello. He licked my face and his tail went crazy with happiness at seeing me. I wrapped my arms around the dog and held him close.

He allowed this for a few seconds and then rushed back to Finn. He did his jack-in-the-box routine until Finn held out his arms.

Clutching the dog close, Finn said, “Guess his foot is fine now. I can be on my way.”

He wouldn’t meet my gaze.

Allison said, “I put some antibiotic ointment with a tad of anesthetic on the abrasion between his toes, Finn. When it wears off, Yoshi will feel the pain in his foot again.”

Finn looked at the floor and said a quiet, “Oh.”

Allison rose. “Listen, man. I’ve been happy to help you out with Yoshi twice. Now it’s your turn to do me a favor. Sit here in my office and talk to Jillian. She’s the best friend you’ll ever have and she’ll always be straight with you.”

Allison walked over and tugged Finn by the upper arm, leading him to her ripped and worn office chair. “Sit. Yoshi knows how to obey that particular command and so should you.”

She left us then, going through the door leading to the examining room and the kennels and cat cubicle room beyond.

Still hanging on to Yoshi, Finn said, “Are you pissed off at me?”

I smiled. “Never. I’m confused, though. Why did you leave?”

“My mother came to your house while y’all were gone. She started shouting things and putting on her hysterical act. The one where she pretends I’m the only person in the world who matters to her.”

So she did do exactly what she said while waiting outside my house. “Did you ever consider she might be telling you the truth?”

Finn bit his upper lip and for the first time, even though he’d been through so much, tears filled his eyes. “No one except Tom believes me. Don’t you get it? She doesn’t care about me. Never has. A kid knows.”

I sat back and took in the pain now etching his features. This sweet kid knew better than I ever would exactly who his mother was. “I get it. I truly get it. Question is, where do we go from here?”

“If I leave,” he said with almost scary resolution, “if I get out of everyone’s way, there’ll be no more fighting, no more screaming through doors. If you think last night was the first time she ever yelled at me through a locked door… well, you’d be wrong.”

“When moms aren’t so good at being mothers, they sure know how to push our buttons,” I said. “Maybe it’s time you disconnected the switch.”

He stared at me for several seconds and I saw the resolve to run away, the defense he’d used to cope more than once, transform into something different. Was I seeing his burgeoning knowledge there might be another way to deal with harsh realities and how unfair the world can be?

“You sound like you know what you’re talking about—maybe from experience?” he said.

“You’re perceptive. I’ll tell you about my life one day. I was raised by my grandparents and it’s complicated. As for now, folks are worried about you,” I said.

“I know. Tom and Nana,” he said. “I didn’t mean to upset them. I just knew my mother would have her way. I’ll probably end up back in North Carolina with her, won’t I?”

“Why? You’re an adult now. You can make your own decisions,” I said.

Yoshi’s ears pricked and he looked toward the ceiling. He’d noticed the parrot and barked several times in succession.

Snug answered with, “What a good dog. What a good dog.”

I’m sure Snug had heard those words plenty of times around here.

Finn stared up in surprise. Guess he hadn’t been introduced to Snug. “Whoa. That bird is so dope.”

“His name is Snug,” I said.

“Snug’s a pretty bird,” the parrot replied at the mention of his name.