Monday morning arrived far too quickly.
This was one of the great mysteries of childhood.
School terms lasted approximately three minutes.
The first day of term seemed to take ages to arrive, but once it did, the weeks disappeared at alarming speed.
Monday became Tuesday.
Tuesday became Wednesday.
Wednesday became Thursday.
Thursday became Friday.
And then, somehow, it was already Sunday evening and somebody was saying, “Back to school tomorrow.”
Holidays, on the other hand, behaved completely differently.
A two-week half term holiday was approximately six months long.
The first Monday took forever.
Tuesday lasted even longer.
By Wednesday, children had been known to ask:
“How many days until school?”
By the second week, parents were quietly googling things like: places children can visit where they don’t have to talk to me.
At school, Alfie had already started counting.
Not days.
Lessons.
He had a timetable.
He liked timetables.
Barry, meanwhile, had spent most of the morning asking how many sleeps there were until lunch.
Marmaduke was simply happy to see Barry again.
Snowball, safely at home, was probably enjoying her first peaceful Monday in weeks.
She had become accustomed to the family’s routine.
School meant quiet.
Work meant quiet.
Evenings meant chaos.
She liked the first two considerably more.
That evening, the boys were called into the Brand sitting room.
This was immediately suspicious.
Barry came in first.
“Am I in trouble?”
“No,” said Mrs Brand.
“Is Alfie in trouble?”
“No.”
“Is Marmaduke in trouble?”
“No.”
Barry looked at Marmaduke.
“This is suspicious.”
Marmaduke nodded.
“I think we’re getting told something.”
Alfie sat down.
“What is it?”
Mr Brand smiled.
“We’ve got some news.”
Barry immediately looked worried.
“Is Snowball okay?”
“She is absolutely fine.”
“Is Bubble okay?”
“Yes.”
“Is school closed?”
“No.”
Barry looked disappointed.
“Then I don’t know what this could be.”
Mrs Brand smiled.
“You know half term is coming up.”
“Yes, in about a month,” said Alfie.
“Two weeks,” said Marmaduke.
Barry looked at them.
“Two weeks of what?”
“No school,” said Alfie.
Barry’s face lit up.
“EVERY DAY?”
“Yes.”
“For two weeks?”
“Yes.”
Barry jumped up.
“This is the best news I’ve ever heard.”
Mr Brand cleared his throat.
“There’s more.”
Barry sat down again.
“Better?”
“I think so.”
Mrs Brand looked at Marjory.
Marjory was sitting beside Marmaduke.
“We’ve been talking about what we could do for the holiday.”
Marmaduke looked excited.
“Go somewhere?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
Marjory smiled.
“Barbados.”
There was silence.
Then Marmaduke screamed.
“BARBADOS?”
Marjory laughed.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“For the whole holiday?”
Marjory nodded.
“I’ll take you for the first week.”
Marmaduke’s eyes were enormous.
“And the Brands?”
Mr Brand smiled.
“We’ll come out for the second week.”
Mrs Brand continued.
“And then we’ll all fly home together.”
Marmaduke jumped up.
“We’re going to Barbados!”
Barry didn’t move.
Alfie did.
He sat up straight.
“Barbados?”
“Yes,” said Mrs Brand.
“Bridgetown?”
“Most likely.”
Alfie looked delighted.
“I’ve wanted to go there.”
Mr Brand smiled.
“You’re going to love it.”
“There’s loads of history.”
“There is.”
“And museums.”
“Yes.”
“There’s the Barbados Museum.”
Mrs Brand nodded.
“I know.”
“And the history of the island is incredible.”
Marjory smiled.
“There’s plenty for you to learn about.”
Alfie looked thrilled.
“I can make a list.”
Barry looked at him.
“You make lists for holidays?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“So we don’t miss anything.”
Barry thought about this.
“I’ll make a list too.”
“What’s going on yours?”
“Snowball.”
Alfie smiled.
“Of course.”
Barry stood up.
“I can’t go.”
Everyone looked at him.
“What?”
“I can’t go to Barbados.”
“Why?”
“Snowball.”
Mrs Brand smiled gently.
“We knew you’d say that.”
“I have to stay with her.”
“You don’t.”
“Yes, I do.”
“She’ll be looked after.”
“By who?”
“A vet nurse.”
Barry stopped.
“A vet nurse?”
“Yes.”
Mrs Brand explained.
“She’ll stay at the house while we’re away. She’ll make sure Snowball stays indoors, give her food, check on her, make sure she’s comfortable and keep an eye on her.”
Barry looked unconvinced.
“Every day?”
“Yes.”
“And she’ll check her wound?”
“If necessary.”
“And her food?”
“Yes.”
“And litter?”
“Yes.”
“And she’ll make sure she doesn’t go outside?”
“Yes.”
Barry frowned.
“What if Snowball misses me?”
Mrs Brand smiled.
“She probably will.”
Barry looked pleased.
“She will?”
“Of course.”
“What if she cries?”
“Cats don’t usually cry because someone goes on holiday.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m the adult.”
Barry considered this.
It was not entirely convincing.
Then Mrs Brand added:
“And she won’t just be looking after Snowball.”
“Who else?”
“Bubble.”
Marmaduke’s face lit up.
“She’ll go and see Bubble?”
“Yes.”
“She’ll feed her?”
“Yes.”
“Clean her litter?”
“Yes.”
“Give her cuddles?”
“If Bubble wants them.”
Marmaduke looked relieved.
“Good.”
Mrs Brand smiled.
“So Bubble will be safe too.”
Marmaduke nodded.
“Then I’m definitely going.”
Barry looked at him.
“Traitor.”
Marmaduke laughed.
“You’re coming.”
Barry shook his head.
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“I have responsibilities.”
“You’re four.”
“Exactly.”
Alfie smiled.
“You’ve got a very demanding job.”
“I do.”
The adults had expected this.
They had already thought about the practicalities.
Mrs Brand had found a local veterinary nurse who was happy to stay at the house during the family’s absence.
She understood Snowball’s FIV status.
She understood that Snowball needed to remain indoors.
She would make sure Snowball’s food, medication if required, litter and general care were all properly managed.
She would also pop round to Marmaduke’s house to check on Bubble.
She’d feed her.
Refresh her water.
Clean her litter.
Make sure she was safe.
And, importantly, give her some affection.
“So,” said Mrs Brand, “both cats will be looked after.”
Barry looked at Snowball.
Snowball was sitting beside him.
“You’ll be okay?”
Snowball blinked.
“You’ll have someone here?”
Blink.
“Someone who knows about cats?”
Blink.
Barry looked at his mum.
“She seems happy.”
Mrs Brand smiled.
“She does.”
Barry crouched beside Snowball.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
Snowball rubbed her head against his hand.
Barry’s face softened.
“Okay.”
He stroked her.
“I’ll go.”
Everyone smiled.
“Really?” asked Mr Brand.
Barry nodded.
“But I want to talk to the vet nurse.”
“Of course.”
“And I want to know exactly what she’s going to do.”
“Of course.”
“And I want to write instructions.”
Alfie laughed.
“Obviously.”
Barry looked at him.
“You’re making a list too.”
“Yes.”
“What of?”
“Museums.”
“I’ll put Snowball on mine.”
“She’s staying here.”
“I know.”
The excitement grew.
Marmaduke started talking about Barbados immediately.
“Will we go swimming?”
“Yes.”
“Every day?”
“Not necessarily.”
“Most days?”
“Probably.”
“Can we eat lots of fruit?”
“Definitely.”
“Can we see the sea?”
Marjory laughed.
“We’ll see a lot of the sea.”
Alfie was already researching museums.
“I want to see the history museum.”
“You can.”
“And Bridgetown.”
“Yes.”
“And the old buildings.”
“Yes.”
“And learn about Barbados before independence.”
Marjory smiled.
“You’ll have plenty of opportunities.”
Barry listened.
“What about Snowball?”
Mrs Brand smiled.
“Still here.”
“And Bubble?”
“With the vet nurse.”
“Okay.”
Barry thought for a moment.
“What if Snowball wants to come?”
“She can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because she needs to stay safely indoors.”
Barry nodded.
“And because she and Bubble don’t have passports?”
Mr Brand laughed.
“That’s not the main reason.”
“It helps.”
Later that evening, Barry sat beside Snowball.
He had a small piece of paper.
At the top he had written a version of:
SNOWBALL HOLIDAY PLAN (illegible to other English speakers)
Underneath were several items (again, Barry is four and this is what he meant):
- Food.
- Water.
- Litter.
- Cuddles.
- Stay inside.
- Don’t be lonely.
- Wait for Barry.
Barry looked at the list.
Then he added:
- Be good.
Snowball looked at him.
Barry smiled.
“I’ll be back.”
Snowball purred.
“You’ll be okay.”
Purr.
“And I’m going to Barbados.”
Purr.
“It’s very far away.”
Purr.
“I don’t really want to go without you.”
Snowball leaned against his hand.
Barry smiled.
“But Marmaduke’s going.”
He thought.
“And Alfie wants to see museums.”
Another thought.
“And Mum and Dad are going.”
He looked down at the list.
“And you’ll have the vet nurse.”
Snowball closed her eyes.
Barry nodded.
“Okay.”
He folded the paper carefully.
“I think we can do it.”
At bedtime, the boys were discussing the holiday.
“Well,” said Alfie, “we’ve got four to five weeks.”
“It’s going to be brilliant,” said Marmaduke.
“I’m going to swim,” said Barry.
“You said you weren’t going.”
“I changed my mind.”
Alfie smiled.
“Why?”
Barry shrugged.
“Because Snowball said I should.”
Marmaduke laughed.
“Snowball didn’t say anything.”
“She did.”
“When?”
“Earlier.”
“What did she say?”
Barry looked at him.
“She said ‘purr.’”
Marmaduke nodded.
“Very convincing.”
Barry climbed into bed.
“I think she means I should have fun.”
Alfie smiled.
“That’s probably what she means.”
Barry pulled the duvet up.
“And then I come home.”
“Yes.”
“And she’s still here.”
“Yes.”
“And Bubble is still here.”
“Yes.”
“And we all fly home together.”
“Exactly.”
Barry smiled.
“Okay.”
He closed his eyes.
There was a pause.
Then:
“Dad?”
Mr Brand appeared at the door.
“Yes?”
“Can we send Snowball a postcard?”
Mr Brand smiled.
“Of course.”
“Can she read?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
Barry thought.
“We’ll send her one anyway.”
“Good idea.”
“Can she have a coconut?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s a cat.”
“Okay.”
Another pause.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Can she have a fridge magnet?”
Mr Brand laughed.
“Goodnight, Barry.”
“Goodnight.”
The door closed.
Downstairs, Mrs Brand smiled.
“So he’s coming round?”
Mr Brand nodded.
“I think so.”
Marjory smiled.
“Marmaduke is going to be beside himself.”
“He already is.”
“And Alfie?”
“He’s planning his museum itinerary.”
Marjory laughed.
“And Barry?”
Mr Brand looked towards the stairs.
“Barry is currently planning Snowball’s postcard.”
Mrs Brand smiled.
“That sounds about right.”
Upstairs, Barry was already asleep.
Snowball was curled up downstairs in her basket.
The house was quiet.
For the first time, Barbados felt real.
And for the first time, Barry wasn’t worried about leaving Snowball.
Because he had finally understood something important.
Going away didn’t mean leaving someone behind.
It meant trusting that they would be safe until you came home.
And Snowball, although she couldn’t possibly have known what Barbados was, or what a museum was, or why Barry was suddenly obsessed with postcards, seemed perfectly content.
She had her basket.
She had her food.
She had her radiator hammock.
She had a very capable vet nurse coming to look after her.
And she had a family who had somehow managed to turn a rescued cat into the central character in nearly every conversation they had.
Snowball purred.
Two weeks without Barry would probably be lovely.
Two weeks without all of them would probably be even better.
But then again…
They were her family.
And secretly, she rather liked having them around.
Even Barry.
Most of the time.
Alfie, Barry and Marmaduke Stories 
Leave a comment