Chapter 2

Kate becomes more familiar with her surroundings and the people there.

 Chapter 2

Kate and her dad left the school and walked very quickly back to the main street. There they hailed a cab and headed to Shaw’s Canine Inn where Chili had been quarantined for the last three weeks.

The Shaw's Kennel was nestled at the end of a dead end street surrounded by a healthy evergreen hedge and very large evergreen trees. A low wooden shake roof covered in ivy and framing the door made the entrance look like a picture from a fairy tale. The owners of the kennel, Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, inhabited the top floor and had become good friends with them, as they were there almost every day since Chili had arrived.

Kate had spent many hours at the kennel playing with Chili and talking with Mr. and Mrs. Shaw. Some times Mrs. Shaw had Kate help take care of the other dogs’ cages while Chili was being groomed and it wasn’t unusual for Mrs. Shaw to welcome them into the back room for a drink or snack while they were updated on what Chili had done that day. Most times Mr. Shaw joined them and they talked about the new arrivals and where the dog had come from. But lately it was only Mrs. Shaw who greeted them. Mr. Shaw had been ill and was having a hard time recovering.

“Ah, the Thorn family. Good to see ye Bruce, and ye too, Kate. Guess we have’nae seen ye in, what two days?” She smiled warmly at them, “Chili is having a wonderful day. The clearance papers ye have been waiting for came in this morning and ye can take him home with ye if ye want,” Mrs. Shaw said. “All I need from ye is to fill out a little paper work for his license and ye are free to take him.”

“Can I go back and get him?” She asked.

“Sure dearie, let me just get yer father started on these papers and then ye can come on back,” she said handing a clipboard and a pen to Bruce. She unlocked the gate for Kate to pass through and walked down the hall toward the quarantine area.

“We sure are going to miss Chili. Will ye bring him back for a visit?” Mrs. Shaw asked.

“I will. I’m going to miss this place too.” Kate sighed looking around the only other place she spent more time in than school or home. “Is Mr. Shaw still not feeling well?” she asked.

Suddenly Kate felt as if the floor were leaning, she was thrown off balance momentarily. She closed her eyes to stop the spinning and saw a flash of Mr. Shaw in a hospital bed hooked up to a multitude of machines. It only took a moment and then it was gone. She opened her eyes to apologize to Mrs. Shaw for her actions and found she hadn't noticed anything.

Mrs. Shaw sighed and said. “Ye know Kate I’m having a real hard time thinking it was just the flu. I think it was something else, but just try to make the man go to the doctor. He won’t do it. I’m starting to get a wee bit worried.”

Mrs. Shaw was a caring woman of about fifty years old. Not old-old, just starting to get a little gray in her dark red hair. Kate liked her and Mr. Shaw, and she was more than a little concerned for the both of them especially when she was seeing things. She glanced over her shoulder to her dad wondering if she should mention her latest “dream” to him.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.

Mrs. Shaw looked thoughtfully at her then said, “Perhaps there is, but let me talk with yer father first.” She turned to the cages, “Alright then let's release the prisoner!”

She opened the cage and Chili bounded out to Kate’s open arms covering her in wet sloppy dog kisses.

“I think he knows he is going home today,” Kate said.

Mrs. Shaw leaned down to pet Chili. “I already told him this morning when the papers came. He’s just been waiting for ye to get here.”

Kate knelt down to the floor to hug her dog and give him a good two-handed scrub on his cheeks as Mrs. Shaw returned to the front room where Bruce was filling out the license forms.

“You want to go home? Huh? Well its not the home you remember, but I’m sure you can find some stuff that smells the same.” She knew that even though he didn’t talk back he did, or at least he acted, like he understood.

They collected the collar and leash from Mrs. Shaw, said their goodbyes and headed out the door. Chili pranced around like a show dog.

“He is so happy to be out here. Look how energetic he is” her dad said. “Lets celebrate. No cabs for us! We’ll walk though the gardens.”

“Dad that’s about three miles and most of its up hill. Are you sure you’re up to it?” she jibbed.

“Three miles? Well that's just a good stretch of the legs,” he quoted one of their favorite movies.

“Alright, let’s stretch those legs then,” she said.

As they headed down the street they could hear people passing by ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh ‘at Chili, appreciating his size, soft coat and enthusiastic demeanor. They crossed the road and headed down to the gardens. Chili had to stop every now and then to smell a flower or leave his mark.

“So, what do you know about taking care of other people’s dogs?” he asked.

“Not much, just what Mrs. Shaw has shown me, cleaning out the cages and feeding them that’s all. Why?” she asked.

“Well, they think Mr. Shaw’s illness is not just the flu. They think there may be something a little more serious wrong with him,” he said.

Kate stared at the ground thinking of the vision she had seen. She didn’t know what to think.

“How? Why? Has he agreed to see a doctor? I thought he wouldn’t go?”

She stammered. He looked at her as he took her hand.

“Mrs. Shaw didn’t want you to worry. She is taking Mr. Shaw into the hospital for some tests. They just want to rule out other problems,” he explained.

“What other problems?” she wasn't surprised by her reaction to the news. She had come to realized how close she had gotten to the Shaw’s. The thought of something happening to Mr. Shaw caused tears to trickle from her eyes. “When are they going? Can we go see him?” she asked.

“They are going on Wednesday morning,” her dad continued. “Mrs. Shaw wanted to know if you would come into the kennel that day to feed the animals and clean the cages. I told her we would work something out. She will call us tonight with the details.” He looked at her and stroked her hair from her face, “Kit, people go to the hospital for tests all the time. I’m sure it’s nothing that a little antibiotic won’t cure. Don’t worry. Besides, we have some celebrating to do.” She smiled but the sight of Mr. Shaw in the hospital bed remained seared into her mind.

He looked at her when they reached the top of the hill. Out of breath he panted, “Great-stretch-of-the-legs.” They rested for a minute or two and then he said, “Now, about that celebration dinner. How does sausage and mushroom pizza sound?”

“Sounds fine,” she answered.

“How does sausage and mushroom pizza from Pizza Hut sound?”

“Really? You would willingly let fast food enter our home? Oh what would Mom think?”

“What? We can’t go a little crazy when there is something to celebrate?”

“Well alright, Pizza Hut sounds great. Gosh, I haven’t had American food for three weeks. I hope my stomach doesn’t explode,” she mused.

They walked up one of the closes and onto the street where the red Pizza Hut sign adorned the front of the small pizza kitchen tucked in among all of the other shops along the street.

“I’ll wait out here with the guest of honor,” she said. “I think since it was your proposal, you should have the pleasure of entering this fast food establishment and placing the order yourself.”

“My, what big words you’ve learned my child. Just stand back and be amazed as I walk though these doors.” He said as he stretched and flexed his fingers toward the doors. Then pointing toward her he said. “Don’t go anywhere I’ll be right back.” He looked right then left spy like not wanting anyone to see him, and the next moment he disappeared inside.

Kate stood outside with Chili and watched the people. Edinburgh seemed to have more than its fair share of characters. On the other side of the street, she noticed an old man many people referred to as ‘Monkey’, sitting on a bench, passing time. He was dressed in his normal fashion, a well-worn dress jacket and trousers, cap and perpetual two-day stubble of a gray beard. Not a tall man, and slightly built, Monkey was known to walk up to you, say “Hello” and if you didn’t reply, he would punch your arm.

She had that weird and unpleasant experience the first day she was here. She remembered being surprised, and quite angry, until one of the shop owners told her that Monkey wouldn’t remember it five minutes from now and in order to avoid the arm-punches in the future, one should always respond with a loud and friendly “Hello!”

The next day Monkey had approached her and asked her “How’s my girl doing this morning?” She had spoken up and told him she was doing just fine. He smiled and walked on. She smiled too, pleased that she was becoming familiar with her new home. She now possessed some unique ‘insider information’ on how to survive the streets of Edinburgh. Yes, she thought to herself, there are many extraordinary characters in this wonderfully unusual city.

Her dad appeared with the boxed pizzas, grinning a wide grin, with the smell of freshly cooked sausage and mushrooms wafting from the cardboard. The aroma was heavenly to her and she looked forward to the pizza feast.

Her dad motioned to Monkey sitting across the street, “Remember the first time we saw him?” he said rubbing his arm. He too had been a victim of the mad Monkey man.

They arrived home, and observed as Chili entered the flat for the first time. He had a grand time exploring, padding from room to room with his nose to the ground and his tags on his collar jangling musically. Soon he managed to sniff out his toys, which were still packed in one of the many boxes.

The phone rang as she was getting out the plates and glasses. Her dad answered and she could hear him from the other room. He hung up and entered the kitchen.

“Let me guess, Mom’s going to be late again?” she said.

Her dad gestured to her and said to no one, “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Great Kate, reader of minds, seer of the future.”

“Oh please! It is quite elementary. No one else knows our phone number here but her and the school. And seeing as how the school is now closed, I therefore conclude, members of the jury that the phone call was indeed made by that of the mother-wife figure. I rest my case,” she did a deep bow.

Her dad clapped his hands and smiled at her. Then he gave her a big hug as he commented, “It’s like just the two of us have moved here alone. Isn’t it?”

Chili came in and wiggled between the two of them smelling the pizza.

“Except now Chili makes three,” she said in a high-pitched voice people only used when talking to babies or dogs. In her normal voice, she continued, “Did you think here was going to be any different? I mean Mom always worked late. Even on holidays she worked late. I can’t remember a holiday picture with her in it. I do believe that you, my dear Papa, are a single parent.” She saw concern in his eyes as she looked down at him.

“I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be a single parent to Kit.”

She crawled across the dog and into his lap and gave him a big hug.

“You know I don’t really have to go to school. Especially now that I have assaulted a teacher and all, you could home school me and then you wouldn’t be alone all the time,” she teased.

“Oh that’s all I need, you home all the time. When would I go shopping? You wouldn’t believe all the little grocery stores I have found. Hey! Wait a minute! I could take you to all the neat little stores I found and you could help me pick out meat and smell all the spices and then I could teach you how to cook. Wait! you could cook for me! I like this idea.” Kate started to crawl away; her dad grabbed her and pulled her back. “Oh no you don’t. Lets talk about this. I think you are on to something”.

“Chili, get him!” she said. Chili jumped to his feet and started pawing at her dad. Kate stood up and with her hands in the air and crowed. “More pizza for me!”

She picked up the pizza boxes and plates from the counter and moved to the table to eat.

After a few bites of pizza, she asked, “So when are you going to open your own restaurant?”

He started to choke and reached for his water and took a big drink.

“My own restaurant? What are you talking about?” he squeaked out.

“Well, you are such a great cook and Mom is making so much money I don’t see why you can’t start up your own business. Just think of all the Americans who will come to your cafe or pub for some great Scottish food. Of course it will have an American twist but they won’t know the difference and they will tell all their friends back home how wonderful the food is here, especially that one little restaurant. You could...”

“Hold it just one second! Could I please just get a word in edge wise? What makes you think the fact that your mother isn’t here much I'd want to open my own restaurant? I have plenty to keep me busy here during the day, like exploring the town hanging out with Chili, watching my shows.”

She rolled her eyes. “Dad, you have covered most of the town on foot and we have only been here three weeks and you don't have any shows. What are you going to do when we have been here six months? I guess you could hang out with your mates down at the pubs all day, I hear Monkey is looking for a friend?”

He held up his hand, “First of all I don’t want to hang out at the pubs and second of all, what about you? If Mom isn’t here for dinner at night then what makes you think that I would be here if I were running a restaurant? I would think that most people want to eat dinner at dinnertime. That would put me squarely in the ‘working during dinnertime’ box. Where will you be?”

She looked at him. “It would put me in the 'here-at-home-alone-with-Chili-doing-my-homework-and-watching-T.V.' box. Dad, I don’t want you to not do something because of me. I’m getting older and I don’t need you to feel you have to continue to put your life on hold for me. Besides you saw Mr. Corkin today. If I can put him on his back I can pretty much put anyone on their back. “

“Speaking of that.” She pinched her eyes shut thinking, here it comes. “Mr. Corkin said that he would love your input on the defense club program and that he would prefer that input before class starts. He wants to meet with you tomorrow during one of your free periods.”

“What kind of input do you think he wants? Did he give you any idea?” she asked.

“Well,” he said with his mouth half full, “he wants to know what practical moves you know. Not tournament stuff, just something that someone, mostly girls, could use. You know, a guy gets a little excited and won’t take ‘No’ for an answer type stuff.”

“Dating defense moves. I guess I should think about that and write some stuff down.” She paused and played with her pizza, “This is going to feel awkward,” she said.

“I know but you can handle it. You’re a smart girl, lass, girl.” he joked. Not as smart as you, she thought, realizing he had turned the conversation away from him and towards her.

The phone rang again and he left the room to answer it. Picking up her pizza, she followed him into the other room to hear better, she was a consummate eavesdropper she couldn’t help it. He saw her come in and motioned her to sit next to him on the couch. He put his hand over the receiver and said. “Its Mrs. Shaw. She wants to know if you would be available to come in tomorrow around four?” Kate nodded her head yes. “Mrs. Shaw, she said that she could be there. Oh… yes I will tell her. And tell Mr. Shaw that we are praying for him. What?” he chuckled. “Alright, don’t tell him if will make him nervous but we will still say a prayer for him…Don't worry Mrs. Shaw, she will be there tomorrow. Bye.” He hung up the phone and turned to Kate.

“That, obviously, was Mrs. Shaw. Add one more person who knows our phone number.” She immediately recognized the 'don't be alarmed at what I have to say' tone of voice. “She is taking Mr. Shaw into the hospital tomorrow at noon. She said that the animals would be fine until you get there and to just do what you would normally do if she were there. She said that the key would be in the potted plant by the back door, something about a fake rock,” he shrugged his shoulders.

“What did she say when you told her we would pray for Mr. Shaw?” she asked.

“She said that if she did, he would think that she was keeping something from him and that he would assume he was dying,” he chuckled again. “He reminds me of my dad. Never will go to the doctor and if he does, it’s always ‘Get the will! This is it! I’m not coming back.’ but he always does. That man will out live me!”

Kate smiled thinking of her grandpa. She never did hear of him being sick now that she thought of it. “I think he will probably out live me too if Mom comes home and finds dirty dishes in the sink.”

She stood and took the few steps to the sink to clean the dishes. She tossed Chili the melted cheese that was stuck to the bottom of the box.

“How come we unpacked the dishes before we unpacked anything else in this house? I think it was just to torture me and make me clean up after every meal,” she yelled. She heard him in the other room opening boxes and pushing things around as Chili headed out of the kitchen to investigate.

“What are you doing in there?” She looked around the corner with her wet hands up in the air like a doctor. “Are you unpacking without me?”

She saw him digging through one of the larger boxes, his head and shoulders deep inside. “What are you looking for?” she asked.

He came out of the box with a worn tennis ball in his hand. Chili began turning in circles and jumping up and down. He threw the ball down the hall and the dog chased after it.

“I just felt that he would feel more at home if there was something of his out.” He reached back into the box and pulled out a dog bed.

“Where should we put this? In your room like at home?”

“Of course,” she replied.

She took the bed and started down the hall to her room. Chili dropped the retrieved ball and grabbed one corner of the bed and yanked on it. After a few minutes of tug of war she finally managed to drag the bed, with the dog still attached, down the hall to her room. She placed the bed in the middle of her bay window and he jumped into it and pressed his nose against the window. A few moments later a whine escaped him and his tail began to wag. She looked out and recognized her mom.

Her mom was a professionally dressed lady with the demeanor to match. She always made the extra effort to ensure she looked her best, with hair and makeup ever in place, even in the most casual of situations. She moved with grace and efficiency and a no-nonsense manner that she rarely allowed to slip.

Kate jogged down the hall to the front door with the dog at her heels. She opened the door and stepped outside to greet her mom as Chili bounded down the front steps and launched himself at her chest. Her mom barely had time to brace herself. Standing on his hind feet he was as tall as she was. He licked her face and smelled her clothes.

“Hello Chili! It’s nice to see you too.” She said. “Hi Kate. Is there any dinner left for me? I am so famished! All I’ve had to eat today was take-out pizza.”

“Oops,” Kate said.

“What ‘oops’? What does this ‘oops’ mean?” her mom asked in an uncharacteristically lighthearted fashion.

“Well, Dad and I kind of had a celebration dinner honoring Chili’s release from doggy prison and we brought home some pizza from Pizza Hut.” She confessed.

Her Mom looked at her with her mouth open, “Dad let you get fast food? Is he feeling alright?”

“Well, we weren’t expecting Chili to come home today and it took a long time to fill out paper work and then we walked home from the kennels.” She took a big breath, “By then it was too late to make dinner. And it was Dad’s idea, believe it or not. So he bought pizza. I think there are a few pieces left,” she finished sheepishly.

Her mom gave her a brief hug and walked into the apartment.

As the evening progressed, Kate finished her homework and stayed up to talk to her mom. As she entered the living room she over heard her dad and mom talking about Mr. Shaw.

“I agree. That’s pretty scary not knowing what is going on. I hope they don’t find anything serious,” her mom was saying.

“Kate is going to help out with the kennel tomorrow,” her dad said as she nodded and sat down next to him.

“Oh really? Kate do you think you are up to something like this?” Her mom asked. “Taking care of another’s animal is a pretty big responsibility. You’ve never done anything like this before.”

Before she could answer, her dad replied. “Meg, Kate and I have been down to the kennels three or four times a week. Kate has been taking care of the animals while Mrs. Shaw was busy with grooming or with Mr. Shaw.” He smiled and put his arm around Kate, “She will do just fine. She knows the kennels just as well as the Shaw’s' or even Chili. Besides it is only for tomorrow and maybe a few days after. She can handle it,” he reassured Meg.

Switching subjects, her mom asked, “Kate, you finished with your homework?”

“Yes, not much homework tonight,” she answered.

“Your father has told me all about this defense club you have joined. Don’t you think that trying to hang onto your old life is just going to make adjusting to this life that much harder? I feel it’s better if you drop that course and try to take something more lady like. Maybe there is an astronomy course or another math course or even a cooking course you could get into?”

Kate stared at her mother, dumfounded. What could she possibly be thinking? Math! me…?

“Mom, it’s not a regular course. It’s after school and it’s a club. I thought it would be a great way to meet the other kids. Kids that were interested in the same things I am.”

“Kate dear, there will be kids in a math or astronomy club too. You could meet them and learn about your world out there,” her mom said.

“Mom, that’s really not the reason I chose defense.” She started but her dad interrupted her.

“Meg, she really is good at what she does. You should have seen the faces of the other students when she did this move on the instructor. It was amazing! He had no idea what had happened to him. One minute he was standing there, the next he was on the floor looking up at her.”

Her mom looked horrified slowly putting her head in her hands.

“You would have been proud,” he finished haltingly realizing belatedly that this story was not something he should have shared with his wife. “Kate honey, why don’t you go on to bed and I will be in later to say goodnight,” her dad said. “Maybe you could give some thought to a math club too,” he added weakly.

Kate stood up and kissed both her parents good night and went to her room. Chili stood up and followed. She changed into her pj’s, hit the light and crawled into bed. Chili jumped onto the bed and put his head on her chest. It was so good to have him with her. Just like at home, he always started the night on her bed then sometime during the night he would leave for his own bed. She never knew when, but always in the morning she would wake up to see him curled up in his bed on the floor by the window.

Her dad came in and kissed her again and patted Chili on the head. “Don’t worry about Mom. I will not make you give up the defense club. She just doesn’t understand. She is more of a brain person than you are. Besides do you honestly think that I would allow anyone other than myself teach you how to cook?” He turned to leave the room then turned around again, “Remember to say a prayer for Mr. Shaw. Love you, goodnight.” Then he left the room and Kate and Chili were alone.

Kate concentrated and prayed for Mr. Shaw to be fine and if he really was sick that some how he would be able to be cured. She rolled over to look out the window. She couldn’t see any stars but she could see the lights from some of the other buildings. They lit up the sky and cast shadows on the walls of her room. She was beginning to like it here. She wasn't sure if her Dad was right about the city being enchanted, she felt more like it was bewitched.

She closed her eyes and began to dream.

Author's Note

Please review. Positive critiques please.