The cat sat regarding her in silence. Sighing, and mustering up her courage, Amy reached towards him, hoping her leather jacket sleeves would save her wrists from the claws of the furry fare-dodger
Her shift was over, and Amy strolled to the back of the double-decker, peering fastidiously under every seat.
That bus was like a second home, and Amy liked her home spotless. Perhaps it stayed tidy because there wasnt exactly a queue of people lining up to mess it up.
Amy, dear, time you found yourself a husband, the depot aunties scolded over their mugs of tea. Pushing thirty and not a sniff of romance! Besides, driving a bus? Men cant stomach the row from passengers, and here you are, day in and day out!
Nice passengers find me, I suppose, Amy retorted with a smile. And I enjoy my job. And I dont think you get a husband like you get a cat or a dog!
They would exchange glancesknowing, of course, that men were a lot more bother than any tail-wagging pet.
Well then, get a cat! theyd insist. Better than rattling around on your own!
Amy just sighed. A cat wont get itself, you know, shed tell the aunties, then head home, put on some music, cook up a simple supper, read a chapter or two, and go to bed
Her days repeated themselves, unnervingly identical. Weekends were the hardest. Too much time on her hands. Often shed just catch a bus and ride it herself, pretending, just for a moment, that someone else was whisking her away to a marvellously happy life.
That day? No different. Shift ended, she gave the bus a thorough going-over, polishing and tidying as she always did.
She crouched to check under the back seat and nearly leapt backwards. Two luminous eyes staring right at her!
Hey! Who are you? she tried, whistling softly. Pss-pss-pss! How did you get there? Lost, are you?
The cat just sat, silently watching.
With a deep breath and a touch of bravado, Amy reached for him, trusting her jacket sleeves to deflect any murderous intent. To her surprise, the cat allowed himself to be extricated, and once in the light, Amy inspected him more closely.
He was, in a word, magnificent.
She knew little about breeds, but this ones squashed little face and gloriously thick coat screamed Persian. Around his neck hung a collar, complete with engraved tag.
Merlin, Amy read, twirling the cat this way and that. Really? The wizard himself?
The cat yawned, not ruling out the possibility.
So, what are we to do with you, Your Magicalness? Amy asked politely. Where do you suppose we’ll find your owners?
The cat yawned again, then gazed at her as if to say, How should I know? By the way, a snack and a nap wouldnt go amiss!
Amy realised her options were limited. Well, technically she had two, but what kind of person turns a ticketless, furry hitchhiker loose to fend for himself on the mean streets of Reading?
Right then, she declared. One night at mine, and tomorrow I’ll stick up some posters with your photo. Someones bound to be missing you!
No objections from Merlin. But the minute Amy moved to the door, Merlin twisted valiantly out of her arms.
What is it now? she wondered, as the cat slithered from her grasp and scurried under the seat again. When he reappeared, something clamped in his jaws.
What have you got there? Amy bent low to look.
The cat delicately dropped a lottery ticket into her open palm.
Well, I never! Amy marvelled at the discovery. So your owner managed to lose both you and their lottery ticket in one fell swoop?
Merlin yawned again, clearly thinking home comforts were overdue.
Amy hurried home, mind whirring. Should she mention the lottery ticket on the posters? What if someone tried to claim the cat just to nick the ticket?
No, shed have to be craftier than that! But for now, the more pressing concern was getting supplies for her unexpected guest.
She found herself in the supermarket, staring helplessly at a wall of cat food pouches. What do you want? she whispered, glancing at Merlin, whod accompanied her to the shop inside his makeshift tote.
The majestic cat peered at the selection, then pointedly nudged one with his nose.
This one? Amy double-checked.
Merlin snatched the pouch in his teeth. No further discussion required.
You are an exceedingly clever cat, she praised.
He made a noise suggesting, Naturally! Shopping for herself as well, Amy soon escorted them both home.
Make yourself comfortable! she announced, setting him down.
Merlin immediately conducted a thorough inspection of the flat. Amy set to work in the kitchen, improvising with two saucers for his food and water, as a proper cat set was not to hand.
Once the cat had eaten, Amy got out her phone and snapped Merlins portrait for the missing pet postersno mention of his name or the mysterious ticket, naturally.
She held up her desktop masterpiece. Look how handsome you are! Tomorrow, up it goes on the bus. Maybe your ownersll show! Oh.
Suddenly she realised: she had a shift tomorrow and nowhere for the cat to go.
Could she take the cat to work? Not an optionone eye on the road, one eye on Merlin, and next stop, disaster. Leave him home alone? The poor things already been through enough drama.
Desperate, Amy remembered Ben, her neighbour across the landing, freelance web designer and lifelong homebodybarely glimpsed outside except en route to Tesco.
Sometimes they ran into each other on the stairs: tall, a bit awkward, glasses always sliding down his nose.
Deciding this was the hour, Amy knocked on his flat door. Ben appeared, dishevelled, wearing novelty slippers and faded joggers. He looked at Amy as if she might be peddling double glazing.
She explained her plea as winningly as she could, but she needn’t have worriedBen nodded silently, accepted her spare key, and that was that.
Amy felt a glimmer of disappointment that her neighbour hadnt even noticed her, but what could you expect? Sighing, she headed back, calling:
Pss-pss! Merlin, whereve you got to?
Merlin, found at the French windows, made it clear he wanted out onto the balcony.
Amy, after a brief risk assessment, decided this was one cat who wouldnt hurl himself from the eighth floor. She opened the door. Out they went together.
Merlin leapt lightly onto the railing. Amy gasped and lunged to catch him, but Merlin stared up at her, faintly supercilious, and then lifted his chin to the sky. Amy stroked his fur and followed his gaze and saw the stars.
The sky looked back at them with a thousand twinkling eyes. Amy spotted one star that streaked across the darkness, like a silver tear.
Merlin brushed his head against her hand, urginggo on then, make a wish! And so she did.
That night, for once, Amy fell asleep the moment she lay down, lulled by a magical purr at her side.
Next morning, after providing Ben with careful cat instructions, she set off for another day behind the wheel.
All day, she made her rounds around Reading with Merlins poster stuck in the bus window. No one showed the least bit of interest in the furry foundlings fate.
Amy felt guilty for her relief. She couldn’t help it. She flew home as if the wind had wings, knowing someone was waiting…
Her flat smelled of coffeereal, brewed coffee, not the instant sort she usually made do with.
I took the liberty, Ben admitted. No offence, Amy, but that instant stuff is criminal. I brought my own. Fancy a cuppa?
Oh, absolutely! Amy grinned. Wheres Merlin?
The cat sauntered into the hallway, exuding the air of someone entirely content with the world. He gave Amys legs a rub that suggested the highest feline approval.
Your Merlins fine, Ben patted the cat, bending awkwardly. Actually, I havent taken a day off in ages. Thought Id work, switched on the laptop, but I just didnt fancy it.
He grinned sheepishly. Started writing stories again. Wrote a fairy tale about a cat.
Can I read it? Amys curiosity was piqued.
Oh, its silly! Ben tried to brush it off, but his ears had gone pink.
I love silly! I love fairy tales!Well, fantasy, but really, whats the difference? Amy insisted.
He relented, of course.
Later, as they sipped rich coffee and read Bens story together, Merlin perched regally nearby, fixing them both with a look that seemed to say: What amusing little kittens you are.
Amy thoroughly enjoyed the story. When Ben shuffled off home, she felt a strange, empty sadnessbut cheered herself up with the knowledge she still had a cat. In a pinch, thats all you need.
Thendoorbell.
Merlins ears flicked as he marched to the front door. Amy called, Who is it?
About the missing cat, came a voice from the hallway.
Her first instinct was to ignore it, but, honestly, that wasnt fair. She opened the door.
A tall old man stood on the mat, draped in a long black coat, smiling mischievously.
Dont fret, my dear, he said. Truly, Ive come for the cat. And, just to put your mind at easehis name is Merlin. You see, here he is now.
Sure enough, the cat shot into his arms like a little furry missile, leaving no room for doubt whatsoever.
Come in, wont you? Amy managed, throat tight.
Odd, how much you could miss a cat acquired barely a day ago! The old man stepped inside, sniffed appreciatively, smiled. Amy was certain cat and man exchanged a glance.
Do pour me some coffee, will you? he requested.
She fetched Bens coffee, which hed conveniently left in its posh tin. Throughout, Merlin and his owner eyed each other in silence, as though carrying on a conversation only the initiated could follow.
Oh, by the way, the gentleman broke the pause, you didnt happen to find anything else, did you?
Amy blushed, producing the lottery ticket. But he waved her off.
Thats for you, he said gently.
But its yours! she protested.
You found it, didnt you? And Merlin appears to agree, the old man smiled.
But what if its a winner? Amy faltered.
He arched his eyebrows. And youd turn down the chance of a little happiness? Honestly, Amy.
She looked down. Wasnt that exactly what shed wished for on that shooting star?
Let happiness in, darling, the man said kindly. And dont look so glum! Well meet again, Im sure of itwhen you get back
Back from where? Amy meant to ask, but the door was already closing gently behind him.
The key turned in the lock by itself, and Amy, already half-asleep, barely got herself to bed before drifting away to a dreama dream of Bens story.
Of a mighty wizard, whod lived selfishly and never brought joy to another soul. For punishment, he was turned into a cat.
And was doomed to wander the earth, in that furry form, until one day, the magic was undone
Next morning, Amy set off for work as usual. Only, everything looked a little bit brighterthe sun, her passengers faces, the clattering bus wheels against the Reading tarmac.
She checked her lottery ticket and, hardly surprised, found shed won a seaside holiday. What really shocked Amy was her managers reaction as he grinned and said:
Take the week off, Amy. Proper restdont mind us lads, well cope!
There followed the sea, and the stars, and the tingling sense of being brand new.
Returning home, sand still in her pockets and a blissful smile plastered to her face, Amy opened her door to the landingwhere Ben immediately appeared, tall and cardigan-clad, as ever.
Had someone asking after you yesterday, he told her, peering curiously. Said to give you somethingoh, hang on. He vanished briefly, then reappeared with a fluffy grey kitten in his arms, sporting an all-too-familiar look of feline superiority.
Well, Persians did have a knack for that faintly disdainful expression.
Hes your bus cats son, apparently Thats what the old chap told me. Hes called Arthur. Said youre the only person he trusts to look after himwell, actually, he said it a bit differently
How? Amy found her heart beating far too loudly.
He said Arthur could only be trusted to us, Ben admitted, turning crimson.
Miaow! confirmed little Arthur, stretching out to greet his new owner.
Amy reached out her handand met Bens, too. And, just like that, the world was a little warmer, a little softer, and a lot happier.
