pin through his eyebrow. It seemed all the more alarming considering he was wearing a finely tailored three-piece suit. The contradictory messages he sent confused everyone. Poor Darla couldnt be expected to understand.
Before Darla could speak, Charley stepped forward and held out his hand. Charles Cousins, I run the pet rescue that Suze works for. You must be Darla. Suze has told me a lot about you. Im delighted to meet you.
Darla gave me a panicked look.
Charley is one of my best buddies, I explained. When hes not running the rescue he is an actor.
Her shoulders relaxed. Hes in costume, I knew she was thinking. I didnt dissuade her.
Im pleased to meet you, too. She beamed at him. Any friend of Suzes is a friend of mine.
As they shook hands, it evoked the image of a lit Fourth of July sparkler. Hot, bright luminosity seemed to pass between them and they both drew quickly back as if theyd been stung. Darlas blue eyes were wide and Charleys usual blasé demeanor vanished. They stammered and nodded and pretended that they hadnt felt what I had so clearly observed.
Darla and Charley? The beauty and the beast?
I really havent been getting enough sleep.
They stumbled awkwardly around each other after that and I was almost relieved to have Charley carry Hammie and his cage out of the house.
As soon as he was outside, Darla was in my face. Who is that?
Just my buddy. Why? I acted innocent.
Hes sosostrange.
And wonderful?
What gives with the hairdo? For a part in a play, I hope.
In Charleys own playhis life. Hes currently starring as a parrot. He likes to keep people off guard. Hes an old teddy bear and I think its his way of being tough. Hed give anyone the shirt off his backand has a number of times. When the shirt is shredded and decorated with safety pins and painted with his personal rendition of baby dragons, fewer people ask for it.
Hes weird, in other words. Darla sounded disappointed.
Not at all. Hes creative.
A synonym for weird .
People, including you and my family, call me creative. Should I take that to mean you think Im weird?
If the shoe fits, wear it, Darla muttered. Then she gave me a lopsided smile. You arent weird. Point taken. Dont judge a book by its cover.
Or a man by his Mohawk.
Just then Charley returned with a large cardboard box lined with a snagged and tattered blanket. The edge of the blanket was draped back over the top of the box, concealing the contents.
Charley, Ive been thinking.
He pulled back the corner of the blanket and revealed the boxs contents.
Inside was an emaciated cat that looked no larger than an eight-or ten-week-old kitten. His fur was matted, his paws raw and bloody and he trembled so that the box quivered in Charleys arms. But his eyes! They were the size of large marbles in the scrawny face, blue as the sky on a sunny day during a Minnesota winter. They were old, wise eyes that looked as if theyd seen too much in his short life.
What happened to him? Darla gasped.
I dont even care to guess, Charley said grimly. Someone found him and was going to have him put down but then decided to bring him to our shelter. Hes going to take a lot of time and attention and someone with a lot of patience. Hes terrified of everyone and everything. Suze is the only choice. Everybody else has their quota and no one is as good with the really struggling ones as she is.
He turned to me and I saw that soft underbelly of his hes always trying to hide. You will take him, wont you?
Oh, Charley, this cat is going to be too much work. Ive got the twins. And Im only sleeping four hours a day. I just cant.
Of course you can. Im here, Darla said, bustling across the room to where Charley and I stood. Ill help with the boys while you care for she peered into the tattered box that.
I was still processing how all this had come about when Charley left. The pathetic creature in the box and I locked eyes and stared at each other. Last chances, that was what this was all about, and I was
Before Darla could speak, Charley stepped forward and held out his hand. Charles Cousins, I run the pet rescue that Suze works for. You must be Darla. Suze has told me a lot about you. Im delighted to meet you.
Darla gave me a panicked look.
Charley is one of my best buddies, I explained. When hes not running the rescue he is an actor.
Her shoulders relaxed. Hes in costume, I knew she was thinking. I didnt dissuade her.
Im pleased to meet you, too. She beamed at him. Any friend of Suzes is a friend of mine.
As they shook hands, it evoked the image of a lit Fourth of July sparkler. Hot, bright luminosity seemed to pass between them and they both drew quickly back as if theyd been stung. Darlas blue eyes were wide and Charleys usual blasé demeanor vanished. They stammered and nodded and pretended that they hadnt felt what I had so clearly observed.
Darla and Charley? The beauty and the beast?
I really havent been getting enough sleep.
They stumbled awkwardly around each other after that and I was almost relieved to have Charley carry Hammie and his cage out of the house.
As soon as he was outside, Darla was in my face. Who is that?
Just my buddy. Why? I acted innocent.
Hes sosostrange.
And wonderful?
What gives with the hairdo? For a part in a play, I hope.
In Charleys own playhis life. Hes currently starring as a parrot. He likes to keep people off guard. Hes an old teddy bear and I think its his way of being tough. Hed give anyone the shirt off his backand has a number of times. When the shirt is shredded and decorated with safety pins and painted with his personal rendition of baby dragons, fewer people ask for it.
Hes weird, in other words. Darla sounded disappointed.
Not at all. Hes creative.
A synonym for weird .
People, including you and my family, call me creative. Should I take that to mean you think Im weird?
If the shoe fits, wear it, Darla muttered. Then she gave me a lopsided smile. You arent weird. Point taken. Dont judge a book by its cover.
Or a man by his Mohawk.
Just then Charley returned with a large cardboard box lined with a snagged and tattered blanket. The edge of the blanket was draped back over the top of the box, concealing the contents.
Charley, Ive been thinking.
He pulled back the corner of the blanket and revealed the boxs contents.
Inside was an emaciated cat that looked no larger than an eight-or ten-week-old kitten. His fur was matted, his paws raw and bloody and he trembled so that the box quivered in Charleys arms. But his eyes! They were the size of large marbles in the scrawny face, blue as the sky on a sunny day during a Minnesota winter. They were old, wise eyes that looked as if theyd seen too much in his short life.
What happened to him? Darla gasped.
I dont even care to guess, Charley said grimly. Someone found him and was going to have him put down but then decided to bring him to our shelter. Hes going to take a lot of time and attention and someone with a lot of patience. Hes terrified of everyone and everything. Suze is the only choice. Everybody else has their quota and no one is as good with the really struggling ones as she is.
He turned to me and I saw that soft underbelly of his hes always trying to hide. You will take him, wont you?
Oh, Charley, this cat is going to be too much work. Ive got the twins. And Im only sleeping four hours a day. I just cant.
Of course you can. Im here, Darla said, bustling across the room to where Charley and I stood. Ill help with the boys while you care for she peered into the tattered box that.
I was still processing how all this had come about when Charley left. The pathetic creature in the box and I locked eyes and stared at each other. Last chances, that was what this was all about, and I was
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