Read Online The Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough - Free Book Online Page A

we all stare at the three hard-boiled eggs, raw potato, and two ginger snaps that Mama baked the other day, one with a bite taken out of it.
    â€œSo what if she is hiding food?” I burst out, unable to keep still a second longer. “Is that such a crime?”
    â€œNo,” Papa says. “But we can’t let it continue.”
    Mama starts talking to Tania in Yiddish again. Tania looks down at the floor, fists clenched, nodding and blinking. Shannon is jammed under her arm. When Mama is finished, Tania places Shannon on her bed, cups her hands over Mama’s ear and starts whispering. Finally she stops.
    Mama turns to the rest of us. “Things are very bad in Russia, even worse than when Papa and I lived there. The war is still going on. Jobs are scarce, and so is food. Aunt Rivka has been selling off furniture and the few pieces of Bubbe’s jewelry that she has left. Some days she and Tania ate just one meal. Other days, they didn’t eat at all.” We all turn to Tania. But Tania grabs Shannon and bolts from the room. I hear her footsteps clattering down the stairs. Mama hurries after her.

    â€œMama will calm her down,” Papa says, looking at us. “You girls have to understand how hard it is for her.” He gives Sophie a pointed look, but Sophie doesn’t seem bothered at all.
    â€œWe still have mice,” is all she says. “What are we going to do about that?”
    â€œWhat about using Ginger Cat and Plucky to help with the mice?” I ask.
    â€œYou mean the cats living outside?” Papa asks. I nod my head eagerly. “I told you: no cats indoors.”
    â€œWhat if she can help solve our mouse problem?” I say.
    He seems to be thinking it over. “The mother cat might be a possibility. She seems tamer lately.”
    â€œShe is tamer! And it’s because of Tania, Papa. She just has a way with Ginger Cat. With all animals, I guess.”
    And at just that moment, Mama comes back into the room with her arm around Tania. I look over at my cousin. The awful blinking has slowed a little. I guess Mama knew what to say.
    â€œWell, we can give it a try. But she’ll have to earn her keep,” says Papa.
    â€œHurray!” cries Trudie, jumping off of the bed to do what she calls her “happy dance,” which consists of prancing in place, shaking her head from side to side, and making a circling motion with her hands. Even Sophie looks pleased, in her big-girl sort of way.
    â€œWhat about Plucky?” I ask. “He could help with the mice, too.”
    â€œNot with that bad back leg,” Papa says. “He won’t be fast enough.”
    â€œCouldn’t we keep him anyway, Papa? Please?” I beg. “He’s gotten thin and his fur is all matted. What will happen when winter comes?” My eyes fill with tears.
    â€œI know you care about him, tochter ,” says Papa. “It shows what a kind heart you have. But two cats are too many.” He puts an arm around me. “You and Tania can toss scraps over the fence,” he adds. “Plucky’s a sturdy kitten. He’ll be all right.”
    â€œWhat if he’s not?” But Papa is gone. I turn to Mama. “Can you talk to him?” I ask. “Get him to change his mind?”
    â€œTwo cats are too many,” Mama repeats. She gathers all the food that was under the pillow and leaves the room.
    I look around to see my sisters still sitting on their beds, but Tania is no longer there. I didn’t even see her go.
    â€œDid you have to be so mean?” I ask Sophie
    â€œI wasn’t mean,” Sophie says. “We have mice. Someone had to do something about it. And I could see it wasn’t going to be you.”
    â€œBut she went hungry, Sophie! When have we ever had to go hungry?”
    â€œI told you before,” Sophie says. “I feel very sorry for her. She’s had a hard time. But things are not so hard