Read Online The Christmas Cat by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online
Authors: Melody Carlson
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have a big fundraiser in February and I like getting tasks pinned down before Christmas. Makes January go smoother.”
“I’m sure I can wrap this up in two weeks max,” Garrison assured him. “I’ll be there in time for those planning meetings. Thank you, sir.”
“I look forward to working with you, son. I really liked your résumé and that you’d spent that much time in Uganda. I can tell you’re a diligent young man, and that you take your responsibilities seriously and see things through. I know you’ll be a real asset to the team, Garrison.”
In the spirit of diligence, Garrison started constructing a new ad on Friday afternoon. It was obvious that his first ad had been ineffective. For the new ad, Garrison decided to lure interest by mentioning that the cats would come with a special “Christmas bonus.” He was careful not to mention cash, but he did word it in a mysterious way that he hoped would garner some prospective pet owners’ curiosity.
He was just editing the ad when the phone rang. “Hey, Garrison,” a woman’s voice said. “I heard you’re looking for homes for your cats.”
“That’s right,” he said eagerly. “Did you see my ad or—”
“Actually it was Cara who mentioned it. I was at her Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. We barely met. My name’s Beth, and I was there with my daughter, Annabelle. Although Annabelle had her nose in her phone and hardly said a word to anyone.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “I know who you are.” He remembered the flashy, middle-aged redhead with too much makeup and the teen girl who looked like the poster child for post-Goth.
“Anyway, Cara told me you had cats to give away. And, ever since we moved here, I’ve been promising Annabelle that she could have a cat.”
Garrison cringed to think of the strange-looking girl with multiple piercings taking home one of his cats. But then he chided himself for being too judgmental. After all, he’d gone through some rough teen years himself. “You say you just moved here?” he ventured.
“Oh, it’s been a couple years now. I kept making up new excuses not to have a cat. But Annabelle’s not letting me off the hook.”
He explained a bit about Gram’s will. “I know her requirements might sound extravagant to some people, but I have to respect her wishes. Do you mind if I ask a few questions?”
“Not at all.” She giggled. “Imagine being interviewed to adopt a cat.”
“I know.” He pulled out Gram’s list and went over the preliminaries, and all seemed to be in order. Beth was a solid candidate. “Sounds good,” he told her. “But I’ll still need to evaluate your house.”
“For what?” she sounded worried.
“To make sure it’s a safe, healthy place for a cat.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, but don’t worry. It’s not like I’m inspecting your housekeeping.”
“Well, like I said, I do hair from my home, so I did pass that inspection.”
“That’s great,” he told her. “Mind if I come by for a quick look? And, trust me, I’m as eager to find homes for these cats as you are to have one of them.”
She told him where she lived, and he asked when he should come by.
“Can you do it right now?” she said eagerly. “Annabelle is out and I’d rather she not know about this. I mean, just in case it doesn’t work out.”
“No problem.”
As Garrison hurried the several blocks to Beth’s house, he actually shot up a quick prayer for help that this adoption would work out. One less cat would be real progress. And if Beth and Annabelle did qualify, hopefully they wouldn’t want Harry. Perhaps Garrison would put Harry out of sight.
Garrison did a quick tour through Beth’s house. Although her house was a little messy and cluttered and her breakfast dishes were still in the sink, he felt that the place was just fine for a cat. Before he left, he explained the need for another visitation after a couple of weeks. “I can’t tell you exactly what day it will
“I’m sure I can wrap this up in two weeks max,” Garrison assured him. “I’ll be there in time for those planning meetings. Thank you, sir.”
“I look forward to working with you, son. I really liked your résumé and that you’d spent that much time in Uganda. I can tell you’re a diligent young man, and that you take your responsibilities seriously and see things through. I know you’ll be a real asset to the team, Garrison.”
In the spirit of diligence, Garrison started constructing a new ad on Friday afternoon. It was obvious that his first ad had been ineffective. For the new ad, Garrison decided to lure interest by mentioning that the cats would come with a special “Christmas bonus.” He was careful not to mention cash, but he did word it in a mysterious way that he hoped would garner some prospective pet owners’ curiosity.
He was just editing the ad when the phone rang. “Hey, Garrison,” a woman’s voice said. “I heard you’re looking for homes for your cats.”
“That’s right,” he said eagerly. “Did you see my ad or—”
“Actually it was Cara who mentioned it. I was at her Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. We barely met. My name’s Beth, and I was there with my daughter, Annabelle. Although Annabelle had her nose in her phone and hardly said a word to anyone.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “I know who you are.” He remembered the flashy, middle-aged redhead with too much makeup and the teen girl who looked like the poster child for post-Goth.
“Anyway, Cara told me you had cats to give away. And, ever since we moved here, I’ve been promising Annabelle that she could have a cat.”
Garrison cringed to think of the strange-looking girl with multiple piercings taking home one of his cats. But then he chided himself for being too judgmental. After all, he’d gone through some rough teen years himself. “You say you just moved here?” he ventured.
“Oh, it’s been a couple years now. I kept making up new excuses not to have a cat. But Annabelle’s not letting me off the hook.”
He explained a bit about Gram’s will. “I know her requirements might sound extravagant to some people, but I have to respect her wishes. Do you mind if I ask a few questions?”
“Not at all.” She giggled. “Imagine being interviewed to adopt a cat.”
“I know.” He pulled out Gram’s list and went over the preliminaries, and all seemed to be in order. Beth was a solid candidate. “Sounds good,” he told her. “But I’ll still need to evaluate your house.”
“For what?” she sounded worried.
“To make sure it’s a safe, healthy place for a cat.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, but don’t worry. It’s not like I’m inspecting your housekeeping.”
“Well, like I said, I do hair from my home, so I did pass that inspection.”
“That’s great,” he told her. “Mind if I come by for a quick look? And, trust me, I’m as eager to find homes for these cats as you are to have one of them.”
She told him where she lived, and he asked when he should come by.
“Can you do it right now?” she said eagerly. “Annabelle is out and I’d rather she not know about this. I mean, just in case it doesn’t work out.”
“No problem.”
As Garrison hurried the several blocks to Beth’s house, he actually shot up a quick prayer for help that this adoption would work out. One less cat would be real progress. And if Beth and Annabelle did qualify, hopefully they wouldn’t want Harry. Perhaps Garrison would put Harry out of sight.
Garrison did a quick tour through Beth’s house. Although her house was a little messy and cluttered and her breakfast dishes were still in the sink, he felt that the place was just fine for a cat. Before he left, he explained the need for another visitation after a couple of weeks. “I can’t tell you exactly what day it will
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