Pet Day part 1

A Week Before Pet Day

Mollie Hampton looked at Red. Her cat was perched next to her on the sofa, washing his back.
He would hate a cat carrier, she thought miserably, running her fingers along his tummy while he purred in delight. It was to be Mollie's school's annual Pet Day in a few weeks, and Mollie wasn't even sure if she wanted to bring Red along.

Sighing, she went outside, got down on her hands and knees, and crawled through the soft green fronds of the old weeping willow tree. The willow fronds had grown so long and dangly, they brushed the ground, making a perfect little green cave underneath the spread of leaves. This little hiding spot was Mollie's special thinking place.

Mollie sat and thought for a long time, until she saw a blurry shadow on the other side of the gently trembling leaves. "What's that ya doing, lass? Ya gonna catch yer death a cold if ya stay here much longer!"

"Oh, Grandpa, I'm not sure if I want to take Red to Pet Day," Mollie sighed deeply.

"What will I do? All my friends think I am bringing him, but he's gonna hate it if I actually do bring him!"

Grandpa's Newest Story

"Let me tell ya another story, lass...." Grandpa chuckled. Mollie adored Grandpa's stories. He told Mollie at least three every day, and she never forgot any of them. Some of them were elaborate fantasies, telling of little winged people and huge cities made of clouds. Some of them were myths and legends, that told about how the world was made and how heroic gods and goddesses fought over land and sea. But the stories that Mollie loved the most were the real-life ones, the ones that told of Grandpa's childhood.

She made herself comfy on the soft, spongy moss that grew around the base of the tree trunk and rested her head on the hard wood. "What sort of story are you gonna tell today?" She sighed blissfully. She could listen to Grandpa's tales all day, every day.

Grandpa sat himself down slowly, making little mumbles of "ow, me back" and "ya naughty knee!" Mollie waited patiently while he made these little grunts of pain and annoyance. Suddenly a rustling sound could be heard and Red came bouncing through the willow fronds.

The beautiful red Maine Coon cat curled himself in between Mollie and Grandpa, so that Grandpa had to budge up with a little wince. "We're all listening today," giggled Mollie as the family's old, shaggy dog, Box, shambled over and poked his nose through the leaves.

"Why don't ya take old Box ta this Pets Day?" Grandpa asked.

"Because Tyler is," Mollie gestured to her younger brother, who was playing soccer with his best friend Sam.