Page List

Font Size:

‘You understand.’ She nods a few times. ‘I shouldn’t have said what I did.’

‘I’m not judging you for whatever happens today, Maggie.’ Rocket is purring, a rumble under my palm. ‘Tell me what the other vet said.’

‘He said I had two options. Surgery to pin his leg in place or amputation.’ Maggie gets tissues out of her pocket and wipes her nose. ‘It was cheaper to amputate. Can you believe that? But it was still too expensive for me. When I told him that, he sent me to the woman at the desk. She was friendly, young like you she was, and she said the vets would make him comfortable. I didn’t know what she meant at first.’

‘Euthanise him.’

‘That’s why I brought him back. If he’s going to die, it should be here with me. He was an unwanted kitten, six weeks old, when he first came here. The finest cat I’ve ever had.’

‘Do you have the X-ray? And can I examine him?’

‘I don’t want him put through more pain than he’s had already.’

‘I’ll give him an injection to help with that.’

‘I can’t pay you now. It’ll have to be February. Maybe March. I had to pay those boys for their petrol, and I had to pay the vet before they let me take Rocket away. There’s my nest egg gone.’

‘We can work something out.’

‘Neither lender nor borrower be, is what my mother always said. How much will I owe you?’

‘Twenty dollars for the analgesic, the painkiller. That will cover it.’

‘What about your labour?’

‘I’m not too busy and happy to have the work. If you put in a good word for me with other locals, we’re square.’

‘You’re being charitable, I see that, but at least you haven’t banged on about do unto others as they do unto you and babies in mangers.’ ‘I’m not big on Christmas myself.’ I clear my throat. ‘I’m doing this for Rocket.’

‘It’s always just me and Rocket for Christmas. That’s all we need.’ She blows her nose again. ‘Give him the shot for the pain, then. Let’s get this over with.’

I hold the X-rays up to the light. The fracture is at the top of Rocket’s back leg. It’s displaced, which is why pinning the leg would be the optimal result, yet …

‘Do you know Rocket’s weight?’

‘Four kilos, they said.’ Maggie sits on the end of the sofa. ‘He’s a big strong boy, my Rocket.’ Even wary and in pain, Rocket is a good-natured cat, purring as I continue to stroke under his chin, and giving me a wide-eyed look of acceptance as I lift his skin to give him the analgesic.

‘We have to limit his movement until this wears off. I don’t want him doing more damage. Can you reach him from the sofa? Keep him calm while I check his temperature and see how he’s doing generally. Your cat has a lovely temperament.’

Maggie’s hands are shaking. ‘I brought him home to get him away from the bleach smell and those awful white walls. When you do what you have to do, he won’t feel anything, will he? I don’t want him to be frightened, not now he’s at home.’

‘He won’t be in pain, and he won’t be afraid. I promise.’

‘How do you know?’

‘He won’t be scared because you’re here. And he won’t be in pain because I’m here. I know about pain.’

‘You’re too pretty to know about pain.’

‘When I lived here as a child, I thought I was ugly.’

‘Codswallop.’ Rocket is purring like a drain. ‘How old were you?’

‘I was six when my family moved here and twelve when we left. I had some wonderful teachers, and Dr McLeod looked after me, but in other ways it was hard.’

‘Was it because of your eyes? Did the other kids tease you?’

‘I hid my face with my hair. I looked down a lot. I stayed away from the other kids. I was embarrassed and ashamed.’