Opening Day Part 7

"And stay out," Dweezil thundered, as Jack was hustled out of the barn in hand cuffs.  You are banned from coming here, forever," he added, wiping his hands on his apron and then shutting the bar door. "Well that was certainly enough excitement to last for the rest of the year.

"Mr. Dweezil," he heard a small voice say as a he felt the tap of delicate paw on his shoulder.

"Yes? he asked turning to face Lyla, who was staring up at him with large tear filled eyes.

"Please don't ban Jackie from the bar.  He didn't mean what he said.  After a few drinks, he sometimes talks crazy, but underneath he's all soft and misunderstood. He's not a bad guy, not really.

Dweezil felt three pairs of female feline eyes boring holes in his back. Diane he understood, and Trixie would have been close enough to hear the whole thing and want to be involved.  But how on earth had his mother inveigled herself into the middle of this mess.  Now he had to be on guard,  because one misstep and be hearing about it for the rest of his life.

So, sighing deeply, he turned, and placing a conciliatory paw around her shoulders said, "Actually Lyla, I'm afraid that he meant ever word. Cats like that generally do. And your too sweet and pretty a kitten," he added bumbling around for something positive to say.  She looked on the verge of tears again.  There really was no winning in this, and he just knew that everyone in the bar was hanging on every his word, and this whole conversation would be all over town within an hour.  

"Somewhere out there, is another cat who's going to love you and take care of you and want to lay the world at your feet.  And as long as your wrapped up with that no good, louse, you'll never meet him."

She didn't need to meet him, Harlan thought sadly to himself as reentered the bar in time to hear the tale end of the conversation. "The one cat who loves you and has loved you since we were both kittens is standing right here, only you barely know that I exist."

He was looking at her with such longing that Yvette felt compelled to do something about that situation.  And when Yvette decided to get involved the problem was as good as solved.