Part 7 (1/2)
She thought for a moment before saying, ”Gosh, it's already the fourteenth.”
”Yeah, that's what I thought. Close enough. Let's have birthday cake...and a party.”
She looked at him for a moment before saying, ”Yeah, we could do that.”
”I mean just you, me, and Adam-nothing big. A small celebration.”
”Sure-then I'd better go fix the gift he worked so hard on so he can wrap it for you when he gets here.”
Sat.u.r.day morning came on the heels of a busy Friday. ”Good morning, Adam. How'd you sleep, buddy?” Michael asked, ruffling the boy's stick-straight dark-brown hair as he walked past him.
”Good. I like my new room, Dad. It's rad.”
”I'm glad you like it. What's that you're drinking?”
”Orange juice and lemonade.”
Michael looked over at Savannah. ”Orange juice and lemonade?”
She shrugged her shoulders. ”That's what he wanted.”
Michael chuckled. ”And what are you having for breakfast?”
Adam smiled up at Michael. ”Scramble' eggs and horse toast.”
”Oh good. My favorite.” Michael poured a cup of coffee and sat down across from his son. He glanced up at Savannah, who was standing at the counter beating two eggs in a bowl. ”Scramble' eggs and horse toast for me, too.”
”Savannah has a horse cutter,” Adam said.
Michael looked askance. ”A horse cutter?”
”A cookie cutter shaped like a horse,” Savannah explained. She then said, ”It's such a gorgeous morning, I thought maybe Rags would like to go out for a while. What do you guys think?”
”Yeah,” Adam said, excitement in his voice. ”Can I put his harness on him?”
”Sure.”
”And hold his strap?”
”The leash? Sure can.”
”Rad,” the boy said before picking up his horse-shaped toast and spreading it with apple b.u.t.ter. ”Hey, horses like apples, so I'm putting apple b.u.t.ter on my horse toast.”
Michael laughed. ”Good idea. Me, too.”
After helping Savannah put the dishes in the dishwasher, Adam went in search of Rags. Michael and Savannah heard him calling throughout the house, ”Rags, time to go outside. Here Rags.” As he walked, he shook the cat harness, making the fasteners jingle. Soon he returned to the kitchen, a downtrodden look on his face. ”I can't find him. Where is he?”
A knowing smile pa.s.sed between Michael and Savannah. ”Well, buddy,” Michael said, squatting down so he was at eye level with his son. ”Rags doesn't really like his harness all that much. He'll wear it, but he would rather go outside without it. So I think he knows you have the harness there and he's probably hiding from you.”
Adam looked down at the harness.” Oh,” he said, ”then I'll leave it here and go look for him again.”
”Good idea.”
Adam walked out of the room calling, ”Rags, I don't have the harness anymore. Come here, Rags. Wanna go outside? See, I don't have your harness.” Within a few seconds, they heard Adam exclaim, ”There you are, Rags! Come on, boy.”
”I found him,” he announced as he walked into the kitchen struggling to hold the cat in his arms. Savannah couldn't help but notice that Rags's feet were almost dragging on the floor. ”Whew,” Adam said, upon releasing the cat, ”he's heavy!”
”Yes, he is.” Savannah laughed.
”Now, can I put the harness on him?” Adam asked with enthusiasm.
”Let me hold him for you,” Michael offered. He picked up the cat and placed him on his lap. ”Okay, now, buddy. Let's get him dressed.”
”Get him dressed...” Adam repeated with a chuckle. ”That's funny, Dad.”
Once outside, the threesome watched as Rags explored through the tall gra.s.s and random bushes, jumped in the air after gra.s.shoppers and batted at b.u.t.terflies. Suddenly, Rags stopped. He seemed to be looking at something in front of him. He crouched into a typical cat's stalking pose and stared ahead. With Adam right behind him holding onto the long tether, he took a few steps forward, carefully, slowly.
”What does he see?” Savannah asked.
Adam looked over at the clump of gra.s.s in front of the cat. ”I don't know-maybe something's hiding in the weeds.”
Suddenly, the cat leaped high into the air and landed on a clump. He began pawing at the gra.s.s and rolling around in it.
”What is that he has?” Michael asked.
Adam walked over closer to the cat, looked down. ”It's just a piece of paper. That's all.” He reached over and took it from Rags. ”See?” He held it up to show Savannah and Michael, who both laughed upon seeing Rags stretching and pawing in an attempt to take his ”catch” away from Adam.
”Wait!” Michael shouted.
Adam turned quickly, a somber look on his face. ”What?” he asked as if he'd been caught doing something wrong.
”It's okay, son. I just want to get a look at Rags's treasure. Savannah,” he said after studying the slip of paper briefly. ”This looks like it was torn from that piece of paper with the note on it. Take a look at it.” He held it up for her to see.
”Gamble Pet Supply,” she read out loud. ”Well, I'll be. And you think this could be the missing piece from that note?”
”Yes. Call Craig, will you? And then we'd better get going to work.” Michael looked over where Adam sat on the gra.s.s, Rags right next to him, both staring back at him-as if waiting to get the treasure back.
”Adam, do you want to go to work with us or help over at Aunt Maggie's and Max's place this morning?”
”Can Lexie go with us to work?”
”Sure.”
”Then I want to go with you guys.”