The Spotted Tail

He’s a service animal in training,” Paxine said, using a finger point she just learned that week to have Tache sit and lay down.

“Ah, that’s a cat,” the waiter said, looking dubious.

“He’s a service animal in training,” her mom said, validating Paxine’s claim.

“Yes, ma’am,” the waiter said, dashing off.

“Hum.” Her dad shifted in his chair showing obvious dislike that Tache was even there.

Two other waiters entered and served dinner. One set a glass of milk in front of her.

“Can I have a soda?” she said with just a hint of begging in her voice.

“No, not so close to bedtime,” her mom said, leaning over to shift her purse.

“But, I’m so stressed and traumatized.” She humped her shoulders and trying to look exhausted.

“Ahuh,” her mom said, pulling out a covered bowl from her purse. She didn’t look like she was buying her charade. “Well then your milk will help calm you better than soda.” Her mom uncovered the bowl by her feet.

“You’re not stressed with playing ten hours of games?” her dad said, unaware of what her mom had just done.

Paxine rolled her eyes, but smiled to herself when Tache edged over to the bowl to enjoy his dinner. Her own stomach growled reminding her how little lunch she had eaten and she dug into her dinner.

“We only have to stay in the condo for a couple of days,” her dad said, comforting her mom.

Paxine knew her mom really liked their house a lot and wasn’t happy about looking for another one.

“Can’t they just solve the security problem?” her mom said sounding a little exasperated.

“Not until we figure out what to solve,” her dad said. “The condo should be nice.”

Paxine removed Tache’s harness when the cube dinged their arrival at the condo. Tache dashed out as soon as the door opened.

“Which room is mine?” she said, running after Tache.

“I don’t know, Paxine. Look for your overnight bag,” her mom said. “And no running.”

Tache pawed at the second door down the hall.

“You won,” she said to him.

She tossed her school bag onto the bed next to her overnight bag and plopping herself onto the bed. There was a bed and a dresser. She sighed with disappointment. A small boring room.

Tache scooted under her bed, popping out on the other side.

“Find anything?” She laughed.

He pawed open the closet and peered in. Empty. His tail smacked the door.

“Well that’s it. You checked everything.” She sat up.

Tache hopped over to the dresser.

“You already know that’s empty. I haven’t put a thing in it. You stay out….”

Tache pulled open the bottom drawer and peered inside.

“See.”

He pawed open the next drawer.

“Tache.”

He opened the third drawer, stretching to peer inside.

“How are ya gonna do the top one? You’re not tall enough.” She folded her arms and watched him.

Tache ignored her, jumping up to the top of the dresser. With ease, he pawed open the top drawer.

“Well, what is the report, sir?” she said, using a false deep voice.

“Yelp,” he said, trying to look authoritative.

“Room secured, madam.” She laughed at her interpretation. “Well I hope so or dad is going to be mad.”

She closed all the drawers, then raced him out of the room to check the rest of the condo.

“No running,” her mom said.

The hallway that led to the bedrooms contained a service entrance. Tache sniffed the door, ears twitching.

“Guards,” she said, understanding his ear language.

Her parents were in the living room. A small kitchenette with a counter and stools edged one side of the room. The opposite end was the living room with four big windows. There were deactivators by each one. City lights were visible. Paxine counted the windows of a nearby building and figured they were twenty stories up. She guessed the windows were bulletproof. A boring living room.

Paxine sat on one of the stools and spun around. The stool creaked.

Her dad opened the front door to the condo. “We’re in for the night.”

“Yes sir,” a guard said.

Two guards. That ruled out exploring the rest of the building, she thought. Darn. No gaming. No nothing.

“Can I have a soda?” She tried to look dejected, as she moved to the next stool and spun around. This stool also creaked.

“Sorry, Paxine, I haven’t had a chance for grocery shopping,” her mom said.

Paxine rolled her eyes. It was obvious her mom hadn’t gone grocery shopping. They just got there. So, why couldn’t her mom send a guard for a soda? She knew she better not push her luck and ask.

“Can I go to school tomorrow?” Paxine said, giving up on the creaking stools. The prospect of staying the whole day in the condo was gloomy. If she had a choice, she would rather go to school.

“Yes, you can go to school. With all these guards around, I am sure one can escort you,” her mom said, looking a little disgusted at the condo.

“Maybe one can help me with my homework,” she said, trying to be funny.

“I think not, but some homework did get delivered. So you do have something to do tonight,” her mom said, looking like she wanted to paint and redecorate the walls.

“Boring.” She recognized the brown folder laying on the edge of the counter. It was from her school. She grabbed it, racing Tache back to her room. He beat her and was already checking out her closet again.

“Still nothing in there,” she said, opening up the envelope.

The homework proved to be easy. Busy work as far as she was concerned. She thought she got more homework than everyone else did, just because she was “home schooled” when she couldn’t make it to school.

But try complaining about it. Who complained that homework was too easy? Or that she had already read her entire English book, history book and the reading list for the year?

She liked it when her grandma gave her things to learn. Because of her grandma, she knew Spanish, Portuguese, and how to read lips. Oh, yeah. She checked her school bag. The speed-reading book was there. One quick chapter, she thought, and then bed.

Tache yawned. She yawned. They had missed sleeping most of the night because of the intruders. She wasn’t through with the chapter like she wanted, but that was okay. She re-packed her school bag for tomorrow.

“Stay put, please. I’ll be right back,” she said to him.

Tache yawned, showing no signs of moving.

Her parents were still in the living room.

“G’nite, Mom. Dad,” Paxine said.

“Night, Paxy,” her dad said, putting his phone call on hold and giving her a quick hug.

“I’m right behind you,” her mom said with a yawn.

Paxine changed into her pajamas while Tache sat at the foot of the bed, staring at her. His tail tapped the bed as if he couldn’t wait for her to go to sleep. She laughed and snuggled under the covers. The condo was quiet. Her dad walked by her door on his way to bed.

Hungry. A furry monster was eating her covers, pulling them away. Paxine brushed the monster away.

“Tache,” she said with a moan, not wanting to open her eyes. She slipped into the same furry monster dream. Whack.

“Okay. Okay,” she said, squinting open one eye to see sunshine streaming through her window and two big yellow eyes staring at her.

Tache whacked her with his tail again.

“I’m up,” she said, throwing back the covers over him.

She darted into the bathroom. A tail tapped the door outside the entire time she was in there.

“You’re worse than mom,” she said, dressing. “I know you’re excited to go to school. Yes, you will see Paulie and Mia and everyone else.”

Tache ran ahead of her, leading her to the kitchen.

“You’re up. Good to see Tache doing his job,” her mom said, making coffee.

“He’s hungry.” She wondered what she was going to feed him. “Oh. Marietta here this morning?”

There was a bag of groceries and a package of cat food on the counter.

“Yes, your dad said she was here before he left. Pretty early,” her mom said, setting out bowls.

“Had to be. I can’t see Kirt shopping for cat food.” She kept from giggling at the image in her head while she filled up a bowl for Tache.

Her mom laughed. “And getting the right kind.”

“She got the healthy cereal though.”

“You don’t need a pile of sugar and then go to school and sit,” her mom said. “She got the right coffee too.” Her mom sipped. “Ah.”

“I think I prefer tea.” She pretended to be snobbish, sticking out her pinky as she ate her cereal. Tache crunched through a whole bowl of food.

“Whoa there. Your harness isn’t going to fit if you eat any more.”

Tache ignored her, eyeing the sun soaked sofa.

“You’re not taking the cat to school,” her mom said.

“Mom. Show and tell.” She said, hoping that was enough of an explanation.

“That’s kindergarten or first grade, not…”

“Mom, Tache has to go with me,” she said with determination.

Her mom looked hard at her as if seeing her for the first time. “He’s your Tail, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” She said, not sure if the truth was the right answer.

Her mom nodded. “Let’s find a guard to escort you.” She tapped her phone and a guard entered through the front door. “Can I get an escort to take Paxine to school?”

“Let me check, ma’am,” the guard said, stepping out of the door, then immediately stepping back in. “I’m sorry. None of us are authorized. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

Her mom glared, dialing her phone. The guard must have taken her glare for a no and left.

Paxine fastened Tache’s harness, finding she had to loosen it. “See, you did eat too much breakfast.”

Tache slumped to the floor, making it harder for her to fit the harness.

Her mom dialed another number. She tapped her slipper against the table leg. “I’m glad this isn’t an emergency. Doesn’t anyone answer their phone anymore?”

“Try Kirt,” Paxine said.

“I just did. I know your dad is in a meeting and he turns it off. But Kirt… Time to call the one who’s really in control. Hello, Robert. It’s Dalia. I have guards at my front door. Guards at my backdoor. And no guard can take Paxine to school. Can we get this fixed?”

Her mom didn’t look happy. Paxine thought it was looking bleak and she would have to spend the whole day here with nothing to do.

A guard entered. “I’m authorized to…”

“Paxine, scoot before they change their mind. Thanks, Robert,” her mom said into the phone.

“Tache, let’s go,” Paxine said, giving the leash a tug, but Tache didn’t budge. “See you did eat too much. You can’t even move.” She picked him up and chased after the guard.

The ten-minute bell rang when Paxine ran out of the guard’s cube. She was out of breath when she reached her first class.

“Hey, Paxine. When are we VRing again?” Paulie said. A couple of other girls looked upset that he was talking to her.

“Someone has got to have a birthday party,” she said, letting her school bag fall by an empty desk. Tache scooted under her chair.

Marcus and Alice were nearby. “Hi Tache,” they both said together.

“Hey, I want to…” Paulie said.

“Sorry Paulie, I got homework I have to hand in.” She grabbed the sheets out of her school bag, taking them up to her teacher.

“Hi Mrs. Corner. Homework.” She handed over the homework, then scooted out of the way of two more students behind her.

“Thanks Paxine. Good to see you,” Mrs. Corner said.

Paxine returned to her desk.

“Paxine. Look what I got,” Paulie said, shoving a plastic container containing two huge emerald green beetles under her nose. “I caught ’em.” His grin was wide and mischievous. “In the Amazon jungle.”

“I see. What about ’em?” She wasn’t impressed.

“Really, they’re Egyptian scarabs. Some people wear them as jewelry. They’re really neat,” he said, trying to get her interested.

“They are pretty, but Egyptian scarabs don’t come from the Amazon,” She said with certainty.

“Do you want one?” He brushed hair out of his eyes. She thought he was keen on impressing her, but was nervous, eyeing Mrs. Corner.

“No, I can’t really. Class is starting.” She didn’t think the beetles were that interesting, even though they were pretty.

“No, it’s no problem. I have two. You can have the big one,” he said.

“I…” she said, trying to make Paulie understand, but he wasn’t paying attention to what she said.

Paulie dumped one of the beetles into another container, and handed her the biggest one.

“I can’t take the biggest one,” she said, wondering if he was trying to get some other girl to be jealous or something.

“Here.” He handed her the smaller one. “I think my mom would like it better if I only had one anyway.”

“Okay, everybody, let’s get seated.” Mrs. Corner said, standing at the front of the class.

Paxine didn’t think her mom would like a big green beetle either, but she shoved the container into her schoolbag. Paulie was nice, and the scarab was pretty. Who was she to refuse a gift from the best-looking boy in class? Even if it was a bug.

“Listen up now. Today is national testing day,” Mrs. Corner said.

Paxine moaned with the rest of her class.

“Boy, you picked the wrong day to come to school,” Mia said to her.

Paxine laughed, but decided it was still better than staying home. However, at the end of the day, she was glad to head home.

“Mom, guess what?” she said when the guard let her back into the condo.

“What?” Her mom’s voice sounded cautious. “Don’t tell me you saw the principal today.”

“Well, actually I did see her, but I wasn’t in trouble. Here.” She handed her a bundle of papers “I got promoted to the next grade.”

“Again? But, I want you to be friends with people your own age,” her mom said, looking over the sheets to make sure she wasn’t kidding.

“Mom. I’m never at school enough. I might as well get through school. Besides, Marcus and Mia got advanced too.”

“You definitely don’t speak like a twelve year old,” her mom said.

“Let me see. I remember grandma telling me about you being a grade ahead.”

“One grade ahead. Not two or three. One. Now, Miss Smartypants, off to do all this new homework, and don’t ask me for help.” Her mom looked more proud than upset.

Paxine raced Tache to her room. He bounded up on the bed and poked his head into her school bag.

“Look. A new science book. Math book. English,” she said, pulling each book out.

Tache dove into her bag.

“Excuse me.” She pulled him out and he was holding the container with the beetle.

“That is not a snack,” she said, having forgotten all about the beetle. “I’m taking it back tomorrow.”

She put the container on the dresser. Tache jumped up to stare at it. The beetle moved and he put his paws around the container.

“Ahem,” she said in warning.

Tache crouched down, his eyes never leaving the beetle. She tried to ignore him and read her new science book, but it was hard to concentrate and watch him at the same time.

“Paxine, dinner,” her mom said from the kitchen.

“I’ll be right back. Leave the beetle alone,” she said, glaring at Tache. He flicked his tail at her.

“Hey dad. I didn’t hear you come home,” she said, surprised to see him sitting on a counter stool.

“I came through the front door tonight,” he said.

“Well, that’s different,” Paxine said with a laugh.

Her mom served dinner. Paxine shoveled in her food, fearing Tache was crunching beetle.

“Whoa, hold on there. Since when are you starving?” her dad said.

“New science book,” she said, sensing that Tache moved the container.

“New? What happened to the old?” her dad said.

“I got promoted to another grade level,” she said.

“Again, but I’m not ready to pay for college,” her dad said, sounding serious, but he winked at her.

“Ha ha.” Paxine finished her dinner and escaped back to her room, sure that Tache was munching beetle. However, the container was still in the same position, and so was he.

She managed to read two chapters of her science book before getting ready for bed.

“Still reading, Paxy?” her dad said, pausing at her door.

“No, I’m getting ready for bed. New classes tomorrow,” she said, hoping he didn’t stop in and see the beetle, feeling stupid that she didn’t have it hidden in her schoolbag.

“Good job. Good night,” her dad said, continuing down to the other bedroom.

“Nite.” She let out a breath of relief.

Tache was still watching the beetle when she turned her light out.

“You better leave it alone,” she said, but her only answer was his tail drumming against the dresser.