Cheeky Trouble

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Chapter 9

Cheeky Trouble

Cheeky Trouble

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After my fancy meal of instant noodles, I had gone straight to bed but I was still too distraught by the fight at the Pier to fall asleep, so I grabbed a book to help me relax.

I had this old habit of reading stories out loud, from when old Jules was still around, so I just started reading out The Wizard of Oz without realizing what I was doing. The book was an old-time favorite of mine and I found myself in the mood to revisit the marvelous wonders of Oz again that night.

Lucky listened to me from his curled-up position on the carpet. He seemed not to care much about it but I kept reading anyway. It wouldn't hurt him to get acquainted with one of Mister L. Frank Baum's most epic story.

I fell asleep with the book in my hands and a content smile on my face. Reading was my happy place, it was where I ran to, whenever I wanted to escape the crappy problems of my life.

But sleep had been a difficult thing to do that night, because Lucky had caused such a ruckus, waking me up several times with all his thumping around and bumping into things all over the basement. He could make a lot of noise for such a small animal, it almost seemed like there was someone there with him.

I kept shouting at him to quit messing around but he only stopped with the rumpus after I threatened to toss him out in the pouring rain if I heard another peep coming from him. He had let out a begrudging meow before finally settling down to sleep.

I know cats are nocturnal animals and tend to be very active during nighttime, but Lucky was pushing his luck there – pun intended – and he was going to keep me up all night if I let him continue with his unbridled prowling around the place.

I had blinked awake the next morning with no sign of him anywhere on the carpet and I thought that he had finally got the message and left the basement. Then I nudged my foot against something furry and warm beneath the covers to find him sleeping all cozy, with me, in my bed.

I cannot tell you the levels of cheek that cat had on him.

So, after waking up to this cheeky ball of fur snuggled up to my leg, I decided to go upstairs to have breakfast, since I was all out of cereal, and milk, and any other food, for that matter.

Marie was happy to see me up in the apartment again. I'd been going up there only for occasional meals and we'd hardly seen each other lately.

"Hello, honey. Good morning!" She greeted me cheerfully as I walked into the kitchen. "You're out of breakfast down there again, aren't you?" She noted with a knowing smile.

"Yeah. The cat ate the last bit of food I had stocked. I'm all out."

She chuckled. "I figured. You only show your face when you're hungry. You are just like your limping buddy there..."

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