Take Care of You

The Madhatter

6 and a half years later

"Mildred, do you think eight tables will be enough?" I ask.

"I don't know. What I do know is that your toilet smells as though a cow has just let out the most stinking fart," she grimaces, joining me in the kitchen.

"That kid can sure cause a stir," I chuckle, it's nearly time for Mildred to pick Lou up from school and I'm trying to arrange her seventh birthday party. Seven. Where have those years gone?  It feels like just yesterday I brought her home, it's been mega tough but I wouldn't trade it for one second. Louisa's my little sidekick, my best friend. She is the image of her mother with  a delicate heart-shaped face, plush pink lips, big hypnotic brown eyes and mid length, wavy blonde hair.

"You're always blaming her for everything," Mildred tuts, with a glint in her eye.

"Or maybe it's that thing," I clear my throat, pointing towards Louisa's sphynx cat as it comes wandering beneath my feet at my desk. I can't stand the mutant.

Mildred cackles animatedly as she starts folding up the washing. "It was your idea," she reminds me.

"No, I said she could have a pet. I never said she could pick the ugliest thing possible. Look at that thing. I never wanted it anyway. Sigourney Weaver needs to come here and exterminate it immediately," I mumble, trying to finish off this design that I've been working on for the last two and a half weeks.

She makes a gun gesture to my head, "Pow, pow! You've got such a complex with these feline creatures, haven't ya?" She teases, knowing full well I do.

"They creep the shit out of me. See, you go to someone's house and if they have a dog, the dog will come running out to greet you. You can tell if they're friendly or not. Cats, they linger around in the background and show up unexpectedly to scratch the hell out of you," I explain, lifting my arm to show the deep red raw scratch I received the other day.

"Ouch," she pulls the most sarcastic sympathetic face. "I don't feel sorry for you though, probably deserved it."

I toss a scrap bit of paper over in her direction, it lands pathetically at her feet. "Fail," I whisper to myself as she carries on folding Lou's school sweater. I gently push the cats bum out of the way from under me and continue to multitask booking a room at the Sanderson Hotel to host the birthday party; and choosing the right shade of red to go with the heading on my project.

My phone rings, I'm alarmed when the caller ID tells me it's the school. I answer on the second ring, "Hello?"

"Hello, is that Mr McKenzie?" Mrs Rourke, the headteachers voice, echoes through the speaker.

"Speaking," I reply, unable to hide the scoff that comes out of my mouth.

"Mr McKenzie, your daughter Louisa has been involved in an altercation with another student," she answers, getting straight to the point.

I immediately jump up, nearly knocking my seat to the ground. "What the actual fuck?!" I scream, Mildred turns on her heel and looks on confusion.

"There's no need to swear at me, Mr McKenzie. We think it would be best if you take Louisa out of school for a few days," she says, in her usual snooty voice.

"Why would I take my daughter out of school and disrupt her education? Can you please explain to me what altercation took place today?" I turn the phone on speaker, so Mildred can listen in.

"Anthony Murphy accidentally tripped her up in class and she went for him. Mrs Myeroff and the teaching assistant had to restrain her," As soon as I hear the name Anthony, the school bully, I understand exactly why Louisa did what she did.