“They,” the cat delivery girl said. “Put. Her. Next. To. Two Crates of Ice Cream.”

She was crying. And now Daddy looked sad.  

Then I thought that’s why Daddy brought me along. Because I could help Fluffy. Fluffy would be scared and cold.

Because Fluffy would be wishing she was curled up in my lap.

Not Daddy’s. Fluffy didn’t even like him picking her up and handing her to the cat delivery man.

Daddy said the cat delivery man was eighteen which is too young. But that’s almost old age. But not as old as grandad who lived with the dinosaurs.

The cat man smiled and winked at me. He asked me, “What colour is fluffy?”

And I said eggshell. Because I can’t say tortoiseshell. I can now. But not then. 

I think eighteen must be a clever age. Because he didn’t laugh at me when I got it wrong.

Then he tickled Fluffy under the chin and made her purr and put her in the cat cage.

Which made Daddy hate Fluffy even more.

And then we went on the plane and my ears hurt. I cried and Daddy held my hand.

And I stopped and went to sleep.

And then we got off the plane and got our bags. From the airport roundabout. Which I wasn’t allowed to go on. Because I was waiting for Fluffy.

But Fluffy wasn’t there.

Daddy said they would bring her around to our new home.

Then his phone rang. And I knew it was about Fluffy.

And I asked “Is there something wrong with Fluffy? Why didn’t they bring her here like they said?”

And Daddy shushed me.

Except he stopped and bent down and whispered to me, “We have to pick up Fluffy from the airport.”

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he said. But I think he really did know. Because he let me only half hug him.

And I’m now holding my magic elephant looking up at the cat delivery girl.

Because I know they don’t know what to do. Daddy knows what happened, but he won’t tell me.

Because the cat delivery place girl is howling.

“I’m so sorry,” I hear over my head.

“There’s been a terrible mistake.”

Oh no, I thought I was the one that makes them. She must be so sad.

Then Daddy grabbed my hand. And I saw Daddy wave his other hand. Like he was making a breeze, I suppose.

And the cat girl isn’t crying. Just like me on the plane.

She asked Daddy about a refund.

“Just bring Fluffy to me,” he said.

And I felt Daddy’s hand get warm and then hot. Like mine.

I asked my magic elephant what to do. She said wait.

Next, I saw a door open. And then Fluffy’s cage appeared!

I wanted to open the door. But Daddy stopped me. I did look in.

Fluffy was curled up, asleep, not purring.

“Can I make her purr?,” I said. Daddy nodded. And we did.  

A little story from me based on a true one