Ashley took off her sling and filled the two bowls with grits. “Should I leave both bowls in here?”
“No. Leave one on the landing,” Catherine whispered. “Sometimes Grouchy doesn’t like eating with the other cats.”
Ashley looked at the size of the door and doubted whether she could squeeze through. “Can you put this bowl inside the hideaway?”
“Sure,” Catherine said as she carefully took the bowl. “I won’t be long.”
While Catherine placed one bowl in the hideaway, Ashley left the other bowl about six feet away. A black cat with half a missing ear appeared from behind a mound of hay.
“Hi, fella. What’s your name?”
“His name is Bandit. Dad said he’s the best mouser he’s ever seen.”
“That’s high praise coming from your dad. He must have had lots of barn cats living here over the years.”
“Lots and lots,” Catherine said. “But Aunt Sally has got more. Her ranch is like the most amazing zoo in the world.”
Bandit’s teeth made a crunching noise as he ate the bowl of grits.
Catherine pointed to the highest hay bale. “There’s Sissy and Spinach. They’re twins, like Uncle Matthew and Uncle Sean. I’m not sure where Hoppy and Gonzo are, but they won’t be far away.”
“Catherine! Are you in here?”
“That’s my mom,” Catherine said as she moved closer to the ladder. “I’m up here. I found a friend.”
Ashley could only imagine what Amy was thinking. “It’s okay. It’s me, Ashley.”
“We’re feeding the cats,” Catherine said, “but I can’t see Hoppy and Gonzo.”
Amy’s head appeared over the edge of the loft. “They won’t be far away.” She smiled at Ashley and hauled herself onto the platform. “Nathan told me you arrived yesterday. I’m sorry we weren’t here to welcome you.”
The hug that Amy gave her made Ashley’s eyes fill with tears. It had been too long since she’d seen her friend. “I’m sorry I didn’t call as often as I should have.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.”
Catherine looked at her mom. “Do you know Ashley?”
“We met just before I married your dad.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“It’s gone fast,” Amy said with a smile. “Hoppy’s found breakfast.” She pointed to the bowl beside them.
The cat that Matthew had warned her about was happily eating the grits.
Amy plucked pieces of hay out of Catherine’s hair. “We need to get you to school and Toby to day care.”
Catherine looked up at her mom. “But I’ve just met Ashley.”
“Uncle Matthew said we’re visiting you after dinner tonight. What if I make some muffins and bring them with us?” Ashley said.
The smile on Catherine’s face was instant. “That would be great.”
Ashley peered over the edge of the loft. “I guess we’d better climb down the ladder.”
“Let me go first,” Amy said. “If you follow me, it won’t be so bad.”
Ashley didn’t think anything would make her descent better, but she was willing to give Amy’s suggestion a try. She took a deep breath and watched her friend disappear over the edge of the loft.
“It will be okay,” Catherine said from beside her. “I go up and down the ladder all the time and I’ve only fallen once.”
Ashley swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. With more determination than courage, she placed her right foot on the top rung of the ladder and started climbing down.
Next time, she would leave the bowls of cat grits on the barn floor.
