“I love tuna melts.”
“Me too!”
The two turned and grinned at each other.
“Okay, what is Operation Tuna Melt exactly?”
“So, I figured with the snacks and food we got, we could leave a trail leading to the cat carrier. When the cat gets close, we close it, and it’s done!”
“Hmm… Okay. Solid plan. I like it.” Gia pursed her lips together. “Only one problem, though.”
“What’s that?”
“What if the cat doesn’t approach us because it can smell us? Are we planning on staying all night?”
“Oh. Right.” Marley slumped in her seat, gnawing on her lip as she thought over the question. “Well, we can try to build a spring-like thing to trap it in case it doesn’t approach for a while.”
“Right. Okay. Let’s do this.”
Gia moved to get out of the car, reaching over to grab the cat carrier containing the treats. She followed Marley to the edge of the property.
“So, it ran in this direction this morning. I usually see it coming around when I’m getting ready for school in the morning. Sometimes it comes back this way around dinnertime.”
Gia glanced at the time on her phone.
“Okay, so we have a couple of hours before it’s dinnertime. Where do you think we should set up?”
Her eyes scanned the open field as Marley twisted her body to find the perfect spot. She lifted a hand and pointed at the Mustang on the edge of the lot.
“What about under the car? That’s where I saw it hiding earlier, before it took off.”
“Oh, smart. And it won’t be easily seen by anyone walking by.” Gia led the way as they marched to the vehicle. Crouching low, she placed the carrier on the gravel and started emptying it of its contents. “What flavor do you think your furry friend would like the best?”
“Tuna.” Marley’s response was instant.
“Makes sense.” Gia smiled, chin tipped in a definitive nod. “All right, tuna it is.”
The carrier was much lighter without its contents. She handed it to Marley. “Where do you want to put it?”
Marley chewed her lip, scanning the lot. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with excitement, having come to a conclusion. Gia scootedback, making room for Marley as she bent down and slid it beneath the car. She placed the plastic carrier against the rear tire, thereby concealing it from view.
“Perfect. Here, put this can inside.” Gia handed her an open can of tuna, not missing the way Marley’s nose scrunched in distaste as she caught a whiff. Marley shoved the can to the back, where it landed with athunk.
“Okay, now let’s leave a trail of treats for it to find.” Gia wiped off her hands, reaching for the bite-sized treats. She handed one to Marley and took one for herself. Together, they sprinkled a path leading toward the edge of the forest.
“Okay, let’s find a place to hide. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and it will come back tonight.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Against the side of the building was a covered seating area. The view was of the edge of the forest, and in the distance, the peaks of Mount Luna could be seen. The metal chairs scraped noisily against the cement as they settled in.
Sighing, Marley relaxed into her seat. “You know what would be perfect right now?”
Gia met her gaze, and simultaneously they said, “Tuna melts.”
They exchanged a knowing look and then burst into laughter.
“So, what grade are you in, anyway? Isn’t it early for you to be out of school?”
