Child the Younger (who recently turned 8 and is living proof, every day that her childhood is speeding along mightily), wrote a holiday story last year that I wish I’d written. Her influences are such great ones - Laura Ingalls Wilder, Erin Hunter, Frances Hodgson Burnett, her own life - and she has a real sensitivity to dialogue and movement that I didn’t have at that age (it’s arguable that I don’t have it at my current age, either!).
Here it is, as written. Enjoy.
[Oh, and the cat below is our beloved First Kitty, Padme Paddertis Paddingtail, enjoying her first Winter Solstice back in 2002.]
Chapter One
~~~~~~~~~~
Simon awoke in the morning cheerfully. When he looked outside, it was snowing.
It was very cold. Simon shivered and took a warm sweatshirt from his rack. Teacups was still asleep in the bed beside him. Simon’s tail began to feel very cold, so he zipped up a tail-coat, put on some good slippers, and went out into the living room.
Bat was sitting (rather moodily, as always) at the big table, eating some Cat Flakes and flipping through a book. Mattie was wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, reading a book entitled How to Make Your House Better. The smell of fresh waffles rose to Simon’s nose.
Mattie looked up. “Good morning, Simon.”
“’Morning,” said Bat gruffly.
Padma appeared from the kitchen. “Old OJ is a lie-abed! I know its Saturday and he usually has to go to work, but it’s snowing and he should take the kids out sledding, because Rosemary’s arriving today!”
At these words, Teacups jumped out from their room. “Rosemary? Sis? Coming to visit?” he said.
Bat’s mood suddenly swung. “Yes, that wise old girl. Ooohh, if she’s going out sledding – I’m old, but I can manage some sledding. My bones aren’t too creaky to not take a good big sledding hill.”
That was right, Simon remembered. When Rosemary, Teacups’s sister, had come once before, she and Bat had become good friends.
OJ appeared drowsily from his room. “Don’t forget Ella and Jason.”
“Ella and Jason, too? Really?” Teacups started hopping around the room. “How many sleds do we have?”
“Six, of course,” answered OJ.
A ring at the doorbell startled them all. Teacups went to answer, and came in with four snowy (yet their black heads peered out from under scarves, mufflers and hats) figures. Once they had taken off their bundles, Simon recognized the pretty Rosemary. She was a sleek and slender black cat with a pink collar encrusted with fake rubies and had her name tag on it, heart-shaped. Simon’s collar was an ordinary dark blue collar with a circular name tag, a little dusty now. Rosemary was special and pretty, he knew, but he was ordinary, normal, everyday, common, commonplace, average, regular, and usual (etc).
“Oh! Bat! Bat!” Rosemary flew from her bundles. The beautiful black cloak over her front arms glided out behind her, making her look like she had wings. Without a glance at Simon, she twisted her head toward Teacups. “Why, Teacups!” Rosemary murmured.
“Have you met Simon, my friend?”
Rosemary glanced at Simon, and then said, “Hi.”
Teacups murmured to Simon, “Rosemary’ll not be here for long. Do you mind if I sled with her, just today?”
Simon replied with a cheerful “No, I don’t mind.”
Chapter Two
~~~~~~~~~~
Simon slipped his stocking up, then at OJ’s request scampered nimbly up the Christmas tree to put up the star. He and Teacups took turns putting on ornaments, and then hung up bobbles. Afterwards, they cut out paper stars and snowflakes and hung them from little hooks on the ceilings. They tidied the house, cleaned their rooms, made posters for the walls, and hung a bright, glowing, star-shaped light from the front of the house. Lastly, they strung little multicolored star-shaped lights from the porch ceiling, the trees in the yard, the bushes, and set up a glowing chain of guiding-lights in the yard.
Rosemary wanted to stand out of this business. She replied when they asked her if she wanted to help –
“If Santa Claws is going to come tonight, I am going to be a very good little girl. I am going to keep my dress nice and clean, and eat everything on my plate. I will be very polite while asking someone to pass something at the table, and not talk with my mouth full of food. I will take a good bath and scrub myself with tangerine, eucalyptus and verbena soap, then wash my hair with tea-tree shampoos and conditioners. Afterwards, I will get into bed at a reasonable time, read a short book, and put out my light.”
Teacups had given her a piercing look while Jason and Ella pulled on coats and gloves.
“Rosemary, dear sister, if you will be very polite tonight and take a bath, it is part of politeness to help others.”
Rosemary had glared at him, and then took off to Bat’s room for cover. Jason, Teacups, Ella and Simon quickly pulled on their warm things and raced outside before a grumpy Bat stalked down the stairs, paws on hips.
Simon held one end of the lights while Ella held the other, and Jason hammered them in. Teacups even scrabbled onto the roof to string the chimney with lights. Simon helped spiral light around the trees and bushes, and together with Rosemary set up the glowing chain of star-lights around the yard. Afterwards, they shoveled the driveway, and then came inside very exhausted and snowy.
Padma and Mattie had five mugs of hot chocolate fresh and warm from the pot on the table. For a long time, the only sounds were the chattering of the young cats and the thunks of mugs hitting the table. Then there was dinner.
For Christmas Eve dinner, Mattie, Padma and even Bat were jolly as they made a big turkey. Then, of course, there were side courses of salads and chili soup and homemade French-fries. Then for dessert, they cooked up some ice-cream, cake, and popcorn.
Simon was bursting full as he leaned back in his chair, listening to the lively family conversations and the clinking of forks against plates. Finally, when they were all full, they cleared their plates and went to bed.
Chapter Three
~~~~~~~~~~~
For some reason, Simon woke up again during the night. A thumping and scuffling sound came from the living room. He checked the clock – It was 2:03. He slipped silently out of bed, so not even radar cat ears could pick up the sound of his tiptoeing form.
He dropped to four paws, and then crept out into the long hallway. He peeked into Bat’s room; there was the humped form of Bat on the bed, and Rosemary snoozing in a sleeping bag. He looked into Jason, Ella and Teacups – all asleep.
Simon crept down into the living room, and looked in. What he saw made him stare.
Mattie, OJ, and Padma were all ripping open their presents. They were staring back. OJ was holding his stocking upside-down, Mattie was unraveling a ribbon tied around a present, and Padma had a crumpled sheet of wrapping-paper in her paw.
Finally OJ laughed.
Jason, Ella, Rosemary, Teacups, Nooj, Dale, and Bat sprinted down the hallway to see what all the fuss was about. The sounds of ripping paper, thumps of stocking-goods, and opening of presents met their ears.
Simon had received a huge, huge piece of bright orange Cat Furniture that towered to the ceiling. Soon he was balancing on the top. Jason, Rosemary, Ella and Teacups began to climb stairways and bat at toys. They dumped out their stockings, and several large packets of Kat Kandy hit the floor. They separated the candy until they each had one packet, then all sat on the Cat Furniture and began to wait until the cinnamon-rolls would be made for breakfast.
(more…) 
