“Hi, my husband is here with our cat. Tall guy, dark hair?”
The front desk assistant nodded. “Second door on the right.”
“Thank you.”
Laura walked down the hallway. Trips to the emergency vet were never fun. Just seeing the building filled her with anxiety.
Of the seven girls who’d come over for the sleepover, only Courtney insisted on going home. The rest of them holed up in the game room upstairs. She ordered pizza and left Ava and Lily in charge. After John’s department was eliminated, they had downsized to one car. They decided to divide and conquer: Laura would drop John and Tubbs at the vet ER, deliver Courtney to her parents, and then swing back to pick him up.
She tried the door. It opened and Laura stepped into the small room. John sat on the bench, leaning on the wall behind him, his eyes closed. Tubbs was nowhere in sight. The vet must’ve taken him back for X-rays.
John opened his eyes and glanced at her. She sat on the bench next to him.
“How did it go?” he asked. “Were her parents upset?”
“No. We got to CVS on Hunter, and she started crying again because she decided she wanted to go back to the party.”
John sighed.
“I brought her back,” Laura said.
“Of course, you did.”
They sat quietly.
“At least Isabella doesn’t cry that much,” John said.
“No, she just calls 911.”
He cracked a smile. “Can you imagine that phone call? They sent everybody. And I mean, everybody.”
“There is a hysterical child on the other end screaming that her father is bleeding and going to die. They must’ve thought you cut your arm off with a chainsaw or something.”
John chuckled. “Flip that light switch off.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
She reached up and turned off the light. Her eyes took a second to adjust and then she saw green crescent shapes fluorescing weakly. “What is that?”
“My Band-aid glows in the dark.”
The tension she’d been carrying hit her all at once. Laura snickered.
“Woo…” John waved his hand around. The crescent shapes floated.
She laughed.
The door in the back wall swung open, a vet in the scrubs silhouetted against the light.
“Hello?”
Laura scrambled to turn the light on. The electric bulbs lit up, revealing the female veterinarian holding Tubbs in a towel. Judging by her expression, she suspected they were up top no good.
Laura cleared her throat. “How bad is it?”
“He’s fine.”
The two of them stared at the vet.
“Like fine-fine?” John asked.
The vet nodded. “Yep. Nothing’s broken, no cuts, no injuries. He was very good. Who is a sweet boy? You are.”
She scratched Tubbs’ chin. The jerk purred like a runaway bulldozer.
The vet turned to John. “You should get yourself checked out. Cat bites are deep, and they drive a lot of bacteria into the wound. That’s why these babies get so many abscesses when they fight.”
Laura put her head on John’s forehead. Hot. Oh no.
Ten minutes and $400 later, they packed Tubbs’ crate in the back seat.
“It’s almost 7:00. The urgent clinics will be closed. We’re going to the ER.” Laura slid into the driver’s seat.
“It’s a $1000 charge.” John buckled in. “We’re going home.”
“You’re not the one driving.”
“We can’t afford it.”
“We can’t afford a hospital stay when you develop sepsis either. Buckle in. We are going.”
“It’s going to take all night.”
“We’ll go to the standalone by Target. They don’t get a lot of traffic.”
“It can wait till tomorrow. If I still feel bad, I’ll go to urgent care.”
She gave him and sharp look and gunned it out of the parking lot. “Fatal mistake.”
“What?”
“You just admitted you feel bad. We are going to the ER.”
His expression went flat.
“John, it’s worth a thousand dollars. I would pay all the dollars so you don’t get an infection.”
“I broke the fence,” he said.
“What?” What did the fence have to do with anything?
“I broke the fence when I sat down. I heard it snap. It will cost…”
“I don’t care. I don’t care and I don’t care. Today was very stressful, and I need you to be okay. Please be okay, or I swear I will lose it.”
The ER was predictably empty. They filled out a bunch of paperwork, and John went back. Laura stepped out, got the carrier with Tubbs out of the car so he wouldn’t overheat, and sat on the bench outside the door.
Minutes tickled by. She texted the kids and got two replies from Ava and Lily. The pizza had arrived, and they put a movie on. All was well.
She tried to read, she watched some reels, she tried to read again…
The door swung open, and John emerged.
She opened her mouth.
A familiar paramedic walked out of the ER service entrance. The three of them looked at each other. The paramedic shook his head and walked off behind the building, to the parking lot.
“That man must think we are unhinged,” she muttered.
“We are unhinged. But it doesn’t matter.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“I have a mild fever. They cleaned the wound and sent in a prescription for antibiotics. I got a tetanus shot. Apparently, I’m lucky that the asshole bit my palm rather than my finger and that it bled a lot. I could’ve had serious problems.”
She slumped on the bench. It was suddenly too much.
He sat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Baby?”
“Yes?”
He kissed her hair. “I’ve got the job.”
“What?”
“The work force commission job. I sent in the preliminary findings this morning. They didn’t wait for the full report. I got an offer from Brian twenty minutes ago. I took it.”
She just stared at him.
“We can fix the damn fence,” he said.
She brushed a kiss on his lips. “You are ridiculous, you know that?”
He grinned and squeezed her to him. “Yes, but you love me anyway.”
“I do.”
“That’s good because you’re not going to like this next part.”
Anxiety shot through her. “Tell me.”
“I can’t, in good consciousness, inflict this cat on anyone else. He’s violent. We’ll have to adopt the jerk.”
She laughed quietly.
In the carrier, Tubbs rolled in the shirt. It was soft, and it smelled like his human. He settled deeper into the folds and purred.
THE END
You can find the link to the full Tubbs story here and a shortcut to it is available on the Free Fiction page of the website, as usual.
Love it. Thank you.
Seconded. This was great.
Love it!! As someone who got a deep cat bite saving a stuck cat, Laura was right cat bite infections spread fast.
Glad you kept “Tubbs”
Great story!
Loved it! Thank you
That was Fun.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
Man, that was awesome. Just what was needed.
This! Yes! Thanks so much!
Awww – love the happy ending.
Thank you for Tubbs and his humans.
That was great…thank you!
Something occurred to me as I read this: to anyone that has kids and pets, this probably seems like just another day in their house, am I right? 😂
😂😂
Yes, once my dog who acts like a cat decided to cut me off going down the stairs. She tripped me I fell on her, we both screamed. The 2 yr old was already downstairs started screaming because we are screaming. My 10yr and 12yr old coming running out of their rooms. Realized that I cant get up and the dog is limping. Hubby is deployed so they go into freak out mode. Luckily they got a neighbor who is a Navy corpman to come over. Another neighbor took the baby. Nothing broken for me probably a sprain, I can walk/limp, but the dog needed to go to emergency vet because she was visibly limping and whining.
The big kids went to the neighbor who had the baby. $300 later dog is fine, Im fine. But we had a very event filled Wednesday. I was so happy it was summer time and the kids didnt have school.
The worst thing was my dog was mad at me for about 2 days. She wouldnt come when I called and would rip up paper and leave it in my room.
I’m so glad everyone was fine in the end, but what a stressful day!
I just had the dogs, a misunderstanding between them led to one having a canine trapped in the others collar twisting the collar too tight, I didn’t think “oh I could undo the collar”, no I wrenched open the trapped dog’s jaw which freed them both, but lead to the the collar wearer snapping as soon as she was free. She did stop as soon as she realised she had my wrist, but spaniel teeth are sharp, I still have the canine scars and she’s been dead over ten years now. At least neither of them needed to go to the vet, and I was up to date on my tetanus vaccinations. Mind I’ve never not been up to date on my tetanus vaccinations, something has always happened – not all my fault! – to cause the A&E (Accident and Emergency, British for ER) doctors to give me one”just in case” before I was due for a booster.
LOL, me too, across the pond. I think I’ve gotten only one from my own primary care provider in half a century. Roughly once a decade, I end up tearing something open. In fact, the aforementioned cat bite was the first time this happened.
Oh lord yes. I was sick and my three cats were helicopters. To the point I tripped on one, landed on a second, who *screamed*. Neighbor came running and found me on the floor with 3 idiots going “who, me?”
My adult daughter was sitting our dog and house and brought her own emo pitbull along. Excited to go outside, the pittie charged the outer (screen/glass) door, catching his paw between the glass and the frame, screaming his blocky head off. She had a hard time getting him free, during which her fingers got caught. No one being home and her phone out of reach, she was trapped there for maybe a half hour, calling for help, until our neighbor came and got her loose. No broken bones, just lacerations.
Awww, a good outcome for all, just what I needed after the week I’ve had – thank you for writing this!
Awesome! Thank you. Your writing always brings the emotions. We can rely on that, which is why you are beloved. Enjoy the holiday weekend!
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
perfect
Thank you
Aww…. Thank you for the story!
YAY, Tubbs. And YAY job! I love happy endings…
I love this. Thank you so much.
I love this. Thank you so much.
🤣🤣🤣🤣 thank you very much
Of course he is Tubb’s human….haha!!
Thank you!!
Have a wonderful weekend!!!!
I thought it was her shirt he got wrapped in? But his blood is on the shirt, so it could be both.
There was a lot of blood!
HEA !!! Loved it!!
That was awesome! And very close to home right now.
Thank you! That was delightful!
Thank you 😊
Thank you for finishing the story!
And now I want to meet this cat because my girls will adopt him and kill him with love and attention…I will mumble “another dang cat in this house, just what I need” as I ACCIDENTALLY drop cat treats on the floor…by the terrible cat.
Great story and fun start to my weekend!
LOVE the story and the HEA! I laughed all through it and the tension from the problems in the house was unbearable!
Thank you so much for sharing. You are just the best!
This was sweet and adorable 🙂
Wonderful! Thank you so much.
Somehow, some way, this was all thanks to Tubbs. Lovely little story, very refreshing.
that was ……. all the feels.
happy and healthy hubby with a new job. happy wife. and very happy cat. love it 😄
yay! a HEA for Tubbs and family. Too cute.
Awesome slice of life story, so true to real life.
I love these little stories!
Love this short story! Thank you!
📚📚📚
Panacea for a long, grumpy, gnarly week.
🤧😬😖😯🙄
I loved this it was funny and sweet! I think it was Tubbs plan the whole time but being a cat he can’t just show affection that would be too much.
Excellent ending.
I had to stop fostering in 2018 when I realized I had six unadoptable cats that I was just going to be keeping (health issues, anxiety, age, and OCD). I decided I would let them all age out before I could foster again. I have two left.
They are stable and happy so I expect it will still be a while, but I miss the occasional batch of kittens.
Tubbs, you sly devil!
I love it when you write the funnies! Such a lovely treat of a story.
I love the glow in the dark bandaids!
Wooo
Now I want some glow in the dark bandaids.
It is amazing to me that you can make characters come to life and feel very real to me in just a few short paragraphs. You are so talented.
I feel like this short story could be used as a master class in fiction writing all by itself!
Thank you!
Thanks
I love it! The whole thing was great! thank you for finishing. Sorry we’re such a BDH!:)
Thanks for the gift. It lifted my spirits this tough week. Thank you so much.
Yay HEA!
Super Friday treat, thank you!
thank you – it was perfect and very much needed and enjoyed – happy wkend
Cats are clever ❤️
That was perfect! Thank you!
Thanks for part 3 of Tubbs and his humans. 😀
My male cat tried to bite me one time because he was mad at me. Right before his teeth could puncture my finger, I finger smacked him on the top of his head and said “no”. He tried it again. This time I bopped him on the nose harder and said no. I dumped him on the floor. That tail twitched at the tip, letting me know he was not amused. I just looked at him and told him I didn’t care if his tail twitched. He was not to bite me. Later that day he jumped into my lap like nothing happened and purred up a storm.
My male cat regularly gets too excited when being skritched and starts biting. Never hard enough to break skin, but sometimes painful. Especially lately, since the current Only Acceptable Petting/Skritching requires me to be horizontal or nearly so* while he stomps around on my chest. So I get nose nips. Ow.
___
*horizontal = in bed, nearly horizontal = in full recliner mode on couch
Don’t you just love the CPR cats can give with their two front paws on your chest as you breathe in and out? I think I had minor bruising on my chest. 😂
My girl kneads my tummy. She is ~0.5cm off perfectly massaging my period cramps. It’s very frustrating. They just don’t understand “just a little bit to the left!”
It would be so nice if Lady (very pet quality Persian, dilute tortoise shell with white) would just do my chest or stomach.
No, she has to try to do my neck under the beard, close to the jugular. When/if I can get her to stop that, she goes off in a huff.
This happens about twice a week.
I trust you not to have any thing bad happen to beloved pets I know how you love yours.
I’m sitting with my daughter’s puppy sleeping on my lap while reading.
Thanks for the story!
Yah it all ending good
love the conclusion. way to go Tubbs. you got your humans.
It was also fun that some comments got incorporated in the story.
the BDH are really fluffy.
have a good memorial day long weekend to our American friends.
An absolutely perfect end to a horrible week. I admit I was part of the BDH chanting “don’t let the cat die” at the end of part 1 so what a wonderful ending. Tubbs is in his furever home and the job came through for John. Glow in the dark bandages for everyone!
Thank you. This is so relatable. Tubbs for the win!
Thank you for the story I enjoyed it
A great ending, everyone is safe and happy. I loved it, a wonderful start to the weekend. I hope you had fun writing this, it made me smile. Have a fantastic and quiet weekend.
Thank you. It’s made my week.
Thank you so much! You have made me very happy! I am glad Tubbs got adopted. As if they had a choice!!
You are the bestest in all the whole world!!
See? I leave a comment on part 2, and come here to find that John agrees with me: “I’m lucky that the asshole bit my palm rather than my finger and that it bled a lot…”
Thank you for the cute story. We took our tubbs to the vet today for his yearly checkup. All is well in catdom.
Whoever this is based on, I imagine are good people. I read the end and simply thought, these are good people.
This has been a stressful week and I really needed a happy ending, so thank you, House Andrews!
I will now return to my Kate reread. It is the only thing keeping me at an acceptable level of calm. I hope and pray things start to go right and right away. I am too old to deal with too many issues at once and right now I have TOO MANY. 🙂
But, we are mostly okay, so all the rest will come out in the wash.
Awesome. I loved it.
Ahhhhh! I love a good happy ending with a sneaky cat.
Lovely way to end the week. Thank you
Awwwww.
HEA. Of course.
Thank you.
*is happy*
“We are unhinged” lol. This made me want to cry and laugh, because you could have been describing a day in my life. You guys have a gift of taking the mundane and raising the stakes, drawing us in and holding us in the palm of your hand for as long as you want to. Please feel free to continue to do so
Awww! Tubbs sure got lucky!
I knew there would have to be an HEA – HA always delivers!
Awwwwwww! He got the job and Tubbs got his humans! Now Laura can move from that location, woohoo!
He found his humans!
I love a happy ending especially on Friday. I am glad you are feeling better. Enjoy your weekend!
Thank you for the smile!
Sweet story – but it just confirms to myself why I am definitely not a cat person.
In totally unrelated news, Small Magics is on sale this month at Audible and only costs $5.99 for audible members. Just FYI…
Thank you for the story.
Ahhh Tubbs! You landed in Catnip with that family.
Thank you for a great Friday read. It also helps to know how many other people worry about medical bills and other bills.
I second this. I once spent almost 24 hours in the ER with my semi-verbal son because checking him in to the hospital for observation would have meant bouncing checks for a while. I ran my request to stay where we were by the ER doctor, who told me they’d be doing the same thing in either location – so I camped out with my guy. Luckily the issue resolved and we were eventually cleared to go home. Sadly, we had medical coverage, but the copays were a bear under our policy at that time …
You know, I have read All the Things. I am a fully paid up member of the BDH. And yet, I heard about Maggie, and I doubted. I wasn’t ready for fantasy. I avoided the snippets. Until I didn’t and then it was, OH! BUT THIS IS GOOD!
And then. I read the first extract of Mr Tubbs. And it sounded stressful. And once again I knew doubt.
Why did I doubt? Honestly I am disappointed in myself. Although a very big up to House Andrews because actually the reason I knew doubt is because of the expert ratcheting up of both the stakes and actually caring about the protagonists.
Have made a mental note not to doubt again.
I think I can hear the satiated BDH purring from here. Thank you! Loved it 🙂
So cute! Thanks for this lovely little short story, I’ve really enjoyed it! Have a lovely Memorial Day weekend.
awwww yay Tubbs! I loved this little story <3
Very cute!
Yay! I love Tubbs (although my brain keeps changing his name to Tuna). I too have visited the ER because if a cat bite from a feral cat I was helping. It was my right hand so I had fun shifting gears with my left hand – had to switch the computer mouse and phone setup at work too. I get the tough times with family and teenage daughters. I cheered the happy ending. Thank you!
Thank you for this cute, cute cat story. Brightened a tough health week. You are very generous to us with your time and creativity and it is much appreciated!
Aawww, just what I needed on this very difficult Friday.
Thank you!
I am very happy that you finished it 😃!
Awe, see a fantastic couple! A great hunby (honey hubby) & Dad! A swong (sweet & strong) of a wife, the kids are a great combo of the two. Now, just one question left, Is that a real cat in the pictures above? He is beautiful 😍.
It is stock photography of a real cat, indeed 🙂
Is Tubbs inspired by Tuna or another House Andrews cat?
No, it is not our story. It was told to one of our children by “Laura,” and we took artistic liberties with it in the name of making everyone’s Friday a bit funnier. In the real story, the cat and the husband are fine as well, so we didn’t embellish that part.
+1. HEA! 😊
Thank you for this. Made my week.
But nobody turned into a werecat or developed supervillain cat powers (cat powers could never be heroic, only villainous)!
Thanks for this delightful little story! I hope it was as fun to write as it was to read.
😀 And no one got eaten by monsters! It’s just a funny to lift spirits 🙂
And that is known at the animal shelters as a “failed foster”.
We, the BDH, are spoiled rotten. 😉
I’m pretty sure House Andrews could write a shopping list and it would be awesome….and we’d devour it and ask for more.
We had something like a shopping list awhile back. There was a picture of the HA’s pantry and a story to go along with it. I think we had to guess something about one of the items in the pantry,
That blog was more than two weeks ago,
There were two pictures of the pantry. The BDH was asked, what item was different?
It was a box of Aunt Jemima Corn Meal. The difference was the company deleted the picture of Aunt Jemima.
it figures the cat always wins
Aw, a happy ending all around! Thanks for the treat, what a nice start to the weekend:-)
I want the rest. John is a fae or something and that’s why the blood is such an issue. I think there is a book here?!?
No fae, shifters, monsters or magical blood to be found here. Only funnies and awwws for a Horde Friday!
😀 But I like the way you think!
Awwwwhhhhh🥰
Names were changed to protect the innocent … but Tubbs was not innocent so his is the real name … 🤣🤣
I’m naming my next cat Tubbs.
Great story, thank you
Nothing better than a HEA. Especially a fully employed HEA! Lovely story!!! Thanks!
Awwwww love this so much, thank you! 😃😃😃
Awww!, lovely thanks
Loved the whole story!
Awwwwwwwa
The jerk purred like a runaway bulldozer. I love that line. This is a great story and just what I needed, guys. I’m having a double mastectomy next Tuesday. This story helped me get some perspective. I’ve got a lot going for me. I don’t have a cat, and our irrepressible little dog doesn’t bite. My prognosis is very good.
Good luck with the surgery next week. Hope all will be clear.
I hope the surgery goes smoothly! Big hugs!
Best wishes to you for a comfortable and uneventful recovery!
Best wishes for the best possible outcome.
More positive thoughts for a successful surgery and smooth recovery!
😆 so good. I’m glad he landed the job in the end. The world needed a win today (did I mean I needed someone to get a win today? Maybe I did)
Yeah. Al is right in Tubs world.
Lovely!
thank you for finishing it, I loved it!
Chortling madly over here 🥰
That was delightful as always. Thank you.
Thank you. I’ve had a bad week and reading a nice happy ending around a normal day to day helps so much. Needed some happy that doesn’t come out of a container or chip pack. 🙂
Fun; thank you!
I don’t even like cats & I’m 🥹 That was wonderful, thank you so much!
Thanks! I loved this!
And this is why I keep coming back and am proud to be part of the Book Devouring Horde. I love the rhythm you give the couples you write about. It always sounds “right” to my ear and frankly if you guys ever considered giving Maude and Arland a few books of their own I might give you all the money ;-). That aside, loved this short piece.
Love it! Thanks 😃
I loved this story so much! What a demonic cat!🙈
It is early Saturday morning, and I’ve had a very busy day. Thank you for starting my weekend with a contented smile. I loved the story – maybe because I have a gash on my arm from Hiccup. Hiccup decided my sudden movement to the side of his body constituted an imminent threat to the world and opened his mouth and struck. It’s a scraping cut as if a vampire had grazed by. A 12 pound Siamese will do that occasionally. At least I did not break the fence.
Tubbs, the guardian angel, apparently. 😊 Cute story.
“We’ll have to adopt the jerk.” Perfect end to a wonderful story. Weeping happy tears. Love happy endings.
Work has been a stressful madhouse recently so this quick, happy ending tale was a needed breather. Thanks <3
This makes me so happy!!! Thank you!
Simply perfect.
Awww! Thank you!!
Thank you! I enjoyed reading about Laura, John and Tubbs!
Thank you for the happy ending. It’s been a rough week!
I loved this story. Thank You!
Like every other reader, I loved it! Thank you, you made my weekend.
I love it! Thank you. 🙂
Loved it! What a great way to start the long weekend. ❤️ 😀 Thanks for the gift.
Awesome! You have a deft hand with stories that read like real life as well as our beloved paranormal stories. Although, since it does involve a cat, its sort of paranormal anyway, lol. Hats off to you-I really enjoyed this one. I appreciate that you did this despite your hectic schedule. Feeling the love, and sending it back 🙂
❤️
I love everything you write.
And this gave me all the feels.
Thank you.
I am unfortunately the type of person who will pet random cats.
There is a cat (Ziggy, stocky grey tabby) in the local area who is friendly & will come up to you & allowed a pet or two on the head but would usually come up to you & roll over & show his soft tummy… I never feel for that trap!
I was crouching & went to get up one day after petting him on the head instead of the trap & he lunged & all I vaguely remember is it was like a cartoon where I had a cat attached to my hand & I was probably waving my arms about with a cat on one end!
Turns out my tetanus shot ran out its 10 years literally the weekend before! 🤦 I still have a little scar from one puncture. Also my mum calls him the vampire cat since then. It’s been years!!! A year or two after the incident, I saw one of the cat’s kids just fling that cat over onto his shoulders, apparently he still bites but he’s far more mellow. I don’t trust him & there’s a far friendly female cat who loves being pet so my fix is sorted!
“Turns out my tetanus shot ran out its 10 years literally the weekend before!”
This is the way it *always happens*!
I did actually laugh when I saw the date! Yep, that’s just the way the universe works sometimes 🤷😂
awesome! thank you!
*sigh*I am such an ingrate(BDH after all) I want more, more, more…..sorry
This is similar to a situation I had in high school, except my dachshund somehow got a squirrel and both were in loudly screaming barking distress, I was bit by both of them and the initial rescue was by my somewhat boyfriend the veterinarian’s son.
Just awesome. Thank you!!
Thumbs up! Thank you for the feel good story.
thank you for the funny story with a happy ending. and i especially loved the glow in the dark bandaid.
thank you! I loved the HEA.
I love happy endings (& spicy cats)!
This left me with a smile on my face and a purr in my heart.
Thank you.
I think I can hear the satiated BDH purring from here. Thank you! Loved it 🙂
The red contacts were hilarious. Yay for Tubs! I fostered as well. Got up to 10 unadoptable ones and had to stop. I also have vasovagal syncope, its a pain. I have to lay down to get blood taken and given an IV. And I once passed out when someone else got an IV.
Thank you for finishing the story. It was lovely. I am happy he got the job. What a relief.
Knew it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*is delighted*
What a good boi!
Yay!
yeap, cats pick you, not the other way around
Just loved it, thank you. A perfect end to a stressful day
Thank you, it was brilliant. Our Cat also loves sitting on or clothes. I admit I’ve been wondering all weekend what Laura did about her job? Gave it up? Found another place? WFH? My imagination is just not leaving it alone!
Wow, I really liked it, and am so glad you wrote this truly excellent story. Thank you, Thank you, and Many ,many Thank you’s! My day now has a smile in my heart.
Thanks. I enjoyed reading it.
Tubbs XP
I feel so bad for the people (human and feline) who had to go through some version of this in real life, but the dramatized version made great reading!
That was so satisfying. ❤️
Great story, thank you!
I also have a cat bite on my hand, so I can relate, hehe 😀
Thank you! A lovely distraction and greatly appreciated!
I loved it, thank you!
I’m not crying.
For the people in the back: I am NOT crying.
Just so you know.
Thank you HA for this lovely story.
Life is mean at the moment and this helped.
Awwwwww. 💕
Just read it again. Still funny and endearing! Btw the countdown isn’t going fast enough, deep sigh
Thank you for writing something about real people, about financial problems and losing your job and having to make hard decisions. I loved the story.
Aw that was a great third update! I can’t believe how invested I was in them
Too much fun!
I really like this story, especially as passionate cat owner (or better, they own me…)
Just one little question ( I didn’t found anywhere else to ask, so I do it here): are you guys all okay out there?
I’m sitting in Ireland and just got the news about the horrifying Tornados on the weekend and would like to know if you’re all okay.
Fortunately, Ilona and Gordon are not in the affected area and everyone in (extended) House Andrews is ok 🙂
Thank you so so much for clearing that up. Now I feel significantly better (and can finally start to concentrate on my work and open cans for my 3 kitten ) <3
Any story with pets:)
Apropos of just about nothing I just gave my Coonhound-Shih Tzu cross a mullet because he can’t see out of his eyes and the only person who can groom him is booked up to mid-June. Poor Oscar’s looking strange but seeing just fine… but it made me wonder.
I remember in the early Innkeeper when Dina’s dog had elastic bands keeping her hair out of her eyes and now I HAVE TO KNOW: Who grooms her? Is it a special groomer in Baha Char? Does the inn do it?
Thanks for these snippets!
The name Tubbs makes me think of Mr. Tubbs, which then makes me think of the Disney movie Toby Tyler. Which is appropriate since there was a circus involved in this short story as well.
I love this family!
They deserve every good thing.
This story grabbed me right from the start. I was totally invested in this so real family. I loved it. And I’m the dog person in the family! ☺️
Dealt himself the fatality lol.
ER time!
Loved the story, thank you so much and glad y’all are safe.
Best $1000 spent. Before we were living together, my husband’s rescue cat bit him and he didn’t go to the doctors. 3 days later he had a 104 fever and went to the ER. They told him that if he had waited a day later, he would have been dead. It took 2 -3 days of IV antibiotics to get him stable enough to do surgery on the finger that the cat got. Cat bites are not a joke.
Of course, now we have another rescue cat that bites but we know what to look for and no one in the household ignores it.
Loved it, thank you! And I’m again very gratefull that I’m living in a country with social security and health insurance, where I can just get to the damn ER when I need to.
I loved this! I have a story of my own with one of our cats, and this reminded me of it and I laughed like crazy over this
I really really loved this Tubbs story. Thanks so much for sharing it. It was hilarious and scary all at the same time. Real life and real trauma but oh so worth all the life it has in it. Thank you! Love that you look for the good things within the bad. Glad it had a happy ending too.