Page 88 of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe
‘Let’s open up next door and you can have a think about what to do. Can you get the reviews taken down?’ asked Joyce, getting up to refill her mug.
‘I’m not sure – I’ll look into it. I just hope it doesn’t put people off, particularly if they’re not from around here and wouldn’t know the reviews are fake.’
‘Let’s not start worrying about things that haven’t happened. We’ve got a café to run and cats to look after, in case you’d forgotten.’
‘I’ll get dressed and head next door. See you over there?’ said Tori, standing up and making for the door.
‘Right you are, love. But don’t go stressing over this; Violet’s not worth wasting your energy on.’
Tori nodded and muttered to herself. ‘I wish it was that easy, Mum, I really do.’
By the time Joyce arrived at the café, Tori had fed the cats and was just about to start setting out the cakes in the glass display cabinet on the counter. Mr Wiggles had seemed more subdued than usual, but he’d eaten his breakfast and Tori decided to keep a watchful eye on him.
‘Here, let me do that, love,’ said Joyce, taking the tray from her. ‘If you can pop the flowers on the table, we’re almost ready to open.’
‘No problem.’ As Tori filled the final vase, she noticed Mr Wiggles walking oddly, staggering from side to side. ‘Mum, there’s something wrong with him,’ cried Tori, rushing towards the cat, who had collapsed onto his side, panting heavily and looking dazed and confused. ‘What’s wrong, boy?’ she said, dropping to her knees.
‘Has he had a seizure maybe?’ said Joyce, rushing to her side.
‘I’ll take him straight to Grace. Can you stay with him, Mum, while I grab his basket?’ Tori sprinted to the supply cupboard at the back of the café and reached for the first cat basket she could find. By the time she’d returned to Mr Wiggles’ side, the cat’s breathing was starting to ease. ‘How’s he doing?’
‘His breathing’s a bit better but he’s not right. He looks like he doesn’t know where he is.’
‘Come on, little man, let’s get you to Grace,’ Tori whispered as she scooped the large, black cat into her arms and placed him carefully into the wicker basket. He didn’t even struggle as Tori lifted him inside, which worried her more than if he’d tried to take a chunk out of her.
As she dashed across the green to Brook House, she kept imagining the worst-case scenario. She knew Mr Wiggles was getting on a bit and had a thyroid problem, just like her mum, so what if there was nothing Grace could do? What if she was too late?
‘Help!’ Tori said breathlessly as she burst through the surgery doors. ‘It’s Mr Wiggles, I think he’s had a seizure…’
‘What happened?’ said Tara, as she got up from behind her desk.
‘Can I help?’ asked a young woman dressed in scrubs that Tori didn’t recognize, who had appeared through the double doors behind reception. ‘I’m Kelly, the practice nurse.’
Tori explained what she’d seen: the staggering, the disorientation, the way Mr Wiggles didn’t seem in control of his own limbs.
‘That’s really helpful, Tori, thanks. Grace is with another patient at the moment; let me just see if I can interrupt her. Pass him across to me,’ said Kelly, her arms outstretched, as she disappeared through the set of doors to Grace’s surgery.
Tori sat down silently on one of the plastic waiting-room chairs and tried to stay calm. What if something was seriously wrong with Mr Wiggles? Izzy had trusted her to look after him. She’d let her down… she’d let everyone down. She kept going back to the evening her mum had collapsed at home… what if… what if?Her breathing was becoming more erratic now, her heart felt as though it was going to explode – if anything happened to Joyce… She clutched the empty cat basket, she couldn’t breathe… she was having a heart attack—
‘Tori? Are you okay?’ Tori looked up to see Tara watching her, her face etched with concern. ‘Tori, I think you might be having a panic attack. Here, take my arm, let’s get you through to the staffroom…’
‘Now, just breathe into this for me,’ said Tara, handingTori a brown paper bag. ‘Long, deep breaths… like this,’ she said, taking a long, slow, deep breath in herself to demonstrate. Tori followed suit and began breathing into the bag slowly, taking steadying breaths. ‘That’s it,’ said Tara encouragingly. ‘How are you feeling? Better?’ Tori nodded and slowly removed the paper bag from her mouth.
‘I think so… I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened.’
‘Don’t worry, you’ve had a stressful start to the morning, Mr Wiggles giving you a scare like that. Let me grab you a cuppa with lots of sugar.’
‘Do you really think that was a panic attack? Nothing like that’s ever happened to me before. I thought I was having a heart attack…’
‘That’s exactly how it can feel; they’re pretty scary if you don’t know what’s happening. Here, drink this,’ she said, passing Tori a mug, ‘it’ll help.’
‘Wow! How many sugars are in this?’ Tori said, wincing.
‘It’ll do you good. Drink up! You know, I’m loving what you’ve done with the Cosy Cat, by the way. Those new kiwi and mango smoothies are delicious.’
‘Thank you, that’s good to know.’
‘I love that you’ve kept all the old favourites, though – I do love Joyce’s cream teas, you can’t beat them. It still feels like the same old Cosy Cup.’
