Free Ghost Cat - Thelma's Dilemma by Carol Colbert

her mind. What
were the odds of Don’s old girlfriend living next door to them here
in Michigan? The romantic in her was happy that they could play a
part in reuniting the two old lovebirds. The wife in her was not
sure how to tell her husband they would be taking Mrs. Johnson with
them.
    Sarah helped the girls with their homework
and told her daughters to take their showers and watch TV until
their dad got home. She needed this night to go well if she had any
chance of getting Mrs. Johnson back with Don. When Jim called to
say he would be late, Sarah fed the girls their dinner, although
she decided to wait for Jim before she had her own.
    Sarah went over in her mind how she would
tell her husband the latest news. Jim was a good man and a good
husband and father, but he had his limits. She had been the one to
push him to go to Gertie’s memorial in the first place. She was
hoping that Jim would see this trip with Mrs. Johnson as something
that was meant to be.
    Jim got home a few minutes after seven from
work. He was not in a good mood. “Something is going on at work,
just rumors, but not looking good.” He said, almost the moment he
came in the door. “Sorry to be late, had another meeting that ran
over.” Suzanne and Riley ran into the kitchen. “Hi dad, bye dad.”
They said, each grabbing a cookie and then running back
upstairs.
    “It is fine, Jim, the girls already ate and
we have spaghetti for dinner, so it’s not like dinner was ruined.
You sound really worried about your job. You don’t think we would
be transferred back to Tennessee, do you?”
    “Oh no, nothing like that. There is talk of
layoffs though. I don’t think I would be on the list of people who
might have to go, but then too, you never know what is going on
with corporate politics.”
    Sarah ate dinner with Jim. “I have pumpkin
pie for desert. I made cookies and pumpkin bread today too.”
    “Sounds wonderful. Do we have any whipped
cream to top it off with? I have been meaning to put a few things
on the grocery list, but I forget.” Jim said.
    Thelma heard and rushed into the kitchen.
“Meow” she said, rubbing against Jim’s leg, trying to distract them
from talk of the grocery list. It worked.
    “Hello there, Gertie. She has gotten used to
us, huh? I don’t think she has come up to me before. I am just glad
she gets along with Cooper, because Cooper comes first, but I would
hate to have to give this little fur ball up now.”
    “She is a good cat. She really got along
well with Mrs. Johnson’s cat Snowball. In fact, we spent a good
portion of the early afternoon over there. We took her a pie and
stayed to talk. I am very glad that we did.”
    When Jim didn’t respond, Sarah said “When
you are done with the pie, why don’t we sit by the fire with a
glass of wine? It might help you relax some. The girls had a busy
day themselves and already had their baths, so they should be going
to bed soon.”
    “I admit, a quite night sounds wonderful
after the day I had. I look forward to an evening with you, the
fireplace, and a glass of wine. No corporate BS or problems for me
to fix.” Jim smiled and Sarah felt just a tinge of regret about
what she was about to unload on her husband.
    They sat in front of the fire with their
wine. Cooper and Thelma at their feet. Sarah snuggled up to her
husband. “I found out some very interesting things at Mrs.
Johnson’s today, Jim.”
    “Oh?”
    “Yes. She is actually from Tennessee
herself.”
    “Small world. I imagine many people came to
Detroit for the automotive jobs once the plants were hiring. Did
her husband used to work at Ford or General Motors?”
    “She never married. She was in love with a
man in Tennessee who would not commit fully to her because he was
taking care of the lady who raised him.” Sarah said, not looking at
her husband.
    “How did she end up in Michigan, then?”
    “She left there hoping that the man, his
name is Don by the way. She was hoping that Don would