Writing Challenge

Life Is Never Fair

A story about domestic jealousy

A story at the request of Dr Mehmet Yildiz, a challenge of sorts.

—What are you doing, sweetie? — Just sitting here. — I see that. You’re sitting behind a sofa. — Yes. Yes I am. — Any particular reason? — I just wanted to be alone for a minute. — That’s reasonable. I suppose. I prefer the top of cupboards, myself, but to each her own. — Thank you. — Anything you’d like to talk about? I can just sit here on the sofa, you can be behind there, with your back to me. Just turn your ears so you can hear me. — It’s nothing. I’m just sad. — Does it have anything to do with James talking to Clarice a couple of hours ago? — No! — … — … — … — … maybe. — He’d talk to you if you gave him a chance. — I know, but I don’t want him to touch me. I want to sit there, let him talk to me and not touch me. — Okay, so then why to you rub yourself against his leg? — That’s me touching him. It’s different. — Yes, I agree. That is different. — You see? I come over and talk to him and he’s talking back and we’re having a nice little conversation and then Clarice just jumps up on the sofa beside him and it’s like I don’t exist any more. — I know, sweetie. You know that Clarice doesn’t mean anything by it. — I know that Clarice isn’t the sharpest claw in the paw. — Now, now. Don’t start with her. Your beef is with James, not her. I hear you back there, scooting further behind the sofa. Hiding is not going to fix anything. — Well, what else do you want me to do? — Come up here on the sofa with me and I’ll clean the back of your head. — I don’t want to. — Well then I suppose the other option is to pout behind the furniture, but you’ve tried that for the past hour and it hasn’t done much good. — I don’t know why she gets all the attention. I just don’t. — Do you want that much attention anyway? Be careful what you ask for. — No, just sometimes. — So, why don’t you come on out from behind there and we can sit together. I’ll clean your head while you fall asleep. — You always wake me up. — I’ll be gentle; I promise. Oh good, I can see your ears peeking out. Now get your tail up here. I haven’t cleaned it in weeks and it probably has burs in it. — I don’t live outside. I don’t get burs. — Upsi-daisies. Good girl. Now lay down right there and let me take a look at your head. Goodness, it hasn’t been cleaned in days. — Ow, your pulling my hair. Your tongue is rough. — It’s supposed to be rough. How else could I clean you otherwise. Now sit still. — Okay. — Good girl. Now, tell me about your trip outside this afternoon. Did James see you sneak out? — No. *snicker*. Not this time. It was awesome. — Did you see any spiders?

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