"Willow's Missing Tail" 15

Martha tiptoed up the stairs and across the hallway to Perfidia’s bedroom door and knocked softly. After several seconds of no response she knocked harder and heard muffled grumbling and movement behind the closed door.

Perfidia opened the door and eyed Martha with sleepy annoyance, “Martha, why are you waking me up? What time is it?” Her eyes, sans makeup, were mere slits of indistinct color.

“Shush, I don’t want to wake up Daphne,” Martha cautioned stepping into the room and closing the door.

“Okay…but why?” Perfidia’s brain was still in sandman territory.

“I received this from Avery,” Martha held up the blank card.

“How?” Perfidia asked pulling off the sleep mask that was tangled in her hair.

“When I was in the garden, a bird brought it to me.”

Perfidia stifled a yawn then asked, “So what does he want?”

“He wants me to meet him tomorrow morning at the Heavens Brew Café, so you’ll have to run interference with Daphne. We can’t let her know I’m meeting Avery.”

The fog of sleep lifted fully and Perfidia’s eyes snapped open, focused on Martha. “Okay, sure; I can do that but, why didn’t Avery just send us his new location? Why does he have to meet with you?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m telling you, all this drama with Daphne and Avery is exhausting,” Perfidia grumbled, "and now it’s encroaching on my beauty sleep."

Martha chuckled, “Yes, there certainly is a lot of drama going around.”

“You bet there is and when you see Avery, make sure you ask him why he was still spying on us after the summer havocs were over.”

“I will: I'm curious to hear his reason.”

“Or his weak excuse. I wish I could go with you; I'd love to hear his defense and cross-examine it."

"I'm sure you would but don't worry, I will question him."

"Okay, and do you think you should take Willow with you, for protection? After hearing Daphne’s side of the story and seeing those files Avery had on us, we can’t be sure Avery is trust worthy?”

“No, we can’t be sure. I will bring Willow along to keep watch, at a distance, and you should keep Chaos close too, just in case.”

“I will.”

“So, can you keep Daphne distracted for a couple of hours?”

“It’ll be easy; I have the perfect distraction in mind already.”

Martha noted Perfidia’s smile held secrets. “Do I even want to know what you’re planning?”

“Probably not,” Perfidia replied with honesty and a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

“Then I’d better let you get back to sleep so you’re well rested for whatever tomorrow holds. Goodnight Perfidia.” Martha said and opened the door to leave.

“Goodnight Martha.”

Perfidia called to Chaos and a few minutes later the cat sauntered into her room. She placed a fluffy, down pillow on the floor and said, “Stay here and keep your ears tuned in to Daphne and that cat Thistle; wake me if either stirs.”

*

Perfidia felt something tickle her nose and she lifted her hand to brush it away, not wanting to fully wake up yet, but her hand connected with nothing; nothing was there. She snuggled back into her pillow willing her brain to go back to sleep when she felt a distinct swipe of a cat paw against her cheek. Her eyes flew open and she stared into the fuzzy face of Chaos.

“Did you just swat my face?”

Chaos gave her an agreeable meow then jumped off the bed.

“Why would you do that?” Perfidia asked the cat as she sat up but seeing the sunlight streaming into her room, she knew the reason. It was way past the time she’d wanted to wake up and she needed to be up before Daphne. Her only hope now was that Daphne was still the lazy stay-a-bed she’d been as child.

Perfidia slipped her feet into her frog face slippers and put on her matching frog, green robe over her frog green pajamas with the artistic renditions of frogs leaping. “Come on Chaos,” she called to the cat and opened the bedroom door.

Daphne wasn’t in the living room, the dining room, the kitchen or the garden so Perfidia decided she must still be in bed. Chaos had followed Perfidia into the kitchen and Ram was already there still lounging on the down bed in the corner of the room. Thistle wandered in to the room and eyed the two cats but not seeing Willow among them, she didn’t have the strange affliction to do battle with them.

Perfidia placed three large bowls filled with their favorite breakfast on the floor and cat caution was abandoned. The three cats, tails in close proximity, lowered their heads in unison and enjoyed the morning meal.

Perfidia filled the teakettle with water and placed it on the stove then began to prepare breakfast. She’d just plated it when Daphne strolled into the kitchen, wearing Perfidia’s owl pajamas and the matching robe and slippers.

“Good morning Perfidia; I can’t believe how I slept like a babe. Your house is so…peaceful, but its way past my normal rising time. Still, I could get use to this.” Daphne smiled.

“Good morning Daphne,” Perfidia returned the smile. She wasn’t sure she believed her about being an early riser but distraction was on the menu this morning, not interrogation.

“What’s that delicious aroma?” Daphne sniffed the air as she strolled over to the long kitchen table.

“Vanilla waffles.”

Daphne’s eyes lit up. “My favorite; you remembered?”

“I did, but I’m not sure I make them as well as my mom.”

“Your mom was a gourmet, waffle maker. Those summers we vacationed with your family were…the best.” Daphne sighed on the last word.

Perfidia noted the nostalgic mood and agreed. “They were and we had loads of fun…well…before everything changed.”

“You mean before my parents divorced and your dad…” Daphne stopped in mid-sentence and gave Perfidia a regretful look, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“Its okay; I’m okay now.”

“Good.”

Daphne’s smile actually looked genuine and Perfidia was reminded of their childhood friendship all those years ago.

“Those waffles do smell wonderful,” Daphne said again with a hungry gleam in her eye.

“Yeah, they smell like summer.” Perfidia added and brought the platter of warm waffles over to the table, setting it down next to bowls of blueberry and strawberry compote and fresh whipped cream.

“So where’s your friend Martha?” Daphne asked, placing a waffle onto her plate then liberally covering it with strawberry compote.

“Oh, still under the sandman’s power I’d guess but I’m sure she’ll join us whenever she wakes up…although, I did have a thought about what we could do before she does.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Do you remember the game we use to play on rainy days during those family vacations?”

Daphne laughed. “Of course I do, Dare or Consequences…why?”

“Do you feel confident this morning?”

“You’re kidding; you’re challenging me?”

“Yes, after we finish this amazing breakfast.”

“Huh…I guess you forgot who usually won when we played.”

“That was then and this is …not then,” Perfidia said with a confident grin.

“Okay, you’re on. Now pour me a cup of that power tea you’re brewing."